Background: After a dozen years of military rule Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years bold reform programs and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth.

Land boundaries: 6,940 km total; Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,414 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea:200 nm

Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west

Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash

Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 21% meadows and pastures; 55% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes 1% irrigated

Geography
Note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia

Population: 21,905,605 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Peruvian(s; adjective--Peruvian

Ethnic groups: 45% Indian; 37% mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry; 15% white; 3% black, Japanese, Chinese, and other

Languages: Spanish and Quechua (official), Aymara

Religions: predominantly Roman Catholic

Birth rate: 28 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, mild volcanic activity; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima

Infant mortality rate: 67 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 66 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: 80% (est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Peru

Government type: republic

Capital: Lima

Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional; Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, 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: 28 July 1980 (often referred to as the 1979 Constitution because constituent assembly met in 1979, but Constitution actually took effect the following year; reestablished civilian government with a popularly elected president and bicameral legislature

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

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--President-elect Alberto FUJIMORI (since 10 June 1990; Vice President-elect Maximo San ROMAN (since 10 June 1990; Vice President-elect Carlos GARCIA; President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 1985; First Vice President Luis Alberto SANCHEZ Sanchez (since 28 July 1985; Second Vice President Luis Juan ALVA Castro (since 28 July 1985; Head of Government--Prime Minister Guillermo LARCO Cox (since 3 October 1989)

Legislative branch: Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

International organization participation: Andean Pact, AIOEC, ASSIMER, CCC, CIPEC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, INTERPOL, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Cesar G. ATALA; Chancery at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,036; telephone (202) 833-9,860 through 9,869; Peruvian Consulates General are located in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico; US--Ambassador Anthony QUAINTON; Embassy at the corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima (mailing address is P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1010, or APO Miami 34,031; telephone p51o (14) 338-000

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 llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

Economy overview: The economy is verging on hyperinflation and economic activity is contracting rapidly. Deficit spending is at the root of domestic economic problems, but poor relations with international lenders--the result of curtailing debt payments since 1985--are preventing an inflow of funds to generate a recovery. Reduced standards of living have increased labor tensions, and strikes, particularly in the key mining sector, have cut production and exports. Foreign exchange shortages have forced reductions in vital consumer imports such as food and industrial inputs. Peru is the world's leading producer of coca, from which the drug cocaine is produced.

Agriculture products: accounts for 12% of GDP, 37% of labor force; commercial crops--coffee, cotton, sugarcane; other crops--rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; animal products--poultry, red meats, dairy, wool; not self-sufficient in grain or vegetable oil; fish catch of 4.6 million metric tons (1987), world's fifth-largest

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

Industrial production growth rate: - 25.0% (1988 est.)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 15.0%; underemployment estimated at 60% (1989)

Budget: revenues $3.2 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $796 million (1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $3.55 billion (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodities: fishmeal, cotton, sugar, coffee, copper, iron ore, refined silver, lead, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts
Partners: EC 22%, US 20%, Japan 11%, Latin America 8%, USSR 4%

Imports: $2.50 billion (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, transport equipment, iron and steel semimanufactures, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 23%, Latin America 16%, EC 12%, Japan 7%, Switzerland 3%

Debt external: $17.7 billion (December 1989)

Exchange rates: intis (I/) per US$1--5,261.40 (December 1989), 128.83 (1988), 16.84 (1987), 13.95 (1986), 10.97 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 4,867,000 kW capacity; 15,540 million kWh produced, 725 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 4.9% of GNP (1987)

Airports: 242 total, 226 usable; 35 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 24 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 39 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: crude oil, 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids, 64 km

Waterways: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km Lago Titicaca

Merchant marine: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 341,213 GRT/535,215 DWT; includes 18 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 8 bulk; note--in addition, 7 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used commercially

Disputes international: two sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute

Illicit drugs: world's largest coca producer and source of supply for coca paste and cocaine base; about 85% of cultivation is for illicit production; most of coca base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market