Department of Cuzco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cuzco Department
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Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Inca
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Location of the Department of Cusco in Peru
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| Country | Peru | ||
| Subdivisions | 13 provinces and 108 districts | ||
| Largest city | Cusco | ||
| Capital | Cusco | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 71,986 km2 (27,794 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation
(Capital)
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3,399 m (11,152 ft) | ||
| Highest elevation | 4,801 m (15,751 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation | 532 m (1,745 ft) | ||
| Population
(2017)
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| • Total | 1,205,527 | ||
| • Density | 16.74669/km2 (43.3737/sq mi) | ||
| UBIGEO |
08
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| Dialing code | 0484 | ||
| ISO 3166 code | PE-CUS | ||
| Principal resources | Gold, maize, barley, quinoa, and tea | ||
| Poverty rate | 52.3% | ||
| Percentage of Peru's GDP | 4.4% | ||
| Website | www.regioncusco.gob.pe/ | ||
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Cusco, also spelled Cuzco, is a large region in Peru. It is the fourth biggest department in the country. Cusco shares borders with several other departments. These include Ucayali to the north and Madre de Dios and Puno to the east. To the south, it borders Arequipa. On the west, it borders Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Junín.
The capital city of this region is also called Cusco. This city was once the important historical capital of the mighty Inca Empire.
Contents
Exploring Cusco's Geography
The Cusco region has diverse landscapes. One important area is the plain of Anta. This plain is known for having some of the best farming lands in the department. It sits about 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) above sea level. Farmers here mainly grow crops that do well in high altitudes. These crops include potatoes, tarwi (a type of edible lupin), barley, and quinoa.
Provinces of Cusco
The Cusco Department is divided into 13 smaller areas called provinces. Each province has its own main town or city. Here are the provinces and their capitals:
- Acomayo (Acomayo)
- Anta (Anta)
- Calca (Calca)
- Canas (Yanaoca)
- Canchis (Sicuani)
- Chumbivilcas (Santo Tomás)
- Cusco (Cusco)
- Espinar (Yauri)
- La Convención (Quillabamba)
- Paruro (Paruro)
- Paucartambo (Paucartambo)
- Quispicanchi (Urcos)
- Urubamba (Urubamba)
Languages Spoken in Cusco
In the Cusco region, people speak different languages. According to a census from 2007, most residents first learned Quechua. About 51.40% of the population speaks Quechua. The specific type of Quechua spoken here is called Cusco Quechua. The next most common language is Spanish, spoken by about 46.86% of the people.
Famous People from Cusco
- Raul Geller (born 1936), a Peruvian-Israeli footballer.
Gallery
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Balconies and arcades at the main square in Cusco
See also
In Spanish: Departamento del Cuzco para niños
- Administrative divisions of Peru
- Machiguenga Communal Reserve
- Megantoni National Sanctuary
- Otishi National Park
