Tarapoto

"Tarapoto (fundada: Santa Cruz de los Motilones de Tarapoto, 20 de agosto de 1782) es una ciudad del nororiente del Perú, ubicada a una altitud de 250 msnm a orillas del río Shilcayo, tributario del Mayo. Es uno de los principales centros turísticos y comerciales de la Amazonía peruana. Actualmente cuenta con una población de 149,875 (2015) habitantes (Metropolitana), por lo cual es la ciudad más poblada del departamento de San Martín, vigésima ciudad más poblada del Perú y la tercera ciudad amazónica más grande y poblada después de Pucallpa e Iquitos. La capital está ubicada en el distrito de Tarapoto y forma parte de la conurbación de los distritos de La Banda de Shilcayo, Morales, Cacatachi, Distrito de Juan Guerra. Asimismo, es conocida como la Ciudad de las Palmeras."

"Tarapoto, known as the "City of Palms", is a thriving commercial hub in northern Peru, an hour by plane from Lima, situated in the San Martín Province of the San Martín Region, located in the high jungle plateau to the east of what is known as the selva baja (low jungle). Although Moyobamba is the capital of the region, Tarapoto is the region's largest city and is linked to the Upper Amazon and the historic city of Yurimaguas by a relatively well-maintained transandean highway, paved in 2008-9. Tarapoto sits approximately 356 metres above sea level on the high jungle plateau, also called the cloud forest. It was founded in 1782 by Baltazar Martínez Jiménez de Compagnon. According to the 2007 census Tarapoto has a population of 63,484 within the city limits, and over 117,184 inhabitants including the outlying Morales and Banda de Shilcayo districts. Tarapoto is often used by tourists and local visitors as a base for excursions into the vast Amazon Rainforest. The region's main activities are tourism, commerce, agriculture and a thriving illicit "shadow economy" that includes production of coca leaves, extraction of lumber and trading in land concessions. Tarapoto is home to the Universidad Nacional de San Martín, an important center of higher education serving the professional and technical needs of a region of high biodiversity. With its active nightlife, Tarapoto offers a wide variety of hotels and restaurants in and around the city. Moreover, the area's beautiful landscapes, waterfalls and lagoons form a tempting location for adventure tourism, such as river rafting and hiking in the tropical Andes, and attract numerous visitors to the "City of Palms"."