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Lima

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Lima is the capital city of Peru.

Lima, Peru - 51315703245
Lima, Peru - 51315703245

It sits in a desert zone on the central coast. The city overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Three rivers flow through the valleys here. These are the Chillón, Rímac, and Lurín rivers. Lima is a very important place for Peru. It is the center for politics, culture, and money.

Edificios Modernos en Lima
Edificios Modernos en Lima

Because it is so important, experts call it a "beta" tier city. This means it plays a big role in the world.

Many people live in this huge urban area. The city of Lima has about 10,092,000 people. This makes it the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.

Miraflores - Lima, Peru at Night
Miraflores - Lima, Peru at Night

The whole metropolitan area is even larger. It has about 10,151,200 inhabitants. When you include the nearby province of Callao, the total reaches 11,342,100 people. This is one of the most populated places on Earth. Lima is also the second-most populous city in South America. It is a very crowded and busy place.

Long before the Spanish arrived, many groups lived here. They built special sites called huacas.

Huaca Pucllana-20
Huaca Pucllana-20

The Lima and Maranga cultures lived in these valleys. Later, the Inca Empire took control of the area. They organized the land into provinces. One famous site is Pachacámac. It was a major place for holy trips from the 3rd century to the 15th century.

Pachacamac Mamacona2
Pachacamac Mamacona2

Some huacas, like Pucllana, are still in the city today. They sit right next to modern buildings.

Spanish explorers founded the city in 1535.

Fundación de Lima Effio
Fundación de Lima Effio

Francisco Pizarro chose this spot for the capital. He liked the cool climate and the fertile land. He also wanted to be near the coast for ships. However, he built it far enough away to stay safe from pirates. At first, they called it the "City of Kings." They chose this name because they founded it in January. This was during the feast of the Epiphany. Eventually, the name Lima became the most common name.

Today, Lima is a hub for many global events. It is the headquarters for the Andean Community. This helps different countries work together on trade.

Plaza de Armas, Lima
Plaza de Armas, Lima

The city has hosted many big meetings. It hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2014. It also hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings three times. Lima hosted the Pan American Games in 2019.

Plaza San Martín 1970
Plaza San Martín 1970

These were the largest sporting events in the country's history. The city will host them again in 2027.

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🖼️ Images & Media (50)
File:Pachacamac Mamacona2.jpg
Pachacamac Mamacona2.jpg
File:Fundación de Lima Effio.jpg
Fundación de Lima Effio.jpg
File:Plaza de Armas, Lima.jpg
Plaza de Armas, Lima.jpg
File:Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima, Peru.jpg
Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de...
File:La Independencia del Perú.jpg
La Independencia del Perú.jpg
File:Defunct Main City Gate of Lima, 19th century.jpg
Defunct Main City Gate of Lima, 19th century.jpg
File:Plaza Mayor Lima 19XXs.png
Plaza Mayor Lima 19XXs.png
File:Plaza San Martín 1970.jpg
Plaza San Martín 1970.jpg
File:Miraflores - Lima, Peru at Night.jpg
Miraflores - Lima, Peru at Night.jpg
File:Lima, Peru - 51315703245.jpg
Lima, Peru - 51315703245.jpg
File:Lima, Perú. Parque de Exposición.jpg
Lima, Perú. Parque de Exposición.jpg
File:Climate Chart Lima.svg
Climate Chart Lima.svg

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