Department of Cusco

Cuzco or Cusco is a department of the Republic of Peru located in the southeast of the country, with its capital in the city of Cuzco. It limits to the north with the departments of Junín and Ucayali, to the east with Madre de Dios, to the southeast with Puno, to the south with Arequipa and to the west with Apurimac and Ayacucho. With a surface area of 71,986 km², it is the fourth largest department, after Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios.

Its territory includes a sector of the Andean region in the central and southern part of its jurisdiction, and low-lying areas covered by the Amazon jungle in its northern part. In this region are the first Andean civilizations with the influence of Huari and Tiahuanaco. It is also the cradle of the Tahuantinsuyo and site of the resistance of the Incas of Vilcabamba after the Conquest of Peru. It is in this department, on the Marcahuasi farm (Mollepata), where in the XVI century It cultivates the first vine in the American continent and produces the first pisco. Its main agricultural resources are corn, barley, quinoa, tea and coffee. Gold stands out in mining and gas in energy.

History

Around 2000 B.C. C. the Marcavalle culture was developed in the Cuzco territory, associated with the first evidence of agriculture in this area. Later, between the years 500 a. C. and 500 d. C. was occupied by the Pacallamoco and Waru cultures. Then the Wari-Lucre and Killke cultures began. Finally it was occupied by the Wari empire.

The Inca culture will begin its heyday after defeating the Chancas around 1438 and from that moment on, a process of subjugation and absorption of the ethnic groups and peoples that adjoined them will begin from Cuzco, reaching its maximum expansion in the times of Huayna Capac (1493-1525).

The Tawantinsuyo will extend to the territories of Peru, Ecuador, and certain areas of the current states of Colombia, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. He left great architectural constructions in the Urubamba Valley.

The Inca cultural identity in Cuzco was absorbed in a fusion of cultures with the arrival of the Spanish, on November 15, 1533 in the context of the civil wars between Huáscar, the successor of Huayna Cápac, and his entourage brother Atahualpa, who ended up executing Huáscar in 1533. The Spanish conquered Cuzco with the support of various Huascarista panacas and Cañaris, Chachapoyas and other ethnic groups that had been vassals of the Incas. In 1536, Manco Inca began a war against the Spanish and the indigenous ethnic groups that supported them, which continued with the rebellions of Túpac Amaru I. In the XVIII [[Túpac Amaru II]] would start the so-called Great Rebellion, which would be put down by troops Viceroyalties organized in Lima with the support of indigenous caciques from Chinchero and neighboring regions. Between 1814 and 1815 Mateo Pumacahua started another indigenous revolt, after having previously fought Túpac Amaru II. In the viceregal era, the Cuzco region lived a long period of peace and empowerment, receiving support and direct investment from the authorities for urban, architectural, agricultural, health, cultural and infrastructure development that accompanied the management of these territories. by the viceregal authorities of Peru.

Towards the beginning of the republic, Cuzco rose as the economic axis of the southern Andes of Peru. Since the beginning of the 1900s, it has communicated with the coast by rail and in 1911 Machu Picchu was unveiled, one of the wonders of the modern world. Currently, the department stands out as an important tourist and energy center in Peru.

Geography

• Most important rivers: Urubamba, Vilcanota and Apurímac.
• Cordilleras: Cordillera de Urubamba, Cordillera de Vilcabamba and Cordillera de Vilcanota
• Nevados: Ausangate (6,384 m.), Salcantay (6,271 m.), Callangate (6,110 m.), Chumpe (6,106 m.), Alcamarinayoc (6,102 m.), Verónica (5,682 m. n. m.)
• Abras: Chimboya (5,150 m. n. m.) in Canchis; Hualla Hualla (4,280 m. n. m.) in Quispicanchis; Huaylla Apacheta (4,700 m. n. m.) in Chumbivilca and La Raya (4,313 m. n. m.) in Canas.
• Pongos (Angry and dangerous passages of rivers, of the Quechua punku which means door): Mainique and Timpia (500 m. n. m.) in The Convention.
• Lagunas: Sibinacocha, Pomacanchi and Languilayo.

