Chanchamayo Province

Chanchamayo
—  Province  —
Coat of arms
Country	Peru
Region	Junín
Founded
Capital	La Merced
Government
– Mayor	Liv Haug
Area
– Total	4,723.4 km2 (1,823.7 sq mi)
Population
– Total	142,127
UBIGEO
Website	http://www.munichanchamayo.gob.pe/

Chanchamayo is a province in northern Junín Region, in central Peru.

The province's name derives from the Chanchamayo River, whose source is in the Andean Sierra and flows northwards becoming the Perené River.

The province has an estimated population of 142,127, half of whom live in the provincial capital, La Merced. Another important town in the province is San Ramón.

The Chanchamayo province is famous for citrus production and quality coffee growing.

History

The first inhabitants of this territory were the Yanesha' people and Ashaninkas. The first reported European presence in the area dates back to 1635, when Franciscan Fray Juan Jerónimo Jiménez founded the settlement of San Buena Ventura de Quimiri, which was three kilometres (2 mi) away from present-day La Merced.

Political division

The six districts of the Chanchamayo province.

The province is divided into six districts (Spanish: distritos, singular: distrito), each of which is headed by a mayor (alcalde). The districts, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:

1. Chanchamayo (Chanchamayo)
2. San Luis de Shuaro (San Luis de Shuaro)
3. Perené (Perené)
4. Pichanaqui (Bajo Pichanaqui)
5. San Ramón (San Ramón)
6. Vitoc (Pucará)

Places of interest

• Pampa Hermosa Reserved Zone