Moyobamba

Moyobamba is a city in the Peruvian Andes. It has 42 161 inhabitants ( 2005) and is the capital of the San Martín Province.

History

Moyobamba was founded on 25 July 1540 by the Spaniard Don Juan Pérez de Guevara under the name of " Santiago de los Ocho Valles " and thus is considered the oldest city in the Peruvian Amazon region. However, even before this city was founded at the same location have indigenous villages exist. 1897 moyobamba capital of the province of Loreto, until 1906, the province of San Martín was founded, whose capital moyobamba is today.

Geography

The city lies 860 meters above sea level and has a subtropical climate. Temperatures vary between 18 and 28 ° C with a mean annual temperature of 24 ° C. The rainy season is from December to March. During this time, the streets around moyobamba are often barely passable.

On 26 September 2005, an earthquake of magnitude 7 to 7.5 on the Richter scale occurred 90 kilometers north of moyobamba. The city was heavily damaged, several people were killed.

Economy

Moyobamba is an important traffic junction, since the city is situated on one of the few roads that lead over the Andes. The road leads from the Pacific coast of Peru Tarapoto to Yurimaguas on and so into the Amazon basin.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Los Mirlos, famous cumbia music group