Ayacuchó

Ayacuchó, formerly Huamanga or Guamanga, a town in the Peruvian department of the same name, 220 miles ESE. of Lima. Founded by Pizarro in 1539, it is now a handsome and thriving town. Here, on the 9th December 1824, the combined forces of Peru and Colombia—the latter then comprising Ecuador, New Granada, and Venezuela—totally defeated the last Spanish army that ever set foot on the continent. Pop. 9387.—The department of Ayacucho has an area of 24,213 sq. m., and a population of 142,000. It consists of elevated plains and deep valleys; agriculture and bee-keeping are the chief industries.