ABANCAY

capital of Apurmac departamento, Inca regin, southern Peru. It is situated on the eastern bank of the Marino River at 7,798 feet (2,377 m) above sea level, in a cool, dry intermontane basin. The exact date of the founding of Abancay (from the Quechua Indian amankay, the name of a wildflower similar to a white lily) is unknown, but it was a leading commercial centre during the Spanish colonial era. Proclaimed a town in 1873, it was given city status in 1874. Abancay is the agricultural and industrial centre of much of Apurmac. The growing and milling of sugar, liquor and rum distilling, copper mining, and sericulture are important. Abancay lies about 300 miles (480 km) east-southeast of Lima and is fairly isolated. Roads link it to the Andean cities of Ayacucho and Cuzco and to the coastal Pan-American Highway at Nazca. Pop. (1990 est.) city, 29,200.