Junín Region

Peru region table
name = Junín


imagesize = 200px
image_caption = Logo of the Junín regional government


president = Manuel Duarte
capital = Huancayo
largest =
area = 44,197.23
pop = 1 274 781 (2004 estimate)
density = 28.8
provinces = 9 provinces and 123 districts
lowest =
highest = 4818 m (Ticlio)
lat = 10º41'55" and N/A
long = 75º1'8" and 76º31'8"
resources = Potato, coffee, fruit, silver, zinc, lead.
poverty =
GDPshare =
website = [http://www.regionjunin.gob.pe www.regionjunin.gob.pe]
areacode = 64
iso = JUN
ubigeo = 12

Junín is a region in the central highlands of Peru. Its capital is Huancayo.

Geography

The region has a very heterogeneous topography. The western cordillera located near the border with the Lima Region, has snowy and ice covered peaks. On the east, there are high glacier valleys which end up in high plateaus ("Altiplano"). Among them is the Junín Plateau that is located between the cities of La Oroya and Cerro de Pasco.

The Mantaro Valley becomes wider before Jauja up to the limit with the Huancavelica Region. This area concentrates a large share of the region's population. Towards the east, near the jungle, there is an abundance of narrow and deep canyons, with highly inclined hillsides, covered by woods under low-lying clouds.

The Huaytapallana Cordillera is located in the south central area of the region. This cordillera holds a great fault which is the reason earthquakes happen in the area. The upper jungle, with valleys of great length, modelled by the Tulumayo, Paucartambo, Perené and Ene rivers, is located on the eastern side of the region.

Lake Junín, the largest lake entirely within Peru, is located in the region, except for its northernmost tip which belongs to the Pasco Region.

Junín Region is also home to Mount Toromocho.

Boundaries

The Junín Region borders the regions of Pasco on the north, Ucayali on the northeast and Cusco on the east. The Mantaro River marks the region's border with the Ayacucho and Huancavelica regions on the south and on the west, it is bordered by the Lima Region.

Climate

The Junín Region has an average annual temperature of 13.1°C (56°F), a maximum high of 17°C (62°F) and a minimum low of 0°C (32°F).

The rainy season runs from November to April, and from December to March in tropical areas.

History

The Junín plains were known as the Pampus region, which until the arrival of the Incas was inhabited by a semi-savage, quarrelsome group of people whose rivals were the Tarumas. Meanwhile, the Mantaro Valley was inhabited by the Huancas. Inca Pachacutec conquered all these peoples in 1460, who then became part of the Inca Empire. Huancayo became the region's main roadside resting stop on the Inca Trail.

Wool mills (known in Spanish as "obrajes") were set up during the Viceroyalty, when weaving and knitting became a tradition that continues in our days. On September 13, 1825, Simón Bolívar issued a decree creating what is now the Junín Region, to commemorate his victory on the Junín Plains (Junín Battle), the last true cavalry charge in the occidental world where no shot was fired but only saber was used. Great events of national importance occurred during this period: Huancayo hosted the Assembly that issued the 1839 Constitution and on December 3, 1854, Ramón Castilla signed a decree that granted freedom to Afro-Peruvian slaves.

Political division

The region is divided into nine provinces (Spanish: "provincias", singular: "provincia"), which are composed of 123 districts ("distritos", singular: "distrito").

The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:
* Chanchamayo (La Merced)
* Chupaca (Chupaca)
* Concepción (Concepción)
* Huancayo (Huancayo)
* Jauja (Jauja)
* Junín (Junín)
* Satipo (Satipo)
* Tarma (Tarma)
* Yauli (La Oroya)

External links

* [http://www.regionjunin.gob.pe Gobierno Regional Junín] - Junín Regional Government official website