The Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area (Spanish: Área Metropolitana de Lima y Callao) is an area formed by the conurbation of the Peruvian cities of Lima (the nation's capital) and Callao. It is the largest metropolitan area in Peru, the eighth-largest in the Americas and the 29th on Earth. The conurbation process started to be evident in the 1980s.

Separated by a desert in the past, Lima and Callao were connected in the 19th century by a train. Nowadays, both cities are so united that signs showing where their boundaries are located are necessary, otherwise they would go unnoticed. The ever-growing social interaction between people of both cities also makes this conurbation more evident.

The Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area is not to be confused with the area known as Lima Metropolitana (Metropolitan Lima), as this name refers only to the area occupied by the Lima Province and does not include Callao.

Population

According to a 2002 estimate by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI), the Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area has a population of 8 535 682 inhabitants, which makes up almost one-third of Peru's population.

Geography

This conurbation has an area of 2,819.26 km². It is concentrated mainly in the coastal area and runs north-south along the Pacific coast for almost 200 km, beginning in the district of Ancón , on the border with the Huaral Province of the Lima region, and ending in the district of Pucusana , on the border with the Cañete Province, also in the Lima region. The Rímac, Chillón and Lurín rivers pass through the area.

Evolution of the metropolis

Political and economic instability during the latter half of the 20th century created unprecedented poverty and violence in the rural highlands, forcing millions of campesinos to migrate to Lima looking for work and a better life. Today, most of these people live in shantytowns, locally known as pueblos jóvenes, many of which lack such basic services as electricity and running water.

The following maps show us how the Lima and Callao Metropolitan area has grown over the years. The first map shows the population in 1535, which is the year Lima was founded, and the last map shows the population in 1995.

Population distribution

% of the metro area's total population, sorted by district areas:

• Northern Lima (Carabayllo, Puente Piedra, Comas, Los Olivos, San Martín de Porres and Independencia): 26%
• Eastern Lima (San Juan de Lurigancho, El Agustino, Santa Anita and Ate): 19,5%
• Southern Lima (Villa María del Triunfo, San Juan de Miraflores, Villa El Salvador and Chorrillos): 16,6%
• Middle-to-upper class districts (San Miguel, Pueblo Libre, Jesús María, Magdalena, Lince, San Isidro Miraflores, Surquillo, San Borja, Barranco, Santiago de Surco and La Molina): 15,1%
• Callao: 11,8%
• The Historical Center of Lima (Rímac, Lima, Breña, La Victoria and San Luis): 11%

See also

• Lima
• Callao
• Peru
• Metropolitan area
• Megalopolis