Department of Tacna

Tacna is one of the twenty-five regions that make up the Republic of Peru. Its capital and most populated city is the homonymous Tacna. It is located in the extreme south of the country, bordering the Moquegua region to the northwest, the Puno region to the northeast, Bolivia to the east, Chile to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. With 16,076 km², it is the fourth smallest region, ahead of Moquegua, Lambayeque and Tumbes, the least extensive. The region was created on June 25, 1875.

In two thirds of its space, it comprises one of the most arid portions of the coastal desert furrowed by narrow rivers; and the remaining third corresponds to the Andean puna, an elevated portion of the rugged Andes mountain range south of the Collao plateau.

It was populated by hunter-gatherers at the beginning of the Holocene and its culture was influenced by the Altiplano peoples. During the colony, its population was immersed in the miscegenation process. In the XIX century, several secessionist uprisings took place in this region prior to the Independence of Peru. After the War of the Pacific, it was administered for the most part by Chile (Chilean Province of Tacna), Tarata until September 1, 1925 and the rest until August 28, 1929 due to the Treaty of Lima. The current province of Jorge Basadre and Candarave, north of the Sama River, continued to be administered by Peru after the Pacific War.

More than seven eighths of the population of Tacna resides in the regional capital. Traditional culture has an important Aymara cultural substrate, especially in the high Andean areas, and Creole. Postwar resistance to Chileanization has been an important part of the region's identity.

History

Pencil reproduction of a part of the drawings in the caves of Toquepala.

Map of the former Department of Moquegua, around 1865. It was composed of the provinces of Moquegua, Tacna (signed in celestial color), Arica, and Tarapacá. The capital was the city of Tacna.

Procession of the Peruvian Flag in 1901, during the Chilean administration of Tacna

Monument to the Battle of Tacna in the Alto de la Alianza, Cerro Intiorko in Tacna.

Pre-Columbian times

The first human groups that inhabited this region were collectors and hunters of wild guanacos, vicuñas and guinea pigs. In the Toquepala caves there are still vestiges of their cave paintings, where they took refuge towards 9000 BC. C.^{[citation required]} Later the area was inhabited by ethnic groups from the Collao plateau.

Colonial period

The first conqueror of these lands was Diego de Almagro who returned defeated from his tour of the Kingdom of Chile. Diego de Almagro was accompanied on his return to Cuzco by two evangelizers named Fray Antonio Rendón Sarmiento and Fray Francisco Ruiz Castellano who on their journey baptized the towns founded with the first mass, giving them the name of the saints of the date, thus: Pica was the day of San Andrés, to Tarapacá on the day of San Lorenzo, Arica on the day of San Marcos, Azapa on the day of San Miguel, Tacna on the day of San Pedro, Tarata on the day of San Benito. The second conqueror was Pedro de Valdivia who organized camps in Arequipa, Tacna and Tarapacá before beginning his journey to the south of the continent.

In 1565, Viceroy Lope García de Castro created the Corregimiento de San Marcos de Arica and of which the town of San Pedro de Takana formed part, being the main authority the lieutenant corregidor.

It was Pedro Pizarro who put down the rebellion of Manco II in 1536 in the regions of Chucuito, Moquegua, Tacna and Taparacá. Later, the orders of Tacna and Arica would be delivered to Pedro Pizarro himself, while the charge of Tarapacá was given to Lucas Martínez Vegazo. On the other hand, in 1573 we must mention that Viceroy Toledo commissioned Juan Maldonado de Buendía to establish an Indigenous Reduction in the town of Takana - Peru.

In 1607 it is known that the lieutenant corregidor is Don Juan de Frías. Between 1607 and 1612, the town of the Caplina valley was called San Pedro de Takana or Tacana, with Pedro Quea being the main cacique of the town. The conquerors modified the original name of Takana by Tacna. Tacna was a hamlet of natives and mitimaes.

Pope Paul V, at the request of the King of Spain, through the bull of July 20, 1609, authorizes the creation of the bishopric of Arequipa, segregating it from the bishopric of Cuzco.

The viceroy Juan de Mendoza y Luna, Marquis of Montesclaros, by order of October 17, 1613 and commissioned by Pope Paul V and King Felipe III, made the ecclesiastical and political division of Arequipa. There it is established that the demarcation of the new diocese, made up of 7 corregimientos: Arequipa, Collaguas, Condesuyos, Camaná, Vitor, Carumas-Ubinas and Valle de Moquegua and Arica with the province of Tarapacá. Within the corregimiento of San Marcos de Arica, the parish of San Pedro de Tacna was included, in charge of a priest and other parishes such as Tarata, Sama, Ilabaya, Putina and Locumba.

