Ica Region
Encyclopedia
Ica is a region in Peru
. It borders the Pacific Ocean
on the west; the Lima Region
on the north; the Huancavelica
and Ayacucho
regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region
on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica
.
rise up inland. Some geological
folds have determined the formation of dunes moving toward the sea, which form much of the Paracas Peninsula
. Some isolated formations located at the southern part created the Marcona complex, with the biggest deposits of iron
in the Pacific
coast.
Ica's configuration is due to the geomorphology
of its two big and unique fluvial watersheds: the Pasco and Ica rivers. Also, it has a waterway called the Rio Grande, although its waters do not reach the ocean. Some waters are diverted for irrigation and agriculture in the provinces of Pampa
, Nazca
and Ingenio; the Rio Grande's final riverbed
is dry since sand and dried lands absorb its limited resources. There are extensive desert
s in Ica, such as the Lancha Pampas. Pozo Santo and Villacuri pampas are extremely hot areas. Strong and persistent winds called paracas are present and stir up large sandstorms.
, Nazca
, Ica and Paracas
cultures developed, the latter being the most important.
The Paracas culture
developed from the seventh through the 2nd century BC. It is distinguished by its matchless textile
skills, trephinations, and the art of mummifying
their dead.
The Nazca culture, on the contrary, well-known for its artistic pottery
, in which colorful designs and representations excel over the form, the same as their famous lines and figures that have undergone implausible interpretations. This culture expanded from the 2nd century BC through the 7th century AD. They have left us their wonderful aqueducts that made good use of underground water, of rivers and rain, showing a great knowledge of hydraulic engineering.
In the 15th century, during the Inca empire
, Pachacuti incorporated the territories of Ica, Nazca and the Chincha valley.
Years later, in 1563, with the arrival of the Spanish
, Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera founded the Villa de Valverde del Valle de Ica. Since then, the area became an important vineyard
and cotton center.
During the independence war, General José de San Martín
landed in Paracas and fixed his headquarters in Pisco, to start the fight for the independence of Peru.
The region is divided into five provinces , which are composed of 43 districts (distritos, singular: distrito).
. The famous desert oasis is located 5 km from Ica. It is a small lake with medicinal water, lying in the middle of a spectacular sand desert.
the most important port in Ica and a litoral province. The most important attractions within this province are likely Paracas
, Paracas Bay
and the Paracas National Reserve. Pisco was home of an ancient pre-Hispanic culture, Paracas
, who are known for their exquisite textiles.
(a municipality within the Paracas District
) is a small town catering to tourism. It serves as the jumping point for tours to Islas Ballestas
and to Paracas National Reservation
. The beautiful Paracas Bay
protected by Paracas Peninsula
gives these shallow, warmer waters break from ocean waves permitting life to flourish, particularly near its south western edge encompassed within Paracas National Reserve
. The Paracas Museum, also found just near the south western edge of Paracas Bay
, provides excellent information about Paracas culture
and the many unique species, in particular, the birds of Paracas.
They are even more famous, however, for an extraordinary but puzzling set of creations known as the Nazca Lines
, which are geoglyph
s and geometric line clearings in the Atacama desert, in the district of Nazca
. On a large, rock-strewn plain, the Nazca made huge drawings by scraping away stones to reveal the lighter soil underneath. The drawings depict various plants and animals, including humans, a monkey, birds, and other creatures, as well as lines and geometric shapes. These drawings are so huge, however, that they can be seen only from the sky. Scientists believe that the Nazca made these drawings for their gods. The area of the Nazca lines is called the Pampa Colorada (red plain).
and pisco
industries, annual fiestas, a museum and historic colonial churches. The climate is generally sunny and dry due to its elevation above coastal fog and mist.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. It borders the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the west; the Lima Region
Lima Region
Lima Region, also known as Lima Provincias, is one of twenty-five regions of Peru. Located in the central coast of the country, its regional seat is Huacho....
