La Libertad Region | ||
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Region | ||
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Location of the La Libertad Region in Peru |
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Country | Peru | |
Subdivisions | 12 provinces and 83 districts | |
Capital | Trujillo | |
Government | ||
• President | José Murgia | |
Area | ||
• Total | 25,499.9 km2 (9,845.6 sq mi) | |
Elevation(Capital) | 34 m (112 ft) | |
Highest elevation | 4,008 m (13,150 ft) | |
Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | |
Population (2007 Census) | ||
• Total | 1,617,050 | |
• Density | 63/km2 (160/sq mi) | |
UBIGEO | 13 | |
Dialing code | 044 | |
ISO 3166 code | PE-LAL | |
Principal resources | Nation's largest sugar cane producer, and second-largest producer of rice. | |
Poverty rate | 52.1% | |
Percentage of Peru's GDP | 4.18% | |
Website | www.regionlalibertad.gob.pe |
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the Department of La Libertad (Departamento de La Libertad). It is bordered by the Lambayeque, Cajamarca and Amazonas regions on the north, the San Martín Region on the east, the Ancash and Huánuco regions on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is Trujillo, which is the nation's third biggest city. The region's main port is Salaverry, one of Peru's largest ports. The name of the region is Spanish for "freedom" or "liberty"; it was named in honor of the Intendencia of Trujillo's proclaiming independence from Spain in 1820 and fighting for that.
During the viceroyalty of Peru, the La Libertad region, together with the present-day regions of Lambayeque, Piura and Tumbes regions in Peru, and Guayaquil and El Oro Province in Ecuador, were all within the jurisdiction of the Intendencía de Trujillo. These were included in the domain of the city of Trujillo; together they comprised the Departamento de Trujillo of the viceroyalty.
After the Intendencía joined the emancipation cause and was the first to gain independence from Spain, in 1825 the Congress of the Peruvian republic changed the name to Departmento de la Libertad. Since the late 20th century, Peru has decentralized its government. All former Departments in Peru are now called Regions; their governors are elected, and they have more independent authority in decisionmaking.
La Libertad is the only Peruvian region that includes all three natural regions of the nation: coast, Sierra (highlands), and selva (rainforest).