The order of the viceroy Juan de Mendoza y Luna, dated October 17, 1613, establishes the creation of San Pedro de Tacna as a parish, intervened in the execution of the viceroy's mandate, the Dean of the church of Arequipa, don Pedro Ordaz de Leon.[3] [4] The first parish priest was Pedro Téllez, who had the first temple built. They continue as parish priests: Pedro Manrique, Luis Arias and Diego Armenta. The fifth parish priest, Melchor Méndez, built a new temple dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle in 1679.

Around 1777 the corregimiento of Arica was integrated by Ilo, Tacna, Arica, Iquique, Pica, Ilabaya, Tarata, Codpa.

Tacna flag flown by Admiral Guillermo Miller in 1821. Plan of the city of Tacna in 1861In November 1780, the rebellion of Túpac Amaru II spread throughout southern Peru including the Andean region of Tacna, under the command of the indigenous Calacoto Juan Buitrón and his group of insurgents traveled through Tarata, Candarave, Codpa and Tarapacá.

In 1787, by royal decree of Carlos III, the corregimientos in the Viceroyalty of Peru were suppressed in order to avoid the abuses that the corregidores committed with the natives. The corregimiento of Arica had lasted 222 years. The first corregidor was Francisco Rodríguez Almeida, and the last, Fernando Inclán y Valdez.

With the new political demarcation and based on the bishoprics, the municipalities were created, which were subdivided into parties. Within the Municipality of Arequipa, the party of Arica was considered, with the subdelegate being the first authority. Tacna and surrounding towns were included in the Arica district, whose capital was the city of San Marcos de Arica.

Due to the incursions of pirates, tidal waves, and malarial fevers in the port of Arica, the Cajas Reales and the sub-delegate of Arica moved to the town of Tacna. The viceroyalty authorities preferred to travel on horseback, from Tacna to Arica, covering approximately ten leagues along a bridle path between the two places.

On June 20, 1811, Francisco Antonio de Zela, rose up in arms against the Spanish administration and took the viceroyalty barracks of Tacna, naming himself Military Commander of the American Union, appointing the curaca Toribio Ara, head of the cavalry division. The rebellion was dismantled after learning of the defeat of the Argentines led by Castelli in the battle of Guaqui near Lake Titicaca, Zela being taken prisoner and exiled to Panama.

With the constitution approved and sworn by the Cortes of Cádiz in 1812, the election of city council in America was arranged.

On July 4, 1813, the electoral board made up of 17 people was elected in the Parochial House of Tacna. On Sunday, July 11, 1813, meeting in the house of the governor, lieutenant colonel Antonio de Rivero, the board elected the first Tacna city council and they were: Manuel Calderón de la Barca (first mayor), Nicolas Buteler (second mayor), Manuel Vicente Belaunde, Pedro Alejandrino Barrios, Cipriano de Castro, Alejo Bustios, Mariano Coronel Zegarra, Bonifacio Quelopana, Sebastian Romero (Aldermen), Toribio Ara (Cacique and governor of natives), José Barrios y Hurtado (First Trustee), Juan Flores (Second Trustee).

On October 3, 1813, Juan Pallardelli from Tacna was Manuel Belgrano's emissary, coordinating the uprising of Enrique Pallardelli in Tacna and Enrique Peñaranda in Tarapacá. It would be in the battle of Camiara where the royalist José Gabriel de Santiago would defeat the independentistas who fled to Upper Peru. The mayor Calderón de la Barca and José Gómez participate in the Pallardelli movement.

In 1814 the independence forces of Mateo Pumacahua reached the vicinity of Tacna. The viceregal sub-delegate Moscoso, withdrew towards the port of Ilo.

In 1821 part of the independence army under the command of Guillermo Miller landed in Arica, organizing a military force made up of patriots from Moquegua, Tacna and Arica. On May 14, 1821, he entered Tacna where two royalist regiments joined them, calling themselves the force "Los independientes de Tacna".

On July 28, 1821, José de San Martín declared the independence of Peru.

On June 17, 1823, the patriotic forces under the command of Generals Agustín Gamarra and Andrés de Santa Cruz landed in Arica.

Republican era

Map explaining the controversy between Chile and Peru over the territories of Tacna and Arica and its subsequent solution.

Before the Pacific War, the Department of Tacna had the following territorial division:

• The Province of Tacna with its capital the city of Tacna
  • The districts were Tacna, Pachía, Calana, Sama, Locumba and Ilabaya.
• The Province of Arica with its capital the city of Arica
  • The districts were Arica, Codpa, Livilcar, Lluta, Socoroma.
• Tarata Province with its capital the city of Tarata
  • The districts were Tarata, Estique, Tarucachi, Ticaco, Candarave.

During the War of the Pacific, the Tacneños and Ariqueños participated in the battlefront. After the Battle of Tacna in the Alto de la Alianza in 1880, the region was administered by Chile for 45 years, being the object, together with Arica and Tarapacá, of the so-called Chileanization. During the time that it dominated the region, Chile created in 1884 the province of Tacna, which included the departments of Tacna and Arica. On September 1, 1925, the province of Tarata was returned to Peru due to the award of Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States. On August 28, 1929, Tacna reintegrated into Peruvian territory, under the Treaty of Lima. On said date, such fact is remembered, carrying out the Procession of the Flag.

