Tacna, Regional capital in southern Peru.
This place is the provincial capital of a Peruvian region near the border with Chile, about 35 kilometers from the neighboring country. It sits at 552 meters elevation in the Caplina River valley and extends between desert landscape and irrigated agricultural zones.
Administration switched to Chile in 1883 following the War of the Pacific and returned under Peruvian control only in 1929 through the Treaty of Lima. The decades under Chilean rule shaped the cityscape and its relations with the border region.
The name of this border city derives from words meaning "four rivers" in the language of native peoples, a reference to waterways that once converged here. Today residents use the squares and streets for gatherings and trade with visitors from the neighboring country.
The Crnl. FAP. Carlos Ciriani Santa Rosa international airport links the region with other destinations in Peru and the neighboring country. Travelers find shops, currency exchanges, and market areas along the main streets where both currencies circulate.
Between late August and early September streets fill with national flags and parades during a multiday celebration of the city's reincorporation into Peruvian territory. Residents prepare traditional dishes and invite relatives from neighboring regions to commemorate the historical return together.
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