# Lima

> capital and largest city of Peru

**Wikidata**: [Q2868](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2868)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lima

## Summary
Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, founded by Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535. Located in South America on the Pacific coast, it is a megacity with a population exceeding 9.9 million as of 2022, making it the country's primary urban center.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name**: Lima
- **Country**: Peru
- **Location**: South America, situated in the Lima region, coordinates latitude -12.06, longitude -77.0375.
- **Inception**: Founded on January 18, 1535, by Francisco Pizarro.
- **Population**: 9,943,800 (2022); other recorded populations include 9,674,755 (2020) and 8,574,974 (2017).
- **Area**: 2,672.28 square kilometres.
- **Elevation**: 154 metres above sea level.
- **Timezone**: UTC−05:00.
- **Demonym**: Limeño (masculine singular), limeña (feminine singular), Limeñu, Limano, Liménien, Liménienne, limegni, Limčan, Limčanka.
- **Patron Saint**: Rose of Lima.
- **Anthem**: Himno de Lima (established October 7, 2010).
- **Local Dialing Code**: 51 1.
- **UN/LOCODE**: PELIM.
- **Postal Code**: 15001.
- **Climate**: Desert climate (Köppen classification).
- **Geography**: Located in or next to the Rímac River.

## FAQs
**What is the historical origin of Lima?**
Lima was founded by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535. The earliest written record of the city dates to this founding year.

**What are the demographic details of Lima?**
As of the 2017 census, the male population was 4,164,917 and the female population was 4,402,869. Historical population data shows growth from 26,400 in 1614 to over 9.9 million by 2022.

**Who governs Lima?**
The city is administered by a mayor. Rafael López-Aliaga of the Popular Renewal party assumed office on January 1, 2023. Previous mayors include Jorge Muñoz Wells (2019–2022) and Miguel Romero Sotelo.

**What international relationships does Lima maintain?**
Lima is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and maintains "town twinning" relationships with numerous cities including Miami, Bordeaux (since 1956), Beijing, São Paulo, Kyiv (since 2010), Taipei (since 2020), and Tbilisi (since 2018).

**What identifiers are used for Lima in knowledge systems?**
Lima is indexed in numerous authority files including the Library of Congress (n79063382), VIAF (153546881), GeoNames (3936456), and has a Wikidata QID associated with sitelinks across 218 languages.

## Why It Matters
As the capital of Peru and the former capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, Lima serves as the political, cultural, and economic heart of the nation. Its status as a megacity—home to nearly 10 million people—concentrates a significant portion of the country's population and activity. The city's historical foundation in 1535 marks it as a pivotal location in South American colonial history, while its classification as a desert climate and its location on the Rímac River define its unique geography.

## Notable For
- Being the **largest city** in Peru.
- Holding the status of a **megacity**.
- Serving as the capital of the **Viceroyalty of Peru** historically.
- Being known by multiple aliases including "City of the Kings" (Ciudad de los Reyes), "City of the Balcones" (Ciudad de los Balcones), and "The Pacific Pearl" (La Perla del Pacífico).
- Being featured as a Level 4 Vital Article on Wikipedia.

## Body

### Governance and Administration
Lima functions as an administrative territorial entity and the capital of Peru. The city's leadership structure includes a head of government; Rafael López-Aliaga is the current mayor, having started his term on January 1, 2023, representing the Popular Renewal party. He succeeded Jorge Muñoz Wells, who served from 2019 to 2022. The city owns the Coliseo Polideportivo, a significant sports facility.

### Historical Timeline
The city's documented history begins with its inception on January 18, 1535. Population records provide a granular view of its growth:
- **1614**: 26,400 inhabitants.
- **1791**: 56,600 inhabitants.
- **1812**: 63,900 inhabitants.
- **1839**: 55,100 inhabitants.
- **1877**: 101,500 inhabitants.
- **1908**: 154,617 inhabitants.
- **1940**: 533,600 inhabitants.
- **1981**: 3,573,227 inhabitants.
- **1993**: 5,363,270 inhabitants.
- **2007**: 7,819,436 inhabitants.
- **2017**: 8,574,974 inhabitants.
- **2022**: 9,943,800 inhabitants.

### Geography and Climate
Lima is situated in South America within the Lima region. Its geographic coordinates are -12.06 latitude and -77.0375 longitude. The city spans an area of 2,672.28 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 154 metres. It is located in or next to the Rímac River. The climate is classified as a desert climate (Köppen classification).

