Melgar Province is a province of the Puno Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ayaviri.

Geography

The Willkanuta range and the La Raya range traverse the province. Some of the highest mountains of the province are listed below: • Achuqallani • Aqu Punta • Chachakumani • Anqasi • Chimpulla • Chunta • Chuwani • Ch'iyar Jaqhi (Puno-Cusco) • Ch'iyar Jaqhi (Melgar) • Ch'iyar Salla • Ch'ulla Rinri • Ch'uxña Quta • Hatun Ichhuna Kunka • Hatun Sallika • Hatun Yuraq Qaqa • Hatunk'uchu • Inka Kancha • Jalanta • Janq'u Q'awa • Jarupata • Lluxisa • Kimsa Kunka • Kuntur Saya • Kunka • Kuntur Pata • Kuntur Sayana • Kunturwasa • Khunurana (Carabaya-Melgar) • Khunurana (Melgar) • Llallawi • Mamaniri • Maych'a Sinqa • Minas Tira • Misapata • Misti Urqu • Muru Muruni • Muru Q'atawi • Ñiq'i Quta • Pichaqani • Pirwani • P'isaqani • Puka Ch'uwaña • Puka Parina • Puka Urqu • P'iya Qhuyani • Qillqa • Qillwa Quta • Qinamari • Quchak'uchu • Qullpa Qaqa • Qullpa Tira • Qhuna Tira • Q'atawi • Q'illu Qaqa • Sach'apata • Salla Muqu • Salla Tira • Salla Wanqani • Sampu • Sapan Warmi • Silla Qhata • Silluta • Sura Punta • Surapata • Taruja Marka • T'aqañawi • T'uqra • Wamanlipani • Wanq'uni • Warmi Uma • Waylla Wit'u • Wila Pata • Wilaquta • Willkanuta • Willu Punchu • Wiqu • Wisa Wisa (Lampa-Melgar) • Wisa Wisa (Melgar) • Wit'u Uma • Yana Khuchilla • Yana Qaqa • Yana Salla • Yanaqucha (Carabaya-Melgar) • Yanaqucha (Melgar) • Yaritani • Yuraq Qaqa • Yuraq Q'asa (near Chullupata) • Yuraq Q'asa (near Pumanuta)

Political division

The province measures 6446.85 km2 and is divided into nine districts:

Ethnic groups

The people in the province are mainly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent. Quechua is the language which the majority of the population (70.54%) learnt to speak in childhood, 29.09% of the residents started speaking using the Spanish language and 0.23% using Aymara (2007 Peru Census).