|
Table of Contents
- History
- Location
- Terrain
- People
- Economy
- Government
- Religion
- Interesting Facts
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations. Most notably was that of the Incas, whose empire was captured by
the Spanish Conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared on July
28th 1821, with remaining
Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
Back to Top
Peru is located on the
continent of South America. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and
on the east by the Amazon Jungle of Brazil. It sits between the countries of
Ecuador to the north and Chile to the south.
Peru is only about as large as the
state of Alaska and possesses nearly every kind of terrain and climate. Peru is
divided down the center with the rugged peaks of the Andes Mountains which
stretch over 17,000 feet above sea level. There one can find cool crisp mountain
air, alongside natural lakes and waterfalls, and lama’s. On the western side of
the mountains is the coastal region. Some sections along the coastline contain
nothing more than desert sand. Toward the eastern section of Peru is the
tropical region of the Amazon Jungle. There one will be overwhelmed by the rich
vegetation and abundant life.
Peru has an estimated population of
28.5 million people. The majority of the people in Peru are American Indian
totaling 45% of the population, with another 37% being a mixture of white and
American Indian. Fifteen of the remaining 18% are white, leaving only 3% of the
population made up of Black, Japanese, Chinese and other ethnicities.
Nearly one third of the country’s total population lives within its capital city
of Lima. It is estimated that the city of Lima contains approximately nine
million people. Roughly 62% of Peru’s population are between the ages of 15 and
64 years of age. Due to the hardships of life in a third world country, the
average life expectancy of a person born in Peru is only about 69 years old.
This is roughly 10 years less than that of someone born in the United States.
Peruvians for the most part are a very poor people, and it’s estimated that
approximately 50% of the national population is below the poverty level.
The primary labor forces of Peru are
agriculture, mining, manufacturing, construction, and transport. It’s major
industries are; mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, and metal fabrication.
Peru’s main agricultural products are; coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat,
potatoes, corn, coca, poultry, beef, dairy products, wool, and fish.
After decades of military
rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980. Peru did experience
economic problems initially, but the election of President Alberto Fujimori in 1990, ushered in a decade of dramatic economic turnaround.
Today, Peru is governed by the administration of President Alejandro Toledo. The
country of Peru is governed by a constitutional republic, which is similar in
many ways to that of the United States.
Nearly all
major religions and religious organizations are represented in Peru. Between 80 and 90% of the population are professing Roman Catholics, but
it is estimated that only about 15% of them actively attend church on a weekly
basis. According to the National Statistics Institute, only about 7.2 percent of
the population of Peru is evangelical. This figure also includes the presence of
Mormons, Jehovah-Witness, and Seventh - day Adventist. An additional 2.5 percent
of the population is made up of Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists, while another 1.4
percent are Atheists or Agnostics.
Interesting Facts
Cebiche is Peruvian
Chirimoya is Peruvian
Guanábana is Peruvian
Lúcuma is Peruvian
Granadilla is Peruvian
The alpaca is Peruvian
The vicuña is Peruvian
The Paso horse is Peruvian
Quinua, a high protein grain, is Peruvian. There are more than 25
varieties.
Olluco is Peruvian. There are more than 30 varieties.
The potato is Peruvian and there are more than 2,000 different
varieties.
The maize is Peruvian. There are 32 known varieties.
The Peruvian avocado is the mildest in the world.
Peru has the largest variety of dishes in the world. 468. ( Guinness
Book of Records)
The finest cotton in the world is Peruvian Pima and Tanguis.
The weeping willow tree is Peruvian.
The tara tree from which they extract tannin is Peruvian.
Yacón, a root vegetable similar to yucca is Peruvian.
Maca and Huanarpo Macho, principle components of VIAGRA, are Peruvian
roots.
The Anticona Pass is at 15,800 ft. above sea level.
The deepest canyons in the world; Cothuasi, 3,600 ma.s.l.( 11,811
ft.above
sea level), and the Colca, 3,400 m.a.s.l. (11,155 f.a.s.l.) are in Peru.
The bullfight ring in Acho, Lima, is amongst the oldest in the world.
The University of San Marcos ( Est. 1551), is the oldest university in
the
Americas.
The official government gazette, El Peruano, is the oldest daily in
South America.
In Peru there are more than 50 mountains over 6,000 m.s.n.m.(19,685 ft.)
It's territory has 12,000 lakes of different sizes and depths.
Peru is the country with the largest variety of birds in the world, over
1,701.
84 of the 103 ecological zones that exist in the world are in Peru.
The Rock Hen is the national bird.
In only one tree in Madre de Dios, the shihuahuaco (Asterix),
scientists, specifically entomologists, found 5,000 species of insects,
80% of which were new to science.
In the Oriental Andes region one can find more than 3,000 varieties of
different orchids of which 2,000 have been classified to date.
4 of the ten cereals that exist in the world are native to Peru. The
quinoa, maize, cañihua, and kiwicha. The latter has
been considered by NASA as an important element in the diet of the
astronauts.
Peru is the leader in Latin America in the production of gold, lead, and
zinc.
Peru second in copper production in the world.
ANTAMINA is the largest mine in the world. It is in the central
highlands of Peru.
CAMISEA is the second largest gas reserve in Latin America.
Peru has the highest navigable lake in the world is Lake Titicaca
28 different types of climate are found in Peru, placing it amongst the
5 world countries with the greatest biological diversity in the world.
Within the 863 Sq. kilometers of maritime dominion held by Peru, the
Peruvian Current, better known as the Humboldt Current, contains the
richest production of plankton and phytoplankton in the world.
Along Peru's coast live 20 of the 67 species of lesser cetaceans, or
whale
related species.
Señor of Sipán is the the oldest and most magnificent tomb found in the
Americas; it is only comparable to that of Tutankamon in Egypt.
Caral, a recent discovery only 114 mi. north of Lima on the coast is the
oldest civilization in the Americas and one of the oldest in the world,
dating more than 3,000 B.C.
Back to Top
|