Location

Located in the south-eastern region of Peru, it includes Andean zones and part of the high jungle. It limits to the north with Ucayali, to the south with Arequipa and Puno, to the east with Madre de Dios and Puno and to the west with Arequipa, Apurímac, Ayacucho and Junín.

• Area: 71 986,50 km2
• South Latitude: 13th 30'45"

• Western longitude: between meridians 73o 59 ́52" and 73o 57 ́ 45"
• Demographic Density: 16.7 hectares/km2.
• Population: Total: 1 205,527 inhabitants.
• Capital of the Department: Cuzco (3,399 m. n. m.)
• Provinces: Acomayo, Anta, Calca, Canas, Canchis, Cuzco, Chumbivilcas, Espinar, La Convención, Paruro, Paucartambo, Quispicanchi and Urubamba.
• Districts: 112.
• Climate: Its climate is cold and dry from May to December and rainy in the months of January to April. The average temperature in the capital is 12 °C being the maximum of 18 °C and the minimum about 4 °C more or less. In the Amazon rainforest is tropical

Demographics

Most populated cities

The following is a table with the main cities of the department of Cuzco:

Administrative division

Cuzco's political division.

The department has a total area of 71,986.50 km² with a population of 1,205,527 inhabitants and is organized into thirteen (13) provinces:

Administrative Division of Cusco
	Province	Capital	Population	Distrital map
1	Sword	Yauri	57 582
2	Canchis	Sicuani	95 774
3	Paruro	Paruro	25 567
4	Anta	Anta	56 206
5	Quispicanchi	Urcos	87 430
6	Calca	Calca	63 155
7	Urubamba	Urubamba	60 739
8	Cusco	Cusco	447 588
9	Paucartambo	Paucartambo	42 504
10	The Convention	Quillabamba	147
11	Chumbivilcas	St. Thomas	66 410
12	Acomayo	Acomayo	22 940
13	Canas	Yanaoca	32 484

Authorities

Regionals

Like all the departments of Peru and the Department of Cusco, it has its own Regional Government.

• 2023 - 2026
  • Regional Governor: Werner Salcedo Álvarez, from Somos Perú.
  • Regional Deputy Governor: Noely Loaiza Livano, de Somos Perú.

Religious

• Archbishop of Cusco: Monsignor [Richard Daniel Alarcón Urrutia. O.F.M.].

Economy

Ferrocarril Cuzco - Puno, important means of transport.

Tourism is the primary economic source. The extraction of copper from the Tintaya mines and the extraction of gold from the Río Huaypetue mine, both open pit, are also important. In agriculture Cuzco is a leader in the production of tea, coffee and cocoa. It is the second largest potato and soybean producer in Peru. On the other hand, the exploitation of the Camisea Gas is and will be decisive for development, since there are two rich hydrocarbon deposits. Recoverable reserves are estimated at 750 million barrels of liquid natural gas. Cuzco also has fertilizer processing plants and an advanced brewing industry. Apart from all this, it has the Quillabamba and Machu Picchu hydroelectric plants.

Camisea Gas

It is in this department where the Camisea gas fields were discovered and since August 2004, twenty years after its discovery, and after passing through the departments of Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Ica, it reaches Lima by gas pipeline. In Ica there is a branch to Pisco.

The export of Camisea gas is scheduled for 2008.

According to the law, the Cuzco Region receives 50 percent of the royalty received by the State for the fee that corresponds to it for the exploitation of Camisea gas.

With the inauguration of Camisea, this country will be able to enter the World Gas Forum, which aims to become a forum similar to OPEC. The aforementioned Forum was born in the year 2000 with its first conference in Iran. The objective of the Gas Forum is to exchange information between gas exporting and importing countries following the path of OPEC.

