Department of Lima

{{Short description|Department of Peru}}{{Infobox settlement | name = Lima | native_name = {{small|Nimaja ([[Jaqaru language|Jaqaru]])}} | native_name_lang = es | settlement_type = [[Regions of Peru|Department]] | image_skyline = Jirishanca_and_Rondoy.jpg | image_caption = [[Jirishanca]] and [[Rondoy]] mountains | image_flag = Lima region flag.svg | image_shield = Coat of arms of Lima, Lima region.svg | shield_size = 68 | image_map = Peru - Lima Department (locator map).svg | map_caption = Location of Lima within Peru | coordinates = {{Coord|-11.85|-76.45|type:adm1st_source:wikidata_region:PE-LIM|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Peru]] | established_date = {{dts|1821|08|04|df=y}} | seat_type = Capital | seat = [[Lima]]{{efn|name=Government|The department operates under two different jurisdictions: The [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima]] administers Lima, a province under an autonomous ''special regime'', and the remaining provinces are administered by the [[Regional Government of Lima]], based in [[Huacho]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ley N° 27783: Ley de Bases de la Descentralización |url=https://www.mef.gob.pe/es/normatividad/por-temas/descentralizacion/6833-ley-n-27783-3/file |last=Toledo |first=Alejandro |date=2002-07-17 |website=[[Ministry of Economy and Finance (Peru)|Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas]] |author-link=Alejandro Toledo |page=11-12}}</ref><ref name=EP2021>{{Cite news |title=Ley Nº 31140: Ley que modifica la Ley 27783, Ley de Bases de la Decentralización, precisando el ámbito territorial de competencias de nivel regional en el Departamento de Lima |date=2021-03-16 |url=https://busquedas.elperuano.pe/dispositivo/NL/1935706-2 |work=[[El Peruano]]}}</ref>}} | parts_type = [[Provinces of Peru|Provinces]] | p1 = [[Barranca province|Barranca]] | p2 = [[Cajatambo province|Cajatambo]] | p3 = [[Cañete province|Cañete]] | p4 = [[Canta province|Canta]] | p5 = [[Huaral province|Huaral]] | p6 = [[Huarochirí province|Huarochirí]] | p7 = [[Huaura province|Huaura]] | p8 = [[Lima province|Lima]]{{efn|name=Government}} | p9 = [[Oyón province|Oyón]] | p10 = [[Yauyos province|Yauyos]] | government_type = [[Regional Government of Lima|Regional Government]]{{efn|name=Government}} | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = Rosa Vásquez Cuadrado | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = {{efn|name=Excluding|Excluding [[Lima province]].}} | area_total_km2 = 32129.31 | elevation_footnotes = (Capital) | elevation_max_m = 5654 | elevation_min_m = 0 | population_footnotes = {{efn|name=Excluding}} | population_total = 864853 | population_as_of = [[2017 Peruvian census|2017]] | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = {{lang|es|limeño/a}} | postal_code_type = [[UBIGEO]] | postal_code = 15 | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in Peru|Dialing code]] | area_code = 01 | iso_code = PE-LIM | website = {{URL|https://www.gob.pe/regionlima/}} }} '''Lima''' ({{IPA|es|ˈlima}}; {{Langx|jqr|Nimaja}}, {{IPA|jqr|niˈmaxa|}}) is a [[Regions of Peru|department of Peru]]. Located in the country's central coast, it is administered by a [[Regional Government of Lima|regional government]] based in [[Huacho]], whose jurisdiction does not include the [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima|quasi-autonomous special regime]] of the [[Lima province|province of Lima]], coterminous with the country's capital, [[Lima]].

