OMAGUA REGION: CHARACTERISTICS, RELIEF, FLORA, FAUNA - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The Omagua region, low jungle or tropical forest of the Amazon is one of the natural regions in which the Peruvian territory is divided. It is the extension of the country that is crossed by the Amazon jungle.

When the Spanish arrived in Peruvian territory, they divided the area into three large areas taking into account its characteristics. In this way, three basic regions emerged in Peru: the Coast region, which constitutes 12% of the Peruvian territory, whose territory is bathed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the highlands, which constitute 28% of the territory and are crossed through the Andes, and finally the jungle, in whose territory was the Amazon jungle.

Amazonas Jungle

Later, the natural regions of Peru became eight. The jungle region was divided into two: the Rupa region (High Forest) and the Omagua region (Low Forest).

The Omagua region is between 80 and 400 meters above sea level. Due to its altitude, the area has temperatures between 22 and 30 ° C. It is characterized by the presence of multiple rivers and meanders, lagoons, swamps and swamps.

Origin of the name Omagua

The name of the region comes from the homonymous aboriginal population that lived in the area in pre-Columbian times. Today, a few omaguas tribes are preserved on the banks of the Ucayali River.

Weather

The region's climate is quite warm, because the area is very close to sea level (between 80 and 400 meters above sea level).

The average temperature is 25 ° C. However, this can increase up to 35 ° C, depending on the time of year.

It is one of the areas of Peru with the highest rate of rainfall. The figure is between 1000 and 5000 mm per year.

Flora

The vegetation of the Omagua region is varied, since it is a jungle. In the territory of the low jungle, there are more than 2,500 species of trees. This great diversity of vegetation has made Peru considered one of the megadiverse countries in the world.

Among the plant species, the cedars, palms, shapaja, aguaje, mahogany and chonta stand out. In these forests, it is also common to find orchids.

Fauna

Because the Omagua region has a large number of bodies and water courses, the fauna of the region is rich in fish. Some 600 species of these animals have been recorded. Some of the most outstanding fish are the tarpon, the paiche and the zúngaro.

Similarly, the presence of turtles is notable, among which the charapa, the taricaya and the motelo stand out.

As for mammals, the capybara stands out, which is the largest rodent in the world. Similarly, in the Omagua region there are giant armadillos, monkeys, jaguars, otters, manatees and various species of deer.

When it comes to birds, there is a great variety of species. These include the toucan, the hoatzin, the parrot and the macaws.

Relief

The relief of the area is mostly flat. The Omagua region is made up of plains that do not exceed 400 meters above sea level.

It is a great alluvial plain, which was formed due to the action of the multiple rivers that are in the area and their tributaries. Mainly, due to the action of the Amazon River, which gives the jungle its name.

Because most of the area is flat, the Omagua region is prone to flooding in periods of rain. This is because rivers overflow easily when rainfall is abundant.

Division of the Omagua region

The Omagua region can be divided into four sub-regions according to altitude: the aguajales, the restingas, the highlands and the edges.

1- The aguajales

The aguajales occupy the part of the territory that is closest to sea level. They are called “aguajales” because they are always flooded.

2- The restingas

The restingas are a little higher than the aguajales. They are only flooded when the great rivers overflow.

3- The tall ones

The highlands are the areas of the Omagua region that are not flooded. They are stable territories, so stable that they have allowed the development of urban centers.

4- The edges

Lastly, the ridges are the highest altitude areas in the Omagua region, covered entirely by jungles and jungles.

Major cities

As explained in the previous section, most urban centers are located in the highlands, since they are areas protected from floods.

Among the most important cities in the Omagua region are:

- Iquitos, which is located on the banks of the Amazon River.

- Pacalipa.

- Puerto Maldonado.

- Juanjuí.

- Bagua.

- Yarimaguas.

- Nauta.

- Caballococha.

- Contamana.

- Tarapoto.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of the Omagua region is characterized by the presence of fish in most dishes. This is due to the abundance of this food.

One of the typical dishes of the region is patarashca. It is a whole fish wrapped in bijao leaves. Later, this roll is roasted over embers. Patarashca is eaten directly from the leaves, which gives it a particular flavor.

The roasted paiche is another of the fish dishes. The paiche has abundant and tasty meat.

Other typical dishes of the Omagua region are the following:

-Tacacho: This is prepared with green plantains roasted over hot coals, which are served with well-fried pork skin (also called chicharrón).

-Inchicap i: This is a chicken soup. The broth is flavored with coriander, onion, garlic, chili, and peanuts. Vegetables (such as cassava, potatoes, and squash) can be added to make a stronger meal.

References

1. Peru's Amazon Jungle and Rainforest. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from discover-peru.org
2. Geography of Peru's Coast, Mountains, and Jungle. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from tripasavvy.com
3. Weather in the Amazon Jungle. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from theonlyperuguide.com
4. Rainforest facts. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from peru-explorer.com
5. Pam Barrett, (2002). Peru. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from books.google.com
6. Omagua. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org
7. Life zones of Peru. Retrieved on August 18, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org.