Cajamarca

Related Category: South American Political Geography

(kähämär´kä), city (1993 pop. 123,195), capital of Cajamarca prov., N Peru. An important commercial center, Cajamarca is situated at an altitude of c.9,000 ft (2,740 m) and has a cool, dry climate. Most of the population is indigenous. Grains and alfalfa as well as dairy cattle are raised in the region, and gold, silver, and copper come from nearby mines. Textiles, headwear, and leather products are manufactured. Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa in 1532 at Cajamarca. Inca ruins and nearby thermal springs attract many tourists. National Technical Univ. is located in Cajamarca.