== Etymology == {{see|Lima#Etymology}} The name comes from one of two sources: Either the Aymara language ''lima-limaq'' (meaning "yellow flower"), or the Spanish pronunciation of the [[Quechuan languages|Quechua]] word ''rimaq'' (meaning "talker", and actually written and pronounced ''limaq'' in the nearby [[Quechua languages#Geographic distribution|Quechua I]] languages). It is worth nothing that the same Quechua word is also the source of the name given to the river that feeds the city, the [[Rímac River]] (pronounced as in the politically dominant [[Quechua languages#Geographic distribution|Quechua II]] languages, with an "r" instead of an "l"). It is known in [[Jaqaru language|Jaqaru]], a language spoken in the department's districts of [[Catahuasi District|Catahuasi]] and [[Tupe District|Tupe]], as ''Nimaja''.

It was also known simply as the ''Department of the Capital'' from 1821 until 1823.<ref name=ElPeruano2022>{{Cite news |title=ORDENANZA REGIONAL Nº 15: Declaran de interés y prioridad regional fijar el día 04 de agosto de 1821 como fecha de creación política de hecho de los distritos de Yauyos, Laraos, Omas, Huañec, Ayavirí, Tauripampa, Viñac y Colonia, pertenecientes a la provincia de Yauyos |url=https://busquedas.elperuano.pe/dispositivo/NL/2092257-1 |date=2022-07-01 |work=[[El Peruano]]}}</ref>

== History == {{See|History of Lima}} On the northern coast of the region, the first known civilization in the Americas, [[Caral]], emerged around the 4th millennium BC, with some characteristics that were maintained by later cultures of [[Pre-Columbian Peru]]: the use of the ''[[quipu]]'', regional trade, and monumental religious architecture. The [[Aymaran languages|Aymara]] and [[Quechuan languages|Quechua]] language families also originated in this region.

The remains of early Andean inhabitants, [[hunter]]s and harpoon fishermen from more than 6500 years ago, are to be found in the department. Theey were found in [[Chivateros]], near the [[Chillón River]], and in various other places. These persons incorporated nets, hooks, farming, ceramics and weaving to their everyday objects. The inhabitants of the coast lived in the ''lomas'' and the valleys, where they built temples and dwelling complexes, leading to huge ceremonial centres, such as the [[Huacoy]] and [[Ancon (archaeological site)|Ancón]] ((where lithic prehistoric projectile points of [[Paijan]] were found) on the [[Chillón River]]; [[Garagay]] and [[La Florida (prehistoric)|La Florida]] on the [[Rímac River]], [[Manchay]] on the [[Lurín River]]; and [[Chancay]], [[Supe District|Supe]] and many other valleys to the north and south. There are finely ornamented temples with figures modelled in clay. The 5,000-year-old ruins known as [[El Paraíso, Peru|El Paraíso]] are also located in this area.

The [[Lima culture]] (100 to 650 AD) arose in this area, specially in the central valleys from [[Chancay]] to [[Lurín District|Lurín]]. It was distinguished by painted adobe buildings. During this time, the [[Wari culture|Huari]] conquest took place, thus giving rise to Huari-style ceramics, together with a local style known as Nievería. As the population grew, their culture changed. With the decline of the Huari, whose most important center was [[Cajamarquilla]], new local cultures arose. The [[Chancay culture|Chancay]] are the most well-known. They developed large urban centers and a considerable textile production, as well as mass-produced ceramics.

At this stage in the mid-[[15th century]], the [[Incas]] arrived from their base in the Andes. They conquered and absorbed the regional cultures and occupied important sites such as [[Pachacamac]], turning it into an administrative centre.

=== Spanish period === The Spanish [[Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire|conquered and occupied the area]] in the 16th century. From 1784 to 1821, the area (today part of Lima—except [[Cajatambo province|Cajatambo]] and [[Oyón province|Oyón]]—and [[Department of Ica|Ica]], as well of the coast of [[Department of Ancash|Ancash]]) was administered as the [[Intendancy of Lima]] (the ''Cercado de la Capital''), subdivided into ''[[Partido (region)|partidos]]''. During the [[Peruvian War of Independence]], the town of [[Huaura]] served as the location for the first proclamation of the independence of Peru. [[José de San Martín]] made the announcement from [[Huaura Museum|a balcony]] on November 27, 1820.

