The capital of the department is called Arequipa or "the White City", due to the many structures built using the white sillar stone. Arequipa is a popular tourist destination due to its diverse architecture such as: temples, convents, monasteries and the very famous Santa Catalina Convent, which dates back to 1580.

Arequipa Basic Facts
Area or Surface: 63,345 km².

Main Resources: wheat, cotton, rice, onion, garlic, quinoa seed fruits, milk.

Population: 972,000 inhabitants. The capital is Arequipa and has 750,000 inhabitants.

Number of Provinces and Districts: 8 provinces and 107 districts.

Date of Department Foundation: April 26, 1822.

Fauna: condors, vicuñas and alpacas.

Weather: The average temperature is 20° C (68° F). The rainy season is from December to March.

History
Arequipa is located in the point where the central Andean area and the Andean south center are divided. The valleys to the south of the Sihuas Rivers are incorporated into this area. This division was more notorious in the Wari Age, which embraces the valleys in the north up to Sihuas.

The most brilliant era is identified with the Churajon culture, which conducted big agricultural and irrigation projects. The Chuquibamba culture was developed at the same time as the Churajons. The settlements of this culture are generally identified with the Collaguas and are especially important in the Colca Valley.

The Incas descended to the Yunga region through Arequipa looking for new conquests. Lead by Manuel de Carbajal, the Spaniard conquistadors founded the city of Arequipa in the foothills of the Misti Volcano. In the Republican Age, important battles were waged in this department like the ones performed by Ramon Castilla, Mariano Prado, Nicolas de Pierola, and Sánchez Cerro among others.

Arequipa has become the economic center for the south of Peru. It is one of the most important milk producers in the country.

Tourism
The capital of the department is called Arequipa or "the White City", due to the many structures built using the white sillar stone. Arequipa is a popular tourist destination due to its diverse architecture such as: temples, convents, monasteries and the very famous Santa Catalina Convent, which dates back to 1580.

The countryside provides beautiful landscapes and the surrounding towns off Cayma, Carmen Alto, Yanahuara and Characato are charming. The impressive and gorgeous volcanic cone of the Misti Mountain forms the backdrop of the area.

The coastal area has the Mejia, Mollendo and Camana beach resorts and the Yura, Socosani and Jesus thermal baths.

The Colca Canyon, located in the Province of Cailloma, runs more than 100 km of length and is 3400 meters at its deepest point. It is considered the deepest canyon of the world. The Colca area is very popular for rafting, kayaking, trekking.

The Aguada Blanca Reserve is one of the principal reserves dedicated to the reproduction of vicuñas. Their fine fur is used for high quality textiles.