Lima, << LEE mah >> (pop. 8,894,412; met. area pop. 9,838,251) is the capital and largest city of Peru . The city covers about the same area as the province of Lima, one of Peru’s administrative divisions. Lima city is the nation’s major commercial, cultural, and industrial center. It lies in western Peru, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the Pacific Ocean . The Lima metropolitan area extends west to the Pacific and includes the city of Callao, in Callao province. The Andes Mountains rise east of the area.
The city.
The Plaza San Martin lies in the center of Lima. Nicolás de Piérola Avenue, also called the Colmena, is Lima’s main highway. It runs southeast and northwest through the plaza. Hotels, office buildings, theaters, and private clubs surround the plaza. To the northeast lies the Plaza Mayor, also known as the Plaza de Armas, the original center of Lima. Several historic buildings face this square, including the Cathedral of Lima, the city hall, Baroque churches, and the Government Palace. Tall, modern buildings line the streets of the business district near the Plaza San Martin. Lima also has many mansions that were built when Peru was a colony of Spain—from the 1530’s to the early 1800’s. Many of these mansions are now government office buildings, museums, or restaurants.
Wealthy families live in some of the colonial mansions. Other residents of Lima occupy apartment buildings or luxurious dwellings in Miraflores and other wealthy areas. However, many of the city’s residents live in public housing or inner-city slums. About a third of the population lives in squatter communities called young towns, which surround the city. Many of the houses in these communities are little more than huts made of bamboo, cardboard, straw, and tin.
Most of Lima’s people are of Spanish or mixed Indian and Spanish ancestry. Most are Spanish speaking. A small number speak Quechua, the language of the Inca Indians.
Attractions of Lima include the Lima Museum of Art, the Museum of Peruvian Culture, and the National Museum of the Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru. The ruins of Pachacamac, an ancient Indian city, lie nearby. The National Library of Peru and the Major National University of San Marcos , the oldest university in South America , are in Lima. The city has a symphony orchestra and a national theater group. Motion pictures and soccer and other sports are favorite recreations among Lima’s people.
Economy
of Lima is based on the activities of the national government. The government is the city’s largest employer. Lima is also Peru’s leading manufacturing center. Major products include beer, clothing, cotton and woolen fabrics, and fish meal. Museums and other cultural features in and near Lima help attract tourists. The nearby coastal city of Callao has a port and an airport that serve the capital.
History.
Francisco Pizarro , a Spanish adventurer, conquered most of Peru in 1532 and 1533 and founded Lima in 1535. During the 1600’s and 1700’s, Lima served as the center of Spanish government in South America.
Most of Lima’s industrial growth occurred during the 1900’s. After the mid-1900’s, many people moved to the city from rural areas and small communities to seek employment. These migrations increased housing shortages in Lima. Today, the city also faces pollution problems caused by its expanding industries and the growing number of automobiles.
