Huancas is one of the 21 districts of

Chachapoyas Province Chachapoyas is a province of the Amazonas Region, Peru. The province of Chachapoyas was a part of the department of Trujillo (according to the supreme decree of February 12, 1821) being its capital the city of Chachapoyas. After the departme ...

in the

Amazonas Region Amazonas () is a department and region in northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca on the west, La Libertad on the south, and Loreto and San Martín on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas. With a lands ...

of northern Peru. It is bounded to the north by

Valera District Valera is a district of Bongará Province, in the Department of Amazonas, Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , oth ...

, to the east by

Sonche District Sonche District is one of twenty-one districts of the province Chachapoyas in Peru. Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática The Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) ("National Institute of Statistics and Informa ...

, to the south by

Chachapoyas District Chachapoyas District is one of twenty-one districts of Chachapoyas Province in Peru. Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática. Banco de Información Distrital''. Retrieved April 11, 2008. References See also * Administrative division ...

, and to the west by

Luya District Luya is a district of the Province of Luya in the Amazonas Region of Peru. Luya is home to several archaeological sites of the Chachapoya culture, such as Wanglic, and is a point of access to some of the Province's main tourist destinations, incl ...

and

Lámud District Lámud is one of 23 districts of Luya Province in Amazonas Region, Peru. Lámud is located in the mountainous region, and features ruins and caves of the Chachapoya culture. Lámud also is the head office of the government of the Province of Luya ...

History

The district was legally created on 5 February 1861, during the government of President Ramon Castilla.

Geography

Huancas District covers an area of 49 km² and has a population of 1,305. The capital is the town of Huancas, which is a 15-minute drive from the city of Chachapoyas. Huancas is located at a height of 2,558 m (8,392 ft) above sea level, in an area where high

Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...

drops to the Sonche River, 962 m (3,156 ft) below. There is an attractive Colonial church located on the main square; and the citizens are well known for their earthenware (''alfareria'') – including clay cooking pots and jugs (''cantaros'') – that are hand-decorated and fired using open, wood-burning ovens However, the most notable tourist draw is the stunning viewpoint over the Sonche Canyon, 1 km (0.6 miles) east of Huancas. Additionally, 3 km (1.9 miles) north of Huancas, is Huanca Urco hill, with views of where the Sonche, Vitaya and Utcubamba Rivers meet. On a clear day, the top part of

Gocta Falls Gocta ( es, Catarata del Gocta) is a perennial waterfall with two drops located in Peru's province of Bongara in Amazonas, approximately to the northeast of Lima. It flows into the Cocahuayco River. Although the waterfall had been well known ...

can be seen. Huancas belongs to the parish of Chachapoyas, and is served by two priests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chachapoyas.

Towns and villages of Huancas district

* Huancas * Yunga * La Hoya * Pacchapampa * La Pitaya * Cacapunta * Maray Pampa

Authorities

Municipal

* 2015 – 2018 ** Mayoress: Deysi Solano Cotrina, del Movimiento Regional Fuerza Amazonense ** Councillors: *# Walter Manuel Isla Inga (Movimiento Regional Fuerza Amazonense) *# Edith Melendez Huamán (Movimiento Regional Fuerza Amazonense) *# María Noelia Puscan Inga (Movimiento Regional Fuerza Amazonense) *# Leandro Flores Quistan (Movimiento Regional Fuerza Amazonense) *# María Yolanda Vílchez Sánchez (Movimiento Independiente Surge Amazonas)

Festivals

Huancas' patron saint is the Lord of the Miracles, so its annual festival is held on 18 October.

References

External links

Huancas district official website
(Spanish)
INEI Perú
(Spanish) 1861 establishments in Peru Districts of the Chachapoyas Province Districts of the Amazonas Region {{AmazonasPE-geo-stub