With the capital Tacna being occupied by Chile, the Department of Moquegua was created incorporating the area to the north of the Sama river in the Department of Tacna, thus the districts of Locumba and Ilabaya and the province of Tarata integrated Moquegua until 1886 when it was reconstitutes the Department of Tacna with the capital Locumba until the return of Tacna by Chile.

The earthquake of Saturday, June 23, 2001, had a strong impact on the commercial city, a large part of the new multi-story buildings in the Ciudad Nueva and Alto de la Alianza districts collapsed, the water networks and other city services were badly damaged. A large part of the commercial houses that surround the historical square of the Plaza de Armas also collapsed, leaving many people jobless and homeless. There were many deaths, and hundreds of injuries, in addition to the fact that the Tacna-Arica railway line was also affected, the damage to the roads was added, for which the help made many of the population desperate and the looting did not wait.

Battles in Tacna

As part of the History of Tacna and Tarapacá, the following confrontations took place in the Department of Tacna. This list includes the events that occurred in the Department of Tarapacá

• War of Independence: Battle of Camiara, Battle of Mirave, Battle of Tarata.
• War between Peru and Bolivia: Battle of Chipe, Battle of Sama, Battle of Tarapacá
• Pacific War: Battle of Iquique, Battle of Pisagua, Battle of Germania, Battle of San Francisco, Battle of Tarapacá, Battle of Locumba, Combat of Good View, Battle of Tacna at the High of the Alliance, Battle of Arica, Battle of Palca, Battle of Tarata, Battle of Calmpala, Battle of Pachía
• Civil Wars: Battle of the Intiorko, Battle of Pachía, Battle of Ticaco.

Geography

relief map of the Tacna region.

The Tacna region is located in the extreme south of the Republic of Peru, its geography covers, from west to east, from the Sea of Grau rising towards the summits of the western mountain range of the Peruvian Andes, including even part of the Collao plateau.

Its relief is irregular, crossed by the foothills of the Andes mountain range, which leave some less-sloping areas near the coast called pampas, which in some cases are dedicated to agriculture.

The segment of the Andes mountain range that crosses the Tacna region is locally called "Cordillera del Barroso" and forms part of a volcanic axis that runs from northern Chile to the Arequipa Region in Peru. In the highlands there are some swampy areas at the sources of the rivers, called "bofedales".

Towards the east of the Tacna region, crossing the western mountain range of the Andes (bordering the Puno Region and the Republic of Bolivia), is the Collao plateau. The Vilacota lagoon is located in this area of Tacna, the source of the Maure River (main tributary of the Desaguadero River) and the Paucarani dam near the tripartite landmark between Peru, Bolivia and Chile.

On the region's coast, two conditions can be noted. The bordering coast with Chile presents a low slope relief, this area is known as Pampa de la Yarada, this condition is maintained until almost reaching the mouth of the Sama River. The Yarada pampa is an area of extensive crops that are maintained by wells that extract water from the groundwater table. On the coast near the Sama River, to the north, a system of mountains begins near the coast that even penetrate to form cliffs such as Morro Sama (750 m a.s.l.). These cliff-like foothills are constant on the north coast of the region.

Hydrography

The Tacna region, due to its location facing the sea, is part of the Pacific slope, but also in the highland area it is part of the Titicaca-Desaguadero-Poopó-Salar de Coipasa endorheic system. Because it is an arid region, there are also a large number of riverbeds or streams that remain dry for a large part of the year (seasonal rivers), or in some cases for several years until unusual rains occur that cause landslides or avalanche The main rivers of the Tacna region are:

• Locumba River: The Locumba River is a river that runs from east to west on the north of the Tacna region. It has a length of 170 km, with a basin that spans 5900 km²and compromises 2 provinces (Candarave and Jorge Basadre Grohmann). It is born in the thaws of the Andes mountain range and flows into the Pacific Ocean originating a swamp zone called "Pantanos de Ite".
• Sama River: It is born in the thaws of the Nevado Barroso in the province of Tarata, it receives its tributaries Tarucachi, Salado, Chacavira and Ticalaco. In the Chipispaya area it is enchanted until it enters the province of Tacna through the district of Inclàn, until its mouth in the sea in the district of Sama.
• Caplina River: Its average dimensions are 100 km long and 25 m wide; the sides that follow its longitudinal sense correspond to a line of descending summits that separate it from the basins of the Sama River through the North and the Quebrada de Escritos por el Sur. It is born in the thaws of the Nevado Barroso and does not flow into the sea, but is lost in the desert near the city of Tacna.
• Uchusuma River: It is born in the lagoons of the nevado Condorpico that are repressed in Paucarani. This river originally flowed into the Maure River and was part of the TDPS system. In 1867, the river was taken advantage of by the Hughes company, building a canal that carried 3000 cubic feet per minute for plantations in Tacna. After the war of the peaceful territory would be divided, so the nascent of Uchusuma would remain in the power of Peru, an intermediate part in the power of Chile, and the lower basin again on the Peruvian side. This river does not flow into the sea.
• Maure River: It is a binational river that is born in the waters of the Vilacota Lagoon, in the province of Candarave. Its channel is low slope with high concentration of bofedals. It travels parallel to the Barroso mountain range until its departure from Peruvian territory to the Republic of Bolivia. This river is the main tributary of the river Desaguadero, which eventually flows into Lake Poopó.

In turn, the Tacna region has 3 important lagoons: Suchez, Aricota and Vilacota.

• The lagoon of Suches is located at the north end of the region, formerly its waters swept towards the channel of the Callazas river, a tributary of the Aricota lagoon. A great period of droughts in the region, as well as the mining-industrial use of the lagoon, have narrowed its waters to the point of disconnecting it from the Callazas River.
• The Aricota lagoon is located in the province of Candarave, it is important in the region as the Aricota hydroelectric plant is located in this lagoon. It supplies electricity to the cities of Tacna, Moquegua and Ilo. The level of the Aricota lagoon has also been descending in recent decades due to the weakening of its tributaries (Callazas River and Salado River).
• Vilacota Lagoon is located on the river Maure (Collao Plateau), and is currently a protected area within the region.

Geographic Regions

Inca Trail (Qapaq Ñan) and walking in Tarata (Vertiente del Pacífico).

In Peru, the Peruvian geography is usually divided into 8 natural regions proposed by the geographer Javier Pulgar Vidal. Within this transversal or altitudinal division, 6 natural regions would correspond to the Tacna region:

• The sea: Tacna is a region with exit to the sea. The sea in this area has a temperature lower than in the rest of Peru. The average surface temperature of the sea (TSM) in Tacna during December 2009 was 17.4 °C.
• Costa o Chala: Located between 0 and 500 m. n. m. (meters above sea level). In the Tacna region it is characterized by the lack of regular rains and condensed humidity that forms stray clouds that influence the decrease in temperature. During the winter months (austral winter), very fine rainfalls known as guarantors and are formed abundant neblinas called locally Camanchacas, this winter humidity contributes to the formation of seasonal vegetation in some areas that are known as lomas and can be seen in the district of Sama. The vegetation of the lomas can be herbaceous, arbusive or arboreal. Thus, in the hills of Morro Sama and Tacahuay, trees of Tara, cactaceae, bushes and grasslands are appreciated. On the other hand, Sama's pampa lomas dominate the pastures that finally take advantage of cattle. In the area of Ite, there is a wetland area known locally as "Pantanos de Ite", where the totora (Scirpus californicus) and the ponytail (Equisetaceae).
• Yunga Maritime: Peruvian geographer Javier Pulgar Vidal defined this region between 500 and 2300 m. n. m. Its dry climate lends it a wild vegetation. Tacna's yungas are included in the ecoregion of the stereo serrania of the work of the Peruvian ecologist Antonio Brack Egg. The vegetation in this area is reduced to the locally known as "always alive" and the coastal mountain, where the carrizos, tara and molle grow. At this altitude are the towns of Locumba, Ilabaya, Inclán, Pachía and Calana.
• Quechua (from Quechua Qhichwa, "tempered zone"): It is located among the 2300 m. n. m. until 3500 m. n. m. in the central Andes. It is a semi-arid environment ecosystem with summer rainfalls that increase with height, which determines the decrease in temperature. The relief is abrupt and the valleys very narrow, but it is modified from remote times by the chakras and the Andenes. The rivers and streams are turbulent, with increase in their flow in summer. The herbaceous vegetation is usually abundant in rainy periods, highlighting the berth, alder, toll and abundant cactaceae. In this area are the towns of Tarata, Candarave, Palca, among others.
• Suni: The Suni region (of Quechua, "width, wide") is, according to Javier Pulgar Vidal, a region of the Andes that is among the 3500 m. n. m. and 4000 m. n. m. In this area the rainfall rate is very high, the temperatures are more rigorous, with large thermal oscillations between day and night. The arbusive vegetation is dense at the expense of the summer rains. They form natural pastures that serve for the livelihood of ovine and caprine cattle. This area is the upper limit for agricultural activity and is successfully cultivated papa, habas and since the end of the 20th century the oregano for export.
• Puna or Alto Andino: Between 4000 m. n. m. and 5200 m. n. m. Of the 3 types of scores existing in the Andes, Tacna belongs to the Puna semi-humid type. The vegetation of this region consists of a dense ractical vegetation attached to the floor and the yareta and the pallagua are common. Another characteristic of this area is the abundance of the ichu that sustains the cattle ranching of South American auquénides in the highland of the Maure river basin. Among the trees characteristic of this area are the Queñual. At this point are the Alpaquera communities of Alto Perú, Mamuta, Queñuavichinca, among others.
• Janca or Cordillera (perpetual snows): Janca (from Aymara janq'u, ‘blanco’) is the name given by the geographer Javier Pulgar Vidal to the highest region of the Andes, on the 4800 m. n. m. At this point, only a few lichens, mosses and the yareta can survive.

