# Abancay

> capital city of Apurímac, Peru

**Wikidata**: [Q215238](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q215238)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abancay)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/abancay

## Summary
Abancay is a city in Peru founded in 1540, serving as the capital of the Apurímac Department, Abancay Province, and Abancay District. Located at coordinates -13.633333, -72.883333 at an elevation of 2,500 metres above sea level, it had a population of 72,277 according to the 2017 census. The city is known by the demonym "abanquino" for masculine singular residents.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1540
- Official name: Abancay
- Classified as a city (large human settlement)
- Country: Peru
- Population: 72,277 (2017 census, preferred value); 51,462 (2007 census)
- Coordinates: Latitude -13.633333333333, Longitude -72.883333333333
- Elevation: 2,500 metres above sea level
- Postal code: 03001
- Local dialing code: 83
- UN/LOCODE: PEAB4
- Capital of: Apurímac Department, Abancay Province, Abancay District
- Located in: Abancay District
- Territory overlaps with: Abancay District, Tamburco District
- Demonym: abanquino (masculine singular)
- Aliases: 阿班凱 (Chinese)
- Sitelink count: 49
- Wikipedia languages: 45 languages including Spanish, English, Quechua, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, and others
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n80110476
- GND ID: 7546998-4
- VIAF ID: 155939899
- GeoNames ID: 3948642
- WOEID: 418466
- Freebase ID: /m/04v1_f
- OpenStreetMap Node ID: 268599713
- GNS Unique Feature ID: -335807
- Facebook Location ID: 108544489169859
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007557228205171
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID: place/Abancay
- Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija ID: abancay
- De Agostini ID: Abancay
- Online PWN Encyclopedia ID: 3865005
- Yale LUX ID: place/7e47cccf-d2da-4742-87d5-84a5cd27aa6e
- Who's On First ID: 421176585
- Main category: Category:Abancay
- Category for people born here: Q20637591
- Category of associated people: Q130534240

## FAQs

**What is Abancay and where is it located?**
Abancay is a city in Peru that serves as the capital of the Apurímac Department, Abancay Province, and Abancay District. It is situated at coordinates -13.633333, -72.883333 at an elevation of 2,500 metres above sea level.

**When was Abancay founded?**
Abancay was founded in 1540 during the Spanish colonial period in Peru.

**What is the population of Abancay?**
According to the 2017 census, Abancay has a population of 72,277. The 2007 census recorded a population of 51,462, indicating significant growth over the decade.

**What are residents of Abancay called?**
Residents of Abancay are known by the demonym "abanquino" (masculine singular form).

**What reference sources document Abancay?**
Abancay is documented in multiple historical and contemporary encyclopedias including Otto's Encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia Americana (1920), Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921), Encyclopædia Britannica Ninth Edition, and Encyclopædia Britannica Online (as "place/Abancay").

**What is the contact information for Abancay?**
Abancay uses postal code 03001 and local dialing code 83. Its UN/LOCODE is PEAB4 for international trade and logistics purposes.

## Why It Matters
Abancay holds significant administrative importance as a triple capital—serving simultaneously as the seat of government for the Apurímac Department (regional level), Abancay Province (provincial level), and Abancay District (local level). This concentric administrative structure makes it the political and bureaucratic center for a large portion of south-central Peru. Founded in 1540, it represents one of Peru's colonial-era cities with nearly five centuries of continuous habitation. Its strategic location at 2,500 metres elevation in the Andes positions it as a key urban center in the mountainous interior of Peru. The city's documentation across multiple major encyclopedias from different eras and countries (German, American, British, Lithuanian, Polish) demonstrates its recognized importance in global geographic knowledge.

## Notable For
- Serving as the capital for three administrative divisions simultaneously: Apurímac Department, Abancay Province, and Abancay District
- Foundation dating back to 1540, making it a historic colonial-era city
- Population growth of approximately 40% between 2007 (51,462) and 2017 (72,277)
- High-altitude location at 2,500 metres above sea level in the Peruvian Andes
- Extensive multilingual presence with Wikipedia articles in 45 different languages including Quechua (ay), the indigenous language of the region
- Recognition in major historical encyclopedias spanning from the 19th century (Britannica Ninth Edition) to contemporary digital sources

## Body

### Administrative Role and Government
Abancay functions as the administrative center for three overlapping governmental jurisdictions in Peru. It serves as the capital of the Apurímac Department at the regional level, the Abancay Province at the provincial level, and the Abancay District at the local level. The city is physically located within the Abancay District, and its territorial boundaries overlap with both the Abancay District and the Tamburco District. This tri-level capital status concentrates political, administrative, and governmental functions within the city, making it the primary hub for public services, government offices, and bureaucratic operations in the region.

