Piura Region
—  Region  —
Illescas Peninsula
Location of the Piura Region in Peru
Coordinates: 4°59′S 80°25′W / 4.99°S 80.41°W / -4.99; -80.41Coordinates: 4°59′S 80°25′W / 4.99°S 80.41°W / -4.99; -80.41
Country	Peru
Subdivisions	8 provinces and 64 districts
Capital	Piura
Government
• President	César Trelles Lara
Area
• Total	35,892.49 km2 (13,858.17 sq mi)
Elevation(Capital)	29 m (95 ft)
Highest elevation	2,709 m (8,888 ft)
Lowest elevation	-34 m (−112 ft)
Population (2005 Census)
• Total	1,630,772
• Density	45/km2 (120/sq mi)
UBIGEO	20
Dialing code	073
ISO 3166 code	PE-PIU
Principal resources	Petroleum, rice, cotton, lemon
Poverty rate	63.3%
Percentage of Peru's GDP	3.94%
Website	www.regionpiura.gob.pe

Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and Talara, are also among the most important in Peru. The area is known for its warm tropical and dry or semi-tropical beaches.

The country's latest decentralization program is in hiatus after the proposal to merge departments was defeated in the national referendum in October 2005. ^[1] The referendum held on October 30, 2005, as part of the ongoing decentralization process in Peru, to decide whether the region would merge with the current regions of Lambayeque and Tumbes to create a new Región Norte was defeated.

Geography[link]

The Piura Region is bordered to the north by the Tumbes Region and Ecuador, to the east by Cajamarca Region, to the south by the Lambayeque Region, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. "Punta Pariñas" in Piura is South America's most western point.

The territory of the Piura Region has many climate variations due to its geographical location. It is just 4 degrees south of the equator, yet receives two ocean currents at the same time: the cold Humboldt Current (13-20 °C 55-68 F) and the warm El Niño Current (20-27 °C, 68-80 F). This makes the Piura Region a land that is both tropical and arid at the same time, The Land where the Tropics meets The Desert

The coast is divided by the Peruvian subtropical desert of Sechura on the south and savanna-like scrub tropical-dry forests to the center and north of the region. There are also small valleys of tropical climate, where rice and coconut fields are common, especially around the Piura and Sullana rivers.

There is a high Amazon climate (selva alta) as one goes away from the coast onto the sierra; Paramo climates and cooler temperatures appear as one climbs the sierra.

Topography is smooth in the coast and rough in the Sierra. There are many arid plains in the southern region. The Sechura Desert, located south of the Piura River, is Peru's largest desert and one of the world's few examples of a tropical desert; it borders a tropical terrain to the north. The Bayóvar depression, which is the lowest point in the country, is located in this desert.

The morphological forms most common in the coast are the dry ravine that suddenly become copious when there are heavy rains, forming tropical dry forests all over. Other features are half-moon shaped dunes, the marine terraces such as those of Máncora, Talara and Lobitos. Valleys have been formed by fluvial terraces of the Chira River and Piura Rivers.

To the east, valleys are more or less deep and have been eroded by rivers forming equatorial tropical-dry-forests. The major peak surpasses 3000 m. The Paso de Porculla, in the southwest of the territory is only 2,138 meters high and is the lowest pass of the Peruvian Andes.

The rivers crossing its territory belong both to the Pacific watershed and to the Amazon Basin. The Chira River is the most important and flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Piura River also flows into the Pacific Ocean although the flow varies greatly with the changing seasons and during severe droughts will dry up.

Climate[link]

Afternoon in Santo Domingo-Morropón district.

The climate is semi tropical and tropical savanna in the center and north coast, Semi-arid in the southern coast near Lambayeque Region. Piura has a tropical-dry or tropical savanna climate monsoon weather that averages 26 °C (79 F)throughout the whole year. Pleasant warm winters (May to October) that average between 25°C and 28°C (77 F and 82 F) during the daytime and lows around 16 °C (61 F)during the night.

Piura is covered by deserts, tropical valleys, dry equatorial forests, high amazon climates as you reach between 1000-1500 meters, and a humid subtropical sierra climate if you reach over 2,000 meters. The Paramo climate is found in the higher regions of the Sierra.

