| Population: |
approx. 25 million; 72% urban; 28% rural. |
| Size: |
approx. 500,000 sq. miles. If overlaid on a
map of the western U.S., Peru would extend from the Canadian to Mexican
border, and from the Pacific coast halfway across Montana; third largest
country in South America. |
| Geography: |
3 distinct regions, subdivided into 24 departments
-
 |
narrow coastal desert (including Lima) - 11%
of area; 44% of population |
|
Andes mountain highlands (with peaks over
20,000 feet) - 50% of the population |
|
tropical rainforest of the Amazon basin
(east of the Andes) - 50% of land area | |
| Capital: |
Lima, pop. est. 8 million; 12 degrees south
latitude, on the Pacific coast. |
| People: |
Quechua Indian 47%; mestizo 32%; Caucasian (mostly
Hispanic) 12%; Amerindians (jungle)
1.7%. |
| Languages: |
Spanish (predominant); Quechua (mountains);
Aymara; jungle dialects |
| Religion: |
Roman Catholic 92%; evangelical Christian 7%;
other 1% |
| Currency: |
Nuevo Sol; currently fluctuates around 3.46 soles
per US dollar (Feb 2002) |
| Time zone: |
GMT - 5 (equivalent to Eastern Standard or Central
Daylight Savings Time) |
| Electricity: |
220 volts/60 Hz; flat (non-polarized) and small,
round pin plugs; transformer & plug adaptors required for US
appliances |
| Government: |
constitutional democracy with new constitution in
1993; president elected to 5 year term; voting mandatory; single chamber
congress. Former President Alberto Fujimori resigned/fired under
pressure shortly after gaining illegal third term of office in 2000 and
fled to Japan in midst of corruption scandal involving intelligence chief
Vladimiro Montesinos. Populist candidate and first full-blooded
Quechua President Alejandro Toledo elected in
2001. |
| Economy: |
currently in sustained slump, with 7%
unemployment but over 70% underemployment
|
agriculture (33% of labor force) |
|
mining (copper) |
|
manufacturing |
|
fishing |
|
oil production |
|
| Per Capita
Income: |
equivalent to US $3,422 (vs. $21,202 in
U.S.) |
| Life Expectancy: |
male 66.1 yrs; female 71.1 yrs (vs. 73.5 &
80.2 in U.S.) |
| Infant Mortality: |
43.0 per 1,000 live births (vs. 7.0 for
U.S.) |
| Access to: |
|
drinking water - 81% urban; 33% rural |
|
sanitary waste disposal - 78% urban; 37%
rural |
|
| Poverty Rate: |
50.7% (vs. 9.4% in
U.S.) |
| Climate: |
depends on region -
|
Coast: summer from Dec to April, temps 75 -
95 F, dry & sunny; winter from May to Nov, monotonously cloudy,
damp and cooler (into 60's at
night).
|
|
Mountains: dry season Apr to Oct, hot &
dry during day (70 - 80 F), cold and dry at night (often below
freezing); wet season Nov - Mar, clear in the mornings, rain in the
afternoons, 65 F during day, 60 at night.
|
|
Jungle: dry season Apr - Oct, temps to 95 F;
wet season Nov - Mar, humid, hot, with heavy rain at any
time.
|
|