on the north; the Huancavelica
Huancavelica Region
Huancavelica is a region in Peru. Area: 22,131.47 km². Population: 447,054 . The capital is the city of Huancavelica.It is bordered by Lima Region and Ica in the west, Junín in the north, and Ayacucho in the east....
and Ayacucho
Ayacucho Region
Ayacucho is a region of Peru, located in the south-central Andes of the country. Its capital is the city of Ayacucho. The region was one of the hardest hit by terrorism during the 1980s during the guerrilla war waged by Shining Path known as the internal conflict in Peru.A referendum was held on...
regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region
Arequipa Region
Arequipa is a region in southwestern Peru. It is bordered by the Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac and Cusco regions on the north; the Puno Region on the east; the Moquegua Region on the south; and the Pacific Ocean on the west...
on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica
Ica (city)
The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. While the area was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, the Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera claimed its founding in 1563. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856...
.
Geography
The Ica Region has a remarkable geography. It is the only region of the southern coast formed by plains, also called coast plains, since the Andean CordilleraCordillera
A cordillera is an extensive chain of mountains or mountain ranges, that runs along a coastline . It comes from the Spanish word cordilla, which is a diminutive of cuerda, or "cord"...
rise up inland. Some geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
folds have determined the formation of dunes moving toward the sea, which form much of the Paracas Peninsula
Paracas Peninsula
The Paracas Peninsula is a desert peninsula within the boundaries of the Paracas National Reservation, a marine reserve which extends south along the coast. The only marine reserve in Peru, it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site....
. Some isolated formations located at the southern part created the Marcona complex, with the biggest deposits of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast.
Ica's configuration is due to the geomorphology
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
of its two big and unique fluvial watersheds: the Pasco and Ica rivers. Also, it has a waterway called the Rio Grande, although its waters do not reach the ocean. Some waters are diverted for irrigation and agriculture in the provinces of Pampa
Pampa
The Pampas are the fertile South American lowlands, covering more than , that include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Córdoba, most of Uruguay, and the southernmost Brazilian State, Rio Grande do Sul...
, Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
and Ingenio; the Rio Grande's final riverbed
Riverbed
Riverbed may refer to:*Stream bed, the channel bottom of a stream or river or creek*Wadi, a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain*Riverbed Technology, an American technology company...
is dry since sand and dried lands absorb its limited resources. There are extensive desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s in Ica, such as the Lancha Pampas. Pozo Santo and Villacuri pampas are extremely hot areas. Strong and persistent winds called paracas are present and stir up large sandstorms.
History
Ica has a rich history. The first settlers are from 10,000 years ago, from which the WariHuari Culture
The Wari were a Middle Horizon civilization that flourished in the south-central Andes and coastal area of modern-day Peru, from about CE 500 to 1000...
, Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
, Ica and Paracas
Paracas culture
The Paracas culture was an important Andean society between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE, with an extensive knowledge of irrigation and water management. It developed in the Paracas Peninsula, located in what today is the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region...
cultures developed, the latter being the most important.
The Paracas culture
Paracas culture
The Paracas culture was an important Andean society between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE, with an extensive knowledge of irrigation and water management. It developed in the Paracas Peninsula, located in what today is the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region...
developed from the seventh through the 2nd century BC. It is distinguished by its matchless textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
skills, trephinations, and the art of mummifying
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
their dead.
The Nazca culture, on the contrary, well-known for its artistic pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, in which colorful designs and representations excel over the form, the same as their famous lines and figures that have undergone implausible interpretations. This culture expanded from the 2nd century BC through the 7th century AD. They have left us their wonderful aqueducts that made good use of underground water, of rivers and rain, showing a great knowledge of hydraulic engineering.
In the 15th century, during the Inca empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
, Pachacuti incorporated the territories of Ica, Nazca and the Chincha valley.
Years later, in 1563, with the arrival of the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera founded the Villa de Valverde del Valle de Ica. Since then, the area became an important vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
and cotton center.
