Chimbote ; qu, Chimputi) is the largest city in the Ancash Region of

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, and the capital of both

Santa Province The Santa Province is one of twenty provinces of the Ancash Region in Peru. The province of Santa was created on February 12, 1821. Its capital, Chimbote, that long time ago became the first fishing port of the world, is the most important city of ...

and

Chimbote District Chimbote District is one of nine districts of the Santa Province in Peru. Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática The Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) ("National Institute of Statistics and Informatics") is a ...

. The city is located on the coast in

Ferrol Bay Chimbote ; qu, Chimputi) is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District. The city is located on the coast in Ferrol Bay, 130 km south of Trujillo and north of Lima on the N ...

, 130 km south of Trujillo and north of

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities on the

vian north coast like Trujillo,

Chiclayo Chiclayo (; qu, Chiklayu) is the principal city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located inland from the Pacific coast and from the nation's capital, Lima. Founded by Spanish explorers as "Santa María de los Valles de Chiclay ...

and Piura. The advantages of this geographic location made Chimbote into a transshipment junction for the

Santa River The Santa River ( es, Río Santa) is a river in the South American Andes mountain range in the Ancash Region of northwest central Peru. River Course Lake Conococha, at an altitude of 4,050 m above sea level and at , is considered the headwat ...

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

History

In 1835, when General Santa Cruz granted Chimbote's first official acknowledgement, Chimbote was a village of

fishermen A fisher or fisherman is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishers may be professional or recreati ...

with a population of no more than 800. In 1871, an agreement was made with

Henry Meiggs Henry Meiggs (July 7, 1811 – September 30, 1877), was a promotor/entrepreneur and railroad builder born in Boston, Massachusetts Business career Lumber Meiggs came to New York City in 1835 and began a lumber business that was ruined by the ...

to build a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

towards the interior of the country. Chimbote was classified as a

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

, even though its population remained around 1,000. The opening of the

Pan-American Highway The Pan-American Highway (french: (Auto)route panaméricaine/transaméricaine; pt, Rodovia/Auto-estrada Pan-americana; es, Autopista/Carretera/Ruta Panamericana) is a network of roads stretching across the Americas and measuring about in to ...

created easy access to Lima in the 1930s. In 1881, there was an attempt to cede a naval base to the U.S. in Chimbote Bay by Peru. The deal was blocked by Chile who sent its marines to occupy Chimbote after learning of the deal to cede a naval base to the U.S. Navy. In 1940, Chimbote was still a small

fishing port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

, with only 2,400 inhabitants in an urbanized area of . In 1943, the government created the Corporación Peruana del Santa (Peruvian Corporation of Santa). This entity assumed ownership of the

, made improvements to the

, and began work on a

hydroelectric power station Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

on the Río Santa (in the

Cañón del Pato Cañón del Pato (Spanish: Duck Canyon) is on the Rio Santa (Santa River) at the north end of the Callejón de Huaylas (Corridor of Huaylas) in north-central Peru. The mostly rocky canyon walls are too steep and arid for cultivation, and in only a ...

uck Canyon/nowiki> in Huallanca). The first stage of the power station was inaugurated in 1958; also that year, an iron and steel plant was built.The iron and steel plant is currently known as Empresa Siderúrgica del Perú S.A.A. By 1943, the first companies dedicated to the extraction of liver from the

Pacific bonito Pacific bonito, ''Sarda lineolata'', is a marine species of bonito that is a game fighter but not highly thought of as a food fish. While it has been considered to be a subspecies of ''Sarda chiliensis'', recent treatments recognize it as a specie ...

fish arrived. This liver was sold for a high price abroad due to World War II.

Geography

Climate

Chimbote's climate is comfortable, despite being located in the tropics and in a desert. Although classified as subtropical, Chimbote's proximity to the cool Humboldt current leads to temperatures much cooler than those expected for a tropical desert, and is classified as a

desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in deser ...

. On average, the warmest month is February with temperatures a little over . September is considered the average coolest month, at around . The annual average temperature is around 20 °C (68 °F). The city gets little to no precipitation; however, thick fog predominates through the months of May to November, usually overnight. Rainfall usually comes in February.

