Nazca

Nazca
Nazca Main Square Garden, at night
Nazca
Coordinates: 14°49′44″S 74°56′37″W / 14.82889°S 74.94361°W / -14.82889; -74.94361
Country	Peru
Region	Ica
Province	Nazca
Elevation	520 m (1,710 ft)
Population (2005)
• Total	27,000
• Estimate (2015)	39,054

Nazca (/ˈnɑːskɑː, -kə/; sometimes spelled Nasca) is a city and system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru. It is also the name of the largest existing town in the Nazca Province. The name is derived from the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 100 BC and 800 AD. This culture was responsible for the Nazca Lines and the ceremonial city of Cahuachi; they also constructed an impressive system of underground aqueducts, named Puquios, that still function today.

Nazca is the capital of the Nazca Province located in the Ica District of the Ica region of Peru.

On November 12, 1996, at 11:59 a.m. local time (16:59 GMT) there was an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 with its epicenter at 7.7 km into the sea. The earthquake almost completely destroyed the city of Nasca and its surroundings. Due to its occurrence during the day, there were only 14 fatalities. However, 1,500 people were injured and around 100,000 were left homeless. Within 12 years Nasca has been almost completely rebuilt.

Since 1997, Nazca has been the location of a major Canadian gold mining operation. The indigenous people at the time did not own the rights to their land. As a result, they were forcibly displaced. Since then, there have been several attempts to legalize ancient ownership of land and fixed property.

Nazca is one of the most arid regions in the world with an average annual precipitation of 4 millimeters. Nazca's weather is controlled by Humboldt's Current, which carries water from Antarctica up the west coast of South America.