Tarapoto
Encyclopedia
Tarapoto, known as the "City of Palms", is a thriving commercial hub in northern Peru
, an hour by plane from Lima, situated in the San Martín Province
of the San Martín Region
, located in the high jungle plateau to the east of what is known as the selva baja (low jungle). Although Moyobamba
is the capital of the region, Tarapoto is the region's largest city, and is linked to the Upper Amazon and the historic city of Yurimaguas
by a relatively well-maintained newly paved (2008–2009) transandean highway.
Tarapoto is at an altitude of approximately 356 meters above sea level on the high jungle plateau, also called the cloud forest. Founded in 1782 by Baltazar Martínez Jiménez de Compagnon, Tarapoto has a population of 63,484 (downtown) and over 117,184 inhabitants with the outlying Morales and Banda de Shilcayo districts , according to the 2007 census.
Tarapoto is often used by tourists and local visitors as a "jumping off" point for excursions into the vast Amazon Rainforest
. The region's main activities are tourism, commerce, agriculture and a thriving illicit "shadow economy" including the production of coca leaves, the extraction of lumber and the trade in land concessions.
Tarapoto is home to the Universidad Nacional de San Martin, an important center of higher education serving the professional and technical needs of the bio-diverse region http://fudes-unsm.org/. With its active night-life, Tarapoto offers a wide variety of hotels and restaurants in and around the city. Moreover, beautiful landscapes, amazing waterfalls, lagoons, and adventure tourism, such as river rafting and hiking in the tropical Andes, attracts numerous visitors to the "City of Palms".
Tarapoto was founded August 20, 1782 by the Spanish bishop Baltazar Jaime Martínez de Compagnon y Bujanda. Its beginnings date back to the explorations of the Pocras
and Chancas (old cultures of the Ayacucho
region) who, when being conquered by the Inca Empire
, headed a revolution led by the commander Ancohallo; a revolt that, when defeated, forced their tribal members to escape from terrible Inca vengeance. Eventually settling down in the valleys of the Mayo and Cumbaza rivers in what is now the San Martin department, they possibly formed the town of Lamas, before establishing a satellite in the valley of the rivers Cumbaza and Shilcayo, having as a central nucleus the Suchiche Lagoon (dried up in the colony). In this lagoon grew abundant Taraputus palms, a name that the Spanish bishop would later use when founding the city in this area of hunters and fishermen.
Founded September 14, 1906, Tarapoto is the main tourist and commercial hub of this part of northeastern Peru. The city is located in the valleys of the Cumbaza and Shilcayo rivers, and is the center of the terrestrial networks and areas between the mountains, the coast and eastern Peru.
. Nationally speaking, the Tarapoto-based airport is the third in importance in flow for passengers and cargo. It operates flights to and from Lima on a daily basis, as well as it is a stopover to other cities such as Iquitos and Pucallpa from Lima.
Lima can be reached by bus in approximately 28 hours. The route runs through Moyobamba and Pedro Ruiz before passing through the coastal city of Chiclayo.
), Education-Primary and Secondary (Rioja), Economics, Languages, Management, Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Systems Engineering, and Tourism Management. The National University of San Martín includes an important [museum,] the Museo Regional-UNSM http://fudes-unsm.org/museo/, which is operated through FUDES (Fundación Para el Desarrollo de la Selva-Universidad Nacional de San Martín)http://fudes-unsm.org/. The Museo Regional-UNSM has a notable anthropology section http://fudes-unsm.org/museo/la-seccion-de-antropologia-del-museo-regional-unsm/, which includes both ethnographic and archaeological collections from Peruvian Amazonia.
Also there is the Universidad César Vallejo with the careers of Accounting, Law, Psychology, Management, Systems Engineering; the Universidad Peruana Union; and the Universidad Alas Peruanas; the Instituto Superior Público de Tarapoto, the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Nororiental de la Selva, and numerous private vocational education centers..
In the form of special education, Tarapoto has the Education Center No. 001 for children with Mental Retardation and/or physical limitations and Education Center No. 002 or Blind Rehabilitation Center (CREC) for the visually impaired.
, Tarapoto is the hometown of the professional Quidditch
team the Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers.
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....
