The Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP) was created on 14 January 1961 by Law 13498, given by the government of Peru's President Manuel Prado Ugarteche, responding to various needs that the Loreto community had, until then, making, a law order to have a higher education institution in Iquitos.

To make the functioning of the newly created institution a reality, and following article 7 of Law 13498, the Board of Directors of the National University of the Peruvian Amazon was created, whose objective was to formulate the organization's plan, financing, and operation of the institution.

On 13 April 1962, the Preliminary Statute of UNAP was approved utilizing Supreme Decree 21, which consisted of seven titles and one hundred and eighteen articles.

The inaugural ceremony was held on 31 May 1962, in the Ramón Castilla Hall of the Maynas Provincial Council, which was chaired by Dr. Eduardo de Souza Peixoto H., president of the Board of Directors, and with the presence of the members of the Board of Trustees, the authorities of the town and the general public.

On 4 June 1962, the inauguration of the first academic year of UNAP took place, under the responsibility of Dr. Emilio Gordillo Angulo, director of the School of General Studies (basic cycle).