AREQUIPA

The cathedral at Arequipa city, Peru city, capital of Arequipa departamento, Arequipa regin, southern Peru, standing at more than 7,550 feet (2,300 m) above sea level, in the Chili River valley. In the Inca empire it was an important point on the route from Cuzco to the seacoast. Refounded in 1540 on orders from the conquistador Francisco Pizarro to establish a stronghold in the region, its original name was Nuestra Seora de la Asuncin del Valle Hermoso (Our Lady of the Assumption of the Beautiful Valley). Arequipa lies at the foot of snowcapped, dormant Misti Volcano, which has an elevation of 19,098 feet (5,821 m). Several other snowcapped mountains add to its scenic backdrop. Earthquakes, usually associated with volcanic activity, have damaged the city several times; there was a severe earthquake in the 1960s. The air is dry, and the climate is pleasant, with a yearly rainfall of about 4 inches (100 mm) and an annual average temperature of 58 F (14 C). The fertile soils of the surrounding district produce a variety of crops, notably cereals, and pasturage. Arequipa is the nation's wool-processing centre and has diversified industries. It is the commercial, political, and military centre of southern Peru, easily accessible by air, rail, and highway. The city is one of the most picturesque in the country, with many buildings constructed of sillar, a local white volcanic stone. The seat of an archbishopric, Arequipa has a cathedral (founded 1612) and several churches dating from the Spanish colonial period. The National University of San Agustn was founded there in 1828 and the Catholic University of Santa Mara in 1961. It is also a popular tourist centre, with bathing resorts, hot springs, and Inca remains in the vicinity. Pop. (1993) 619, 156. departamento (formed 1822) and regin, southern Peru, bounded to the southwest by the Pacific Ocean. It comprises an arid but irrigated coastal region, cut intermittently by streams flowing from a mountainous, partly volcanic upland zone. Coastal crops include cotton, rice, sugarcane, and olives. Corn (maize), potatoes, and cereals are cultivated in the uplands, which are also important for livestock grazing, mainly sheep. Large quantities of alpaca wool are exported. Mining is also economically important, with gold, silver, copper, and lead among the leading mineral products. Matarani and Mollendo are major coastal ports; the city of Arequipa, the capital, is in the mountains. In the southeast, Mollendo is connected by rail, via the capital, with Cuzco and Puno departments. The Pan-American Highway provides access to Chile. Area regin, 24,458 square miles (63,345 square km). Pop. (1993) regin, 916,806; (1997 est.) 1,017,491.