Moquegua () is a department and region in southern

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 ...

that extends from the coast to the highlands. Its capital is the city of

Moquegua Moquegua (, founded by the Spanish colonists as Villa de Santa Catalina de Guadalcázar del Valle de Moquegua) is a city in southern Peru, located in the Department of Moquegua, of which it is the capital. It is also capital of Mariscal Nieto Pr ...

, which is among the main Peruvian cities for its high rates of GDP and national education.

Geography

The department's

volcano A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are ...

es and its geomorphology make its geography remarkable. It is formed by upstream portion of the Tambo River, one of the most torrential coastal rivers, which forms deep valleys that can be divided into three sectors, the first one being in the northwest, forming the Puquina-La Capilla sector. These are veritable oasis enclaved in the rocks; arid hillsides and some terraces where horticulture is possible. High quality alfalfa as well as fruits, especially

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...

s, are produced here, due to a good climate and a rich soil. The second sector is the valley of Omate, one of the most populated and fertile soils of the department. The Ubinas Volcano, Peru's most active volcano, is located nearby. In the hillsides, the land is fertile in contrast with the desolation and sterility of its highlands. In the southern part of the Tambo River is located the town of Carumas, which along with Puquina and Omate, are the vital centers of this geography. The Moquegua River is a short run one and is formed by its tributaries: the Torata, Huaracane and Tumilaca rivers. After passing through the regional capital, it digs deep into a canyon called the Osmare.

Boundaries

The Department of Moquegua is bordered by the

Arequipa Region Arequipa ( ay, Ariqipa; qu, Ariqipa) is a department and region in southwestern Peru. It is the sixth largest department in Peru, after Puno, Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto, its sixth most populous department, and its eleventh least ...

in the north, the

Puno Region Puno () is a department and region in southeastern Peru. It is the fifth largest department in Peru, after Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto. It is bordered by Bolivia on the east, the departments of Madre de Dios on the north, Cusco ...

in the east, the

Tacna Region Tacna (; Aymara & Quechua: Taqna) is the southernmost department and region in Peru. The Chilean Army occupied the present-day Tacna Department during the War of the Pacific from 1885 to 1929 when it was reincorporated into Peruvian soil. Geogr ...

in the south and the Pacific Ocean in the west.

Political division

Provinces of the Moquegua region in Peru

The region is divided into 3 provinces ( es, provincias, singular: ), which are composed of 20 districts (''distritos'', singular: ''distrito''). The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are: * General Sánchez Cerro (

Omate Omate is a town in Southern Peru, capital of the province General Sánchez Cerro in the region Moquegua Moquegua (, founded by the Spanish colonists as Villa de Santa Catalina de Guadalcázar del Valle de Moquegua) is a city in southern Peru ...

) *

Ilo The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and ol ...

(

) * Mariscal Nieto (

)

Demographics

Population

According to the 1993 census, the Moquegua Region has a population of 128,747 inhabitants, 51.9% of which (66,843) are male and 48.1% (61,904) are female. , the

Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática The Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) ("National Institute of Statistics and Informatics") is a semi-autonomous Peruvian government agency which coordinates, compiles, and evaluates statistical information for the country ...

estimates the region's population to be 156,750.

Languages

According to the last census in Peru in 2007, the languages learnt first by the residents were

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

(79.37%),

Aymara Aymara may refer to: Languages and people * Aymaran languages, the second most widespread Andean language ** Aymara language, the main language within that family ** Central Aymara, the other surviving branch of the Aymara(n) family, which today ...

(10.71%),

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 ...

(9.57%) and Asháninka (0.04%). Other

indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

languages were learnt first by 0.19% and foreign languages by 0.04%.inei.gob.pe
INEI, Peru, Censos Nacionales 2007 The Quechua variety spoken in Moquegua is

Cusco–Collao Quechua Cusco–Collao (Spanish, also ''Cuzco–Collao'') or Qusqu–Qullaw (Quechua) is a collective term used for Quechua dialects that have aspirated () and ejective () plosives, apparently borrowed from Aymaran languages. They include Cusco Quechua ...

. The following table shows the results concerning the language learnt first in the Moquegua Region by province:

Immigration

Persons originating from other regions of the country make up 37.8% of the population and 0.2% of residents were born abroad. The largest immigrant groups come from the

(14.7% of the total population) and the

(9.9%).

Age

The population is spread out, with 43.3% under the age of 20, 9.9% from 20 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 13.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who are 65 years of age or older.

Education

Secondary education Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...

has been attended by 33.3% of the population and 5.5% also have graduated from non-

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

higher education, while 4.3% have complete university studies. 37.9% only have attended primary education and 7.1% have not had any education. The

illiteracy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in Writing, written form in some specific context of use. In other wo ...

rate in the region is 10%.

History

Inca oral tradition as documented by the Spanish chroniclers has long held that the present-day Moquegua Region was inhabited by small groups of natives known as ''pukinas'' and ''

qulla The Qulla (Quechuan for ''south'', Hispanicized and mixed spellings: ''Colla, Kolla'') are an indigenous people of western Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina living in west of Jujuy and west of Salta Province. The 2004 Complementary Indigenous Survey r ...

s'' long before the arrival of the

Incas The Inca Empire (also Quechuan and Aymaran spelling shift, known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechuan languages, Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) wa ...

