This is the old United Nations University website. Lima: mega-city and mega-problem. The origins of lima's problems Demographic growth Employment and poverty Housing Infrastructure and services Transport Crime, violence, and terrorism Urban management Towards a more participative, denser, and more polycentric metropolis Notes References.
The origins of lima's problems. Lima's problems began when it was founded on the Pacific coast by the Spanish in It was not a good place to locate Peru's new capital city. They ignored Cusco, the Inca capital, and Jauja, the first capital of Peru, both of which were located in the sierra. They wanted a maritime capital that would link South America with Europe; Lima was established to act as the point of contact between Spain and the Inca civilization.
Lima's founders were no doubt misled by the weather when they established the city. January is one of the few months of the year when dank mist does not cover the city like a grey blanket. Lima's climate is boring. From February until October, there is neither wind nor sun, the weather is neither hot nor cold, simply dull and humid. Except for the occasional sea breeze, there is little or no wind in Lima.
Beneath the layer of mist, smoke and dust accumulate, a perfect recipe for atmospheric pollution and for the development of respiratory diseases. The colour of the city reflects the leaden sky, the buildings impressing the visitor only with their greyness.
While the summer is pleasant, it rarely lasts more than four months. It is the cold Humboldt current, running northwards along the Peruvian coast, that creates the winter mist and prevents the formation of rain clouds. Peru's rain comes from the Atlantic Ocean, soaking Amazonia but never crossing the Andes. Lima is located at the mouth of one of the fifty or so alluvial valleys that periodically irrigate the Peruvian coastline. Location in another valley would have served the future city better.
