# La Molina District

La Molina is one of the forty-three districts that make up the province of Lima, located in the department of the same name, in Peru. Officially established as a district on February 6, 1962. The current mayor of La Molina is Esteban Diego Uceda Guerra-García.

## Geography

The district is located at the East of Lima. It has a total land area of 65.75 km$^2$. And its administrative centre is located 241 metres above sea level. La Molina is located between 12° 00' 07" S, 76° 57' 00" and 76° 51' 00" W.

### Boundaries

It limits to the north, with the Ate Vitarte district, through Bucaramanga Street, and the Puruchuco and Candela hills. Then, to the northeast, with the district of Pachacámac, through a line that crosses the summit of Cerro Candela and the El Rincón de La Planicie urbanization. Later, to the east, also with the Pachacámac district, through the Arenera La Molina and block 48 of La Molina Avenue, also called portachuelo de Manchay, as well as through the Tres Cumbres hill. Then, to the south, with the district of Villa María del Triunfo, through a pirca over the Colorado and Tolderías hills. Next, to the southwest, with the district of San Juan de Miraflores, through the San Francisco hill. Then, to the west, with the district of Santiago de Surco, through the Centinela, La Molina, Gallinacera hills, the Circunvalación del Golf Los Incas and Javier Prado Este avenues, the La Floresta jirón and the Stella Maris park. And finally, to the northwest, again with the district of Ate Vitarte, through the Evitamiento road, and the Separadora Industrial and Huarochirí avenues.
* North: Ate Vitarte
* East: Pachacámac
* South: Villa María del Triunfo and San Juan de Miraflores
* West: Santiago de Surco

## Demographics

According to the 2017 census by the INEI, the district has 140,679 inhabitants and a population density of 2,100 persons/km². Annual median income varies greatly.

## History
### Name

There are two possible origins, both referring to the owners of the estates located in the area in the Peruvian Republican era.
* Captain Nicolás Flores de Molina, owner of La Molina estate.
* Melchor Malo de Molina, Marquis de Monterrico, owner of Monterrico Grande estate.

### Creation

In the years before its creation, the estates located in the geographic area of the district (Granados, Melgarejo, La Rinconada, Camacho and La Molina) had been already sold (or expropriated by the Juan Velasco Alvarado administration) and divided, giving origin to smaller yet large properties. Soon, due to the quiet and beautiful surroundings, owning country houses in La Molina became a trend for high class people. This resulted in the populating of the first neighbourhoods via individuals with high incomes. Finally, on February 6, 1962, La Molina district was officially created, and the new district was segregated from the old Ate Vitarte district, by Act No. 13981 during the Manuel Prado Ugarteche government.

### Philanthropy

Some members of the community are active members in "Un techo para mi pais", which helps people in need build houses. This organization is similar to the international organization Habitat for Humanity.

