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The Taquile Island is one of the major Tourist Attractions in and around Puno. Puno city and the region are in southeastern Peru. Puno city is situated by the famous Lake Titicaca. The city is also the capital of Puno region and Puno Province. Taquile Island is 35 kilometers east of the port of Puno. You can reach here by boat which takes only 3 hours.
The Taquile Island spreads over 6 square kilometers and the main village is at 3950 meters. On the higher part of the island you can see some pre-Inca ruins. It was one of the last locations to come under Spanish rule. The island was captured for Carlos V and passed into the hands of Count Rodrigo of Taquila. The island was named after him. During Spanish rule the islanders were not allowed to wear traditional dresses so they adopted the Spanish peasant dress which can still be seen.
The economy of the Taquile Island is based on terraced farming horticulture and fishing. The islanders run the society based on community life and collective decision making. The Island of Taquile is visited by thousands of tourists each year. The Taquilenos are known for their high quality of handicrafts and fine hand woven textiles and clothing. Spinning and weaving is done by men. The weaving is done on pre Spanish pedal and fixed looms. One unique garment is the 'chullo' which is a knitted hat with earflap. The other garment is the calendar waistband which tells the annual cycles of ritual and agricultural activities.
For further reference on Taquile Island, kindly check travel.mapsofworld.com.
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