| Background:
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured
by the Spanish conquistadores 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 caused him to resign
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. |
| Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km land:
1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km |
| Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Alaska |
| Land boundaries:total: 5,536 km border countries:
Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.),
Ecuador 1,420 km |
| Coastline:2,414 km |
| 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 highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m |
| Natural
resources:
copper, silver, gold, petroleum,
timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower |
| Land
use:
arable land: 3% permanent
crops: 0% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 66% other:
10% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards:
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding,
landslides, mild volcanic activity |
| 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 |
| Geography
- note:
shares control of Lago Titicaca,
world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; remote Lake McIntyre
is the ultimate source of the Amazon River |
| Population:
27,483,864 (July 2001 est.)
|
| Population
growth rate:
1.7% (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate:
39.39 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.3 years
male: 67.9 years female: 72.81 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate:
2.96 children born/woman (2001
est.) |
| Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s) |
| Ethnic
groups:
Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed
Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and
other 3% |
| Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua
(official), Aymara |
| Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over
can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 94.5% female: 83%
(1995 est.) |
| Government
type:
constitutional republic |
| 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) |
| Executive
branch:
President Alejandro TOLEDO
(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 Raul DIEZ Conseco (since
28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July
2001) note: Prime Minister Roberto DANINO (since 28 July 2001) 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
election held 8 April 2001 with runoff election 3 June 2001); next
to be held NA 2006 election results: President TOLEDO elected in runoff
election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%
|
| Legislative
branch:
unicameral Democratic Constituent
Congress or Congresso Constituyente Democratico (120 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last
held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 8 April 2001) note: many congressmen
defected to and then from former President FUJIMORI's coalition in
2000 election results: percent of vote by party - Peru 2000 42.16%,
Peru Possible 23.34%, FIM 7.56%, Somos Peru 7.2%, APRA 5.5%, others
14.24%; seats by party - Peru 2000 52, Peru Possible 29, FIM 9, others
30 |
| 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:
American Popular Revolutionary
Alliance or APRA [Alan GARCIA]; Andean Rebirth [Ciro GALVEZ Herreria];
Avancemos [leader NA]; Democratic Cause [Jorge SANTISTEVAN]; Independent
Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Solidarity
or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; National Unity [Lourdes FLORES Nano];
Peru 2000 [leader NA]; Peru Posible or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Maniquez];
Popular Action or AP [leader NA]; Popular Agrarian Front of Peru or
Frepap [leader NA]; Popular Solution [Carlos BOLONA Behr]; Project
Country [Mario Antonio ARRUNATEGUI]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE];
Union for Peru or UPP [leader NA]; Vamos Vecinos or VV [Absalon VASQUEZ]
|
| Political
pressure groups and leaders:
leftist guerrilla groups include
Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO
(top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA
[Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]
|
| 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 Peruvian economy has become
increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed
since 1990 in the mining, electricity, and telecommunications industries.
Thanks to strong foreign investment and the cooperation between the
FUJIMORI government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong
in 1994-97 and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's
impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability
in Brazilian markets undercut growth. And 1999 was another lean year
for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial crisis
working its way through the economy. Political instability resulting
from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent departure
from office limited economic growth in 2000. |
| GDP:
purchasing power parity -
$123 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate:
3.6% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita:
purchasing power parity -
$4,550 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector:
agriculture: 15% industry:
42% services: 43% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line:
49% (1994 est.) |
| Inflation
rate :
3.7% (2000 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate:
7.7%; extensive underemployment
(1997) |
| Budget:
revenues: $8.5 billion expenditures:
$9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (1996 est.)
|
| Industrial
production growth rate:
8.5% (2000 est.) |
| Exports:
$7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
|
| Exports
- partners:
US 29%, EU 25%, Andean Community
6%, Japan 4%, Mercosur 3% (1999) |
| Imports:
$7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- partners:
US 32%, EU 21%, Andean Community
6%, Mercosur 8%, Japan 5% (1999) |
| Currency:
nuevo sol (PEN) |
| Exchange
rates:
nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.5230 (January
2001), 3.4900 (2000), 3.383 (1999), 2.930 (1998), 2.664 (1997), 2.453
(1996) |
| Telephone
system:
general assessment: adequate
for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American
submarine cable |
| Military
branches:
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy
(Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast
Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police (Policia
Nacional) |
| Military
expenditures:
$1 billion (FY00) |
| Military
expenditures, % of GDP:
1.9% (FY00) |
