Iquitos

Iquitos is the capital of the Loreto, department of Peruvian Amazonia .

History of the city

Marked by many displacements, already at the 16th century, the area is crossed on both sides by Conquistador are with the research of the El Dorado. Later in 1640, the Bahamonte father establishes the first reductions of Loreto, where currently Iquitos is. Indeed, between 1640 and the 1768 Jésuites establish 152 reductions along the Ucayali and of Rio Huallaga, to it to reduce 56.000 Indians and 66.000 others on High Napo. The Jesuits and the Franciscains will carry out at the 17th century and 18th century a fast and effective evangelization of Loreto.

In 1860, Iquitos appears officially and accommodates already the migrants. Creation one year later of the maritime and military Department of Loreto will bring prosperity and rapid growth to him. Thanks to the opening of the waterways and to navigation with vapor, the development of the exchanges and trade become possible. Then the public services attract new inhabitants since 1863, which will make it possible to count one year after 648 individuals.

However it is with the rubber that the city will know its greater expansion. The era of rubber ( Rubber boom ) starts in 1880 and will last about thirty years; registered in an industrial strategy of foreground, its market is world. However, the exploitation of the Hévéa requires an abundant labor, having to accept a regular mobility, difficult and dangerous work conditions, extracted from a painful history for the natives of Loreto, who were largely decimated by the forced labor for some, but also by the epidemics brought by the migrants and the other workers.

In 1897, Iquitos counts 10.000 inhabitants. Connected to Manaus (Brazil) and Pucallpa by inland waterway, its exchanges are increasingly important. However, in spite of this population, in 1903 the Church does not seem yet truly not established. The father Paulino Diaz, prefect apostolic of San Leon of the Amazon deplores that the city has only one church, which more is provisional, whereas the tasks of the clergy are many and urgent to achieve. The low number of people knowing to read and write, having received a religious instruction explains, says it, the great diversity of the religious practices, where mix the Indian traditions and certain aspects with the catholic worships.

In 1911, with the apogee of rubber, the city includes/understands 15.000 inhabitants among whom many Chinese, Brésil iens, Spanish, Italy NS, Portuguese but also some German Nord-Américains, , French, 40 Juif S Morocco ains. This important migration, in a difficult area of access is the result of an urbanization supported by regional economic takeoff. The diversity of the sources of the migrants will be a big factor in the cultural opening of the city, which one can today still characterize by his cosmopolitan population.

Rubber crumbles then in the middle of the years 1910, in front of the exhaustion of the raw material resources. Around the city, the hévéas disappeared: the mining method could indeed only lead to a short term. In the search of other richnesses, years 1920 will be those of the invaluable Bois and the resins, and with weaker scale those of the animals than one will sell in Europe. Years 1930 will be remembered by the Or and the Huile which will make thrive the city before the Pétrole.

Today, Iquitos continuous to attract the migrants and, with them, of new practices and traditional beliefs, it is a city which borders the 380.000 inhabitants, where mèlent the cultures and the worships.

Geography

Iquitos is a city established between Rios the Amazon, Nanay and Itaya. It is accessible by inland waterway and air. Since 2000, a road makes it possible to go to the town of Nauta.

Important river port on the Amazon, accessible to the vapors, its medium flow with Iquitos is already of a few 40.000 cubic meters a second, that is to say equivalent to that of the Congo river.

Sources

Geography of Peru (in Spanish)
Site of FAO concerning the hydrology of Peru (in Spanish)

Tourism

The city attracts a great number of tourists come from the whole world. One observes in particular a strong development of tourism chamanic, in evil of strong feelings, around the catch of Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi), a plant hallucinogen used by the Indians.

External bonds

Semi Selva Site of Iquitos

Simple: Iquitos

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