- Tumbes Region
Peru region table
name = Tumbes
imagesize = 80px
image_caption = Regional logo
president =Wilmer Dios Benites
capital =Tumbes
elevation = 7
largest =
area = 4,045.86
pop = 191,713
density = 47.4
provinces = 3 provinces and 12 districts
lowest = 0 m (sea level)
highest = 134 m (Cañaveral)
areacode = 72
lat =
long =
resources =Petroleum ,tobacco ,banana s andfishing .
poverty = 46.8%
GDPshare = 0.49%
website = [http://www.regiontumbes.gob.pe www.regiontumbes.gob.pe]
iso = TUM
ubigeo = 24Tumbes is a
coast al region in northwesternPeru . Due to the region's location near theEquator it has a warm climate, with beaches that are considered among the finest in Peru. Despite its small area, this region has been privileged with a great variety ofecosystem s.The name "Tumbes" originates from either "Tumpis", a group of native peoples from the area, the word "tumbos", a species of
Passiflora that used to abound in the area, or the name of the Tumbacacique , whose son founded and populated the area.Geography
The Tumbes Region is bordered by the
Ecuador ian provinces of El Oro and Loja on the east; Peru'sPiura Region on the south; and by thePacific Ocean on the north and west.Morphologically, four zones can be defined in the region: the delta of the Tumbes and Zarumilla rivers; an alluvial plain north of the Tumbes River, with dry, low-depth ravines; ancient terraces that have been strongly eroded in the Máncora area; and the Amotape mountain range in the east and south, ending at El Barco Mountain. The delta of the Tumbes river is shallow, and when the tide is low, little sandy keys show up, which get covered by
mangrove vegetation. Despite its small area— it is the second-smallest region in Peru— Tumbes has a great variety ofecosystem s: mangroves, dryforest s, the only coastal tropical forests in Peru, and a rich and warm sea. Around 50% of the region's territory is covered by three protected natural areas: theManglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary (which is part of theGulf of Guayaquil-Tumbes mangroves ), theCerros de Amotape National Park and theTumbes Reserved Zone .Climate
Tumbes has a warm and humid
tropical climate in the north and center of its region and a dry tropical ortropical savanna climate in the south. Temperatures range from a maximum high of 40°C (over 42° duringEl Niño events) a minimum low of 18°C and a yearly average of around 27°C. Therainy season , which is more severe duringEl Niño , is from December to March.Demographics
Basically composed of a large
mestizo population rooted in a mixture between the pre-incanTumpis andTallanes tribes, the Spanish, creoles, theAfrican slaves, includingmulatos orzambos , and a smaller oriental Cantonese community.Population
According to the 1993 Census, the Tumbes Region has a population of 155,521 inhabitants, 53% of which (82,426) are male and 47% (73,095) are female.
As of 2005 , theInstituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática esimates the region's population to be 215,634.Languages
The majority of the region's residents (98.3%) speak Spanish as their native tongue; other languages spoken are Quechua (0.4%), foreign languages (0.1%), Aymara (60 speakers, 0.0%), and other indigenous languages (0.1%).
Immigration
Immigrants from other regions make up 29.4% of the population; 0.2% of residents were born in a foreign country. The largest immigrant groups are from the regions of Piura (16.9% of the total population), Lambayeque (3.7%), and the
Lima Province /Lima Region (2.8%).Age
The population is spread out with 49.4% under the age of 20, 10.7% from 20 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 9.7% from 45 to 64, and 3.5% who are 65 years of age or older.
Education
The
illiteracy rate in the region is 9.5%, while 90.4% of the population are able to read and write.Secondary education has been completed by 31.8% of the population and 4.5% also have graduated from non-university higher education, while 2.3% have complete university studies. 45.9% only have attendedprimary education and 5.9% have not had any education.Political division
The region is divided into three provinces (Spanish: "provincias", singular: "provincia"), which are composed of twelve districts ("distritos", singular: "distrito").
The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:
* Contralmirante Villar (
Zorritos )
* Tumbes (Tumbes )
* Zarumilla (Zarumilla )History
Tumbes was a populated region well before the
Inca Empire . The first settlers were fishers andhunter s. Most recent cultures that lived there have left evidence of the refinement in their ceramics, and "huacas" or ruins that still stand today.Tumbes was integrated into the
Inca Empire during the reign ofSapa Inca Pachacuti . He introduced a new way of organizing the empire, but the task of integration continued duringTupac Inca Yupanqui 's reign. He made it a key departure point for his campaign to conquer the Cañaris.The adventure of the Spanish "Conquistadores" had its beginning in Tumbes: at
Puerto Pizarro Francisco Pizarro and his men landed in search of gold. After overcoming countless difficulties, the conquerors were able to land in the empire of which they had heard many legends. Undoubtedly, the thought of such a rich empire had instilled in their spirit an unwavering will to go on. With the information gathered, the conquerors set off to the rest of the empire, founding cities and overpowering their people.During colonial times, Tumbes was no more than a crossing point where
soldier s and adventurers stopped momentarily to restock themselves, and continue traveling. Tumbes, however, gained permanent importance after Peru's independence; withEcuador 's long-standing territorial claims over theLoreto Region of Peru,Tumbes's closeness to the border exposed it as a resistance point in some episodes of theEcuadorian-Peruvian War . This region's heroic acts of resistance against Ecuador were rewarded by the establishment of Tumbes, a former province of Piura, as a full-fledged Department of Peru.As part of the
decentralization process in Peru , areferendum was held onOctober 30 ,2005 to decide whether the region would merge with the regions of Piura and Lambayeque to create the new Northern Region ( _es. Región Norte). However, voters in the region voted against the merge.Attractions
Touristic sites
The fact that Tumbes lies so close to the
Equator has determined its landscape, which teems in plantlife. The beaches of Tumbes and its warm sea are ideal forsurfing and scuba diving. Its pure white sands, sun and warm weather all year long, and a sea ideal for water sports, make the beach of Punta Sal one of the finest on the Peruvian coast. North of the city of Tumbes liesPuerto Pizarro , the gateway to the National Mangroves Sanctuary. The mangroves have formed vast clumps of saltwater-tolerant coastal forests which have created a uniqueecosystem linking the river and the sea. The mangroves are the breeding grounds for blackscallops , which are served up in Tumbes' most famous dish, the black scallopceviche .South of Tumbes lies Zorritos, the town which received its name from workers involved in drilling the first oilwell in the area, back in 1863. Not far from Zorritos lies the Bocapán beach, where visitors can swim in Hervideros, natural
hot spring s bubbling withiodized salt s.Typical dishes and beverages
The typical dishes of the "Tumbesino" cuisine are based on seafood—
ceviche of black scallops,crab , orshrimp s, or "cebiche mixto"— andTumbiresas covered by yucca and banana balls broth with "dominicos", meat, red peppers, eggs,olive s,raisin s,flour , coriander and otherherb s.Other specialties include the shrimp omelette, "chupe de cangrejos", and crabmeat omelette.
A typical beverage in the region is the "chinguirito", which is obtained by combining "pipa" (the milk of a soft
coconut ) with the famous grape brandy calledpisco .External links
* [http://www.regiontumbes.gob.pe Portal del Gobierno Regional de Tumbes] - Tumbes Regional Government official portal
* [http://www.peru.com/peruinfo/ingles/info_dptos/tumbes/tumbes.htm Peru Information by Regions: Tumbes]
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