Apurimac is a region in Peru situated in the southern part of the country, in the heart of the Cordillera of the Andes. It is neither near the seaside nor near the Amazon rain forest, mountains are the main features of this area. It is extended about 25,000 km2, and it has a population of 400,000 inhabitants. Except the capital Abacay, most of the inhabited centres are 3,000 above sea level, and economy is based essentially on agriculture and breeding.
There are no firms or industries. Tourism is minimum. Besides agriculture, there are some jobs in the public administration: education, sanitary system and local government. It is a region geographically and economically isolated and it is one of the less developed and poorer areas of South America.
Apurimac’ s governement is divided in 7 provinces. The three Provinces in Grau, Cotabambas and Antabamba that represent the territory of the Augustinian Mission ( Prelatura of Chuquibambilla) and are called “High Provinces” because they are the highest Apurimac areas.