Education

• Public and private schools

• Total: 4,150
• Initial education: 2008.
• Primary education: 1,743.
• Secondary education: 399

• Universities:

• Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad
• Universidad Andina del Cuzco
• Technological University of the Andes
• Universidad Alas Peruanas with denied license
• Continental University
• Universidad Nacional Diego Quispe Tito

• Institutes of Higher Education

• Instituto Superior Tecnológico Público "Tupac Amaru"
• Instituto Superior de Educación Público "la SALLE Urubamba"
• Instituto Superior Pedagógico Público "Santa Rosa"
• Instituto Superior Pedagógico Private Didascalio "Jesus Maestro"
• Instituto Superior Pedagógico Private "Uriel García"
• Instituto Superior Tecnológico "KHIPU"
• Instituto Superior Tecnológico "ESITUR"
• Instituto Superior de Educación Público Quillabamba "ISEPQ"
• BREVATE CONDUCTORS CUSCO
• Instituto Superior Tecnológico "SAN FRANCISCO"
• Instituto Superior Tecnológico "TUINEN STAR"

• Instituto Superior Tecnológico "VILCANOTA"

Tourist attractions

Machu Picchu, international symbol of Cuzco and Peru.

Ollantaytambo

In the capital we can highlight the Plaza de Armas or Huacaypata, the Cathedral of Cuzco (in whose enclosure the Señor de los Temblores, the patron saint of Cuzco, is kept), the House of the four busts, the Convent of Santo Domingo (built on the Coricancha or Temple of the Sun), the house where Garcilaso de la Vega was born (now the Regional Historical Museum) and the San Blas neighborhood. La Merced Church, which keeps a gold monstrance more than a meter high, which has 1,528 diamonds and 600 pearls and is considered one of the most famous works of world goldsmithing. It is in this church that we also find the remains of Diego de Almagro the Elder and Diego de Almagro the Younger. We also find museums, such as the Museum of Popular Art and the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.

On the outskirts of the city, the fortress of Sacsayhuamán stands impressive as the ancient protector of the great city of Cuzco; Further away, the Kenko amphitheater, the Pucca Pucara and Tambomachay fortress and, already in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Pisac and its impressive terraces, Moray, Yucay, Urubamba, Chinchero, Ollantaytambo, where we find the Ollantaytambo Fortress which It is the beginning of the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca Trail). Finally, in the heights, the amazing citadel of Machu Picchu, Cultural Heritage of Humanity and one of the New Wonders of the World. Currently, due to the overload of the Inca Trail, the geographer Daniel López has proposed an alternative hiking route that starts from Limatambo and reaches Machu Picchu passing through the Nevado Salkantay.

This department is home to the second largest glacial system in the tropical Andes, the Vilcanota mountain range, where the Ausangate snow-capped mountain is located. The Manú National Park, one of the richest in the world, also stands out.

Culture

• International Cuzco Short Film Festival - FENACO Peru

Festivities:

• Inti Raymi

Inti Raymi.

The "Inti Raymi" or "Fiesta del Sol" It was the biggest, most important, spectacular and magnificent festivity carried out in the times of the Tahuantinsuyo Empire, which based its religion on the cult of the Sun.

• Lord of Qoyllor Riti

The festival begins on the day of the Holy Trinity, when more than 60,000 pilgrims ascend to the limit of perpetual snow. Minimum temperatures of -4 °C are reached. The road is accompanied by a procession, fireworks and the symbolic market of the Alasitas. The festival lasts an average of 4 days.

• Lord of Huanca

Every year, on September 14, thousands of devotees from Cuzco, Peru and even from different places such as Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile, go to the Sanctuary of the Lord of Huanca to receive blessings. From Cuzco, it takes 4 to 6 hours of walking to reach “El Señor de Huanca”.

• Holy Week

Holy Week is a central commemoration in the Catholic world as it commemorates the death and resurrection of Christ. In Cuzco, this celebration is associated with the Lord of Earthquakes, protector of the city.

• Corpus Christi

Fifteen saints and virgins from the different districts arrive in procession to the Cathedral to "greet" to the body of Christ, that is, to the consecrated host, which is kept in the fabulous monstrance of solid gold weighing 26 kilos and 1.20 meters high.

• Santurantikuy

Santuranticuy, which means 'saints for sale,' is a provisional market where sculptors and artisans offer the most diverse figurines to brighten up the Christmas holidays and accompany the cribs or "nacimientos" that are assembled in homes and parishes.

• Lord of the Tremors or The Taytacha

Since 1650 when, according to devotees, a canvas of the Christ of Good Luck stopped a strong earthquake that shook the city of Cuzco, the inhabitants have worshiped the image of Taytacha de los Temblores.