, an hour by plane from Lima, situated in the San Martín Province
San Martín Province
The San Martín Province is one of 10 provinces of the San Martín Region in northern Peru.-Political division:The province is divided into fourteen districts, which are:* Alberto Leveau * Cacatachi * Chazuta...
of the San Martín Region
San Martín Region
San Martín is a region in northern Peru. Most of the region is located in the upper part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Its capital is Moyobamba and the largest city in the region is Tarapoto.-Boundaries:* North and East: Loreto Region...
, located in the high jungle plateau to the east of what is known as the selva baja (low jungle). Although Moyobamba
Moyobamba
Moyobamba is the capital city of the San Martín Region in northern Peru. Called "Santiago of eight valleys of Moyobamba" or "Maynas capital". There are 70,000 inhabitants, according to the 2009 census. Some 3,500 species of orchids are native to the area, which has led to the city's nickname of...
is the capital of the region, Tarapoto is the region's largest city, and is linked to the Upper Amazon and the historic city of Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas is a thriving port-town in the Loreto Region of northeastern Peruvian Amazonia. Historically associated with Maynas Pais de los Maynas, the culturally diverse town is affectionately known as the "Pearl of the Huallaga"...
by a relatively well-maintained newly paved (2008–2009) transandean highway.
Tarapoto is at an altitude of approximately 356 meters above sea level on the high jungle plateau, also called the cloud forest. Founded in 1782 by Baltazar Martínez Jiménez de Compagnon, Tarapoto has a population of 63,484 (downtown) and over 117,184 inhabitants with the outlying Morales and Banda de Shilcayo districts , according to the 2007 census.
Tarapoto is often used by tourists and local visitors as a "jumping off" point for excursions into the vast Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
. The region's main activities are tourism, commerce, agriculture and a thriving illicit "shadow economy" including the production of coca leaves, the extraction of lumber and the trade in land concessions.
Tarapoto is home to the Universidad Nacional de San Martin, an important center of higher education serving the professional and technical needs of the bio-diverse region http://fudes-unsm.org/. With its active night-life, Tarapoto offers a wide variety of hotels and restaurants in and around the city. Moreover, beautiful landscapes, amazing waterfalls, lagoons, and adventure tourism, such as river rafting and hiking in the tropical Andes, attracts numerous visitors to the "City of Palms".
History
Tarapoto was founded August 20, 1782 by the Spanish bishop Baltazar Jaime Martínez de Compagnon y Bujanda. Its beginnings date back to the explorations of the Pocras
Pocras
Pocras were the ancient Wari culture inhabitants of the modern-day city of Huamanga, Peru before the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, bounded on the northwest by the Warivilcas, and on the southeast by the Rucanas and the Soras and on the east by the Mayonmarka near the Andahuaylas in La Mar ...
and Chancas (old cultures of the Ayacucho
Ayacucho
Ayacucho is the capital city of Huamanga Province, Ayacucho Region, Peru.Ayacucho is famous for its 33 churches, which represent one for each year of Jesus's life. Ayacucho has large religious celebrations, especially during the Holy Week of Easter...
region) who, when being conquered by the Inca Empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
, headed a revolution led by the commander Ancohallo; a revolt that, when defeated, forced their tribal members to escape from terrible Inca vengeance. Eventually settling down in the valleys of the Mayo and Cumbaza rivers in what is now the San Martin department, they possibly formed the town of Lamas, before establishing a satellite in the valley of the rivers Cumbaza and Shilcayo, having as a central nucleus the Suchiche Lagoon (dried up in the colony). In this lagoon grew abundant Taraputus palms, a name that the Spanish bishop would later use when founding the city in this area of hunters and fishermen.
Founded September 14, 1906, Tarapoto is the main tourist and commercial hub of this part of northeastern Peru. The city is located in the valleys of the Cumbaza and Shilcayo rivers, and is the center of the terrestrial networks and areas between the mountains, the coast and eastern Peru.
Access and Transportation
Tarapoto one hour by air from Lima and is served by the Cad. FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes AirportCad. FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes Airport
Comandante FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes Airport is an airport serving Tarapoto, Peru. It is run by CORPAC S.A., a government-run organization that oversees the management of Peruvian airports. It is the main airport of the San Martín Region, located in the Amazon. It is used by many tourists...
. Nationally speaking, the Tarapoto-based airport is the third in importance in flow for passengers and cargo. It operates flights to and from Lima on a daily basis, as well as it is a stopover to other cities such as Iquitos and Pucallpa from Lima.
Lima can be reached by bus in approximately 28 hours. The route runs through Moyobamba and Pedro Ruiz before passing through the coastal city of Chiclayo.
Accommodations
Tarapoto offers a variety of hotels and guesthouses for tourists and businessmen, both within the city and its surrounding area. A number of resorts also provide for more upmarket tourists.Local culture
Tarapoto is the site of the headquarters of the National University of San Martín, and the center of the cultural activity of the San Martín region.Local food
In Tarapoto one can enjoy the most varied food typical of the jungle region. The area is famous for juane , made with rice, egg, olive and chicken, all wrapped up in leaves of bijao. Cured pork products are also common, most notably cecina and chorizo sausage.Nearby tourist attractions
The spa of Cumbaza, the archaeological remains of the petroglyphs of Polish (Bello Horizonte)http://fudes-unsm.org/museo/la-seccion-de-antropologia-del-museo-regional-unsm/cultura/antropologia/arqueologia/los-petroglifos-de-bello-horizonte/, abundant plant and animal life, the waterfalls of Ahuashiyacu and the Venice Lagoon are just a few of the area's attractions. Visitors can enjoy a landscape blessed with a wide variety of flora and fauna, numerous waterfalls and opportunities for adventure tourism (such as white water rafting, jungle expeditions and treks).Education
For the top level university, Tarapoto has the Universidad Nacional de San Martín with fifteen (15) professional careers: Accounting, Agroindustrial Engineering (Juanjui), Agroindustry, Agronomy, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Ecology (MoyobambaMoyobamba
Moyobamba is the capital city of the San Martín Region in northern Peru. Called "Santiago of eight valleys of Moyobamba" or "Maynas capital". There are 70,000 inhabitants, according to the 2009 census. Some 3,500 species of orchids are native to the area, which has led to the city's nickname of...
), Education-Primary and Secondary (Rioja), Economics, Languages, Management, Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Systems Engineering, and Tourism Management. The National University of San Martín includes an important [museum,] the Museo Regional-UNSM http://fudes-unsm.org/museo/, which is operated through FUDES (Fundación Para el Desarrollo de la Selva-Universidad Nacional de San Martín)http://fudes-unsm.org/. The Museo Regional-UNSM has a notable anthropology section http://fudes-unsm.org/museo/la-seccion-de-antropologia-del-museo-regional-unsm/, which includes both ethnographic and archaeological collections from Peruvian Amazonia.
Also there is the Universidad César Vallejo with the careers of Accounting, Law, Psychology, Management, Systems Engineering; the Universidad Peruana Union; and the Universidad Alas Peruanas; the Instituto Superior Público de Tarapoto, the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Nororiental de la Selva, and numerous private vocational education centers..
In the form of special education, Tarapoto has the Education Center No. 001 for children with Mental Retardation and/or physical limitations and Education Center No. 002 or Blind Rehabilitation Center (CREC) for the visually impaired.
Use in popular culture
In the fictional Harry Potter UniverseHarry Potter universe
The fictional universe of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies: the wizarding world and the Muggle world...
, Tarapoto is the hometown of the professional Quidditch
Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport developed by British author J. K. Rowling for the Harry Potter series of novels. It is described as an extremely rough, but very popular, semi-contact sport, played by wizards and witches around the world...
team the Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers.
See also
- Comandante FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes Airport - Tarapoto's airport
- Lamas, PeruLamas, PeruLamas is the capital of the Lamas Province, situated in the San Martín Region of northern Peru. There are 16 871 inhabitants, according to the 2007 census. In 2005 a deep earthquake shake Lamas, killed 5 people, 174 injured and hundreds homeless....
- a town near Tarapoto - Peruvian AmazonPeruvian AmazonThe Peruvian Amazon is the area of the Amazon jungle included in the territory of Peru, from the east of the Andes to borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia. This region comprises 60% of the country and is marked by a large degree of biodiversity...
- San Martin ProvinceSan Martín ProvinceThe San Martín Province is one of 10 provinces of the San Martín Region in northern Peru.-Political division:The province is divided into fourteen districts, which are:* Alberto Leveau * Cacatachi * Chazuta...
- San Martin RegionSan Martín RegionSan Martín is a region in northern Peru. Most of the region is located in the upper part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Its capital is Moyobamba and the largest city in the region is Tarapoto.-Boundaries:* North and East: Loreto Region...
- Tarapoto DistrictTarapoto DistrictTarapoto District is one of fourteen districts of the province San Martín in Peru.-References:...
- Unión Tarapoto - Tarapoto's football (soccer) team.