Population

A large number of people migrated to Chimbote in the early 1970s. By that time, less than 5 percent of the people from Chimbote would truly consider themselves native; between 1960 and 1970, Chimbote's population multiplied by more than a hundred times. In 1900, the population of the port was 1,400; after 1970, it was 170,000. As of 2005, its population was 324,398. The influx of residents was closely bound to the creation of the Corporación Peruana del Santa, to the start and development of the

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

industry, and to the establishment of the iron and steel plant ("

Siderperu SIDERPERU is a Peruvian steel and iron company and controlled by Gerdau, a Brazilian siderurgy company. The company was founded in 1956 in Chimbote city. The steel complex is set in a 600 hectares large site and has a production capacity of mor ...

"). Together, these multiplied the commercial and productive activities of the port. At the beginning of 1996, as

vian public companies were privatized, the Peruvian-Brazilian company Acerco bought Siderperu.

Districts and neighborhoods

The city of Chimbote, being a district itself, comprises 7 more districts: Santa, Coishco, Samanco, Nepeña, Macate, Moro, Cáceres del Perú, and Nuevo Chimbote. The neighborhoods of El Barrio de Acero, Barrio Bolivar, El Progreso, Laderas del norte alto and laderas del norte bajo, Miraflores Alto and Miraflores Bajo surround Chimbote.

Economy

During the 1970s, the

El Niño El Niño (; ; ) is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date ...

climate pattern, an

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

, and overfishing drastically affected the fishing industry, and restrictions were imposed to ensure its survival. More than 75 percent of Peru's fishing industry is based in Chimbote. Chimbote is the largest fishing port in the world. Chimbote has more than 30 fish factories. Chimbote's active

commerce Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...

and its diversified industrial development are characteristic of the city. Its population includes workers who have experience in

, naval, canning, and the iron-and-steel industry with the company

SIDERPERU SIDERPERU is a Peruvian steel and iron company and controlled by Gerdau, a Brazilian siderurgy company. The company was founded in 1956 in Chimbote city. The steel complex is set in a 600 hectares large site and has a production capacity of mor ...

. Chimbote also has beaches that support tourism.

Peruvian anchoveta "boom"

Shortly after the fish

canning industry Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container ( jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although ...

declined, the industrialization of anchoveta fishing peaked. This attracted people from all over Peru, due to the high wages paid in the fishing industry at the time, fueling Chimbote's suburban growth. The strong migratory wave toward the city increased because of the serious crisis of the countryside in the 1960s, particularly in

Ancash Ancash ( qu, Anqash; es, Áncash ) is a department and region in northern Peru. It is bordered by the departments of La Libertad on the north, Huánuco and Pasco on the east, Lima on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital i ...

Cajamarca Cajamarca (), also known by the Quechua name, ''Kashamarka'', is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru ...

and the northern part of

La Libertad Region La Libertad (; in English: ''The Liberty'') is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the Department of La Libertad ('). It is bordered by the Lambayeque, Cajamarca and Amazonas regions on the north, the San Martín Region on t ...

. The axis of development moved from the

Pima cotton ''Gossypium barbadense'' (''gos-SIP-pee-um bar-ba-DEN-see'') is one of several species of cotton. It is in the mallow family. It has been cultivated since antiquity, but has been especially prized since a form with particularly long fibers was ...

, sugarcane, and

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

plantations to the large city. In addition, Chimbote was a natural exit

channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...

for the exports of the Santa valley, and a starting point for the entry to the

Callejón de Huaylas The Santa Valley (Quechua ''Sancta'') is an inter-andean valley in the Ancash Region in the north-central highlands of Peru. Due to its location between two mountain ranges, it is known as Callejón de Huaylas, the Alley of Huaylas, whereas "Huayla ...

. The Peruvian anchoveta

boom Boom may refer to: Objects * Boom (containment), a temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill * Boom (navigational barrier), an obstacle used to control or block marine navigation * Boom (sailing), a sailboat part * Boom (windsurfi ...

created wealth in the city, but it soon ended due to indiscriminate

that overwhelmed the bio-mass. An

in 1970 damaged to the facilities of the fishing industries, causing

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...

and impoverishment. During this period, the Diocese of Chimbote created the Social Welfare Commission, to organize diverse popular dining places in conjunction with

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...

