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Lima

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Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru.

Lima, Peru - 51315703245
Lima, Peru - 51315703245

It serves as the nation's political, cultural, financial, and commercial center. The city sits in a desert zone along the central coast. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean and occupies the valleys of three rivers. These rivers are the Chillón, Rímac, and Lurín. Because of its global importance, experts call it a "beta" tier city.

Edificios Modernos en Lima
Edificios Modernos en Lima

This classification shows it is a key player in world systems.

The city is a massive urban center. The city proper has about 10,092,000 inhabitants. This makes it the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.

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

The Lima Metropolitan Area is even larger, with 10,151,200 people. If you include the Constitutional Province of Callao, the population reaches 11,342,100. This total makes it one of the most populated urban agglomerations on Earth. It is also the second-most populous city in South America. About one-third of all people in Peru live in this metropolitan area.

Long before Spanish arrival, many cultures lived in these valleys. The Maranga and Lima cultures established an identity here. Later, the Wari Empire expanded into the region. The Inca Empire eventually incorporated these territories in the 15th century. They organized the valley into an Inca province called Pachacamac.

Pachacamac Mamacona2
Pachacamac Mamacona2

The Inca divided the land into three groups called hunu. Each hunu was meant to hold 10,000 families. This would mean 30,000 families lived in the valley. Some scholars believe the population was actually around 150,000 people. Many important sites, or huacas, remain in the city today.

Huaca Pucllana-20
Huaca Pucllana-20

These include Huallamarca, Pucllana, and Mateo Salado.

The name "Lima" has a deep history. Early Spanish records suggest the area was once called Itchyma. Before the Inca arrived, a famous oracle existed in the Rímac Valley. This oracle was known as Limaq. In the coastal Quechua language, Limaq means "talker" or "speaker."

Plaza Mayor Lima 19XXs
Plaza Mayor Lima 19XXs

Modern scholars believe "Lima" is the Spanish pronunciation of Limaq. Spanish speakers often drop the hard consonant at the end of words. There is also a connection to the Rímac River. Some people think the river is named after the city. However, colonial documents show the city was actually named after the river valley.

Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535.

Fundación de Lima Effio
Fundación de Lima Effio

He named it the "City of Kings" because it was founded in January. This coincided with the feast of the Epiphany. Pizarro chose this location for several strategic reasons. He wanted fertile land and a cool climate. He also needed to be near the coast for shipping. However, he placed the city far enough inland to avoid pirate attacks. The name "City of Kings" soon fell out of use. The name Lima became the preferred choice for the city.

Lima has a rich history of important buildings. Many modern structures sit on ancient foundations. For example, the Palacio de Gobierno stands where Taulichusco’s palace once was. The Metropolitan Cathedral sits where a temple called Puma Inti was located.

Catedral de limaa6
Catedral de limaa6

The city also features grand colonial architecture. The coat of arms was granted by Charles V in 1537. It features three gold crowns and a star. The symbol includes the phrase "Hoc signum vere regum est." This means "This is the true sign of the kings."

Plaza de Armas, Lima
Plaza de Armas, Lima

Today, Lima is a vital hub for international diplomacy. It is the headquarters for the Andean Community. This organization helps with regional trade and integration. The city also hosts major global meetings. It has hosted Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings three times.

Plaza San Martín 1970
Plaza San Martín 1970

It also hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2014. Lima hosted the 2019 Pan American Games. This was the largest sporting event in Peru's history. The city is scheduled to host these games 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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