{{Anchor|Department of the Coast}} The '''Department of the Coast''' ({{langx|es|Departamento de la Costa}}) was established on February 12, 1821, through an [[Reglamento Provisional|official document]] issued by San Martín that also created the departments of [[Department of Huaylas|Huaylas]], [[Department of Tarma|Tarma]] and [[Department of Trujillo|Trujillo]], each headed by a president. Their jurisdiction extended to the territory occupied by the [[Liberating Expedition of Peru]].<ref name=Gob.pe>{{Cite news |title=202 AÑOS de la promulgación del REGLAMENTO PROVISIONAL expedida por GRAL. DON JOSE DE SAN MARTIN en la ciudad de HUAURA |url=https://www.gob.pe/institucion/munihuaura-huaura/noticias/698734-202-anos-de-la-promulgacion-del-reglamento-provisional-expedida-por-gral-don-jose-de-san-martin-en-la-ciudad-de-huaura |date=2023-02-10 |work=[[Gob.pe]]}}</ref> Its capital was Huaura, the seat of its president, whose lone officeholder was {{ill|Vicente Dupuy|es}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/70807/vicente-dupuy |title=Vicente Dupuy |website=[[Real Academia de la Historia]] |last=Las Heras Zamorano |first=Isabel Josefa}}</ref> It was subdivided into three provinces: [[Santa province|Santa]], {{ill|Chancay province|es|Provincia de Chancay|lt=Chancay}}, and [[Canta province|Canta]]. It was represented at the first [[Constituent Congress of Peru (1822)|Congress of Peru]] in 1822 by the following:<ref>{{Cite thesis |title=Las bases del Estado Peruano y el proceso de independencia |last=Gálvez Montero |first=José Francisco |publisher=[[Universidad Complutense de Madrid]] |place=Madrid |isbn=978-84-8466-047-7 |language=es |pages=426-428}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www4.congreso.gob.pe/dgp/constitucion/constituciones/Constitucion-1823.pdf |title=Constitución Política del Perú de 1823 |website=[[Congress of Peru|Congreso del Perú]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.pucp.edu.pe/blog/fernandotuesta/wp-content/uploads/sites/945/2016/05/1822-1825-Constituyentes.pdf |title=Constituyentes 1822-1825 |website=[[PUCP|Politika]] |last=Tuesta Soldevilla |first=Fernando}}</ref> {|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%" |- ! colspan="2" |Constituent Deputy |- !Title !Name |-align=center |Titular |{{ill|Toribio Dávalos|es}} |-align=center |Titular |{{ill|Cayetano Requena|es}} |-align=center |Titular |[[Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza]] |-align=center style="background: #CEE7FF" |Substitute |{{ill|Pedro Sayán|es}} |}

San Martín's forces did not reach [[Lima]]—located south of the department—for five more months, where he again proclaimed the independence of Peru on July 28, 1821. This time, the announcement took place in four of the city's urban squares: [[Basilica and Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Merced|La Merced]], [[Plaza Mayor, Lima|Plaza Mayor]], [[Plaza Italia, Lima|Santa Ana]] and [[Plaza Bolívar, Lima|Inquisición]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Fiestas Patrias: estas son las 4 plazas de Lima donde se gritó la Independencia |url=https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-fiestas-patrias-estas-son-las-4-plazas-lima-donde-se-grito-independencia-fotos-853502.aspx |last=Garay |first=Karina |date=2023-07-28}}</ref> The announcement in the main square was made from the [[Casa del Oidor]]

