Department of Ayacucho

Ayacucho
Departamento de Ayacucho (Spanish)
Ayakuchu suyu (Quechua)
Sara Sara and Lake Parinacochas in front of it
Sara Sara and Lake Parinacochas in front of it
Flag of Ayacucho
Official seal of Ayacucho
Location of the Department of Ayacucho in Peru
Location of the Department of Ayacucho in Peru
CountryPeru
Subdivisions11 provinces and 111 districts
Largest cityAyacucho
CapitalAyacucho
Government
 • GovernorWilfredo Oscorima Núñez
(2023–2026)
Area
 • Total43,814.8 km2 (16,917.0 sq mi)
Elevation
(Capital)
2,746 m (9,009 ft)
Highest elevation
5,505 m (18,061 ft)
Lowest elevation
1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total616,176
 • Density14/km2 (36/sq mi)
UBIGEO
05
Dialing code066
ISO 3166 codePE-AYA
Principal resourcesPotatoes, wheat, olluco, barley, sheep and handicrafts.
Poverty rate72.5%
Percentage of Peru's GDP0.65%
Websitewww.regionayacucho.gob.pe

Ayacucho (Spanish pronunciation: [aʝaˈkutʃo] ), known as Huamanga from its creation in 1822 until 1825,[1][2] is a department and region of Peru, located in the south-central Andes of the country. Its capital is the city of Ayacucho. The region was one of the hardest hit in the 1980s during the guerrilla war waged by Shining Path known as the internal conflict in Peru.

A referendum was held on 30 October 2005, in order to decide whether the department would merge with the departments of Ica and Huancavelica to form the new Ica-Ayacucho-Huancavelica Region, as part of the decentralization process in Peru. The proposal failed and no merger was carried out.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "Caracterización del departamento de Ayacucho" (PDF). BCRP.
  2. ^ "Copia de Decreto que cambia nombre a Huamanga". Biblioteca Bicentenario. 1825-02-15.