Map of Peru | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000 but international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001 which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of corruption.


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Location: Western South America bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S 76 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 1,285,220 km²
Land: 1.28 million km²
Water: 5,220 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries
Total: 5,536 km
Border countries: (4) Bolivia 900 km; , Brazil 1,560 km; , Chile 160 km; , Colombia 1,496 km; (est.), 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
Extremes 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: 2.89%
Permanent crops: 0.4%
Other: 96.71% (2001)

Irrigated land: 11,950 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: earthquakes tsunamis flooding landslides mild volcanic activity

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


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Population: 27,544,305 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.39% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 54% (2003 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Peruvian
Adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45% mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37% white 15% black Japanese Chinese and other 3%

Languages: Spanish (official) Quechua (official) Aymara and a large number of minor Amazonian languages

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 4,496,146; female 4,340,580)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,709,098; female 8,594,351)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 660,734; female 743,396) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 24.6 years
Male: 24.4 years
Female: 24.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 21.27 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.05 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 32.95 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 35.57 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 30.21 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.22 years
Male: 67.48 years
Female: 71.03 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 82,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 4,200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 90.9%
Male: 95.2%
Female: 86.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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: Lima

Administrative divisions
Note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1 constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25 administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over the course of several years

Dependent areas

Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day 28 July (1821)

Constitution: 31 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - members of the military may not vote

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
Head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
Note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003) 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; special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001, with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
Election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%, APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others 17

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: Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

International organization participation: APEC CAN FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU LAES LAIA Mercosur (associate) MIGA MINUSTAH MONUC NAM OAS ONUB OPANAL OPCW PCA RG UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMEE UNMIL UNOCI UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
In the us chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 833-9,860 through 9,869
In the us fax: [1] (202) 659-8,124
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington (DC)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
From the us embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34,031-5,000
From the us telephone: [51] (1) 434-3,000
From the us fax: [51] (1) 434-3,037

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 was one of the fastest growing in Latin America in 2002 and 2003 growing by 5% and 4% respectively with the exchange rate stable and an annual inflation lower than 2%. Foreign direct investment also was strong thanks to the ongoing Camisea natural gas pipeline project (scheduled to begin operations in 2004) and investments in gold mining. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2003 reflecting investor optimism and the government's fiscal restraint. Despite the strong macroeconomic performance political intrigue and allegations of corruption continued to swirl in 2003 with the TOLEDO administration growing increasingly unpopular and local and foreign concern rising that the political turmoil could place the country's hard-won fiscal and financial stability at risk. Moreover as of late 2003 unemployment had yet to respond to the strong growth in economic activity owing in part to rigid labor market regulations that act as an impediment to hiring.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8%
Industry: 27%
Services: 65% (2003 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee cotton sugarcane rice wheat potatoes corn plantains coca; poultry beef dairy products wool; fish

Industries: mining of metals petroleum fishing textiles clothing food processing cement auto assembly steel shipbuilding metal fabrication

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 8.63 million (2003 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 5.9%
By occupation mining and quarrying: 0.4%
By occupation manufacturing: 12.6%
By occupation construction: 5.3%
By occupation commerce: 26.3%
By occupation household work: 4.9%
By occupation other services: 44.6% (2004)

Unemployment rate: 9.7%; widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 54% (2003 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.6%
Highest 10: 35.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income gini index: 46.2 (1996)

Budget
Revenues: $15.86 billion
Expenditures: $17.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2003 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 49.2% of GDP (2003)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.3% (2003 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $-1.116 billion (2003)

Exports: $8.954 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: fish and fish products gold copper zinc crude petroleum and byproducts lead coffee sugar cotton
Partners: US 27.1% UK 12.4% China 7.7% Switzerland 7.6% Chile 4.7% Japan 4.4% (2003)

Imports: $8.244 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery transport equipment foodstuffs petroleum iron and steel chemicals pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 28.6% Spain 10% Chile 7.5% Brazil 5.1% Colombia 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $29.95 billion (2003 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4785 (2003) 3.5165 (2002) 3.5068 (2001) 3.49 (2000) 3.3833 (1999)


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Electricity
Production: 20.59 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 19.15 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 370 million m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 370 million m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 245.1 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1,839,200 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 2,908,800 (2003)

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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .pe
Hosts: 65,868 (2003)
Users: 2.85 million (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $829.4 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 1.3% (2003)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 233 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 52
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 20
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 182
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 21
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 62
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: gas 388 km; oil 1557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 3,462 km
Standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
By type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
Foreign owned: United States 1
Registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Bolivia has reanimated its claim to restore the Atacama corridor ceded to Chile and adjoining Peru in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime assess for Bolivian natural gas

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)

Illicit drugs: until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to 31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; 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