Piura

Piura, city, northwestern Peru, on the Piura River in the warm coastal desert. San Miguel de Piura was the first city founded (1532) in Peru by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The original site proved unhealthful, and several other locations were occupied before the present site was settled in 1588. Piura retains a colonial flavour, especially in the church of San Francisco. It is the commercial centre of northwestern Peru, which produces cotton, rice, and sugarcane. In and around Piura are cotton gins and cottonseed-oil mills, in addition to various small manufacturing plants. The city is accessible by the Pan-American Highway, by air, and by sea through the coastal town of Paita, 40 miles (65 km) west. Pop. (2005) 242,032.