Administrative divisions of Peru

The old territorial subdivisions have split or merged due to several reasons, the most common ones being the need for decentralization and population increase, especially in Lima.

A failed attempt to divide the country into twelve autonomous regions had previously been made during the 1980s under the government of Alan García.

Districts located outside the former colonized area have very low populations, which are entirely composed of native Amazonian tribes.

These districts are old centers of civilization; they tend to be smaller in area, with high population densities since pre-Hispanic times.

Districts with a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants should ideally be subdivided, particularly if they are also large in area, as is the case in part of the Amazon rainforest.

Settlement can happen quickly and boundaries of districts are often not modified, except in large urban areas.

[2] The Lima Province, located in the central coast of the country, is unique in that it does not belong to any of the twenty-five regions.