CALLAO, a town of Peru, six miles west from Lima, of which it is the port. Lat. 12. S., Long. 77. 12. W. It is built on a flat point of land in the recess of a spacious bay formed by the isles of San Lorenzo and Fronton, and communicates with Lima by an excellent carriage road. The original site of the town is now covered by the sea, and the ruins of the houses which were demolished by an earthquake in 1746 are still visible in calm weather in the bay. The modern town consists chiefly of houses made of wicker-work, and plastered with mud, stronger buildings being rendered unnecessary by the mildness of the climate, and dangerous from the frequency of earthquakes; but the fortifications and government buildings are both massive and well-mounted with cannons. Callao was the last stronghold in possession of the Spaniards which held out against the insurgent patriots, but was compelled to surrender in 1821. The bay of Callao is well sheltered, and affords the best anchorage on the Peruvian coast. Below the city a mole has been constructed, at which vessels of considerable burden may discharge their cargoes. The trade of Callao, consisting of exports and imports, is carried on chiefly with Great Britain and the Western States of America. The principal exports are bullion, copper, cotton, soap, bark, Vicuna and Alpaca wool, and hides; the imports are cotton, linen, and woollen stuffs, hardware, fish, flour, indigo, spices, timber, &c. The declared value of British imports alone in 1846 was £820,535. Pop. estimated at about 20,000.