Peru
in South America
South America

National active POI Bordering countries
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Sol - PEN
Spoken languages:
Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Local electricity:
220 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, C)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
850 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
PE
Internet top level domain:
.pe
Country phone prefix:
+51
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Peru in South America

Safety Score: 3,3 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning please reconsider your need to travel to Peru.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Peru. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore Peru

Peru with its capital Lima is located in South America (Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 1,285,221 square kilometers (almost twice the size of Texas) with a population of 31,036,700. Spanish, Quechua and Aymara are the languages spoken by people in Peru (consider regional differences). Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador are bordering countries.

Peru is a country in South America, situated on the western side of that continent, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes mountain range that runs the length of South America. The main attractions are their archaeological patrimony of pre-Columbian cultures and the center of Inca's Empire, their gastronomy, their colonial architecture (has imposing colonial constructions) and their natural resources (a paradise for the ecological tourism). Peruvians do not hesitate to greet you with ¡Hola, gringo!.

Popular Destinations in Peru

 

Iquitos
 

Chiclayo
 

Lima
 

Cusco
 

Callao
 

Arequipa

Administrative regions of Peru

About the country

Website: Peru Tourism

Edificio MITINCI piso 13
Calle Uno oeste No. 50
Urb. Corpac
Lima 27
Peru

Phone: +51 1 224 3279
Fax: +51 1 224 3323
Mail: infoperu@promperu.gob.pe

The topography is western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva). The average density of population is about 24 per km². The climate in Peru can be described as varying from tropical in east to dry desert in west with temperate to frigid in Andes. Potential natural disasters are earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane

To reach someone Peru dial +51 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 850 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".pe". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, C). The sign for the locally used currency Sol is PEN.

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 (representing fauna), a cinchona tree (the source of quinine, signifying flora), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins (denoting mineral wealth); red recalls blood shed for independence, white symbolizes peace.

Flag of Peru

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were 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 resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in the spring of 2001, which installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, oversaw a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in June 2011, and carried on the sound, market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Poverty and unemployment levels have fallen dramatically in the last decade, and today Peru boasts one of the best performing economies in Latin America. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow presidential runoff election in June 2016.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 21) 1,285,220sq km
Land (World Rank: 20) 1,280,000sq km
Water (World Rank: 66) 5,220sq km
Forest (World Rank: 114) 14.60%
Comparative almost twice the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska
Coastline
2414
Landborder
7062
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 12) 6,746m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 168) 18.80%
Arable (World Rank: 167) 3.10%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 118) 1.10%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 114) 14.60%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 22) 25,800sq km
Map reference
South America
Environment
Issues
  • - air pollution in Lima
  • - deforestation (some the result of illegal logging)
  • - desertification
  • - overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion
  • - pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Agreement party
  • - Antarctic Treaty
  • - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
  • - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
  • - 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
Hazzards
  • - earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
  • - volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane
Location
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
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)

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 43) 31,036,700
Deathrate (World Rank: 158) 0.61%
Birthrate (World Rank: 102) 1.78%
Growthrate (World Rank: 117) 0.95%
Migration rate (World Rank: 132) -0.22%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 101) 2.12%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 139) 27.20
Female (World Rank: 126) 28.80
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 50) 4,155,670
0 14 female (World Rank: 50) 4,009,890
15 24 male (World Rank: 39) 2,847,460
15 24 female (World Rank: 40) 2,835,730
25 54 male (World Rank: 42) 5,985,350
25 54 female (World Rank: 39) 6,487,230
55 64 male (World Rank: 40) 1,168,530
55 64 female (World Rank: 41) 1,247,300
65 x male (World Rank: 36) 1,086,790
65 x female (World Rank: 44) 1,212,700
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 88) 1.84%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 123) 74years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 131) 76years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 117) 72years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 109) 1.12
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 128) 1.50
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 133) 76.20%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 109) 19.70%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 150) 86.70%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 55) 46,310,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 55) 40,930,000,000kWh
Export (World Rank: 84) 55,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 121) 62.60%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 59) 33.90%
Source renew (World Rank: 100) 4.30%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 58) 40,270bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 55) 15,560bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 46) 83,660bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 49) 473,000,000bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 53) 187,200bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 50) 240,000bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 47) 66,650bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 79) 52,880bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 36) 12,620,000,000m³
Consumption (World Rank: 52) 10,880,000,000m³
Export (World Rank: 32) 4,830,000,000m³
Carbon footprint
41000000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 108) 4% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 91) 1% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 126) 6% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 98) -3% of GDP
National symbol
vicuna
National colours
white
Adjective
Peruvian
Noun
Peruvian(s)
Background
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were 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 resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in the spring of 2001, which installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, oversaw a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in June 2011, and carried on the sound, market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Poverty and unemployment levels have fallen dramatically in the last decade, and today Peru boasts one of the best performing economies in Latin America. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow presidential runoff election in June 2016.
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 (representing fauna), a cinchona tree (the source of quinine, signifying flora), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins (denoting mineral wealth); red recalls blood shed for independence, white symbolizes peace

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 47) 406,500,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 66) 4.00%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 117) 12,900USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 106) 7.60%
Source industry (World Rank: 46) 34.70%
Source service (World Rank: 139) 57.70%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 37) 16,800,000
In poverty (World Rank: 90) 22.70%
Products
Industries
  • - beer
  • - cement
  • - chemicals
  • - clothing
  • - electrical machinery
  • - fish processing
  • - fishing
  • - food processing
  • - furniture
  • - glass
  • - machinery
  • - metal fabrication
  • - mining
  • - natural gas
  • - natural gas liquefaction
  • - petroleum extraction
  • - refining
  • - refining of minerals
  • - rubber
  • - soft drinks
  • - steel
  • - textiles
Agriculture
  • - apples
  • - artichokes
  • - asparagus
  • - avocados
  • - bananas
  • - barley
  • - beef
  • - blueberries
  • - coca
  • - cocoa
  • - coffee
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - dairy products
  • - dry beans
  • - fish
  • - grapes
  • - guavas
  • - guinea pigs
  • - lemons
  • - mangoes
  • - marigolds
  • - medicinal plants
  • - onions
  • - oranges
  • - palm oil
  • - pears
  • - pineapples
  • - plantains
  • - pork
  • - potatoes
  • - poultry
  • - quinoa
  • - rice
  • - sugarcane
  • - tomatoes
  • - wheat
Exports
  • - alloys
  • - apparel
  • - asparagus
  • - chemicals
  • - coffee
  • - copper
  • - crude petroleum
  • - fabricated metal products
  • - fish
  • - fishmeal
  • - fruit
  • - gold
  • - iron ore
  • - lead
  • - machinery
  • - molybdenum
  • - natural gas
  • - other vegetables
  • - petroleum products
  • - silver
  • - textiles
  • - tin
  • - zinc
Imports
  • - chemicals
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - front-end loaders
  • - iron
  • - machinery
  • - medicines
  • - paper
  • - petroleum
  • - petroleum products
  • - plastics
  • - power shovels
  • - soybean products
  • - steel
  • - telecommunication equipment
  • - telephones
  • - TV sets
  • - vaccines
  • - vehicles
  • - wheat

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 49) 3,074,460
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 131) 10.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 77) 120.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 41) 13,975,400
Population (World Rank: 130) 45.50%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 41) 59.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 28) 132.00
Heliports (World Rank: 35) 5.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 76) 1,854
Road
Total length (World Rank: 36) 140,672
Water
Total length (World Rank: 14) 8,808
Popular places in this country

This is a list of famous places in this country in alphabetical order.