Little Lima Little Lima Little Lima is a Peruvian enclave in Downtown Paterson, New Jersey, United States. New Jersey's Peruvian population continues to grow in its urban areas, especially in Paterson, which is considered by many to be the capital of the Peruvian Diaspora in the United States. East Newark has the largest Peruvian percentage in the country per capita, although the borough itself has a total population of 2,377 as of the United States 2000 Census. New Jersey is home to one of the largest Peruvian American populations of any US state. Little Lima is bounded to the west by Spruce
Lima under General José de San Martín landed south of Lima in 1820 but did not attack the city. Faced with a naval blockade and the action of guerrillas on land, Viceroy José de la Serna e Hinojosa evacuated its capital in July 1821 to save the Royalist army. Fearing a popular uprising and lacking any means to impose order, the city council invited San Martín to enter Lima and signed a Declaration of Independence at his request. However, the war was not over; in the next two years the city changed hands several times. After independence, Lima became the capital