Location: Centre of the Country.

Area: 37,722 km2.

Altitude:
Mínimum: 167 masl (Honoria)
Máximum: 3839 masl (Puños)

The capital city is Huánuco. Other principal cities are Tingo María, Dos de Mayo, Ambo, Leoncio Prado y Pachitea.

The department of Huanuco is important for its geographical location, history, and for the richness of its land, where the presence of man goes back to ancient times. El Hombre de Lauricocha (Man of Lauricocha) is among the most distinctive examples, dating from 10,000 BC, as well as Kotosh, where vestiges of the oldest settlement in America (4,200 BC) took place.

Several ethnic groups inhabited this region. However, after a severe resistance, they started to incorporate as part of the Inca empire. Huánuco then became the obliged route Cusco-Cajamarca-Cusco. The citadel of Huánuco Pampa or Huánuco Marca is evidence of this transit.

Huánuco city was founded by the Spanish conquerors on August 15, 1539, under the name of Huánuco de los Caballeros. During Colonial times, it was a very active city, where important writers of Spanish descent dwelled.

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, during the emancipation, Huánuco was one of the first cities to promote the independence of Perú. Moreover, a first oath takes place in this city on December 15, 1820, after several uprisings in Huamalpies, Huallanca and Ambo.

There is a great variety of gastronomic specialties in Huánuco. Among the most well known dishes are, picante de cuy (guinea pig in hot pepper sauce), pachamanca (barbecue) de chancho , pato enterrado , chivo perseguido , picante de queso picante de carne , locro de gallina , sancochado , charqui con mote , chicharrón de mote , fried trout, humitas, tamales , picante de paltas , and sheep head broth.

The most tasty desserts and sweets are, las chancaquitas , prestiños , alfeñiques and corn bread.

To drink, Huanuqueños serve is chicha de jora and chicha de maní , guarapo de caña , aguardiente and, of course, their wonderful coffee.