1994 Edition

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 note: the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990 mandate the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) intended to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 existing departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima. Because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities. The 1993 Constitution maintains the regionalization process with some modifications that will limit the powers of the regional governments. The new constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments.

Agriculture

accounts for 13% of GDP, about 35% 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 6.9 million metric tons (1990)

Airports

total: 252 usable: 222 with permanent-surface runways: 37 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 24 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 54

Area

total area: 1,285,220 sq km land area: 1.28 million sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alaska

Birth rate

25.55 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police

Budget

revenues: $2 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1992 est.)

Capital

Lima

Climate

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west

Coastline

2,414 km

Constitution

31 December 1993

Currency

1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $500 million, about 2% of GDP (1991)

Democratic Constituent Congress (CCD)

elections last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held April 1995); seats - (80 total) New Majority/Change 90 44, Popular Christian Party 8, Independent Moralization Front 7, Renewal 6, Movement of the Democratic Left 4, Democratic Coordinator 4, others 7; note - several major parties (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, Popular Action) did not participate; with the next election the congress will be expanded to 100 seats

Digraph

PE

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo LUNA Mendoza chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.3 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $577 million

Electricity

capacity: 5,042,000 kW production: 17.434 billion kWh consumption per capita: 760 kWh (1992)

Environment

current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima natural hazards: subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, mild volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Tropical Timber

Ethnic divisions

Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Exchange rates

nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1 - 2.180 (January 1994), 1.988 (1993), 1.245 (1992), 0.772 (1991), 0.187 (1990), 0.0027 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); election last held on 10 June 1990 (next to be held NA April 1995); results - Alberto FUJIMORI 56.53%, Mario VARGAS Llosa 33.92%, other 9.55% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president note: Prime Minister Efrain GOLDENBERG Schreiber (since February 1994) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president

Exports

$3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton partners: US 25%, Japan 9%, Italy, Germany

External debt

$22 billion (1993 est.)

FAX

(202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), and San Francisco

[51] (14) 31-6682

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

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

Highways

total: 69,942 km paved: 7,459 km unpaved: improved earth 13,538 km; unimproved earth 48,945 km

Illicit drugs

world's largest coca leaf producer with about 108,800 hectares under cultivation in 1993; source of supply for most of the world's coca paste and cocaine base; at least 85% of coca cultivation is for illicit production; most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market

Imports

$4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 30%, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Brazil

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Industrial production

growth rate -5% (1992 est.); accounts for 32% of GDP, including petroleum

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

39% (1993 est.)

Inland waterways

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

International disputes

three sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute

Irrigated land

12,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Labor force

8 million (1992) by occupation: government and other services 44%, agriculture 37%, industry 19% (1988 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 21% forest and woodland: 55% other: 21%

Languages

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.62 years male: 63.44 years female: 67.9 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 85% male: 92% female: 29%

Location

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Chile and Ecuador

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 6,199,785; fit for military service 4,188,706; reach military age (20) annually 246,427 (1994 est.)

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Member of

AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Merchant marine

17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 142,425 GRT/229,746 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 10, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 note: in addition, 6 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used commercially

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $70 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$3,000 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

6% (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

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

Other political or pressure groups

leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and Victor POLAY (imprisoned)

Overview

The Peruvian economy is becoming increasingly market oriented, with major privatizations scheduled for 1994 in the mining and telecommunications industries. In the 1980s the economy suffered from hyperinflation, declining per capita output, and mounting external debt. Peru was shut off from IMF and World Bank support in the mid-1980s because of its huge debt arrears. An austerity program implemented shortly after the FUJIMORI government took office in July 1990 contributed to a third consecutive yearly contraction of economic activity, but the slide halted late that year, and output rose 2.4% in 1991. After a burst of inflation as the austerity program eliminated government price subsidies, monthly price increases eased to the single-digit level and by December 1991 dropped to the lowest increase since mid-1987. Lima obtained a financial rescue package from multilateral lenders in September 1991, although it faced $14 billion in arrears on its external debt. By working with the IMF and World Bank on new financial conditions and arrangements, the government succeeded in ending its arrears by March 1993. In 1992, GDP fell by 2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in a 30% drop in the fish catch. In 1993 the economy rebounded as strong foreign investment helped push growth to 6%.

Pipelines

crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km

Political parties and leaders

note: Peru's political party system has become fragmented in recent years with independent movements proliferating; key parties are listed New Majority/Change 90 (Cambio 90), Alberto FUJIMORI; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Popular Action Party (AP), Raul DIEZ CANSECO; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Armando VILLANUEVA del CAMPO; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega; National Renewal, Rafael REY Rey; Democratic Coordinator, Jose BARBA Caballero; Democratic Left Movement, Henry PEASE; Solidarity and Democracy (SODE), Manuel MOREYRA; National Front of Workers and Peasants (FRENATRACA), Roger CACARES

Population

23,650,671 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.86% (1994 est.)

Ports

Callao, Ilo, Iquitos, Matarani, Talara

Railroads

1,801 km total; 1,501 km 1.435-meter gauge, 300 km 0.914-meter gauge

Religions

Roman Catholic

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

fairly adequate for most requirements; nationwide microwave system; 544,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 273 AM, no FM, 140 TV, 144 shortwave; satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 12 domestic

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

3.11 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

republic

Unemployment rate

15%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr. embassy: corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima mailing address: P. O. Box 1991, Lima 1, Unit 3822, or APO AA 34031 telephone: [51] (14) 33-8000