Lima conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as "Ciudad de los Reyes". It became the capital and most important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Following the Peruvian War of Independence, it became the capital of the Republic of Peru. Around one-third of the national population lives in the metropolitan area. Lima is home to one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the New World. The National University of San Marcos, founded on May 12, 1551, during the Spanish colonial regime, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the Americas. In October 2013, Lima was chosen to
Lima Region Lima Region Lima Region () is located in the central coast of the country, its "regional seat" (capital city) is Huacho. Lima Province, which contains the city of Lima, the country's capital, is located west of the Lima Region; this province is autonomous and not under the jurisdiction of the Regional Government. The region is bordered by the Ancash Region on the north, the Huánuco Region, Pasco Region, and Junín Region on the east, the Huancavelica Region on the southeast, the Ica Region on the south, and the Pacific Ocean and the Lima Province on the west. The region has