=== Republican period === The '''Department of the Capital''' ({{langx|es|Departamento de la Capital}}) was created through the a Provisional Statute of August 4, 1821,<ref name=ElPeruano2022/> composed of the ''partidos'' of [[Lima province|Cercado de la Capital]], [[Yauyos province|Yauyos]], [[Cañete province|Cañete]], and [[Ica province|Ica]], also including the [[Huarochirí province|government of Huarochirí]]. On November 4, 1823, the department of the Coast was annexed into its territory.<ref name=Gob.pe/><ref>{{Cite journal |title=José de San Martín y el espacio político indígena. Departamento de Lima, 1821-1822 |journal=[[Riva-Agüero Institute|RIRA]] |url=https://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/revistaira/article/download/26981/25247/ |last=Guarisco |first=Claudia |issue=1 |volume=8 |pages=154 |doi=10.18800/revistaira.202301.005 |year=2023 |trans-title=José de San Martín and the indigenous political space. Department of Lima, 1821-1822 |issn=2415-5896|doi-access=free }}</ref> In 1835, Santa was transferred to Huaylas.

On August 11, 1836, the [[Republic of North Peru]] was created following a [[Salaverry-Santa Cruz War|civil war]]. Nine days later, [[Callao]] was granted autonomy by Protector [[Andrés de Santa Cruz]]. On October 28, North Peru, to which the [[Department of Lima (Peru–Bolivian Confederation)|department of Lima]] belonged, joined the [[Peru–Bolivian Confederation]]. The [[War of the Confederation]] threatened the country's stability, with a [[Peruvian Republic (1838–1839)|seccessionist government]] headed by [[Luis José de Orbegoso]] taking control of North Peru. Orbegoso's forces were defeated in a [[Battle of Portada de Guías|confrontation]] that took place north of Lima. The [[United Restoration Army|Chilean–dissident Peruvian alliance]] eventually defeated the Confederate forces, and the state dissolved in 1839.

In 1855, the [[Ica province|province of Ica]] was separated from the department. It was elevated eleven years later by [[Mariano Ignacio Prado]]. The [[Huacho|Villa de Huacho]] was elevated to city level through the law of November 10, 1874, which also made it the provincial capital. The law was passed by [[Manuel Pardo (politician)|Manuel Pardo]].

In 1879, a war between a Peruvian–Bolivian alliance against Chile began, known as the [[War of the Pacific]]. The latter's military campaign was successful, and Lima was [[Occupation of Lima|occupied by the Chilean Army]] following a [[Lima campaign|brief land campaign]] that began in [[Pisco, Peru|Pisco]].

In 1916, [[Cajatambo province]], which also included what later became [[Oyón province]] at the time, was transferred to Lima.

=== Contemporary period === During the [[Internal conflict in Peru]], parts of the territory were occupied by the [[Shining Path]]. In 1985, Oyón province was created. In 1988, Chancay province was dissolved.

In 2006, a team of [[archeological]] researchers led by Robert Benfer announced their findings from a four-year excavation at [[Buena Vista, Peru|Buena Vista]] in the [[Chillón River]] valley a few kilometres north of present-day Lima. They had discovered a 4200-year-old observatory constructed by an early Andean civilization, a three-dimensional sculpture, unique for the time period in this region, and sophisticated carvings. The observatory is on top of a 10-meter [[pyramidal]] [[mound]] and has architectural features for sighting the astronomical [[solstices]]. The discovery pushes back the time for the development of complex civilisation in the area and has altered scholars' understanding of [[Preceramic]] period cultures in Peru.<ref name=Lovett>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060610222013/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/observatory-peru.html Richard Lovett, "Oldest Observatory in Americas Discovered in Peru"], ''National Geographic'', May 2006, accessed 2 Nov 2010</ref>

== Politics == The department is administered by a [[Regional governments of Peru|regional government]] based in [[Huacho]]. The [[Lima province|province of Lima]] is administered by the [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima]]. The former is headed by a regional governor, while the latter is headed by the [[List of mayors of Lima|metropolitan mayor]].

=== List of governors === {{main|Regional Government of Lima#List of representatives}} Since 2023, the regional governor of Lima is {{ill|Rosa Vásquez Cuadrado|es}}.

