Department of Loreto
Loreto | |
|---|---|
Suspension Bridge in Maynas | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Location of Loreto within Peru | |
Interactive map of Loreto | |
| Coordinates: 4°00′S 74°19′W / 4.0°S 74.32°W | |
| Country | Peru |
| Established | 1853 |
| Capital | Iquitos |
| Provinces | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Regional Government |
| • Governor | Jorge René Chávez Silvano |
| Area | |
• Total | 368,851.95 km2 (142,414.53 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 220 m (720 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 70 m (230 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 1,027,559 |
| • Density | 2.785830/km2 (7.215268/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Loretan; (loretano/a |
| UBIGEO | 16 |
| Dialing code | 065 |
| ISO 3166 code | PE-LOR |
| Principal resources | Rice, cassava, wood, fruit trees, rubber and cebu cattle |
| Poverty rate | 24.9% |
| Percentage of Peru's GDP | 2.51% |
| Website | www.regionloreto.gob.pe |
Loreto (Spanish pronunciation: [loˈɾeto]) is a department of Peru. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, it is Peru's largest and northernmost department, occupying a large part of the country's portion of the Amazon rainforest. Slightly smaller than Japan or Germany, it is also one of the most sparsely populated regions due to its remote location in the region. Its capital is Iquitos.
Its territory was once part of the General Command of Maynas, a subdivision of the Spanish Empire created in 1802. The overlapping claims over the region following the Spanish American wars of independence was the genesis for two different territorial disputes between Peru and its neighbours. The dispute with Colombia lasted until 1934, while the dispute with Ecuador only ended in 1999. Both disputes led to armed conflict in a number of occasions.
The territory of Maynas was first incorporated into Peru as part of the Department of La Libertad until 1825. On November 21, 1832, the Department of Amazonas was created, which included the province. This subdivision was granted autonomy through by a law issued by Ramón Castilla on March 10, 1853, and was ultimately elevated to a department on September 7, 1866.