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Ica | |
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.svg) Location of the Ica Region in Peru | |
| Country | Peru |
| Subdivisions | 5 provinces and 43 districts |
| Capital | Ica |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Javier Gallegos Barrientos (2019–2022) |
| Area | |
• Total | 21,327.83 km2 (8,234.72 sq mi) |
| Elevation (Capital) | 406 m (1,332 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 3,796 m (12,454 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 850,765 |
| • Density | 39.8899/km2 (103.314/sq mi) |
| Dialing code | 056 |
| ISO 3166 code | PE-ICA |
| Principal resources | Iron,cotton,grapevine,kidney beans. |
| Website | www.regionica.gob.pe |
Ica (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈika];Quechua:Ika) is adepartment of Peru. It borders thePacific Ocean on the west;Lima to the north;Huancavelica andAyacucho to the east; andArequipa to the south. It is administered by aregional government. Its capital is the city ofIca.
The Department of Ica has a remarkable geography. It is the only region of the southern coast formed by plains, also called coast plains, since theAndeanCordillera rise up inland. Somegeological folds have determined the formation of dunes moving toward the sea, which form much of theParacas Peninsula. Some isolated formations located at the southern part created the Marcona complex, with the biggest deposits ofiron in thePacific coast.[citation needed]
Ica's configuration is due to thegeomorphology of its two big and unique fluvial watersheds: thePasco andIca rivers. Also, it has a waterway called theRio Grande, although its waters do not reach the ocean. Some waters are diverted for irrigation and agriculture in the provinces ofPalpa,Nazca and Ingenio; the Rio Grande's finalriverbed is dry since sand and dried lands absorb its limited resources. There are extensivedeserts in Ica, such as theLancha Pampas.Pozo Santo andVillacuri pampas are extremely hot areas. Strong and persistent winds calledparacas are present and stir up large sandstorms.[citation needed]
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Ica has a rich history. The first settlers are from 10,000 years ago, from which theWari,Chincha,Nazca, Ica andParacas cultures developed, the latter being the most important.
TheParacas culture developed from the seventh through the 2nd century BC. It is distinguished by its matchlesstextile skills, trephinations, and the art ofmummifying their dead.
The Nazca culture, on the contrary, well known for its artisticpottery, in which colorful designs and representations excel over the form, the same as their 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 theInca Empire,Pachacuti incorporated the territories of Ica, Nazca and the Chincha valley.
Years later, in 1563, with the arrival of theSpanish, Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera founded the Villa de Valverde del Valle de Ica. Since then, the area became an importantvineyard and cotton center.
During the independence war, GeneralJosé 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 (Spanish:provincias, singular:provincia), which are composed of 43 districts (distritos, singular:distrito).
The provinces, with their capitals in parentheses, are:
Capital of the Ica Department. A very modern clean city that has Peruvian street markets, many old churches and landmarks, modern malls, hotels, coffee shops, theatres, and hotels as well.
Located on the west side of the city of Ica, capital of the Ica Department. One of the most popular places to visit in Ica is LaHuacachina. The desert oasis is located 5 km (3.1 mi) from Ica. It is a small lake with medicinal water, lying in the middle of a spectacular sand desert.
Pisco is the most important port in Ica and a litoral province. The most important attractions within this province are likelyParacas,Paracas Bay and theParacas National Reserve. Pisco was home of an ancient pre-Hispanic culture,Paracas, who are known for their exquisite textiles.
Paracas (a municipality within theParacas District) is a small town catering to tourism. It serves as the jumping point for tours toIslas Ballestas and toParacas National Reservation.Paracas Bay, protected byParacas Peninsula, gives these shallow, warmer waters break from ocean waves permitting life to flourish, particularly near its south western edge encompassed withinParacas National Reserve. TheParacas Museum, also found just near the south western edge ofParacas Bay, provides excellent information aboutParacas culture and the many unique species, in particular, thebirds of Paracas.
TheIca-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 textiles and pottery which feature images of animals and mythological beings.
They are even better known, however, for a unique set of creations known as theNazca Lines, which aregeoglyphs and geometric line clearings in theAtacama desert, in the district ofNazca. 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).
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[1] depicts this first "bruja de Cachiche" (witch of Cachiche).
Ica has significantwine andpisco industries, annual fiestas, a museum and historic colonial churches.[2] The climate is generally sunny and dry due to its elevation above coastal fog and mist.[2] As of 2020, thePeruvian desert, around theHuacachina Oasis, has gotten significantly popular among tourists for sandboarding and sand buggy tours.
There is also a Regional Museum, which exhibits prehistoric artefacts as well as paintings and furniture that date back to the Spanish Colonial era. Moreover, in the museum, mummies with typicalParacas culture skulls can be found.[3]
Italics indicate provinces under a special regime. TheConstitutional Province of Callao does not belong to any region. |
14°04′S75°44′W / 14.07°S 75.73°W /-14.07; -75.73
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