### Demographics
According to the 2017 census, the city had a male population of 4,164,917 and a female population of 4,402,869. Residents are known by various demonyms depending on language and gender, including Limeño, Limeña, Limeñu, Limano, Liménien, Liménienne, limegni, Limčan, and Limčanka.

### International Relations
Lima maintains a robust network of sister city relationships, including:
- **Bordeaux** (twinned since 1956).
- **Kyiv** (twinned since February 25, 2010).
- **São Paulo**.
- **Taipei** (twinned since 2020).
- **Tbilisi** (twinned since 2018).
Other twin cities include Miami, Akhisar, Cleveland, Pescara, San José, Beijing, Trujillo, Tegucigalpa, Manila, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Madrid, Austin, Santo Domingo, and Brasília.

### Cultural and Religious Identity
The city's patron saint is Rose of Lima. Its official anthem is the "Himno de Lima," which was established on October 7, 2010. Lima is also known by several poetic and historical aliases, such as "La Tres Veces Coronada Villa" (The Three Times Crowned Villa), "Ciudad Milenaria" (Millennial City), and variations of its indigenous name Rímac, Límac, Lyma, Rímaq, and Límaq.

### Media and Visual Representation
Visual representations of Lima include its flag, coat of arms, and a locator map image from 2002. Photographic records include an image of the Plaza Mayor (main square) and a montage image titled "Lima2017_A.jpg." The city maintains a page banner and a commons gallery for media.

### Knowledge Base and Authority Identifiers
Lima is extensively cataloged in global knowledge systems. Key identifiers include:
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n79063382.
- **VIAF ID**: 153546881.
- **GeoNames ID**: 3936456.
- **GND ID**: 4035742-9.
- **Bibliothèque nationale de France ID**: 122187612.
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: place/Lima.
- **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID**: 2174421.
- **Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID**: 7005821.
- **Apple Maps ID**: 18067732606433824690.
- **Facebook Location ID**: 108446732520456.
- **Instagram Location ID**: 220021938.
- **OpenStreetMap**: Node ID 4289361265; Relation ID 12933390.

The city is described in numerous historical and modern encyclopedias, including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, The Nuttall Encyclopædia, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Otto's encyclopedia, the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947), and Meyer’s Universum (1841). It is also listed in the Grove Art Online, Treccani, and the Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition).

## References

1. archINFORM
2. [Source](http://www.bordeaux.fr/ebx/LinkResolverServlet?classofcontent=presentationStandard&id=5347)
3. [Source](https://www.munlima.gob.pe/la-municipalidad/hermanamientos/)
4. [Source](http://legislacao.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/leis/lei-14471-de-10-de-julho-de-2007)
5. [Source](https://old.kyivcity.gov.ua/files/2018/2/15/Mista-pobratymy.pdf)
6. [Source](https://kyivcity.gov.ua/kyiv_ta_miska_vlada/pro_kyiv/mista-pobratimi_z_yakimi_kiyevom_pidpisani_dokumenti_pro_poridnennya_druzhbu_spivrobitnitstvo_partnerstvo/)
7. [Source](https://english.sec.gov.taipei/cp.aspx?n=2789B64DFDD8B838)
8. [Source](http://economicforum.ge/img/original/2024/5/29/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98_%E1%83%AA%E1%83%98%E1%83%A4%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98-Print-21.09.23.pdf)
9. [Source](https://www.ovpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/liste-villes-en-regle-pour-page-web12-03-2024.pdf)
10. [Source](http://www.munlima.gob.pe/lima)
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. MusicBrainz
13. [Source](http://m.inei.gob.pe/prensa/noticias/la-poblacion-de-lima-supera-los-nueve-millones-y-medio-de-habitantes-12031/|)
14. [Source](http://blog.pucp.edu.pe/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2012/01/urbanizacion_temprana_de_lima.pdf)
15. Virtual International Authority File
16. [Source](https://censos2017.inei.gob.pe/redatam/)
17. [Source](http://www.academiadelallingua.com/diccionariu/index.php?cod=29814)
18. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
19. GeoNames
20. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
21. [Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands](https://biblio.hiu.cas.cz/records/ddc95fdd-634c-4fc2-91d2-7e243222c947)
22. museum-digital
23. [Lima · Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/place?auid=18067732606433824690)