During the independence war, General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
landed in Paracas and fixed his headquarters in Pisco, to start the fight for the independence of Peru.
Political division
Provinces
The provinces, with their capitals in parentheses, are:- ChinchaChincha ProvinceThe Chincha Province is one of five provinces of the Ica Region of Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Chincha Alta.-Boundaries:*North: Lima Region*East: Huancavelica Region*South: Pisco Province*West: Pacific Ocean...
(Chincha AltaChincha AltaChincha Alta is a Peruvian city located in the Ica Region. It is the capital of Chincha Province.-Location:The City of Chincha Alta is located 200 kilometers south of Lima, in the Chincha Province of the Ica Region of Peru...
) - IcaIca ProvinceThe Ica Province is the largest of five provinces of the Ica Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ica.Huacachina is a small town, oasis and resort in this region.-Political division:...
(IcaIca (city)The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. While the area was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, the Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera claimed its founding in 1563. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856...
) - NazcaNazca ProvinceThe Nazca Province is one of five provinces of the Ica Region of Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Nazca.- Political division :The Nasca Province is divided into five districts , each of which is headed by a mayor :...
(NazcaNazcaNazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
) - PalpaPalpa ProvinceThe Palpa Province is the smallest of 5 provinces of the Ica Region of Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Palpa.-Boundaries:*North: Huancavelica Region*East: Ayacucho Region*South: Nazca Province*West: Ica Province...
(PalpaPalpa, PeruPalpa is a town in Southern Peru, capital of the province Palpa in the region Ica.-References:...
) - PiscoPisco ProvincePisco is a province of the Ica Region in Peru. Its capital is the town of Pisco, where the popular liquor of the same name originated.-Boundaries:* North: Chincha Province, Castrovirreyna Province...
(PiscoPisco, PeruPisco is a city located in the Ica Region of Peru, the capital of the Pisco Province. The city is around 9 metres above sea level. Originally the villa of Pisco was founded in 1640, close to the indigenous emplacement of the same name...
)
City of Ica
Capital of the Ica Department. One of the most popular places to visit in Ica is La HuacachinaHuacachina
Huacachina is a village in the Ica Region, in southwestern Peru. It is located in the Ica Province, near the city of Ica in the Ica District. Huacachina has a population of 115 . The oasis features on the back of the 50 Nuevo Sol note....
. The famous desert oasis is located 5 km from Ica. It is a small lake with medicinal water, lying in the middle of a spectacular sand desert.
Pisco
PiscoPisco, Peru
Pisco is a city located in the Ica Region of Peru, the capital of the Pisco Province. The city is around 9 metres above sea level. Originally the villa of Pisco was founded in 1640, close to the indigenous emplacement of the same name...
the most important port in Ica and a litoral province. The most important attractions within this province are likely Paracas
Paracas
Paracas may refer to:* Paracas culture, an important Andean society that existed in Peru between approximately 750 BC and 100 AD* Paracas Peninsula, located in the Ica Region of Peru* Paracas Bay, located in the Pisco Province of the Ica Region in Peru...
, Paracas Bay
Paracas Bay
Paracas bay, with its southern end lying within the Paracas National Reservation is well-known for its abundant wildlife. The unique ecosystem, insulated from thrashing ocean waves and current by Paracas Peninsula, and its shallow warmer waters, stimulates a remarkable growth of seaweed for which...
and the Paracas National Reserve. Pisco was home of an ancient pre-Hispanic culture, Paracas
Paracas culture
The Paracas culture was an important Andean society between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE, with an extensive knowledge of irrigation and water management. It developed in the Paracas Peninsula, located in what today is the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region...
, who are known for their exquisite textiles.
Paracas
ParacasParacas
Paracas may refer to:* Paracas culture, an important Andean society that existed in Peru between approximately 750 BC and 100 AD* Paracas Peninsula, located in the Ica Region of Peru* Paracas Bay, located in the Pisco Province of the Ica Region in Peru...