. Since the 1960s, the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh The Diocese of Pittsburgh ( la, Diœcesis Pittsburgensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Western Pennsylvania established on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 61 parish-groupings (107 chur ...

has served the poor at the Chimbote Mission, raising funds through the Chimbote Foundation.

Tourism

Chimbote is surrounded by two natural bays, the Bay of Chimbote (or Ferrol) and the Bay of Samanco, both with excellent

harbor A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...

conditions. Chimbote forms a conurbation with Nuevo Chimbote District to the south. Between these districts, the Humedales de Villa María, a swamp, is home to a local species of heron, along with many species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...

s and fish. The swamp is formed by the Lacramarca River. To the south of the city, there are many beaches, such as Vesique, Los Chimús, Tortugas, Caleta Colorada and el Dorado. Also located near Chimbote is the Isla Blanca (''white isle'', in English), which takes its name from the white color of the ground. Isla Blanca measures approximately in length and in width, and reaches above sea level. Located next to the city is the Cerro de la Juventud (Mountain of Youth), also called Cerro de la Paz (Mountain of Peace). Since 1985, this tourist attraction attracts hundreds annually. Visitors appreciate a panoramic view of Chimbote's bay from the top of this mountain. Tourists can also visit Isla Blanca Boulevard, which has many beautiful marble sculptures and fountains. Cruz Por La Paz - Cross at the top of Cerro de la Juventud aka Cerro de la Paz

Cruz Por La Paz - Cross at the top of Cerro de la Juventud aka Cerro de la Paz

From Chimbote, some short tourist circuits can be taken: * Chimbote -

Casma Casma is a city in the coastal desert of Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National s ...

- Sechín - Yaután * Chimbote - Nepeña - San Jacinto - Moro - Jimbe * Chimbote -

Santa Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...

- Huallanca The city is known for its ''

ceviche Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are ...

'', a popular Peruvian dish whose ingredients include white fish,

octopus An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...

, seashell,

squid True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...

, and red hot pepper. Panoramica chimbote desde Cerro de la Paz

Festivals

Chimbote has two important celebrations during the year: Holy Week and The Festivity of ''San Pedrito of Chimbote'' (also called ''Chimbote's Civic Anniversary''). * Patronal feast of San Pedrito, this festival has its origins in the 16th century with the first fishermen who populated Chimbote coming from Huanchaco. It is held from 23 to 30 June in devotion to the patron saint of fishermen San Pedro. The central feast day is on 29 June, the image of the saint is taken out in procession and It is paraded through the bay by boat.

Education

The Academia Preuniversitaria "Perpetuo Socorro" and the

Catholic University Los Angeles of Chimbote Catholic University Los Angeles of Chimbote (Universidad Católica Los Ángeles de Chimbote; Uladech Católica or Uladech) is a Catholic university in Chimbote, Peru. The university's rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steer ...

are located in Chimbote.

Transportation

The Chimbote- Huallanca rail line, built in 1922, serves as a

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

for

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when ...

and

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

mines on the interior and a railway for the river valley by transporting

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

, sugarcane, and bananas.

Bus terminal

El Chimbador Bus Terminal is Chimbote's primary ground transportation facility. The bus terminal is located outside of the city. It has become a vital connection for the region's workers, travelers and visitors, serving nearly 6,000 passengers a day. Currently there are 30 bus carriers offering services for national and international travel.

Port

The port of Chimbote is considered by some one of the most beautiful and safest ports in the Peruvian coast. It extends , from Caleta Colorada Bay (Red Creek Bay) in the north, where the present marine facilities are located, to Anconcillo in the south.

Airport

The city is served by the Teniente FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales Airport, operated by CORPAC S.A. It was created in 1957 under the government of President

Manuel Prado Ugarteche Manuel Carlos Prado y Ugarteche (April 21, 1889 – August 15, 1967) was a banker who served twice as President of Peru. Son of former president Mariano Ignacio Prado, he was born in Lima and served as the nation's 43rd (1939 - 1945) and 46th (1 ...

. There are regular flights to Lima by LC Busre.

Sister cities

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Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

* Belo Horizonte,

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* Nantes,

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* San José, Costa Rica *

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Notes

References

{{Authority control https://chimbotefoundation.org/ Populated places in the Ancash Region Port cities in Peru Cities in Peru