Provinces of Peru

The provinces of Peru () are the second-level administrative subdivisions of the country. They are divided into districts (). There are 196 provinces in Peru, grouped into 24 departments (or regions), while two provinces—Lima and Callao—are subject to a special regime, with the latter not belonging to any department. This makes an average of seven provinces per department. The department with the fewest provinces is the Constitutional Province of Callao (one province equal in status to a department) and the one with the most is Ancash (twenty).

While provinces in the sparsely populated Amazon rainforest of eastern Peru tend to be larger, there is a large concentration of them in the north-central area of the country. The province with the fewest districts is Purús Province, with just one district. The province with the most districts is Lima Province, with 43 districts. The most common number of districts per province is eight; a total of 29 provinces share this number of districts.

Provincial organization The current provincial system dates back to the 1823 constitution, which replaced the partidos of the former Viceroyalty of Peru. In 1824, seven departments were created, divided into 56 provinces in total.

Until the 20th century, a number of provinces were granted the designation of littoral province (), an autonomous regime equal in status to a department. The most notable example is that of Callao, which operated under this regime from 1836 to 1857, when this status was changed to a constitutional province (), a designation with no practical difference, on April 22 of that year.

According to the 2002 law for the decentralisation of the country, there are two provinces under a special regime (): Lima and Callao. The latter does not belong to any department since 1836.

As of 2025, Peru has 196 provinces in total. The latest to be created is that of Putumayo, on April 10, 2014.

List of provinces The table below shows all provinces with their capitals and the department in which they are located. The UBIGEO code uniquely identifies each province. Capitals in bold are also a departmental capital. Provinces in which the department's capital is located all have an UBIGEO code ending in 01.

Province Department Capital Districts UBIGEO PROVINCES IN AMAZONAS DEPARTMENT

--> ChachapoyasAmazonas Chachapoyas 21 0101 Bagua Bagua 6 0102 Bongará Jumbilla 12 0103 Condorcanqui Santa María de Nieva 3 0104 Luya Lámud 23 0105 Rodríguez de Mendoza Mendoza 12 0106 Utcubamba Bagua Grande 7 0107 PROVINCE IN ANCASH DEPARTMENT

--> HuarazAncash Huaraz 12 0201 Aija Aija 5 0202 Antonio Raymondi Llamellín 6 0203 Asunción Chacas 2 0204 Bolognesi Chiquián 15 0205 Carhuaz Carhuaz 11 0206 Carlos Fermín Fitzcarrald San Luis 3 0207 Casma Casma 4 0208 Corongo Corongo 7 0209 Huari Huari 16 0210 Huarmey Huarmey 5 0211 Huaylas Caraz 10 0212 Mariscal Luzuriaga Piscobamba 8 0213 Ocros Ocros 10 0214 Pallasca Cabana 11 0215 Pomabamba Pomabamba 4 0216 Recuay Recuay 10 0217 Santa Chimbote 9 0218 Sihuas Sihuas 10 0219 Yungay Yungay 8 0220 PROVINCES IN APURÍMAC DEPARTMENT

--> AbancayApurímac Abancay 9 0301 Andahuaylas Andahuaylas 19 0302 Antabamba Antabamba 7 0303 Aymaraes Chalhuanca 17 0304 Cotabambas Tambobamba 6 0305 Chincheros Chincheros 8 0306 Grau Chuquibambilla 14 0307 PROVINCES IN AREQUIPA DEPARTMENT

--> ArequipaArequipa Arequipa 29 0401 Camaná Camaná 8 0402 Caravelí Caravelí 13 0403 Castilla Aplao 14 0404 Caylloma Chivay 19 0405 Condesuyos Chuquibamba 8 0406 Islay Mollendo 6 0407 La Unión Cotahuasi 11 0408 PROVINCES IN AYACUCHO DEPARTMENT

--> HuamangaAyacucho Ayacucho 15 0501 Cangallo Cangallo 6 0502 Huanca Sancos Huanca Sancos 4 0503 Huanta Huanta 8 0504 La Mar San Miguel 8 0505 Lucanas Puquio 21 0506 Parinacochas Coracora 8 0507 Páucar del Sara Sara Pausa 10 0508 Sucre Querobamba 11 0509 Víctor Fajardo Huancapi 12 0510 Vilcas Huamán Vilcashuamán 8 0511 PROVINCES IN CAJAMARCA DEPARTMENT

