Puno

Capital of the Andean department of the same name in southeast Peru; population (1993) 91,877. Puno is a port on the western shore of LakeTiticaca, and stands at an altitude of 3,826 m/12,552 ft. The town was founded in 1668. It has a cathedral and a new university, and is the embarkation point for ferries to the Bolivian port of Guaqui. It is also the terminus of the railway line south from Cuzco.

Puno

Department in southeast Peru, bordering on Bolivia; area 66,988 sq km/25,864 sq mi; population (1996) 1,143,354. The capital is the city of Puno, and other significant towns in the department are Juliaca and Ayaviri. Its nine constituent provinces include both high grassy plateaux and hot subtropical valleys. Potatoes, barley, and other grains are grown in the highlands, while coffee and cacao are cutivated in the valleys of Sandia and Carabaya provinces. Wool is another important highland product, from sheep, alpacas, and llamas. Alluvial gold is found in the rivers, and several other minerals are mined on a small scale.

Over 75% of Puno's inhabitants are rural Indians, with Aymara or Quechua (the language of the Incas) as their first language.

The region is accessible by ferry across Lake Titicaca, by road via Desaguadero, or by the railway from Cuzco.