Atiquipa District

Atiquipa
District
Garúa at the Lomas of Atiquipa
Garúa at the Lomas of Atiquipa
Map
Country Peru
RegionArequipa
ProvinceCaravelí
CapitalAtiquipa
Government
 • MayorFortunato Fernando Palomino Chalco
Area
 • Total
423.55 km2 (163.53 sq mi)
Elevation
325 m (1,066 ft)
Population
 (2005 census)
 • Total
561
 • Density1.3/km2 (3.4/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (PET)
UBIGEO040304

Atiquipa District is one of thirteen districts of Caravelí Province in the Arequipa Region of Peru.[1]

Environment

Atiquipa is located in the coastal desert of Peru, an almost rainless area. However, heavy fogs and mists, called garúa, permit vegetation to grow on the mountain slopes of the district. This vegetated fog oasis is called the Lomas de Atiquipa, It is the largest and the best preserved fog oasis in Peru, covering more than 42,000 hectares (100,000 acres) with some 350 plant species, including 44 endemics. Conservation organizations are attempting to preserve and restore the environment of the lomas. Included in the project is the installation of fog-catching nets to capture water and thereby help the 80 families who live within the area to expand agriculture, primarily growing olives.[2]

References

  1. ^ (in Spanish) Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática. Banco de Información Distrital Archived April 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 11, 2008.
  2. ^ Peru: The Blessing of Water in Peru's Coastal Desert," The Nature Conservancy, http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/southamerica/peru/explore/lomas-de-atiquipa.xml Archived 2017-08-21 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 17 Jul 2016


15°48′30″S 74°21′46″W / 15.8084°S 74.3629°W / -15.8084; -74.3629


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