Moquegua

Coastal department in southern Peru, between Tacna to the south and Arequipa to the north; area 15,734 sq km/6,075 sq mi; population (1996) 137,735. The region is watered by the Tambo and Moquegua rivers. The capital, also named Moquegua, is situated at an altitude of 1,410 m/4512 ft, approximately 1,200 km/746 mi southeast of Lima. The chief products of the department are wines from domestically grown grapes, avocados, olives, cotton, copper, and lead.

In the southern part of the department are located Peru's richest copper deposits, worked by the US-owned Southern Peru Copper Corporation, at Toquepala and Cuajone. The growing port of Ilo handles exports; a copper smelter is situated 18 km/11 mi from here.