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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Peru | Top of Page

Background: | 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.

| Geography | Peru | Top of Page

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
Land use: | arable land: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 12,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 1,913 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%) per capita: 720 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: | 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
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | 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

| People | Peru | Top of Page

Population: | 29,180,899 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 29.7% (male 4,409,227/female 4,253,836) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 9,501,597/female 9,381,139) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 770,389/female 864,711) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 25.8 years male: 25.5 years female: 26.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.264% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 19.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.44 years male: 68.61 years female: 72.37 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.42 children born/woman (2008 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.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, Oroya fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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.)

| Government | Peru | Top of Page

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 nonconsecutive reelection); 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 (a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Centrist Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes); Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or FIM; National Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY]; National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN (a coalition of Partido Popular Cristiano and Partido Solidaridad Nacional) [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA); Peruvian Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Union for Peru (Union por el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]
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)]
International organization participation: | APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, 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 P. Michael MCKINLEY 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 | Peru | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 7.5% in 2007, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the strong macroeconomic performance, underemployment and poverty have stayed persistently high. Growth prospects depend on exports of minerals, textiles, and agricultural products, and by expectations for the Camisea natural gas megaproject and for other promising energy projects. Upon taking office, President GARCIA announced Sierra Exportadora, a program aimed at promoting economic growth in Peru's southern and central highlands.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $219 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $109.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $7,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 8.4% industry: 25.6% services: 66% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 9.839 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 9% industry: 18% services: 73% (2001)
Unemployment rate: | 6.9% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 44.5% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 40.9% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 52 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1.8% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 23% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $32.48 billion expenditures: $29.11 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 29.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | asparagus, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish, guinea pigs
Industries: | mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: | 9.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 24.97 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - consumption: | 22.59 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 110,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 166,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 53,040 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: | 121,500 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 430.8 million bbl (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 1.515 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 1.515 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 236.9 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | $1.75 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $27.96 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, guinea pigs
Exports - partners: | US 24.1%, China 9.6%, Switzerland 7.1%, Canada 6.8%, Chile 6%, Japan 5.2% (2006)
Imports: | $19.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper
Imports - partners: | US 16.5%, China 10.3%, Brazil 10.3%, Ecuador 7.2%, Colombia 6.1%, Chile 5.8%, Argentina 4.8%, Mexico 4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $397.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $27.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $31.07 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $24.72 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $1.476 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $59.66 billion (2006)
Currency (code): | nuevo sol (PEN)
Exchange rates: | nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Peru | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 2.332 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 8.5 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 8 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to about 30 telephones per 100 persons; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: | 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code: | .pe
Internet hosts: | 270,193 (2007)
Internet users: | 6.1 million (2006)

| Transportation | Peru | Top of Page

Airports: | 237 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 183 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 117 (2007)
Heliports: | 1 (2007)
Pipelines: | gas 1,181 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,749 km; refined products 13 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 1,989 km standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
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: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 76,220 GRT/119,615 DWT by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3 foreign-owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 16 (Belize 1, Panama 15) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

| Military | Peru | Top of Page

Military branches: | Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast guard)), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation: | 18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 7,653,898 females age 16-49: 7,531,329 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 5,796,449 females age 16-49: 6,217,524 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 306,260 females age 16-49: 296,819 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.5% (2006)

| Transnational Issues | Peru | Top of Page

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: 60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)
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

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008