--> CajamarcaCajamarca Cajamarca 12 0601 Cajabamba Cajabamba 4 0602 Celendín Celendín 12 0603 Chota Chota 19 0604 Contumazá Contumazá 8 0605 Cutervo Cutervo 15 0606 Hualgayoc Bambamarca 3 0607 Jaén Jaén 12 0608 San Ignacio San Ignacio 7 0609 San Marcos San Marcos 7 0610 San Miguel San Miguel de Pallaques 13 0611 San Pablo San Pablo 4 0612 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz de Succhubamba 11 0613 PROVINCES IN CALLAO

--> Callao None Callao 7 0701 PROVINCES IN CUSCO DEPARTMENT

--> CuscoCusco Cusco 8 0801 Acomayo Acomayo 7 0802 Anta Anta 9 0803 Calca Calca 8 0804 Canas Yanaoca 8 0805 Canchis Sicuani 8 0806 Chumbivilcas Santo Tomás 8 0807 Espinar Yauri 8 0808 La Convención Quillabamba 10 0809 Paruro Paruro 9 0810 Paucartambo Paucartambo 6 0811 Quispicanchi Urcos 12 0812 Urubamba Urubamba 7 0813 PROVINCES IN HUANCAVELICA DEPARTMENT

--> HuancavelicaHuancavelica Huancavelica 19 0901 Acobamba Acobamba 8 0902 Angaraes Lircay 12 0903 Castrovirreyna Castrovirreyna 13 0904 Churcampa Churcampa 10 0905 Huaytará Huaytará 16 0906 Tayacaja Pampas 16 0907 PROVINCIAS IN HUÁNUCO DEPARTMENT

--> HuánucoHuánuco Huánuco 11 1001 Ambo Ambo 8 1002 Dos de Mayo La Unión 9 1003 Huacaybamba Huacaybamba 4 1004 Huamalíes Llata 11 1005 Leoncio Prado Tingo María 6 1006 Marañón Huacrachuco 3 1007 Pachitea Panao 4 1008 Puerto Inca Puerto Inca 5 1009 Lauricocha Jesús 7 1010 Yarowilca Chavinillo 8 1011 PROVINCES IN ICA DEPARTMENT

--> IcaIca Ica 14 1101 Chincha Chincha Alta 11 1102 Nazca Nazca 5 1103 Palpa Palpa 5 1104 Pisco Pisco 8 1105 PROVINCES IN JUNÍN DEPARTMENT

--> HuancayoJunín Huancayo 28 1201 Concepción Concepción 15 1202 Chanchamayo La Merced 6 1203 Jauja Jauja 34 1204 Junín Junín 4 1205 Satipo Satipo 8 1206 Tarma Tarma 9 1207 Yauli La Oroya 10 1208 Chupaca Chupaca 9 1209 PROVINCES IN LA LIBERTAD DEPARTMENT

--> TrujilloLa Libertad Trujillo 11 1301 Ascope Ascope 8 1302 Bolívar Bolívar 6 1303 Chepén Chepén 3 1304 Julcán Julcán 4 1305 Otuzco Otuzco 10 1306 Pacasmayo San Pedro de Lloc 5 1307 Pataz Tayabamba 13 1308 Sánchez Carrión Huamachuco 8 1309 Santiago de Chuco Santiago de Chuco 8 1310 Gran Chimú Cascas 4 1311 Virú Virú 3 1312 PROVINCIAS IN LAMBAYEQUE DEPARTMENT

--> ChiclayoLambayeque Chiclayo 20 1401 Ferreñafe Ferreñafe 6 1402 Lambayeque Lambayeque 12 1403 PROVINCES IN LIMA DEPARTMENT

--> HuauraLima Huacho 12 1508 Barranca Barranca 5 1502 Cajatambo Cajatambo 5 1503 Canta Canta 7 1504 Cañete San Vicente de Cañete 16 1505 Huaral Huaral 12 1506 Huarochirí Matucana 32 1507 Lima Lima 43 1501 Oyón Oyón 6 1509 Yauyos Yauyos 33 1510 PROVINCES IN LORETO DEPARTMENT

--> MaynasLoreto Iquitos 13 1601 Alto Amazonas Yurimaguas 6 1602 Loreto Nauta 5 1603 Mariscal Ramón Castilla Caballococha 4 1604 Putumayo San Antonio del Estrecho 4 1605 Requena Requena 11 1606 Ucayali Contamana 6 1607 Datem del Marañón San Lorenzo 6 1608 PROVINCES IN MADRE DE DIOS DEPARTMENT

