LAMBAYEQUE

lambayeque, a coast department of northern peru, bounded n. by piura, e. and s. by cajamarca and libertad. area, 4614 sq. m. pop. (1906 estimate) 93,070. it belongs to the arid region of the coast, and is settled along the river valleys where irrigation is possible. it is one of the chief sugar-producing departments of peru, and in some valleys, especially near ferrenafe, rice is largely produced. four railways connect its principal producing centres with the small ports of eten and pimentel, viz.: eten to ferrenafe, 27 m.; eten to cayalti, 23 m.; pimentel to lambayeque, 15 m.; and chiclayo to patapo, 15 m. the principal towns are chiclayo, the departmental capital, with a population (1906 estimate) of 10,500, ferrenafe 6000, and lambayeque 4500.