Rain is scarce from May to November: it rains only from December to April at discontinuous rates due to the influence of the Niño Current, but every so often, when the El Niño phenomenon arrives, rain is copious and makes the dry ravines become alive, giving rise not only to the impressive forests but to many floods and great landslides. El Niño occurs when ocean waters reach 27 °C (80 F). When ocean water temperatures elevate 1 or 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than 26 °C (79 F), the consequence could be catastrophic rains.

Although ocean waters can drop to 19 °C (66 F)during the dry winter months (May to October), they can also rise to 27 °C (80 F) during the humid summer months (December to April); this calls for pleasant rains; yet if the temperatures rise 1 or 1.5 °C degrees above that, El Niño is assured.

During summer (December to April) temperatures can reach over the 40 °C (104 F) inland. During night time, high 20s or even 30s may seem unpleasant, which urge people to go to beach resorts such as Mancora or Colan.

The rest of the months have pleasant summer temperatures in the low 30s and mid 20s °C (77-90 F).

Natural resources and wildlife[link]

Piura is a land of unique algarrobo trees, a variety of mesquite similar to the carob, and it is the region with the most equatorial tropical-dry forests in the whole Pacific.

These ecoregions carry a unique variety of orchids, birds, reptiles, plants and mammals. Piura is known for the best and oldest lime-lemons in South America as well as South America's finest mango (tropical dry). With Lambayeque, it is the original home of Pima cotton. Piura also produces bananas, coconuts, rice and other fruits as local income.

The "Manglares de Vice" in the Sechura Province of Piura is the southernmost region of the Pacific to hold mangroves.

Its development has been favoured also by the petroleum found in the ocean of Talara Province, fishing is blessed by two ocean currents, silver mines are common and the current Bayovar Deposits are present as well.

History[link]

Plaza de Armas of Piura.

The most important culture that developed in the Piura region was Vicus, which stood out for its ceramics and delicate work in gold. The Tallanes or Yungas, however, were the first settlers, who migrated from the Sierra. During a period that is still vague, they lived in behetrias, which were primitive settlements without a head or an organization. Later they were conquered by the Mochicas and, centuries later, by the Incas, during the rule of Tupac Inca Yupanqui.

In 1532, Francisco Pizarro founded the first Spanish city in South America on the banks of the Chira River in the Tangarará Valley. He named it San Miguel de Piura. The founding date is still subject of controversy. However, during the 450th anniversary celebrations, July 15 was adopted as the official date.

In 1534, due to a lack of sanitary conditions, the capital was moved to Monte de los Padres (Morropón); in 1578, and for the same reason, it was moved again, this time to San Francisco de la Buena Esperanza (Paita). In 1588, the permanent attacks of the English pirates and Privateers forced a final relocation of the capital to Piura.

During Colonial times, life went by peacefully. Yet, the raids against the Spanish authorities led by Admirals Borran and Cochrane, members of the libertarian expedition of José de San Martín, woke the longing for liberty in the minds of the local people.

Culture and customs of Piura[link]

Clarito served in a bowl known as "poto". Catacaos, Peru.

Piura is host to a stunning mestizo culture, since all races mix here. Local Piuranos have a different accent from their neighbours at both sides since: they tend elongate their syllables in a similar ways to northern Mexicans. Piuranos have their own proud slang. Locals for example, call themselves Churres (popular term used for a young Piuran or northern person).

Piuranos are characterized by their witty minds, melancolic Tondero music and welcoming personalities. Like all Peruvians, they are heavy drinkers of chicha de jora, pisco or beer and all of them have a tendency towards creativity and art as their source of income.

Gastronomical dishes like the Piuran Secho de Chavelo (the capital's dish), Algarrobina cocktails, many types of ceviches and other seafoods like Majarisco and Pasao al Agua. Piura is famed for its Natilla Sweets as well.

The warm climate of this region forbids hard labour from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., so it is common tradition to take siestas and better to wake up early to get important stuff done before noon.