## District Structure

La Molina is a residential district, largely of high socioeconomic level. Where residential areas stand out, such as: La Planicie, El Sol de La Molina, Club Campestre Las Lagunas, Rinconada del Lago, Rinconada Alta, La Molina Vieja, Camacho, etc. While, in the upper middle socioeconomic level and middle, there are areas such as Santa Felicia, Santa Patricia, Musa, Las Viñas, Portada del Sol, Las Praderas, La Chapel, etc. La Molina is identified as one of the districts where poverty does not exist.
La Molina has seven clearly identified sectors:
* Sector 1: is made up of the western area and part of the northwest area of the district. Mostly exclusive family homes are located in this sector. It is made up of the urbanizations of Camacho (frequently visited by district residents for its commercial area), Santa Sofía Magdalena, La Fontana, Residencial Monterrico, Los Cactus and the Matazango human settlement. It is crossed by Las Palmeras, Javier Prado, Los Frutales and La Molina avenues. Furthermore, it is made up of families from high socioeconomic level, with the exception of Matazango which is in the high middle class, according to their income per household capital, done by the INEI. This sector borders the district of Santiago de Surco, through the Golf Los Incas ring road and Javier Prado Este, the La Floresta jirón and the Stella park Maris. And with the Ate district, through the Via de Evitamiento and Separadora Industrial avenue.
* Sector 2: It is located in the northwest and part of the north of the district. It is made up of the quadrant between the avenues La Molina - La Universidad, Separadora Industrial and Huarochirí - Melgarejo. This sector, according to its income per capital per household, is located in the category of high socioeconomic level; however, the houses are smaller, resembling the homes of middle class or medium-high, being mostly apartments. It is made up of the urbanizations of Santa Felicia, Santa Patricia, Santa Raquel and Covima. There are higher education centers such as the university and the San Ignacio de Loyola institute, as well as renowned private schools: Jean le Boulch, Antonio Raimondi, Nuestra Señora de Guía, Virgen del Rosario de Yungay, Bruning, among others. Although it is a residential area, it also develops commerce on avenues such as Los Constructores, Huarochirí - Melgarejo, Javier Prado Este and Flora Tristán, especially in the restaurant sector. It is architecturally diverse, and its main attractions are the Mormon Temple of Lima and the main headquarters of the Banco de Crédito del Perú, which is built on a reforested hill. This sector borders the district of Ate, through the Separadora Industrial and Huarochirí avenues, the Bucaramanga jirón and the Puruchuco hill.
* Sector 3: It is located near the middle of the district, heading west. It is located in a large part of the La Molina National Agrarian University. It is due to this university that the sector has large green areas, and for which La Molina is considered an ecological district. Likewise, there is the Las Hormigas human settlement, the Estación Experimental association and the Sagrado Corazón De Jesús school.
* Sector 4: is located, geographically, in the middle of the district. It is made up of exclusive and restricted access urbanizations such as: La Planicie, Rinconada Alta, Rinconada Baja, Rinconada del Lago and the Las Lagunas Campestre Club. These urbanizations are inhabited by high class families, with an income greater than 2,400 soles; However, its population density is very low. It is crossed by the avenues La Molina, Manuel Prado Ugarteche, 7 - Ricardo Elías Aparicio, Alameda José León Barandiarán, Las Dunas - Del Parque, Laguna Grande and Rinconada del Lago. Within the Club Campestre Las Lagunas urbanization there are two artificial lagoons, Laguna Chica and Laguna Grande. It is not possible to visit the first one, because it is surrounded by houses and by the Colegio Newton; However, the second lagoon does, which has an island where the Las Lagunas Club is located. On the other hand, La Planicie, Rinconada del Lago and others are urbanizations with restricted access, only for residents of that area. This sector borders to the north, with the district of Ate, through the Candela hill. To the northeast, with the Pachacámac district, through the El Rincón de La Planicie area. And to the south, also with the district of Pachacámac, through the Tres Cumbres hill.
* Sector 5: is located towards the east of the district. This sector has large homes inhabited by upper class people, but with a low population density. What differentiates this sector from sector 4 is that the urbanizations do have free access. Here are the urbanizations of El Sol de La Molina and Los Huertos de La Molina. The first urbanization is inhabited by families of high socioeconomic level, and has many lands still for sale since its foundation. Several exclusive educational institutions are located here such as: La Molina Christian Schools and Lord Byron School. In addition, there is the University of Sciences and Arts of Latin America. On the other hand, there is a headquarters of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima Este. Meanwhile, the Los Huertos de La Molina urbanization is located in the hills and is made up of families of medium-high socioeconomic level. This sector borders to the south, with the district of Pachacámac, also through the Tres Cumbres hill.
* Sector 6: It is located at the eastern end of the district. This sector is mostly located in the Musa urbanization, a popular area, which according to its income per household capital, is currently made up of families of upper-middle socioeconomic level and middle class. It was formed by the association of workers from the La Molina National Agrarian University, SIPA, the Municipality of La Molina and La Arenera. It is located, specifically, in blocks 46 and 47 of La Molina Avenue or also called the road to Cieneguilla kilometer 10.5, both blocks intersect with the Madreselva jirón, whose street belongs to the Musa urbanization, dividing into five stages. Furthermore, this is where the district ends next to the Municipal Depot. Likewise, this urbanization is accompanied by areas such as Piedra Viva, Los Arbolitos, Los Jazmines (previously called "Espalda del Minicomplejo") and Las Flores de La Molina. In recent years, the human settlement San Juan Bautista was also added, this last area if it is a product of invasion and/or land trafficking. Among its urban landmarks are the San José Marello School, the César Vidaurre Reina Farje Municipal Sports Complex, the Farmadiris - La Molina, the Musa Cooperative Market, the Depincri La Molina - Cieneguilla, the La Molina Municipal Stadium and the Musa Health Center. This sector borders entirely with the district of Pachacámac, through the Arenera La Molina quarry. Likewise, it limits with this district, through block 48 of La Molina Avenue, as well as with Tres Cumbres Hill.
* Sector 7: is located in the south and southwest of the district. There are exclusive houses that are located in the urbanizations of La Molina Vieja, La Alameda de la Molina Vieja, El Remanso, Los Sirius and El Corregidor. As well as, small houses and low-rise residential buildings, belonging to the high socioeconomic level category, located in the urbanizations of Isla del Sol, Las Viñas de La Molina, Portada del Sol , La Capilla, El Valle de La Molina and Las Lomas de La Molina Vieja. In this sector is the Faculty of Law and Medicine of the San Martín de Porres University. In this sector there are also many popular areas, such as the Viña Alta urbanization, the Los Pinos and Cerro Alto human settlements, the San Francisco association, and the Los Constructores and Hijos de Constructores housing cooperatives. Likewise, there are the shopping centers of Plaza Center La Molina (previously called Molina Plaza) and Cencosud Shopping Center La Molina, located on Raúl Ferrero Avenue. This entire sector limits its hills with the district of Villa María del Triunfo, through a pirca on the Colorado and Tolderías hills. It also limits, with the district of San Juan de Miraflores, through the San Francisco hill, and with the district of Santiago de Surco, through the Centinela, La Molina, and Gallinacera hills.
As an important fact, as in the districts of Santiago de Surco and San Borja, a large part of the homes in these human settlements are self-built homes in continuous expansion. It is estimated that La Molina has a total of twelve human settlements or popular areas, and that half of this population cannot be considered vulnerable; since, a large part of them, according to their income per household capital, belong to a medium and medium-low socioeconomic level. Perhaps an example of a vulnerable sector in the district is the San Juan Bautista human settlement, located on the Musa hill. Where houses made of plywood are found, and whose occupation was a product of invasion and/or land trafficking.
La Molina is a district with large lands, therefore, several exclusive Peruvian social clubs have a headquarters in this district, among them:
* La Rinconada Country Club
* La Planicie Country Club
It is the district of Lima with the highest density of green areas, reaching up to 20 m² (square meters) for each inhabitant. In the south of La Molina, on the slopes of the San Pedro, Media Luna and San Francisco hills is the La Molina Ecological Park, which houses 208.6 hectares and was established on May 12, 2004. It has been planted with trees with certain species of trees and plants for which planting campaigns have been carried out from time to time. This will be the largest ecological park in Lima. It has more than 13,000 plants including trees and shrubs.
It also houses important private cemeteries such as: the La Planicie Cemetery and the Jardines de la Paz Cemetery Park.

