Tacna Department

Tacna Department is an administrative region in southern Peru that stretches from the Pacific coast up to the peaks of the Andes. Desert expanses alternate with high-altitude valleys, crossed by rivers that irrigate the few fertile strips of the landscape.

After the War of the Pacific, Chile administered the territory from 1884 until 1929, when the Treaty of Lima returned it to Peru. Those decades shaped local identity and memory around separation and reunion with the Peruvian state.

Residents celebrate their return to Peru in 1929 as a defining moment in local identity, and flags and symbols of sovereignty appear across public buildings and squares. This attachment to national pride shapes festivals and everyday life in towns throughout the region.

The capital city of Tacna serves as a starting point for journeys into the rest of the region and sits close to the Chilean border. Buses connect the city to the more remote valleys and villages, where travelers encounter higher elevations and cooler temperatures.

The four provinces of Candarave, Jorge Basadre, Tarata and Tacna shape the administrative structure and divide the region into smaller units that each encompass their own landscapes and resources. Olive groves and cotton fields form a contrast to the barren surroundings and show the importance of irrigation for the local economy.

Location: Peru

Capital city: Tacna

Part of: South America Midwest Integrated Zone

Shares border with: Puno Department, Moquegua Department, Arica y Parinacota Region, La Paz Department

GPS coordinates: -17.60000,-70.20000

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:34