Mantaro River
Encyclopedia
The Mantaro River is a long river running through the central region of Peru
. Its Quechua
name means "great river".
at a height of 4.080 m and runs through Junín
, Yauli
, Jauja
, Concepción
and Huancayo
provinces in Junín Region
, then through Huancavelica Region
and Ayacucho Region
, then returns to Junín Region in Satipo Province
where it unites with the Apurimac River
to form the Ene River
. Its hydrographic basin also includes some of the Pasco Region
. The river belongs to the hydrographic basin of the Amazon River
. Its principal tributaries are the Cunas River
and the Ichu River.
The river runs from northeast to southeast through the Mantaro Valley
. This valley is the most important food source for the capital Lima
.
The Mantaro Hydroelectric Complex is located in the Tayacaja Province
of Huancavelica Region
, and produces 31% of all electrical energy generated in Peru.
The word "Mantaro" may be a word originally from the Ashaninka language
, who live downstream along the Ene River
.
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....
. Its Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
name means "great river".
Geography
The river has its source at Lake JunínLake Junín
Lake Junín, known as Lago Junín in Spanish and Chinchaycocha in Quechua, is the largest lake entirely within Peru. Even though Lake Titicaca has a much larger area, its eastern half is located on Bolivian territory...
at a height of 4.080 m and runs through Junín
Junín Province
Junín Province is a province in northwestern Junín Region, in the central highlands of Peru. Its capital is the city of Junín.-Geography:thumb|left|200px|Junín Lake, Perú...
, Yauli
Yauli Province
The Yauli Province is one of the nine provinces in Peru that forms the Junín Region. To the north the province borders with the Pasco Region and the Province of Junín, the east with the Province of Tarma, the south with the Province of Jauja and the west with the region of Lima.-Political...
, Jauja
Jauja Province
Jauja Province is a Peruvian province. It is one of the nine provinces that forms the Junín Region. To the north it borders with the provinces of Yauli, Tarma and Chanchamayo; to the east with the Province of Satipo, to the south with the Province of Concepción and to the west with the Region of Lima...
, Concepción
Concepción Province, Peru
Concepción Province is one of nine provinces in the Junín Region in central Peru. Its capital is Concepción.Notable sites include El convento de Ocopa, which contains a vast library and artefacts that were acquired from the first Spanish expeditions to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.-Political...
and Huancayo
Huancayo Province
Huancayo Province is located in Peru and is one of the 9 provinces composing the Junín Region. It borders to the north with the Concepción Province, the east with the Satipo Province, the south with the Huancavelica Region and the west with the Chupaca Province. The province has an approximate...
provinces in Junín Region
Junín Region
Junín is a region in the central highlands and westernmost Amazonia of Peru. Its capital is Huancayo.-Geography:The region has a very heterogeneous topography. The western cordillera located near the border with the Lima Region, has snowy and ice covered peaks. On the east, there are high glacier...
, then through Huancavelica Region
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 Region
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...
, then returns to Junín Region in Satipo Province
Satipo Province
Satipo is the largest and easternmost province in the Junín Region, located in the central Amazon rainforest of Peru. Its capital is the town of Satipo.-Boundaries:...
where it unites with the Apurimac River
Apurímac River
The Apurímac River rises from glacial meltwater of the ridge of Nevado Mismi, a mountain in the Arequipa Province in southern Peru.The Apurímac is the source of the world's largest river system, the Amazon River...
to form the Ene River
Ene River
The Ene River is a Peruvian river on the eastern slopes of the South American Andes.The Río Ene is part of the headwaters of the Amazon River whose origin is at the Nevado Mismi south of Cuzco where it first becomes Apurímac River, then the Ene River and Tambo River before its waters meet the...
. Its hydrographic basin also includes some of the Pasco Region
Pasco Region
Pasco is a region in central Peru. Its capital is Cerro de Pasco.-Political division:The region is divided into 3 provinces , which are composed of 28 districts .-Provinces:...
. The river belongs to the hydrographic basin of the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. Its principal tributaries are the Cunas River
Cunas River
The Cunas River is a river located in the Junín Region in central Peru. The river originates 5,180 meters above sea level in the Cordillera Occidental. The river spans 3 provinces in the Junín Region: Chupaca Province, Concepción Province and the Huancayo Province.- Course :The Cunas travels...
and the Ichu River.
The river runs from northeast to southeast through the Mantaro Valley
Mantaro Valley
The Mantaro Valley, with its main city of Huancayo, lies east of the capital of Peru, Lima. It is a fertile valley containing fields of corn, artichokes, carrots and potatoes, alongside which flows the Mantaro River. The Mantaro Valley is also renowned as an area containing many sites of...
. This valley is the most important food source for the capital Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
.
The Mantaro Hydroelectric Complex is located in the Tayacaja Province
Tayacaja Province
The Tayacaja Province is one of seven provinces located in the Huancavelica Region of Peru. The capital of this province is the city of Pampas...
of Huancavelica Region
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 produces 31% of all electrical energy generated in Peru.
The word "Mantaro" may be a word originally from the Ashaninka language
Asháninka language
Asháninka is an Arawakan language spoken by the Asháninca people along the Apurímac, Ene, Perené, and Tambo Rivers and tributaries in Perú. Their ethnic group numbers from 25,000 to 30,000. Many of them still speak their native tongue....
, who live downstream along the Ene River
Ene River
The Ene River is a Peruvian river on the eastern slopes of the South American Andes.The Río Ene is part of the headwaters of the Amazon River whose origin is at the Nevado Mismi south of Cuzco where it first becomes Apurímac River, then the Ene River and Tambo River before its waters meet the...
.