PORTO MALDONADO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - In Peru, it was erected as an apostolic prefecture of St. Dominic of Urubamba on 5 February 1900, together with the other two apostolic prefectures of St. Leo of the Amazons and St. Francis of Urayal, all in the still wild region of the country, and entrusted to the Dominicans.
On 4 July 1913 the prefecture was elevated to an apostolic vicariate with the addition of the Madre de Dios department, for which the name was changed to that of apostolic vicariate of Urubamba and Madre de Dios. On 10 March 1949 it was given the name of P. M., seat of the Ordinary, and the Peruvian region of Alto Purus was attributed to it, while that of Alto Yuruá, as far as the watershed of the basins of the Yuruá and Curanja rivers, was annexed to the apostolic vicariate of Ucayali.
It has an area of approximately 180,000 sq. km., situated in the forest region of the Amazon zone. It is also watered by the Madre de Dios, Urubamba and many other rivers which are almost the only means of communication. The temperature is tropical, very hot and humid. The soil is very fertile.
The number of inhabitants is very uncertain. Some put it at 42,000, of whom 36,000 would be civilized, mostly Catholic. The other 6,000 are animists and a few Protestants. Others, more probably, speak of 20,000 or 25,000 inhabitants, in which case the number of Catholics must be proportionally reduced. The animists are still savage, divided into various tribes. There are 21 missionaries distributed in the 7 quasi-parishes, assisted by the missionary sisters of the Most Holy Rosary. There is 1 hospital, 1 dispensary, 4 orphanages, 30 industrial schools and 15 elementary schools. Catholic Action is still in its infancy.