. According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, it was Inca

Mayta Cápac Mayta Cápac (Quechua ''Mayta Qhapaq Inka'') was the fourth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cuzco (beginning around 1290 CE) and a member of the Hurin dynasty. Family and personal As a son of King Lloque Yupanqui, Mayta Cápac was his heir and the ...

who organized the military expedition to expand the domains of the

Cusco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the list of cities in Peru, seventh m ...

monarchs along this part of the coast. Since these were fertile lands, capable of supporting a larger population, the Inca army officers in charge decided to establish the towns of Cuchuna and Moquegua. In doing so, they were also protecting the Inca domain over the conquered lands. Archaeological research conducted over the past several decades has shed considerable light on the ancient history of Moquegua, giving this remote section of Peru a unique place in the history of Peru. Archaeological surveys and excavations, documented in myriad professional publications, as well as books for the public available at Moquegua's Museo Contisuyo, demonstrate a sequence of occupation stretching from more than 10,000 B.C. through the present day. There is no accurate data on the

Spanish conquest The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...

or the founding of the city of Moquegua by its army. Presumably, it was founded on 25 November 1541 by Pedro Cansino and his wife, Josefa de Bilbao. During the

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

, Moquegua suffered the invasion of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

an troops. They looted all buildings —including churches— tortured women, and took people's jewelry.

Tourism

In the city

The attractions in the city of Moquegua are Main Square which features a fountain made and built in France by the Engineer Gustave Eifel, Santo Domingo Church contains the image of Santa Fortuna, a martyr, from the first centuries of Christianity who is worshipped by the faithful. The Jose Carlos Mariategui Museum is located in the main square and it presents the life and works of who is widely considered one of the most influential intellectuals of the 20th Century in Latin America. Contisuyo Museum is also located in the city of Moquegua. The museum exhibits a variety of archaeological remains of the Uros and Puquina cultures as well as an explanation of the time period in which different cultures settle in this region. Other attractions in the city are casa del regidor perpetuo de la ciudad and casa de Alayza, which are houses built with architecture of the eighteenth century.

Outside the city

Attractions outside the city are Samegua which has the best typical food restaurants for tourists. Samegua also produces good quality avocados which are the reason why it's called the avocado territory. Another attraction located from Moquegua is Torata that is a district that offers the visitor a picturesque environment in which the visitor can admire the traditional ridged roof houses, the Torata Church, the stone windmills from the viceroyal period, and Sabaya and Camata an Inca administrative center known as the Machu Picchu of Moquegua. In addition at about northeast of Moquegua is found Mount Baul a geological formation which appear to have been cut perpendicular in the top area and it also bears a resemblance to the type of chest of trunk that was utilized all over Peru in the old days. Another attraction outside of the city is Ilo located from Moquegua. Ilo is one of the most tourist visited places in Moquegua. The main places to visit in this town are: Punta Coles, Los Olivares, and El Puerto, La Glorieta Jose Galvez, San Geronino church and beautiful beaches like Roca del Rio. Also at about northwest of Moquegua is Omate, town known as Villa de Omate that produces pisco and wine. The town is also considered to be one of the most important producing centers in Peru. The attractions in Omate are The Viceroyal Church, the Quinistacas Sanctuary, the Utucam Thermal baths, and the Tambo river. Other places of interest in the Outskirts of Moquegua are Puente Bello, Putina, Ichuna and Tolapalca thermal baths.

Festivities

In Moquegua there are two main Festivities that attract tourist; one of them is Santo Domingo Fortunata Festival. This festival is held on 14 October; it is an important religious festival in which the faithful from not only Moquegua but different places in Peru traveled to this town to join the Procession of the Image of the virgin and martyr St. Fortunata. Activities such as fairs, cultural and recreational events occur in this festival too. The other main festival for the region of Moquegua is Moquegua Tourism Week. This festival starts in November and it holds competitions of typical dishes and beverages, a show with typical dances, and fairs.

Gastronomy

The Region of Moquegua offers a variety of typical food to his visitors. Some of the typical dishes offered are patasca moqueguana or Caldo de Mondogo, which is a soup made with cow innards, corn, and mint and Picante de Cuy that is Guinea pig stew cooked in a peanut and hot pepper sauce. Other typical dishes are Chupe de Camarones that is a shrimp soup made with eggs, milk, and oregano. In addition, there is also the well known, Cebiche de Jurel or Mixto, Parihuela, Chupin de Pejesapo, Sudado de machas, Aguadito de Mariscos, Chicharron de Pulpo, Picante de Mariscos, and Cuy Frito. The most typical desserts in the Moquegua region are majarblanco which is a sweetened, condensed milk cooked down and used as a spread, alfar de penco which is a soft cookie, corn cake, guargueros, and oquendos. The most traditional drinks are macerado de damasco which is a peach liqueur made with Pisco, leche de monja, a liqueur that is made with a cordial, eggs, and lemon. Other traditional drinks are Chimbango de tres higos a liqueur combined of red, black, and green figs. In addition wine, pisco, licorice, cognac, and other pisco based fruit liqueurs are traditional drinks of this region.

Transportation and Tourist Information

Modes of transportation to Moquegua Region are by air or overland transport. The Moquegua Region has two airports: Hernan Turque Podesta Airport in Moquegua city and Ilo Airport located in Ilo. Overland transportation in Moquegua city is by bus, and in Ilo there is a bus station called Pampa Inalambrica.

References

External links

– Things to do in Moquegua site – Part of the Museo Contisuyo website *
Gobierno Regional de Moquegua
– Moquegua Regional Government Website {{Authority control Moquegua Region, Regions of Peru