1998 Edition

Area

total: 1,285,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Alaska

Climate

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west

Coastline

2,414 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Environment-current issues

deforestation; 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

Environment-international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

12,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 6,940 km border countries: 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% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 66% other: 10% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 36% (male 4,745,363; female 4,589,017) 15-64 years: 60% (male 7,856,414; female 7,752,085) 65 years and over: 4% (male 535,566; female 632,665) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

26.69 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

43.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.97 years male: 67.78 years female: 72.25 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 94.5% female: 83% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian

Net migration rate

-1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

26,111,110 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.97% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.31 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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 mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 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 retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments

Constitution

31 December 1993

Country name

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

Data code

PE

Executive branch

chief of state: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government note: Prime Minister Alberto PANDOLFI Arbulu (since 3 April 1996) 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; election last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: President FUJIMORI reelected; percent of vote-Alberto FUJIMORI 64.42%, Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR 21.80%, Mercedes CABANILLAS 4.11%, other 9.67%

FAX

[1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis C. JETT embassy: Avenida Encalada, Cuadra 17, Monterrico, Lima mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000

[51] (1) 434-3037

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

Government type

republic

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo V. LUNA MENDOZA chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary Political parties and leaders: Change 90-New Majority (C90/NM), Alberto FUJIMORI; Union for Peru (UPP), Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Luis ALVA Castro; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega; Democratic Coordinator (CODE)-Pais Posible, Jose BARBA Caballero and Alejandro TOLEDO; Popular Action Party (AP), Juan DIAZ Leon; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Renovation Party, Rafael REY Rey; Civic Works Movement (OBRAS), Ricardo BELMONT; United Left (IU); Independent Agrarian Movement (MIA) Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Oscar RAMIREZ Durand (top leader at large); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA, Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at large)

Legal system

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

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 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-C90/NM 52.1%, UPP 14%, 11 other parties 33.9%; seats by party, when installed on 28 July 1995-C90/NM 67, UPP 17, APRA 8, FIM 6, (CODE)-Pais Posible 5, AP 4, PPC 3, Renovacion 3, IU 2, OBRAS 2, other parties 3

National capital

Lima

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; poultry, red meats, dairy products, wool; fish catch of 6.9 million metric tons (1990)

Budget

revenues: $8.5 billion expenditures: $9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (1996 est.)

Currency

1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos

Debt-external

$25.7 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $363 million (1993)

Economy-overview

The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed since 1990 in the mining, electricity, 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 came to a halt late that year, and in 1991 output rose 2.4%. 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, but the economy rebounded as strong foreign investment helped push growth to 7% in 1993, about 13% in 1994, and 6.8% in 1995. Growth slowed to about 2.8% in 1996 as the government adopted tight fiscal and monetary policy to reduce the current account deficit and meet its IMF targets. Growth then rebounded to 7.3% in 1997 even as inflation fell to its lowest level in 23 years. Capital inflows surged to record levels in early 1997 and have remained strong despite economic shocks stemming from the Asian financial crisis and the El Nino weather events.

Electricity-capacity

4.187 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

648 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

15.6 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1-2.750 (January 1998), 2.664 (1997), 2.453 (1996), 2.253 (1995), 2.195 (1994), 1.988 (1993)

Exports

total value: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton partners: US 20%, Japan 7%, UK 7%, China 7%, Germany 5% (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$110.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 14% industry: 41% services: 45% (1996)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$4,420 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

7.3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 31%, Colombia 7%, Chile 6%, Venezuela 6%, UK 6% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (1996)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

6.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 7.6 million (1996 est.) by occupation: agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services

Radio broadcast stations

AM 273, FM 0, shortwave 144

Radios

5.7 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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)

Telephones

779,306 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

140

Televisions

2 million (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.2%; extensive underemployment (1996)

Airports

244 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 43 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 201 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 100 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 72,800 km paved: 7,353 km unpaved: 65,447 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 68,752 GRT/100,213 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km Ports and harbors: Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

Railways

total: 2,041 km standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 315 km 0.914-m gauge (1994)

Waterways

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

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$998 million (1996); note-may not include off-budget purchases related to military modernization program

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.9% (1996)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 6,756,771 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 4,555,282 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

20 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 264,915 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

three sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute

Illicit drugs

until recently the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru has reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 40%, from 115,300 hectares in 1995 to 68,800 hectares at the end of 1997; source of supply for most of the world's cocaine base; most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing