Piura

This article is about the city of Piura. For other uses, see Piura (disambiguation).
Piura

Piura Perú

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Coat of arms

Nickname(s): La Primera Ciudad
(The First City)

La Ciudad del eterno calor
(The City of The Eternal Heat)
Piura

Location in Peru

Coordinates: 5°12′S 80°38′W / 5.200°S 80.633°W / -5.200; -80.633Coordinates: 5°12′S 80°38′W / 5.200°S 80.633°W / -5.200; -80.633
Country Peru
Region Piura
Province Piura
Founded 1532
Government
 • Alcalde Oscar Raúl Miranda Martino
Area
 • Total 621.2 km2 (239.8 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate (2015)[1] 436,440
Time zone UTC/GMT-5
Area code(s) 73
Website munipiura.gob.pe

Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region[2] and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.

It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532.[3]:27 Piura declared its independence from Spain on 4 January 1821.[4]

History

Like most of northern Peru, the territory of Piura has been inhabited by their autochthonous group of natives called tallanes and yungas. These lived without an organization or single leader to rule until the Muchik culture eventually took control, and the mixture of these evolved into the Vicús culture. Centuries later, Piura came under the rule of Tupac Inca Yupanqui for at least 40 years before the Spanish arrived.

With the arrival of the Spanish in 1532, the current mestizo and creole cultures of Piura were born. This mestizo culture includes influences from Spanish Extremadura and Andalucia, African influence due to the arrival of slaves from Madagascar (Malgache slaves), the Chinese coolies that migrated from Canton to work the rice fields and replace the slaves; and also Roma Gypsies who came as pirates looking for pearls or incognito as Spanish horsemen.

The Spanish named the city from the Quechuan word, pirhua, meaning abundance. Nowadays, Piura is known as the "Ciudad del eterno calor" meaning "The city of the eternal heat" because it is hot all year round.


Geography

Climate

Piura Department has a desert and semi-desert climate on the coast and the western slopes of the Andes, whereas on the eastern slopes the climate is subtropical. Precipitation is sparse except during El Niño events, when rainfall is abundant and water flows through normally dry watercourses, causing flooding and large-scale land movements.


Climate data for Piura
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 38.9
(102)		 38.3
(100.9)		 39.4
(102.9)		 38.3
(100.9)		 37.2
(99)		 34.4
(93.9)		 36.1
(97)		 32.8
(91)		 37.2
(99)		 33.9
(93)		 33.9
(93)		 36.7
(98.1)		 39.4
(102.9)
Average high °C (°F) 33.4
(92.1)		 34.3
(93.7)		 34.5
(94.1)		 33.4
(92.1)		 31.2
(88.2)		 28.9
(84)		 28.1
(82.6)		 28.6
(83.5)		 29.3
(84.7)		 29.8
(85.6)		 30.4
(86.7)		 32.0
(89.6)		 31.2
(88.2)
Average low °C (°F) 20.1
(68.2)		 21.1
(70)		 21.0
(69.8)		 19.6
(67.3)		 17.1
(62.8)		 16.4
(61.5)		 15.5
(59.9)		 15.4
(59.7)		 15.5
(59.9)		 15.8
(60.4)		 16.6
(61.9)		 18.0
(64.4)		 17.7
(63.9)
Record low °C (°F) 14.4
(57.9)		 17.8
(64)		 18.3
(64.9)		 16.1
(61)		 13.3
(55.9)		 13.3
(55.9)		 11.1
(52)		 11.7
(53.1)		 13.3
(55.9)		 12.8
(55)		 11.7
(53.1)		 11.7
(53.1)		 11.1
(52)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 5.4
(0.213)		 8.3
(0.327)		 18.1
(0.713)		 4.1
(0.161)		 0.1
(0.004)		 0.0
(0)		 0.7
(0.028)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 1.7
(0.067)		 1.1
(0.043)		 0.6
(0.024)		 40.1
(1.579)
Source #1: World Meteorological Organization [5]
Source #2: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial [6]

Hydrography

The hydrography of Piura Department is determined mainly by the amount of rainfall originating in the Pacific Ocean. This rainfall is itself determined by the meeting of two ocean currents on the southern coast of the department, around the bay of Sechura: the cold Humboldt current at 13-19 °C, and the warm El Niño at 21-27 °C. These conditions lead to fluctuations in offshore sea temperatures, which are 18-23 °C in winter and spring, and 23-27 °C in summer and sometimes in autumn.

The mean annual humidity is 66%. The mean atmospheric pressure is 1008.5 hPa, while winds are mainly from the north at an average speed of 3 m/s. Annual rainfall varies between 10 and 200 mm at altitudes of 100-500 m; between 200 and 800 mm at altitudes of 500-1500 m; and averages 1,550 mm at altitudes above 1500 m.

Most of the region is arid, with rainfall concentrated in the high Andean areas, while on the wide plains the main water sources are seasonal rivers flowing from the north: the Chira and the Piura. The southern half of the plain consists of the Sechura Desert, which supports herbaceous vegetation.

The main rivers are the Piura, the Huancabamba and the Chira. The reservoir of Poechos has been created within the course of the Chira. It has a capacity of 1,000,000,000 cubic metres and irrigates large portions of the coastal region. The river Quiroz, a tributary of the Piura, supplies the huge artificial lake of San Lorenzo. On the Huancabamba, in the mountains, there is a hydroelectric power station supplying energy to the region.

Tourism

One of the best known tourist attractions in Piura is La Esmeralda beach, known as Colan for it is located near the town of Colan. Colan beach is a very long beach with warm waters. Local people like to go there during holidays.

There are also great spots for surfers, like Mancora Beach and Cabo Blanco.

Piura is served by the Cap. FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport.

Culture and folklore

Piura is host to a stunning mestizo culture (one of the oldest in South America, Piura is the third Spanish city founded on that continent) most famous for gastronomical dishes like Seco de chabelo, algarrobina-based drinks, many types of seafood and fish, like ceviche and Natilla Sweets. Popular crafts are the Chulucana Pottery and Catacaos is famous for its "Hats" and "Silversmith" arts. The small town of Simbila, is very popular for its handcrafts and pottery. The tondero and cumanana are the traditional music of mestizo Piura and northern parts of Lambayeque. There are also several famous Peruvian Waltz that came from these regions (northern Peruvians have their own style).

Universities

Branches of:

Churches

Sister cities

References

  1. ↑ Perú: Población estimada al 30 de junio y tasa de crecimiento de las ciudades capitales, por departamento, 2011 y 2015. Perú: Estimaciones y proyecciones de población total por sexo de las principales ciudades, 2012-2015 (Report) (Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática). March 2012. Retrieved 2015-06-03.
  2. ↑ "Departamento de Piura", travelsradiate.com, accessed March 25th, 2011.
  3. ↑ Hemming, J., 1970, The Conquest of the Incas, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., ISBN 0151225605
  4. ↑ Box, Ben (2004). The South American Handbook (80 ed.). Footprint Travel Guides. p. 1132. ISBN 978-1-903471-70-8.
  5. ↑ "World Weather Information Service - Piura". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Peru - Piura". Centro de Investigaciones Fitosociológicas. Retrieved November 11, 2013.

External links

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