=== Subdivisions === [[File:Provinces of Lima.svg|thumb|Map of provinces]] The department is divided into ten provinces, which are composed of 171 districts.

== Geography == The department of Lima is bordered by the departments of [[Department of Ancash|Ancash]] on the north, [[Department of Huánuco|Huánuco]], [[Department of Pasco|Pasco]], and [[Department of Junín|Junín]] on the east, [[Department of Huancavelica|Huancavelica]] on the southeast, [[Department of Ica|Ica]] on the south, and the [[Pacific Ocean]] and the [[Lima Province]] on the west.<ref>{{Cite web |title=INEI: CONOCIENDO LIMA |url=https://proyectos.inei.gob.pe/web/biblioineipub/bancopub/Est/Lib0266/CAP01-02.htm |access-date=2026-04-25 |website=proyectos.inei.gob.pe}}</ref>

The department has a coastal and an [[Andean]] zone, and has a great diversity of natural regions: the Coast or ''Chala'' (0 to 500 meters above sea level) up to the ''Janka'' or ''Mountain range'' ({{langx|es|Cordillera}}, over 4800 meters). The predominating regions are the ''Yunga'' (500 to 2300 meters above sea level) and ''Quechua'' (2300 to 3500 meters)

=== Climate === The department's climate is [[Subtropics|subtropical]], [[desert]] and [[Humid subtropical climate|humid]]; a microclimate with temperatures that fluctuate between temperate and warm. The average temperature is 18 °C. The coast has cloudy skies from June to November, with sporadic appearances of the sun in those months, although the areas and places far from the sea in the climatic region called [[Yungas]], above 500 metres above sea level and where Chosica, Cieneguilla, La Molina and Canto Grande are located in San Juan de Lurigancho, they have sunny afternoons and higher average temperatures (especially if we are above 1310 meters above sea level). On the coastal coast, the mass of clouds is due to the cold waters of the [[Humboldt Current]] that run through the South Pacific Ocean, which reduces the ambient temperature between 6 and 9 °C, and therefore evaporation from the sea is less. The garúa or drizzle is the typical rain of the region. The humidity level has a permanent average of 80%. The usual average annual temperature is 14°C during winter and 25.5°C during all summers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=INEI: CONOCIENDO LIMA |url=https://proyectos.inei.gob.pe/web/biblioineipub/bancopub/Est/Lib0266/CAP01-05.htm |access-date=2026-04-25 |website=proyectos.inei.gob.pe}}</ref>

== Economy == The department is the main centre of economic-financial, service and manufacturing activity in the country. In agriculture, its [[Cotton|tangüis cotton crops]], its [[Sugarcane|sugar crops]], [[Fruit|fruit trees]] and take-out bread products stand out. In livestock farming, the raising of cattle, sheep and pigs. In poultry farming, there are countless poultry farms; In artisanal fishing, fish and mollusks are extracted for immediate human consumption. 70% of the country's industries are concentrated in the region, from those that process [[fish oil]] and [[Fish meal|meal]] (in Chancay, Supe and Huacho), to others that refine [[Petroleum|oil]] (in La Pampilla and Conchán) and [[zinc]] (in Cajamarquilla), or that are dedicated to metal-mechanics, textiles, manufacturing and food processing. In terms of energy, there are the Moyopampa, Huampani, Matucana, Huinco, Sheque and Cahua hydroelectric plants. In addition, there is the Santa Rosa thermal power plant. Because it is the first economy in the country, it is the most developed in areas that other departments do not consolidate and it is the most prone to suffer problems from abroad due to the importance of international trade for Peru, it controls the greatest development and at the moment the country can double its size in 2014.