### Geography and Location
Abancay is positioned at geographic coordinates -13.633333333333 latitude and -72.883333333333 longitude in the Andes mountain range of Peru. The city sits at an elevation of 2,500 metres (approximately 8,200 feet) above sea level, placing it in a high-altitude tropical climate zone characteristic of Peru's sierra region. This elevation data comes from Peru's National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), documented in their 2021 publications.

### Demographics and Population Trends
The city has experienced substantial population growth in the early 21st century. The 2007 national census recorded 51,462 residents. By the 2017 census, the population had increased to 72,277, representing a growth of approximately 20,815 people or roughly 40% over the ten-year period. Both population figures were determined through official census methodology by Peru's National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI). The preferred and most current population value is the 2017 figure of 72,277. Residents of Abancay are referred to by the demonym "abanquino" in its masculine singular form.

### Historical Documentation
Abancay has been documented in numerous encyclopedic works spanning more than a century. Historical sources include Otto's Encyclopedia (a major German encyclopedia), The Encyclopedia Americana (1920 edition with a dedicated entry on Abancay), Collier's New Encyclopedia from 1921, and the Encyclopædia Britannica Ninth Edition. In the modern era, the city continues to be documented in the Encyclopædia Britannica Online with the identifier "place/Abancay," the Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (Lithuanian encyclopedia) as "abancay," and the De Agostini encyclopedia. This extensive documentation across multiple languages and time periods reflects the city's enduring significance in global geographic knowledge.

### Founding and Historical Origins
Abancay was founded in 1540 during the Spanish colonial period in Peru. This places its establishment roughly six years after the Spanish founding of Lima (1535) and during the early consolidation of Spanish rule in the former Inca Empire territory.

### Communications and Identification
The city utilizes postal code 03001 for mail services and local dialing code 83 for telephone communications. Its international trade and logistics identification is the UN/LOCODE PEAB4, facilitating its participation in global shipping and commerce documentation.

### Digital and Database Presence
Abancay maintains extensive representation across digital platforms and international identifier systems. The city has a Facebook Location ID (108544489169859) and a Google News Topics ID, enabling social media and news aggregation services to properly categorize content related to the city. Its Wikipedia presence spans 45 language editions including Spanish, English, Quechua, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, German, French, Italian, and many others, making information about the city accessible to a global audience. The Wikimedia Commons category "Abancay" hosts visual documentation of the city.

### Visual Documentation
Multiple photographic images document Abancay's urban landscape. These include an image of the Plaza de Armas de Abancay (the main square), a page banner image, a montage composition showing multiple views of the city, a locator map showing the city's position within Peru, and an image of the city's coat of arms (Escudo de Abancay).

### International Cataloging and Authority Records
Abancay is indexed in numerous international library, geographic, and database systems. The Library of Congress Authority ID is n80110476, enabling proper cataloging in American library systems. The German National Library assigns it GND ID 7546998-4. The Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) lists it under ID 155939899. Geographic databases include GeoNames ID 3948642, the GeoNames Server (GNS) Unique Feature ID -335807, and Yahoo's Where On Earth ID (WOEID) 418466. The OpenStreetMap project identifies the city with Node ID 268599713. Additional identifiers include the Who's On First ID 421176585 and the Yale LUX system ID place/7e47cccf-d2da-4742-87d5-84a5cd27aa6e. The National Library of Israel catalogues it under J9U ID 987007557228205171. The now-archived Freebase knowledge graph listed it under ID /m/04v1_f. The Online PWN Encyclopedia (Polish) assigns it ID 3865005.

### Categorization and Classification
The city is classified as an instance of "city" (defined as a large human settlement). The main topic category for Abancay on Wikimedia projects is "Category:Abancay." The category for people born in Abancay is identified as Q20637591, and the category for associated people is Q130534240.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [2017 Peru Census](https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1539/libro.pdf)
4. [2007 Peru Census](https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1539/libro.pdf)
5. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
6. GeoNames
7. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/pe.htm)
8. [Source](https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1541/tomo1.pdf)
9. Quora
10. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File