Processions and religious folk is passionately practiced by locals. One of them is Cristo de Ayabaca.

Popular crafts are the Chulucana Pottery and handy hats and silversmith arts made from the Catacaos Province.

Northern cowboys can still be seen today wandering the deserts of Sechura, Catacaos and the forests of Morropon transporting their goods using donkeys and mules. They seem to resemble physically the "American Southwest" cowboys, or Argentinan gauchos and Mexican charros. They are noted not only for their abilities to sing and play Cumanana and Tondero but as silversmiths that work the beautiful filgree earrings, leathers, hats, wooden and silver utensiles of Catacaos region.

Music[link]

The Tondero and Cumanana are the traditional music of the Piura Region. The great exponents of these passionate rhythms are the cowboys called piajenos. Apparently they point to have a Roma, or Gypsy, origin.

Chicha Music now called Tecnocumbia (originally a Peruvian styled cumbia), is the modern version of popular music all over, as well as Salsa among youngsters.

Another great tradition that is sang by all northern Peruvians is the famous Peruvian Waltz, well practiced by traditional musicians (northern Peruvians have their style).

Political division[link]

The region is divided into 8 provinces (Spanish: provincias, singular: provincia), which are composed of 64 districts (distritos, singular: distrito). The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:

1. Ayabaca (Ayabaca)
2. Huancabamba (Huancabamba)
3. Morropón (Chulucanas)
4. Paita (Paita)
5. Piura (Piura)
6. Sechura (Sechura)
7. Sullana (Sullana)
8. Talara (Talara)

References[link]

1. ^ US State department at www.state.gov July 2007 "Background Note: Peru" [1]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)

External links[link]

• Portal Oficial del Gobierno Regional Piura - Piura Regional Government official website
• Diario El Regional de Piura - Regional newspaper

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010)

Piura
Piura's Plaza de Armas
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): La Primera Ciudad (The First City)
Piura Location in Peru
Coordinates: 5°12′S 80°38′W / 5.2°S 80.633°W / -5.2; -80.633Coordinates: 5°12′S 80°38′W / 5.2°S 80.633°W / -5.2; -80.633
Country	Peru
Region	Piura
Province	Piura
Founded	1532
Government
• Alcalde	Jose Aguilar Santisteban
Area
• City	621.2 km2 (239.8 sq mi)
Population
• City	28,888
• Urban	377,496[citation needed]
Time zone	UTC/GMT-5
Area code(s)	73
Website	www.munipiura.gob.pe

Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region^[1] and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.

It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532. Piura declared its independence on 4 January 1821.^[2]

History[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Like most of northern Peru, the territory of Piura has been inhabited by their autochthonous group of natives called tallanes and yungas. These lived without an organization or single leader to rule until the Muchik culture eventually took control, and the mixture of these evolved into the Vicús culture. Centuries later, Piura came under the rule of Tupac Inca Yupanqui for at least 40 years, and before the Spanish arrived.

With the arrival of the Spanish in 1532, the current mestizo and creole cultures of Piura were born. This mestizo culture includes influences from Spanish Extremadura and Andalucia, African influence due to the arrival of slaves from Madagascar (Malgache slaves), the Chinese coolies that migrated from Canton to work the rice fields and replace the slaves; and also Roma Gypsies who came as pirates looking for pearls or incognito as Spanish horsemen.

The Spanish named the city from the Quechuan word, pirhua, meaning abundance. Nowadays, Piura is known as the "Ciudad del eterno calor" meaning "The city of the eternal heat" because it is hot all year round.

Climate[link]

Tourism[link]

One of the best known tourist attractions in Piura is La Esmeralda beach, known as Colan for it is located near the town of Colan. Colan beach is a very long beach with warm waters. Local people like to go there during holidays.

There are also great spots for surfers, like Mancora Beach and Cabo Blanco.

Piura is served by the Cap. FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport.