Climatology

The Tacna region has a mostly arid climate. According to the Köpenn climate classification for temperature and rainfall, Tacna would have 4 types of climates:

• BWh - Warm desert: This type of climate is located in the coastal zone itself. The average annual temperature is above 15 °C and corresponds to the areas of Ite, Puerto Grau, Los Palos.
• BWk - Cold desert: It is located in areas away from the sea. The average annual temperature is below 18 °C.
• BSk - Cold stencil: In the Andean area itself. The average annual temperature is below 18 °C. To this climate are the villages of Candarave, Palca and Tarata.
• Eh - High mountain: These are climates conditioned by height.

Demographics

The Tacna region has 329,332 inhabitants according to the census carried out in 2017 by the INEI. It is among the 5 least populated regions of Peru, but it registers an annual growth rate of 2.0, the fourth highest in the country (only surpassed by Madre de Dios, Ucayali and the constitutional province of Callao).

Most of the region's population is concentrated in the city of Tacna and only 9% of the region's population lives in rural areas, being one of the lowest rates nationwide, only surpassed by Lima and Callao. In addition to being the region with the least population without drinking water.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the region registered high levels of immigration, to such an extent that in the 1993 census it was recorded that 44.1% of the population in Tacna had been born outside the region. Of the total number of immigrants nationals to the Tacna region, 60.2% corresponded to immigrants from the Puno Region, representing the majority of national residents in the Region, followed by Arequipa (10.7%), Moquegua (5.8%) and Cuzco (4, 3%).

Religion

At the regional level, Christianity is the most widespread religion, with Catholicism being the predominant one in the region. Of the population over 12 years of age who profess any religion, 80.59% are Catholic, 15.62% profess another religion, and 3.79% declared that they do not profess any religion.

From the hierarchical point of view of the Catholic Church, it is part of the Diocese of Tacna and Moquegua which, in turn, belongs to the Archdiocese of Arequipa.

Administrative division

The Department of Tacna is divided into four provinces:

• Tacna; capital: Tacna
• Candarave; capital: Candarave
• Jorge Basadre; capital: Locumba
• Tarata; capital: Tarata

The four provinces that make up the department of Tacna have the following areas: Tacna 8066.11 km², Tarata 2819.96 km², Jorge Basadre 2928.72 km² and Candarave 2261.10 km². Each province is governed by a municipal council, chaired by a mayor and their respective aldermen, elected for a period of 4 years in general elections in each province.

In turn, each province is subdivided into districts, which are governed by a representative (mayor) elected in each district.

Political-administrative division
Ubigeo	Province	Surface (km2)	Population	Density	Capital	Districts	Map
23000	Total Tacna	16 075.89	352 501	17.96	Tacna	28
23010	Tacna	8066.11	325 731	32.57	Tacna	1. Tacna
						2. High-level Alliance
						3. Cala
						4. New City
						5. Inclán
						6. Pachía
						7. Palca
						8. Pocollay
						9. Sama
						10. Gregorio Albarracín
						11. The Yarada-Los Palos
23020	Candarave	2261.10	8573	3.70	Candarave	1. Candarave
						2. Cairani
						3. Camilaca
						4. Curibaya
						5. Huanuara
						6. Quilahuani
23030	Jorge Basadre	2928.72	9892	3.37	Locumba	1. Locumba
						2. Ilabaya
						3. Ite
23040	Tarata	2819.96	8305	2.77	Tarata	1. Tarata
						2. Heroes Albarracín
						3. Label
						4. Label Pampa
						5. Sitajara
						6. Susapaya
						7. Tarucachi
						8. Ticaco
Source: Population and Housing Census 2007, INEI. The density is calculated with the population data 2007.

The sea of Grau in the Tacna Region

Schematic map of the Court of Justice of The Hague, which shows maritime boundaries between Chile and Peru, according to its ruling.

The Peruvian state exercises sovereignty over 200 miles of territorial sea, which borders the Chilean sea to the south. There is a controversy in the maritime limits of both countries, and according to the Peruvian version the sea of the Tacna Region does not have those 200 maritime miles. On January 16, 2008, the Congress of Peru approved a bill called "Law of territorial demarcation of the province of Tacna, department of Tacna", Law no. 29189, in order to indicate that, Pursuant to the 1929 Treaty, and according to the Peruvian interpretation, the border between Peru and Chile begins at Point Concordia and not at Hito n.º 1, thus eliminating the reference to "Hito n. º 01 (Pacific Ocean)" that contained the demarcation law of the Tacna Region of 2001.

