La Merced (Junín) 6.27

La Merced, Chanchamayo or Chanchamayu is the capital of the Chanchamayo Province in the Junín Region in Peru.LocationLa Merced is situated on, as the crow flies 75 km north of the regional capital Huancayo-Junín and 220 km northeast of the country's capital Lima, at an elevation of 751 m above sea level. On the paved road it takes 305 km from Lima to La Merced. The place was founded about 1884 by Jose Manuel Pereira after the Pacific war by a group of Italian immigrants. Before that period there were many attempts to colonize Chanchamayo's valley but were repelled by the local Ashaninkas. The Peruvian army protected the colonists with a small garrison in Kimiri in front of the actual barracks. Gradually the Ashaninkas moved down river and eventually melted with the colonists. It lies on the western bank of the river Chanchamayu which later becomes Perené River, a tributary of the Amazonas.PopulationThe city has a population of about 168,000 inhabitants.In terms of anthropology, the Chanchamayo region is a multicultural city influenced by the local aborigal Asháninka.EnvironmentDespite the long distance from Peru's capital city, Lima, and due to its pleasant weather and exotic scenery, La Merced and its surrounding countryside remains a popular destination for domestic tourists.The surrounding areas of the city feature waterfalls, whitewater creeks, jungle-like forest, tree-covered hills, rivers, traditionally living indigenous tribes, plantations and an abundance of wildlife and species of birds.