Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility.
Location
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates
10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references
South America
Area
total
1,285,220 sq km
land
1.28 million sq km
water
5,220 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries
total
7,461 km
border countries
Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline
2,414 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
200 nm
continental shelf
200 nm
Climate
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
Terrain
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River
Population
28,674,757 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
30.3% (male 4,427,080/female 4,271,390)
15-64 years
64.2% (male 9,267,642/female 9,150,816)
65 years and over
5.4% (male 734,533/female 823,296) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
25.5 years
male
25.2 years
female
25.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.289% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
20.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.036 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.013 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.892 male(s)/female
total population
1.013 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
29.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male
32.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female
27.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
70.14 years
male
68.33 years
female
72.04 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.46 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
82,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
4,200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Peruvian(s)
adjective
Peruvian
Ethnic groups
Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions
Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)
Languages
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
87.7%
male
93.5%
female
82.1% (2004 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Peru
conventional short form
Peru
local long form
Republica del Peru
local short form
Peru
Government type
constitutional republic
Capital
name
Lima
geographic coordinates
12 03 S, 77 03 W
time difference
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
Independence
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution
29 December 1993
Legal system
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections
Executive branch
chief of state
President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006)
note
Prime Minister Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez (since 28 August 2006) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential and congressional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011
election results
Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%
Legislative branch
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)
Political parties and leaders
Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF [Martha CHAVEZ Cossio] (a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Centrist Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC [Drago KISIC] (a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes); Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; Nationalist Party Uniting Peru (Partido Nacionalista Uniendo al Peru) or UPP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso] (a coalition of Union for Peru (UPP) and Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP)); National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA)
Political pressure groups and leaders
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]
1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
FAX
[1] (202) 659-8124
consulate(s) general
Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
embassy
Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
mailing address
P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000
telephone
[51] (1) 434-3000
FAX
[51] (1) 618-2397
Flag description
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath
Economy - overview
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$186.6 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$77.14 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$6,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
8.5%
industry
26.4%
services
65% (2006 est.)
Labor force
9.21 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
9%
industry
18%
services
73% (2001)
Unemployment rate
7.2% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
54% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
0.8%
highest 10%
37.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
49.8 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.1% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$25.5 billion
expenditures
$25.18 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion for general government, but excluding private enterprises (2006 est.)
mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing
US 25.6%, China 12%, Canada 8.4%, Chile 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, Switzerland 4.2% (2006)
Imports
$15.38 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper
Imports - partners
US 20.1%, Brazil 8.1%, Ecuador 7.5%, China 6.9%, Chile 6.4%, Colombia 6.2%, Argentina 5.2%, Venezuela 4.3% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$17.04 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$27.93 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$491 million (2002)
Currency (code)
nuevo sol (PEN)
Currency code
PEN
Exchange rates
nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
2.25 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
5.583 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
adequate for most requirements
domestic
nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international
country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations
AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)
Radios
6.65 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
3.06 million (1997)
Internet country code
.pe
Internet hosts
269,981 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
10 (2000)
Internet users
4.6 million (2005)
Airports
268 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
54
over 3,047 m
6
2,438 to 3,047 m
20
1,524 to 2,437 m
14
914 to 1,523 m
11
under 914 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
214
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
26
914 to 1,523 m
63
under 914 m
124 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 983 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,754 km; refined products 13 km (2006)
Railways
total
3,462 km
standard gauge
2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge
500 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
78,829 km
paved
11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways)
unpaved
67,478 km (2004)
Waterways
8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2007)
Merchant marine
total
4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT
by type
cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned
1 (US 1)
registered in other countries
15 (Panama 15) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries
Military branches
Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast guard), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
6,647,874
females age 18-49
6,544,408 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
4,938,417
females age 18-49
5,278,511 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
277,105
females age 18-49
269,799 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.5% (2006)
Disputes - international
Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2005)
Illicit drugs
until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru rose 25% to 34,000 hectares in 2005; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa
