Utcubamba River
Encyclopedia
The Utcubamba River is a river
in the Amazonas Region
of Peru
, located at 5°32′6"S 78°33′9"W. The river's name is Quechua
for "cotton
fields".
The Utcubamba River originates in the highlands of the central cordillera
, then flows north through Amazonas
before joining the Marañón River
. The river's semitropical valley is the former site of the pre-Columbian
Chachapoyas culture
, and a popular tourist destination. Its many tributaries support the towns and farms of La Peca
, Copallín, Cajaruro, Shipasbamba, La Florida
, and Yambrasbamba.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the Amazonas Region
Amazonas Region
Amazonas is a department of northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca Department on the west, La Libertad Department on the south, and Loreto Department and San Martín Department on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas....
of Peru
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....
, located at 5°32′6"S 78°33′9"W. The river's name is Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
for "cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
fields".
The Utcubamba River originates in the highlands of the central cordillera
Cordillera
A cordillera is an extensive chain of mountains or mountain ranges, that runs along a coastline . It comes from the Spanish word cordilla, which is a diminutive of cuerda, or "cord"...
, then flows north through Amazonas
Amazonas Region
Amazonas is a department of northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca Department on the west, La Libertad Department on the south, and Loreto Department and San Martín Department on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas....
before joining the Marañón River
Marañón River
The Marañón River rises about 160 km to the northeast of Lima, Peru, flows through a deeply-eroded Andean valley in a northwesterly direction, along the eastern base of the Cordillera of the Andes, as far as 5 degrees 36' southern latitude; then it makes a great bend to the northeast, and...
. The river's semitropical valley is the former site of the pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
Chachapoyas culture
Chachapoyas culture
The Chachapoyas, also called the Warriors of the Clouds, were an Andean people living in the cloud forests of the Amazonas region of present-day Peru. The Incas conquered their civilization shortly before the arrival of the Spanish in Peru. When the Spanish arrived in Peru in the 16th century, the...
, and a popular tourist destination. Its many tributaries support the towns and farms of La Peca
La Peca
La Peca is a district in the Bagua Province, Amazonas Region, Peru and also a population center and town in the district. The town's population is approximately 22,400....
, Copallín, Cajaruro, Shipasbamba, La Florida
La Florida
La Florida is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, La Florida spans an area of and has 365,674 inhabitants . Of these, 365,563 lived in urban areas and 111 in rural areas...
, and Yambrasbamba.