(a municipality within the Paracas District
Paracas District
Paracas District is one of eight districts of the province Pisco in Peru....
) is a small town catering to tourism. It serves as the jumping point for tours to Islas Ballestas
Islas Ballestas
The Ballestas Islands are a group of small islands near the town of Paracas located within the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region, on the south coast of Peru...
and to Paracas National Reservation
Paracas National Reservation
The Paracas National Reserve is located in Ica, Peru and consists of the Paracas Peninsula, coastal areas and tropical desert extending to the south slightly past Punta Caimán, a total of 335,000 ha . It includes Bahía de la Independencia and miles of coastal waters...
. The beautiful Paracas Bay
Paracas Bay
Paracas bay, with its southern end lying within the Paracas National Reservation is well-known for its abundant wildlife. The unique ecosystem, insulated from thrashing ocean waves and current by Paracas Peninsula, and its shallow warmer waters, stimulates a remarkable growth of seaweed for which...
protected by Paracas Peninsula
Paracas Peninsula
The Paracas Peninsula is a desert peninsula within the boundaries of the Paracas National Reservation, a marine reserve which extends south along the coast. The only marine reserve in Peru, it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site....
gives these shallow, warmer waters break from ocean waves permitting life to flourish, particularly near its south western edge encompassed within Paracas National Reserve
Paracas National Reservation
The Paracas National Reserve is located in Ica, Peru and consists of the Paracas Peninsula, coastal areas and tropical desert extending to the south slightly past Punta Caimán, a total of 335,000 ha . It includes Bahía de la Independencia and miles of coastal waters...
. The Paracas Museum, also found just near the south western edge of Paracas Bay
Paracas Bay
Paracas bay, with its southern end lying within the Paracas National Reservation is well-known for its abundant wildlife. The unique ecosystem, insulated from thrashing ocean waves and current by Paracas Peninsula, and its shallow warmer waters, stimulates a remarkable growth of seaweed for which...
, provides excellent information about Paracas culture
Paracas culture
The Paracas culture was an important Andean society between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE, with an extensive knowledge of irrigation and water management. It developed in the Paracas Peninsula, located in what today is the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region...
and the many unique species, in particular, the birds of Paracas.
Nazca
The Ica-Nazca culture flourished along the southern coast of Peru from around 200 BC to 600 AD. This area is extremely dry. The Nazca developed extensive irrigation systems, including underground canals, that allowed them to farm the land. The Nazca are known for their beautiful textiles and pottery which feature images of animals and mythological beings.They are even more famous, however, for an extraordinary but puzzling set of creations known as the Nazca Lines
Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. They were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The high, arid plateau stretches more than between the towns of Nazca and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana about 400 km south of Lima...
, which are geoglyph
Geoglyph
A geoglyph is a large design or motif produced on the ground and typically formed by clastic rocks or similarly durable elements of the geography, such as stones, stone fragments, gravel, or earth...
s and geometric line clearings in the Atacama desert, in the district of Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
. On a large, rock-strewn plain, the Nazca made huge drawings by scraping away stones to reveal the lighter soil underneath. The drawings depict various plants and animals, including humans, a monkey, birds, and other creatures, as well as lines and geometric shapes. These drawings are so huge, however, that they can be seen only from the sky. Scientists believe that the Nazca made these drawings for their gods. The area of the Nazca lines is called the Pampa Colorada (red plain).
Cachiche
A small village near Ica, Cachiche is well known for its history of witches. Doña Julia, Cachiche's first witch, was known to practice "good magic," curing and helping villagers with her spells. Near the entrance to the town, a carving from a single huarango tree depicts this first "bruja de Cachiche" (witch of Cachiche).Tourism
Ica has significant wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and pisco
Pisco
Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Chile and Peru. Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain...
industries, annual fiestas, a museum and historic colonial churches. The climate is generally sunny and dry due to its elevation above coastal fog and mist.