--> TambopataMadre de Dios Puerto Maldonado 4 1701 Manú Salvación 4 1702 Tahuamanu Iñapari 3 1703 PROVINCES IN MOQUEGUA DEPARTMENT

--> Mariscal NietoMoquegua Moquegua 6 1801 General Sánchez Cerro Omate 11 1802 Ilo Ilo 3 1803 PROVINCES IN PASCO DEPARTMENT

--> PascoPasco Cerro de Pasco 13 1901 Daniel Alcídes Carrión Yanahuanca 8 1902 Oxapampa Oxapampa 7 1903 PROVINCES IN PIURA DEPARTMENT

--> PiuraPiura Piura 9 2001 Ayabaca Ayabaca 10 2002 Huancabamba Huancabamba 8 2003 Morropón Chulucanas 10 2004 Paita Paita 7 2005 Sullana Sullana 8 2006 Talara Talara 6 2007 Sechura Sechura 6 2008 PROVINCE IN PUNO DEPARTMENT

--> PunoPuno Puno 15 2101 Azángaro Azángaro 15 2102 Carabaya Macusani 10 2103 Chucuito Juli 7 2104 El Collao Ilave 5 2105 Huancané Huancané 8 2106 Lampa Lampa 10 2107 Melgar Ayaviri 9 2108 Moho Moho 4 2109 San Antonio de Putina Putina 5 2110 San Román Juliaca 4 2111 Sandia Sandia 10 2112 Yunguyo Yunguyo 7 2113 PROVINCES IN SAN MARTÍN DEPARTMENT

--> MoyobambaSan Martín Moyobamba 6 2201 Bellavista Bellavista 6 2202 El Dorado San José de Sisa 5 2203 Huallaga Saposoa 6 2204 Lamas Lamas 11 2205 Mariscal Cáceres Juanjuí 5 2206 Picota Picota 10 2207 Rioja Rioja 9 2208 San Martín Tarapoto 14 2209 Tocache Tocache 5 2210 PROVINCES IN TACNA DEPARTMENT

--> TacnaTacna Tacna 10 2301 Candarave Candarave 6 2302 Jorge Basadre Locumba 3 2303 Tarata Tarata 8 2304 PROVINCES IN TUMBES DEPARTMENT

--> TumbesTumbes Tumbes 6 2401 Contralmirante Villar Zorritos 3 2402 Zarumilla Zarumilla 4 2403 PROVINCES IN UCAYALI DEPARTMENT

--> Coronel PortilloUcayali Pucallpa 7 2501 Atalaya Atalaya 4 2502 Padre Abad Aguaytía 3 2503 Purús Esperanza 1 2504

By population Province Population Department Name of City Districts --> Lima 7,605,742 Lima Lima 43 Constitutional Province of Callao 876,877 None Callao 6 Arequipa 864,250 Arequipa Arequipa 29 Trujillo 811,979 La Libertad Trujillo 11 Chiclayo 757,452 Lambayeque Chiclayo 20 Piura 665,991 Piura Piura 9 Maynas 492,992 Loreto Iquitos 13 Huancayo 466,436 Junín Huancayo 28 Santa 396,434 Ancash Chimbote 9 Cusco 367,791 Cusco Cusco 8 Coronel Portillo 333,890 Ucayali Pucallpa 7 Ica 321,332 Ica Ica 14 Cajamarca 316,152 Cajamarca Cajamarca 12 Sullana 287,680 Piura Sullana 8 Huánuco 270,233 Huánuco Huánuco 11 Tacna 262,731 Tacna Tacna 10 Lambayeque 258,747 Lambayeque Lambayeque 12 San Román 240,776 Puno Juliaca 4 Puno 229,236 Puno Puno 15 Huamanga 221,469 Ayacucho Ayacucho 15

Former provinces ProvinceCapital cityEstablishedDisestablishedFate Arica Arica 1823 1929 Incorporated into Chile Callao Callao 1836 1857 Elevated to Constitutional Province Huacho 1821 1988 Dismembered Piscobamba 1821 1861 Dismembered Huánuco Huánuco 1867 1869 Elevated to department Ica Ica 1855 1563 Elevated to department Iquique Iquique 1878 1883 Incorporated into Chile Loreto Moyobamba 1853 1866 Elevated to department Moquegua 1823 1936 Reorganised Tumbes Tumbes 1901 1942 Elevated to department Tinta 1825 1833 Dismembered Tarapacá Tarapacá 1837 1883 Incorporated into Chile

See also Administrative divisions of Peru Regions of Peru Districts of Peru Municipalities of Peru

Notes

References