Culture and folklore[link]

Piura is host to a stunning mestizo culture (one of the oldest in South America, Piura is the third Spanish city founded on that continent) most famous for gastronomical dishes like Seco de chabelo, algarrobina-based drinks, many types of seafood and fish, like ceviche and Natilla Sweets. Popular crafts are the Chulucana Pottery and Catacaos is famous for its "Hats" and "Silversmith" arts. The small town of Simbila, is very popular for its handcrafts and pottery. The tondero and cumanana are the traditional music of mestizo Piura and northern parts of Lambayeque. There are also several famous Peruvian Waltz that came from these regions (northern Peruvians have their own style).

Universities[link]

• Universidad de Piura
• Universidad Nacional de Piura
• Universidad César Vallejo
• Filial de la Universidad Alas Peruanas Janet Navas Torres (Main campus in Lima)
• Filial de la Universidad de Los Angeles de Chimbote (Main campus in Chimbote)
• Filial de la Universidad San Pedro de Chimbote (Main Campus in Chimbote)

Churches[link]

• Iglesia Catedral de Piura was founded in 1588, located in the Plena Plaza de Armas, is an icon of the city
• Iglesia San Francisco was founded by the Franciscan Order
• Iglesia San Sebastian was founded in 1911
• Iglesia Alianza Cristiana and Missionary of Piura
• Iglesia Maria auxiliadora

Sister cities[link]

• Bahía Blanca, Argentina
• Trujillo, Spain.

v t e Peruvian cities with a population of over 100,000 Arequipa Ayacucho Cajamarca Chiclayo Chimbote Chincha Alta Cusco Huancayo Huánuco Huaraz Ica Iquitos Juliaca Lima Piura Pucallpa Puno Sullana Tacna Talara Tarapoto Trujillo

References[link]

William Chiroque

Personal information
Full name	William Medardo Chiroque Távara
Date of birth	(1980-03-10) March 10, 1980 (age 32)
Place of birth	Sullana, Peru
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Winger / Striker
Club information
Current club	Juan Aurich
Number	22
Youth career
	Alianza Atlético
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2005	Alianza Atlético	148	(22)
2005–2006	Sporting Cristal	19	(1)
2006	Alianza Atlético	15	(0)
2007–2008	Cienciano	74	(5)
2009–	Juan Aurich	99	(11)
National team‡
2004–	Peru	15	(1)
Honours Competitor for  Peru Association football Copa America Bronze Argentina 2011
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 February 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 February 2012

William Medardo Chiroque Távara (born March 10, 1980 in Morropón Province, Peru) is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Chiclayo based club Juan Aurich in the Torneo Descentralizado. He was part of the Peruvian team that won the Bronze Medal in the 2011 Copa America.

Career[link]

Chiroque began his career at Alianza Atletico of Sullana where he was the team's top scorer, won the 2003 Torneo Clausura and played in the 2004 and 2005 Copa Sudamericana.

A talented player with great striking and dribbling abilities, Chiroque was named Man of the Match played between Peru and Chile during the group stage of the 2011 Copa America, on 12 July 2011. ^[1]

Chiroque has been capped thirteen times by the Peru national football team, first on 28 April 2004 in a friendly match against Chile, and scored his first international goal on 23 July 2011 in a 4-1 victory against Venezuela in the 2011 Copa America Third Place Match.^[2]

Honours[link]

Club[link]

Sporting Cristal

• Torneo Clausura: 2005
• Peruvian First Division (1): 2005

Juan Aurich

• Peruvian First Division (1): 2011

Country[link]

Peru national team

• Copa America: Bronze medal 2011

References[link]

External links[link]

• William Chiroque at the Juan Aurich official website
• William Chiroque at National-Football-Teams.com
• William Chiroque at transfermarkt.it
• William Chiroque at footballdatabase.eu

v t e Peru squad – 2011 Copa América Third Place 1 Fernández 2 Rodríguez 3 Acasiete 4 Vílchez 5 Balbín 6 Vargas (c) 7 Ballón 8 Guevara 9 Guerrero 10 Cruzado 11 Lobatón 12 Libman 13 Revoredo 14 Ruidíaz 15 Corzo 16 Advíncula 17 Carmona 18 Chiroque 19 Yotún 20 Carrillo 21 Ramos 22 Gonzales 23 Butrón Coach: Markarián

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