## Urban distribution

La Molina district is divided into middle, middle-high and upper class suburbs.

### High class suburbs

La Molina is best known for the large and luxurious houses that give shape to expensive properties located in suburbs like La Planicie, Rinconada, Las Lagunas, Camacho, Residential Monterrico, La Molina Vieja, Alameda de la Molina Vieja, Los Sirius, Corregidor, El Remanso and Huertos de La Molina. Numerous Peruvian celebrities, leading business people and political figures live in these suburbs. Due to their relative safety, calm and low population density, these suburbs are highly valued real estate. Furthermore, some of the most exclusive Peruvian social clubs are located in the area: Rinconada Country Club, La Planicie Country Club and Hebraica Club.

### Low class suburbs

Santa Felicia, Santa Raquel, Covima, Santa Patricia, La Ensenada, La Capilla, Las Acacias, Las Lomas, Los Ingenieros, Pablo Bonner, Pablo Cánepa, La Fontana and Farwest compose the middle and upper class area in the district. They compose the largest part of the district. Some suburbs (Santa Patricia, Santa Felicia, Santa Raquel and Covima) used to belong to the neighbouring district of Ate, but they were won over by La Molina. The process was led by the desire of the residents.
Musa is a curious case, because it is a middle class urbanization with a medium population density, but it has many sectors of the lower middle class. Because the construction of its houses was carried out by the relatives of the neighbors, since its foundation in the late 1960s. However, modern houses with up to three floors are now available, obviously after they have managed to improve the aesthetics of their properties over time. Currently, the houses and apartments are more expensive than before, and today, their neighbors are descendants of the founding workers of the urbanization and it has improved a lot. Throughout the years it has thus become a very safe place to live. In recent years, a new area was created in this urbanization and it is the human settlement "San Juan Bautista". This last area is an invasion product of the Manchay area, the Pachacámac district, and is located on the top of the hill of Musa. This part being the most vulnerable of the entire urbanization, because here the houses are made of plywood.

## Education

Highlights in the district are:
La Molina National Agrarian University, a study center that dates back to 1902, when it was known as the National School of Agriculture. Created with the support of Belgium and in 1960 it assumed the category of university.
There are other universities such as the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), located in Santa Patricia, the University of Sciences and Arts of Latin America (UCAL) located in Sol de La Molina, the Women's University of the Sacred Heart (UNIFE) located in Camacho, the faculties of Engineering and Architecture, Law and Political Sciences and Medicine of the San Martín de Porres University located in Santa Patricia and Las Viñas respectively.
It is also home to several important private schools such as the former Colegio Sagrados Corazones Recoleta (Camacho), Newton College (Las Lagunas), La Molina Christian Schools (Sol de La Molina), Colegio Villa María-La Planicie (La Planicie), Colegio Italiano Antonio Raimondi (La Fontana), Lord Byron School (Sol de La Molina), Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (Camacho), Franklin Delano Roosevelt School (Camacho), Waldorf-Lima (Camacho), Abraham Lincoln North American Peruvian School (Camacho), Brüning School ( Santa Patricia), Villa Caritas and San Pedro School (Rinconada del Lago), Peruvian-German Queen of the World School (Rinconada del Lago), Altair School (La Molina Vieja), Jean Le Boulch (Santa Patricia), Queen of the Angels School (Rinconada Alta), I.E. No. 1278 - La Molina (founded in 1965 initially within the UNALM and later moved to Santa Patricia), Aurelio Miró Quesada Sosa School No. 1140 (Molicentro), founded in 1961 considered alma mater of La Molina for its graduated students and its large current school population; Félix Tello Rojas (Santa Patricia) and the San José Marello School No. 1220 (Musa).

