Paruro province

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Paruro is a province in the Cusco region of southern Peru. It covers about 1,984 square kilometers and had around 32,200 people in 2005. The capital, Paruro town, has about 3,900 residents and sits at 3,057 meters above sea level in a deep valley. It is about 2.5 hours by bus from Cusco and lies along the Paruro River, which feeds the Apurímac River.

There are several Inca and pre-Inca ruins in the area, including Maucallacta in Paccaritambo District. Arches built by Simón Bolívar commemorate a victory over the Spaniards. Nearby Paqariq Tampu is tied to the legendary founders of the Inca Empire.

Paruro province is divided into nine districts, each led by a mayor. Most residents are indigenous Quechua speakers; a 2007 census found about 92% learned Quechua in childhood and about 7.6% started speaking Spanish.