Vilacota-Maure Regional Conservation Area

The Vilacota-Maure Regional Conservation Area was proposed by the Regional Government of Tacna and promulgated by the central government on August 28, 2009, with the objective of preserving the natural and cultural resources and the biological diversity of the Andean ecosystem in the area of the Vilacota lagoon and the Maure river. It is located in the geographical areas of the districts of Palca, Susapaya, Ticaco, Tarata and Candarave and protects an area of 124,313.18 ha.

This area protects:

• The permanent lagoons of Vilacota, Taccata, Ñeque, Camiri and Paucarani, in addition to the temporary lagoon of Ancocococota.
• The Tacneña basin of the Maure River until it meets the Callapuma River.
• The high basin of the Calientes River and,
• The Jaruma River Basin.

Government and administration

Tacna Political Division.

The main authority in the region is the regional governor. He is elected for a period of 4 years and can stand for re-election as many times as he wants. Together with the regional governor, the regional vice president and 7 regional councilors are elected. The regional councilors represent the provinces of the region, and the distribution is as follows:

• 4 for the province of Tacna
• 1 for the province of Tarata
• 1 for the province of Candarave
• 1 for the province of Jorge Basadre

In turn, the Tacna region has two representatives in the Congress of the Republic of Peru, who are elected for a period of 5 years (coinciding with the period of the presidency of the republic).

Authorities

Regionals

Like all the other departments of Peru and the Constitutional Province of Callao, it constitutes a de facto region with its own Regional Government as well as an electoral district that elects five congressmen.

• 2019-2022
  • Regional Governor: Juan Tonconi Quispe, of Action by the Tacna Unit.
  • Regional Deputy Governor: Magda Candelaria Portugal Copaja, Action by the Tacna Unit.
  • Counsellors:
  1. Tacna:
     • Alberto Avelino García Levano (Action for the Tacna Unit)
     • Dany Luz Salas Ríos (Regional Independent Movement Tacna Force)
     • Jesús Chambi Flores (Frente Esperanza por Tacna)
     • Luz Delia Huancapaza Cora (Banderas Tacneñistas)
  2. Tarata: Arnold Elvis Condori Cutipa (Frente Esperanza por Tacna)
  3. Jorge Basadre:
     • Edilberto Artemio Parihuana Mamani (Alliance for Progress)
     • José Luis Antonio Málaga Cutipe (Regional Independent Movement for Tacna Force)
  4. Candarave Province: Mario Genaro Copa Conde (Tacneñistas Flags)

Police

Religious

Of the Catholic religion:

• Mons. Marco Antonio Cortez Lara (Bishop of the Diocese of Tacna and Moquegua)

Economy

The per capita GDP of the Tacna region calculated in 2004 was 11,580 nuevos soles. The economically active population of Tacna works mostly independently, that is, in own businesses that reach 35% of the population, another important group is represented by employees and workers with 22.3% and 21% respectively.

Agricultural industry

The Tacna region has 237,524 hectares for agricultural use, of which 52.4% are natural pastures, 45.9% dedicated to agriculture and 1.7% forest area.

72% of the oregano in all of Peru is produced in the Tacna region, concentrating this production in the provinces of Tarata, Candarave and the highlands of the province of Jorge Basadre.

It produces 53.15% of the country's olives.^{[citation required]} It also produces starchy corn, potatoes, wheat, vines (Peruvian pisco is industrialized, wine), alfalfa. Its dairy farming and sheep stand out.

Livestock on natural pastures develops mostly in highlands where sheep, goats and South American camelids (alpacas) predominate for meat and wool exploitation.

Mining

In mining, open pit extraction of copper is important in the Toquepala mine, which is refined in the Ilo smelter for export.

The Tacna region participates with 11.99% of Peruvian copper production, ranking fourth after Ancash, Arequipa and Moquegua. The Toquepala mine has three flotation and leaching extraction units: Simarrona, Totoral and Toquepala; the latter shares a geographical location with the Moquegua Region.

The Toquepala mine produced 37,172 tmf between January and March 2010. of copper (its main product), but other minerals are also extracted to a lesser extent.

Tacna Free Zone

The free zone of Tacna was created in response to the government impulse that was given in Chile to the Free Zone of Iquique and the constant smuggling that generated the importation of products from the south. At first the law of the "Zona de Tratamiento Especial Comercial de Tacna (ZOTAC)", this allowed the formalization of thousands of merchants who were grouped into associations in an approximate number of 5000 users. Later in 1996 the CETICOS law (export, transformation, industry, commercialization and services centers) was passed, more oriented to the transformation of used vehicles as a response to the problem of the cost of new vehicles.

Finally, in March 2002, with the corresponding law, the operation of the Tacna Free Trade Zone was allowed, created with the objective of “contributing to the sustainable socioeconomic development of the department of Tacna, through the promotion of investments and technological development".

