Piura

PIURA

Location
Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura.


Population
The population is 1,630,772 (one million six hundred and thirty thousand seven hundred and seventy two)

Climate
Piura has a tropical-dry or tropical savanna climate monsoon weather that averages 26 °C (79 F) throughout the whole year.
History
Piura has been inhabited bytheir autochthonous group of natives called Tallanes and Yungas. Also it was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the first Spanish city in South America, San Miguel de Piura, in 1532. Piura declared its independence on 4 January 1821.

Etymology
The Spanish named the city from the Quechuan word, pirhua, meaning abundance. Nowadays, Piura is known as the "Ciudad del eterno calor"meaning "The city of the eternal heat" because it is hot all year round.

How to arrive
You can get easily to Piura by air, land or sea, even though the last one is not very common.

* By land: You can get to Piura by Pan-American Highway. From Lima you can get there by bus in approximately 12-14 hours.
* By air: Several companies have daily flights. The flight takes approximately 1hour and 15 minutes.

Mayoress (Alcaldesa)
The actual mayoress of Piura is Ruby Rodriguez.

Natural resources
Piura is a land of unique algarrobo trees. Piura is known for the best and oldest lime-lemons in South America as well as South America's finest mango. With Lambayeque, it is the original home of Pima cotton. Piura also produces bananas, coconuts, rice and other fruits as localincome.

Music
The Tondero and Cumanana are the traditional music of the Piura Region.
Gastronomical dishes
* Piuran Secho de Chavelo (the capital's dish)
* Algarrobina cocktails.
* Many types of ceviches and other seafoods like Majarisco and Pasao al Agua.
* Piura is famed for its Natilla Sweets.

Political division
The region is divided into 8 provinces which arecomposed of 64 districts .

PROVINCES | CAPITALS |
Ayabaca | Ayabaca |
Huancabamba | Huancabamba |
Morropón | Chulucanas |
Paita | Paita |
Piura | Piura |
Sechura | Sechura |
Sullana | Sullana |
Talara | Talara |

Tourist attractions
Ayabaca
Its main attraction is the Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca. This is the legendary patron saint of Ayabaca. It is located in the beautiful churchon the central square. Also there you can visit Aypate, an impressive archaeological site on a mountain-top, is part of what is believed to have been an important Inca settlement.

Huancabamba
Huancabamba’s most famous attraction is the Lagunas de las Huaringas, nationally and internationally renowned for its curanderos, or shamans.

Morropón
Its also called "The Capital ofTondero". Moreover, Chulucanas is famous for its pottery which attracts many visitors for the fine work that artisans do.



Paita
Apart from some very old and significant houses, most tourists come to Paita for its number of enticing sandy beaches, such as those of Colan and Yasila.

Piura
It is interesting to visit:
* Square of Arms
* The Cathedral
* Church of Carmen* Church of San Francisco
* Museum House of Almirante Miguel Grau.
* Municipal Archeological Museum of Piura.
* Museum of Art.
* Catacaos Town
Catacaos is famous for its fine metal work, especially gold and silver filigree.
Sechura
It’s also called "Capital de la Arena". The town gives its name to the Sechura Desert which is considered the biggest desert of Peru.Sullana
It’s also called “La Perla del Chira” The Poechos Reservoir is a good place to come for water skiing, boating, fishing and even swimming. Each January in Sullana, the Feria Internacional de los Reyes is a major event and crowd puller.
We can find here the National Park Amotape Mountains which has a great biological diversity. It is considered part of the Northeast Reservation of...