Mollebaya District is one of the 29 districts that comprise the Arequipa Province in the Department of Arequipa, located in southern Peru. It was officially established as a district on May 27, 1952, through Law No. 11845 during the administration of President Manuel A. Odría.
The district is situated at an approximate altitude of 2,483 meters (8,146 feet) above sea level and covers a land area of roughly 36.6 square kilometers. It is geographically positioned within the southern Andes and borders the districts of Characato to the north, Socabaya to the northwest, Yarabamba to the west, and Quequeña to the south and east. Its administrative center is the town of Mollebaya.
Demographically, the district has seen a steady increase in population due to urban expansion from the city of Arequipa. According to data from the 2017 National Census conducted by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI), Mollebaya had a population of approximately 4,756 inhabitants.
The local economy is historically rooted in agriculture and livestock. The fertile land in the district supports the cultivation of various crops, including corn, alfalfa, and potatoes. Despite increasing urbanization, Mollebaya maintains a traditional rural character. Architecturally, the district features structures built with sillar (a white volcanic stone characteristic of the region) and is home to historical sites, including colonial-era buildings and pre-Hispanic agricultural terraces.
Administratively, the district is governed by the Municipality of Mollebaya, which is headed by a mayor and a council of representatives. It remains an integral part of the Arequipa metropolitan area while preserving its cultural and ecological heritage.