The free zone currently has an area of 930 hectares, with 120 hectares equipped with fiber optics, electricity, water, drainage, tracks, sidewalks, parking lots and banking institutions. Free zone users are exempted of the general sales tax, income tax, selective consumption tax and the municipal promotion tax.

Commercial area of Tacna

There is a delimited Commercial Zone in which goods from the free warehouses of the Tacna free zone enter, paying a single tariff of 6% on the CIF value. This commercial zone is located in the districts of Tacna and Alto de The alliance.

Likewise, there is an extensive tourist franchise for national visitors in the commercial zone that allows them to enter merchandise into the rest of the national territory up to 3 times in a 12-month period, without exceeding $1,000 per trip or $3,000 in 12 months.

Others

The hydroelectric power plants of Aricota I and Aricota II, which meet the demands of Moquegua, Tacna and Ilo, and the Calana thermal power plant are essential. Likewise, artisanal fishing provides abundant fish for human consumption. by edcarcacia lerner

Services

Health

• Hospitals
  • MINSA: 1
  • EsSalud: 1
  • Private: 1

Education

• Public and private schools:
  • Total: 481.
    • Initial education: 169
    • Primary education: 208
    • Secondary education: 104
• Universities: Universidad Privada de Tacna, Universidad Alas Peruanas Tacna and Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann.
• Higher Institutes:
  • IS Tecnológico Francisco de Paula Gonzáles Vigil de Tacna
  • IS Tecnológico Ramón Copaja de Tarata
  • IS Pedagogical José Jiménez Borja de Tacna
  • Escuela Técnica Superior PNP - Locumba
  • Private Technological Institute Jon Von Neumann

Transportation

The Regional Government of Tacna is in charge of the administration of local transport such as:

• Roads: Panamericana, Costanera, Tacna-Tarata.
• Railroad: Tacna-Arica Railway.
• Airport: International Airport Colonel FAP Carlos Ciriani Santa Rosa in Tacna.
• Port: Spring at the service of Peru in the Chilean port of Arica, Puerto Pesca Grau.

Culture

Petroglyphs of Miculla, Pachía district.

Archaeology

• Andenería: In the Tacna region you can find, in the Andean area, several places with pre-inca andnería, among which the Andeans stand out in the valleys of the Ticalaco and Chacavira rivers in the province of Tarata, or also the andenería located in the districts of Camilaca and Cairani in the province of Candarave.
• Chullpas: The chullpas or chullpares are mausoleums in the form of towers dating from pre-incas times, in the Tacna region can be found in the districts of Camilaca, Palca and Sitajara.
• Incas Paths: The Inca Road or Cápac Ñan, is also visible in several provinces of the region. The closest to the coast is the inca road that goes down from Quebrada de Burros to the sea in the district of Sama, but there are also sections in good condition of conservation in the areas of Palca, Tarata, Camilaca and Candarave. These sections of the Capac Ñan were interconnected with the Cuzco in Tahuantinsuyo times.
• Petroglyphs: There are scattered in the Tacna region a lot of petroglyphs in the various valleys or brittles. The area with the highest concentration of petroglyphs in the region is the pampa de San Francisco in the area of Miculla (Distrito de Pachía). The petroglyphs are stones carved with drawings, which represent a look at the customs and lifestyle of the area in ancient times. There are scenes of hunting, grazing, ritual ceremonies, dancers and musicians with headdresses, as well as the representative fauna of the plazmada area in the stones. These stones were carved from the time of the incursion of the Tiahuanaco culture into the area, 500 d.C.
• Rupestres paintings: We have the cave paintings preserved in the Toquepala ravine. However, in the Camilaca District, they are in two areas and very conserved, one of them is located in the tacalaya annex and the other in the pre-inca adenerias of pampoco.

Festivities

Religious and traditional festivities

Civic festivities

• Commemoration of the Battle of the High Alliance (26 May)
• Flag Day (7 June)
• Reinstatement of Tacna to Peru (28 August)
• Tarata reinstatement to Peru (1 September)

Folklore

The folklore of the Andean area of Tacna is characterized by the great Aymara influence, characterized by the use of ancestral instruments in their ceremonies and festivals, such as the tarka and the panpipes.

From the tarka, a carnival dance locally called Tarkada is generated, which differs in rhythm from the so-called "tarkeadas" typical of the Collao region and northern Chile. These are carried out during the month of February and are widespread in the upper area of the Locumba river basin (Candarave, Cairani, Camilaca, Huanuara, Curibaya and Ilabaya). More recently, the execution of the tarkada has intensified in the provinces of Tacna and Tarata.

From the zampoña arise their own rhythms that are known regionally as Zampoñada. One of the main exponents of the music and dance of the zampoña has the District of Camilaca, recognized at a regional, national and international level; This is the case of the Zampoña Ponchos Blancos 24 de Julio de Camilaca, pioneers and originators of the music and dance of the canned zampoña in our region. Recognized by the Decentralized Ministry of Cultures of Tacna, Decentralized Ministry of Cultures of Peru - National Institute of Cultures Peru, Congress of the Republic of Peru, National Engineering University of Lima, etc., as well as recognized in Bolivia and Chile.

