Loreto Department, Administrative region in northeastern Peru
Loreto Department is an administrative region in northeastern Peru covering a large portion of the Amazon basin. This region occupies more than a quarter of the country's total land area and lies mostly within tropical rainforest.
The region became an important trading center during the rubber boom of the 19th century. This period brought international trade routes and economic changes to what had been a remote area.
Indigenous communities of Loreto maintain their traditions through festivals, including the Festival of the Amazonian Jungle, where they present dances, music, and traditional foods.
Most settlements within this region can only be reached by boat or airplane, as road connections are largely absent. The capital city Iquitos remains one of the largest cities in the world without direct road access.
The region shelters several protected areas where plant and animal species live that are rare or absent elsewhere in Peru. Eight provinces form the administrative structure of this sprawling zone.
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