Utcubamba (hispanicized spelling) or Utkhupampa (
Quechua
Quechua may refer to:
*Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru
*Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language
**So ...
''utkhu''
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor p ...
, ''pampa'' a large plain,
[Diccionario Quechua - Español - Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005 (Quechua_Spanish dictionary)] "cotton plain") is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...
in the
Amazonas Region
Amazonas () is a department and region in northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca on the west, La Libertad on the south, and Loreto and San Martín on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas.
With a lands ...
of
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, located at . The name is a historical reference to the past agricultural practice of growing cotton in the Utcubamba Valley.
The Utcubamba River originates in the highlands of the central mountain range, then it flows north through the
Amazonas Region
Amazonas () is a department and region in northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca on the west, La Libertad on the south, and Loreto and San Martín on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas.
With a lands ...
before joining the
Marañón River
, name_etymology =
, image = Maranon.jpg
, image_size = 270
, image_caption = Valley of the Marañón between Chachapoyas (Leimebamba) and Celendín
, map = Maranonrivermap.png
, map_size ...
. The semitropical valley of the river is the former site of the
pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...
Chachapoyas culture
The Chachapoyas, also called the "Warriors of the Clouds", was a culture of the Andes living in the cloud forests of the southern part of the Department of Amazonas of present-day Peru. The Inca Empire conquered their civilization shortly bef ...
and a popular tourist destination. Its many tributaries support the towns and farms of
La Peca,
Copallín,
Cajaruro,
Shipasbamba,
La Florida, and
Yambrasbamba.
Numerous hydroelectric dams have been built on the Utcubamba River from which a large portion of the Amazon Region derives its electricity. The Utcubamba River also passes through the Utcubamba Valley and is the source of irrigation for most of the cultivation done here. The tropical climate of the valley combined with the availability of water for the farms has helped to make this area one of the biggest producers of crops like maize, rice and banana.
References
Rivers of Peru
Rivers of Amazonas Region
{{Peru-river-stub