Similarly, among the carnival rhythms of the region, the "anatas" (‘carnival’ in Aymara) and the "bijualas" originating from the District of Camilaca; which is considered one of its oldest dances that it has together with the dance of Easter. Her dance is danced with the Anaco costume, which is a typical clothing native to Camilaca, declared Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Peru by the National Institute of Cultures of Peru in April 2009.

In the coastal area, around the Republican era, Peruvian creole rhythms (waltzes and polkas) became very popular, in these rhythms the most popular songs of the city of Tacna were made, such as the polka " Beautiful Tacna" also known as "La polka a Tacna", or the waltz "La fuente" authored by the historian from Tacna Luis Cavagnaro Orellana.

Gastronomy

Chicha de corn, Tarata, Sierra.

The gastronomy in Tacna is simple, compared to the other great gastronomic regions of Peru, and influenced by the Andean and the Creole. The regional gastronomy is represented by the spicy tacneña style, of origin in the city of Tacna and which shows some variants in the highlands of the region (inclusion of chuño and mote in the provinces of Tarata and Candarave). This dish demonstrates the fusion of native ingredients such as jerky, chili peppers and potatoes, and foreign ingredients such as oregano.

At the same time, corn chicha has two variants. In the Tarata area, it is common to make corn chicha made from germinated corn called locally "guagapo", which gives a chicha with a yellowish appearance. In the province of Candarave, on the other hand, due to the type of corn and the preparation, the chicha has a whitish appearance.

The huatia, corn with cheese, corn cake, marshmallow, sopaipilla, marraqueta and macerated apricot are also noteworthy in regional gastronomy.

Tourism

Tacna has tourist products operated by travel agencies registered with Mincetur, these circuits were developed from the 1970s.

Tacna ornamental skin.

• Tourist Circuit Tarata - Ticaco: The circuit was developed in 2007, by David Rendón, cooperation Switzerland and the Provincial Municipality of Tarata, since then Tarata has an operating and easy access product, includes from the viewpoint La Apacheta, passing through the Ancient Church of Tarucachi, the Plaza de Tarata, the Municipal Museum, the Church, Camino Inka, Puente Chacavira, the Archaeological site of Santa Maria

• City Tour and Alto de la Alianza (Años 80 por las agencias de viajes):

Includes the Historic Center of Tacna, it is mainly pedestrianized by historic mansions of illustrious characters such as Zela and Jorge Basadre. You will also visit the Ornamental Pile, in Parabolic Arch, and the Cathedral Church of Tacna, the Railway Museum and then head to Alto de la Alianza where the battle of Tacna took place. You can also visit the monument to the soldiers who fought in the Pacific War in the museum located in Alto de la Alianza.

• Coastal or Coastal Tour: Developed in the 1990s at the initiative of archaeologist Jesús Gordillo Vegazo along with the tourism students of the Private University of Tacna. Its first stop is in the bank of Burros, the Inka way of the coast, the Solar Clock, Punta San Pablo, port Grau, the Ite wetlands and as optional can be reached to the petroglyphs of Punta Picata.

• Tour Valle Viejo Miculla

Tacna has tourist information that can be provided by Iperú, Tourist Information and Assistance in the city center, by DIRCETUR (Tacna Regional Office), the Tacna Regional Chamber of Tourism or by private travel and tourism agencies, generally located in the capital city of the region (Tacna).

The Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism has approved tourist circuits and corridors in the city and in rural areas for tourist services.

Likewise, the Tacna region has a varied hotel offer in the city and in some inland areas. In some cases, district municipalities of the mountain range have hotels managed by their respective communes, as is the case of Candarave, Talabaya, Ilabaya, Estique, among others. In other cases there are also private lodgings, as in the case of Tarata, Calientes, Locumba, etc. The tourist activity in the towns far from the capital city used to be limited to the important festivities of each town, in recent times this has changed.

Some tourist agencies offer the Tacna-Valle Viejo-Miculla-Calientes tour. It begins in the city of Tacna, going through the towns bordering the Caplina River until it reaches the petroglyphs of Miculla, and from there to the thermal baths of Calientes in the district of Pachía. Within the city of Tacna you can also see the main colonial and republican buildings of the city, gathered in the historic center of Tacna.

The Tacneño coast only has lodgings in the towns of Boca del Río and Ite. Ite has a system of wetlands, also called swamps, formed at the mouth of the Locumba River. In the Los Palos area, there is also a group of houses administered by the Provincial Municipality of Tacna, which are rented out to tourists.

Also, in the Andean areas of difficult access such as Camilaca and Cairani (Candarave Province), it is possible to appreciate the lifestyle of the Aymara communities, an ethnic group whose cultural heritage was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the UNESCO Humanity.