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La Merced, Chanchamayo (in hispanicized spelling) or Chanchamayu (
Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...
''chanchay'' to walk and leap about, to walk quickly and confused, ''chancha chancha'' to walk quickly and irregularly, ''shancha'' a kind of bird, ''mayu'' river)Diccionario Quechua - Español - Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005: ''chancha chancha'' - ''adj. Caminar rápido, apresurado, con pasos irregulares'' ''Chanchaymayu'' - ''s. Geog. (Topón. shancha gallinácea plomiza; mayu río).'' ''chanchay'' - ''v. Caminar apresurada y confusamente.'' is the
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of the
Chanchamayo Province Chanchamayo (in hispanicized spelling) or Chanchamayu (Quechua language, Quechua ''chanchay'' to walk and leap about, to walk quickly and confused, ''chancha chancha'' to walk quickly and irregularly, ''shancha'' a kind of bird, ''mayu'' river)Dic ...
in the
Junín Region Junín may refer to: Places Argentina *Junín Partido **Junín, Buenos Aires *** Junín Airport * Junín Department, Mendoza ** Junín, Mendoza * Junín Department, San Luis *Junín de los Andes, Neuquén Colombia *Junín, Cundinamarca *Juní ...
in
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 ...
. Its mayor is Jose Eduardo Mariño (2019-2022).


Geography

La Merced is situated on , as the crow flies 75 km north of the regional capital Huancayo-Junín and 220 km northeast of the country's capital
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 ...
, at an elevation of 751 m above sea level. On the paved road it takes 305 km from Lima to La Merced.


History

The place was founded about 1884 by Jose Manuel Pereira after the Pacific war by a group of
Italian immigrants , image = Map of the Italian Diaspora in the World.svg , image_caption = Map of the Italian diaspora in the world , population = worldwide , popplace = Brazil, Argentina, United States, France, Colombia, Canada, P ...
. Before that period there were many attempts to colonize Chanchamayo's valley but were repelled by the local Ashaninkas, especially under the leadership of
Juan Santos Atahualpa Juan Santos Atahualpa Apu-Inca Huayna Capac (c. 1710 – c. 1756) was the messianic leader of a successful indigenous rebellion in the Amazon Basin and Andean foothills against the Viceroyalty of Peru in the Spanish Empire. The rebellion began i ...
. The Peruvian army protected the colonists with a small garrison in Kimiri in front of the actual barracks. Gradually the Ashaninkas moved down river and eventually melted with the colonists. It lies on the western bank of the river Chanchamayu which later becomes
Perené River The Perené River () is a Peruvian river on the eastern slopes of the South American Andes. It is formed at the confluence of the Chanchamayo and Paucartambo Rivers, above the community of Perené, actually two pueblos of Santa Ana and Pampa ...
, a tributary of the Amazonas.


Population

At the 2015 census, the city had a population of about 25,000 inhabitants. In terms of anthropology, the Chanchamayo region is a multicultural city influenced by the local Asháninka.


Tourism

Despite the long distance from Peru's capital city, Lima, and due to its pleasant weather and exotic scenery, La Merced and its surrounding countryside remains a popular destination for domestic tourists. The surrounding areas of the city feature waterfalls, whitewater creeks, jungle-like forest, tree-covered hills, rivers, traditionally living indigenous tribes, plantations and an abundance of wildlife and species of birds.


Economy

The economy of the Chanchamayo region relies primarily on tourism, the cultivation and production of coffee, as well as the production of fruits and vegetables such as papayas, oranges, cassavas, avocados, pineapples, and passion fruits.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:La Merced, Junin Populated places in the Junín Region