== Demographics == According to the [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática]], most of the country's inhabitants are located in the department's capital which, in 2025, was numbered at 10,432,133 people, or 30.4% of the total population.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lima supera los 10 millones 400 mil habitantes |date=2025-01-17 |url=https://www.gob.pe/institucion/inei/noticias/1092367-lima-supera-los-10-millones-400-mil-habitantes |work=[[Gob.pe]] |publisher=[[Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática]]}}</ref>

== Transportation == The department is served by a railway system operated by the [[Ferrocarril Central Andino]] consortium that connects Lima with [[Huancayo]] and [[Cerro de Pasco]]. A railway that would connect the city of Lima with [[Ica, Peru|Ica]] is also planned.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tren de Cercanías Lima-Ica: Fecha de inauguración, estaciones y conexión con la Línea 1 del Metro de Lima |last=Salinas Tipiani |first=Camila |date=2024-10-08 |url=https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/2024/09/13/tren-de-cercanias-lima-ica-tendra-14-estaciones-y-conectara-con-la-linea-1-del-metro-de-lima-fecha-de-inauguracion-y-tramos-232921 |work=[[La República]]}}</ref>

Metropolitan Lima is serviced by the [[Metropolitano (Lima)|Metropolitano bus system]], as well as a [[Lima and Callao Metro|metro system]] it shares with Callao.

== Culture == === Education === In 2020, Lima was the department where the monthly spending in education was the highest (S/. 108), followed by [[Department of Arequipa|Arequipa]] (S/ 76.3), [[Callao]] (S/ 60.9), [[Department of Junín|Junín]] (S/ 52.0) and [[Department of Ica|Ica]] (S/ 46.0).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lima: educación |url=https://data-peru.itp.gob.pe/profile/geo/lima#educacion |website=[[Ministry of Production (Peru)|Instituto Tecnológico de la Producción]]}}</ref>

=== Landmarks === Points of interest in the department include [[Caral]], [[Lachay National Reserve]] and [[Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve]]. [[Image:LomasLachay.jpg|thumb|right|Lachay National Reserve]] The [[Lachay National Reserve]], in the [[Huaura Province|Huaura province]], is a unique mist-fed [[eco-system]] of wild plant and animal species, is a natural reserve located in the [[Norte Chico civilization|north of the department]].

[[Huacho]] is the capital of the Lima Region and the most populous city of the department (excluding [[Lima]] which is administered by an [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima|autonomous government, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima]]). Sitting at the bottom of a wide bay, it has a pleasant and dry climate. In its vicinity is the [[Huaura River]] where rice, cotton, sugar cane and different fruits and cereals are grown. This has given rise to an important cotton industry as well as soap and oil factories.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Flores|first=Edwin H. Adriazola|date=2008-06-15|title=ILO : NUESTRA HISTORIA: LA INDUSTRIA. LA FABRICA PACOCHA|url=http://eadriazola.blogspot.com/2008/06/la-industria-la-fabrica-pacocha.html|access-date=2020-12-29|website=ILO}}</ref>

[[Lunahuaná District]] of [[Cañete Province]], is located {{cvt|38|km}} away from the south city of [[San Vicente de Cañete]]. The [[Incahuasi]] Archeological complex is located there. [[Lunahuaná]] has a dry climate and the sun shines during most of the year. Lately, Lunahuaná has become an adventure sports paradise, such as: ''Canotaje'' (Whitewater Rafting), ''Parapente'' & ''Ala Delta''. Whitewater rafting is possible due to the [[Cañete River]], which has rapids up to level 4. The main settlement in this district is the town of [[Lunahuaná]].

== See also == * [[Administrative divisions of Peru]] * [[Regions of Peru]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.regionlima.com Lima Region Information Hub] – Lima Region Information Hub official website *[http://www.nortechico.com Lima Region Tourism Board] – Lima Region Tourism Board (CEPTUR) official website *[http://www.huacho.info North Lima Region] – Lima Region: Social, Cultural and Tourist Information *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100704033058/http://www.e-peru-travel.com/peru-travel-guide/lima-travel-guide.html Lima Travel Guide] – General facts and travel information about Lima

[[Category:Department of Lima| ]] [[Category:Departments of Peru|Lima]] [[Category:Regions of Peru|Lima]]