## Transport

Transportation in La Molina is complicated for several reasons. One of them is the existing traffic on the most important avenues. This is due to the enormous number of vehicles that residents of the most exclusive areas of the entire district have. This creates circulatory chaos in the mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. m. to 9:00 a.m. m. and in the evenings from 7:00 p.m. m. to 9:00 p.m. m. Another problem in the district is public transportation; Since, in the most difficult to access sectors, such as La Planicie or La Laguna, public transportation is almost non-existent. Therefore, there is a huge number of taxis and buses in this area.
On the other hand, on routes that pass through La Molina avenue towards Musa, public transport is usually massive; Because many cousters, combis or buses head towards Cieneguilla or Manchay, Pachacámac district. On this route to Musa, the red corridor service 204 also operates, which passes through the last sections of La Molina Avenue. At the end of the Molicentro area, from the intersection of La Molina and Rinconada del Lago avenues, transportation is usually more fluid and calm; because it passes through residential areas. The fluid traffic ends until reaching the Municipal Depot or the La Molina Arena, border with the district of Pachacámac.
In more central areas such as Santa Patricia and Santa Felicia, which intersect with main avenues such as Javier Prado and Constructores, transportation is not usually so simple either. In the latter, the 209 corridor service operates; while, route 201 operates on Javier Prado Este Avenue. One of the reasons why transportation is complicated in the morning and at night is due to the immense number of passengers coming from the Ate district. Traffic on Javier Prado Avenue is usually frequent, as are the immense traffic congestion in Santa Patricia.
Added to all this is the few exits that the district has, one on Raúl Ferrero avenue down the Centinela Hill towards the Monterrico Sur area and another on Javier Prado Avenue. For several years, it has been ready for execution and is even within the Metropolitan Development Plan, the construction of the expansion of Los Cóndores avenue connection with Los Álamos - Angamos avenue. For this route there is the service of corridor 206, which passes through Alameda del Corregidor avenue.
Line 4 of the Lima Metro
With the future line 4 of the Lima Metro, Los Frutales, La Molina and Santa Patricia stations are planned. Which will be located on Javier Prado avenue. With line 4, the district will be connected to the Jorge Chávez International Airport.
Complementary corridors
As mentioned before, regarding the urban bus service provided by the complementary corridors, lines 201, 204, 206 and 209 of the red corridor circulate through the district. Lines 201 and 204 run along Javier Prado avenue in the district. Being the intersection with Huarochirí avenue, the last point of Javier Prado avenue belonging to the La Molina district. Upon arriving here, the 201 follows the same avenue in the Ate district. Meanwhile, the 204 runs along Melgarejo and La Molina avenues, heading to the districts of Pachacámac and Cieneguilla. On the other hand, lines 206 and 209, upon reaching the intersection of Javier Prado and La Molina avenues, take different routes. The 206 turns and runs along the entire Alameda del Corregidor avenue. Meanwhile, the 209 turns around and runs along Los Constructores avenue.

## Climate

Climate data for La Molina District (Von Humboldt), elevation 247 m (810 ft), (1991–2020) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.3 (82.9) | 29.9 (85.8) | 29.9 (85.8) | 27.8 (82.0) | 24.3 (75.7) | 21.1 (70.0) | 19.7 (67.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 20.7 (69.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 23.9 (75.0) | 25.7 (78.3) | 24.4 (76.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | 15.6 (60.1) | 15.2 (59.4) | 14.2 (57.6) | 13.4 (56.1) | 13.6 (56.5) | 14.3 (57.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 17.0 (62.6) | 16.2 (61.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.9 (0.04) | 1.0 (0.04) | 0.9 (0.04) | 0.6 (0.02) | 1.1 (0.04) | 1.6 (0.06) | 1.7 (0.07) | 2.3 (0.09) | 1.5 (0.06) | 0.6 (0.02) | 1.1 (0.04) | 0.4 (0.02) | 13.7 (0.54) |
| Source: National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru ||||||||||||||