2010 Edition

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, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, has overseen a robust macroeconomic performance.

Area

land

1,279,996 sq km

total

1,285,216 sq km

water

5,220 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Alaska

Climate

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes

Coastline

2,414 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

720 cu m/yr (2000)

total

20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%)

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

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

Irrigated land

12,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

total

7,461 km

Land use

arable land

2.88%

other

96.65% (2005)

permanent crops

0.47%

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

volcanism

Peru experiences volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (elev. 5,672 m, 18,609 ft), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

1,913 cu km (2000)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 4,370,923/female 4,216,364) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 9,695,270/female 9,574,018) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 796,631/female 893,757) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

19 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,300 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

76,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

25.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

30.15 deaths/1,000 live births

total

27.74 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish 84.1% (official), Quechua 13% (official), Aymara 1.7%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages 0.7% (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages), other 0.2% (2007 Census)

Life expectancy at birth

female

73 years (2010 est.)

male

69.14 years

total population

71.03 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

89.4% (2007 Census)

male

96.4%

total population

92.9%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease

leptospirosis (2009)

Median age

female

26.7 years (2010 est.)

male

26.1 years

total

26.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Peruvian

noun

Peruvian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

29,907,003 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.193% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2006)

male

13 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.046 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.32 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

71% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 03 S, 77 03 W

name

Lima

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

29 December 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Peru

conventional short form

Peru

local long form

Republica del Peru

local short form

Peru

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS

embassy

Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33

FAX

[51] (1) 618-2397

mailing address

P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000

telephone

[51] (1) 434-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Luis VALDIVIESO Montano

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 659-8124

telephone

[1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Alan GARCIA Perez elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA Perez 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive reelection); presidential and congressional elections last held on 9 April 2006 with runoff election held on 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011

head of government

President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006) note: Prime Minister Jose Antonio CHANG Escobedo (since 14 September 2010) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president

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 (representing fauna), a cinchona tree (the source of quinine, signifying flora), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins (denoting mineral wealth); red recalls blood shed for independence, white symbolizes peace

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

elections

last held on 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO note: adopted 1822; the song won a national contest for an anthem

name

"Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF (a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Central Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes) [Victor Andres GARCIA Belaunde]; National Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY]; National Restoration Party (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Solidarity Party (Partido Solidaridad Nacional) or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA Perez] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA); Peruvian Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Union for Peru (Union por el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]

Political pressure groups and leaders

General Workers Confederation of Peru (Confederacion General de Trabajadores del Peru) or CGTP [Mario HUAMAN]; Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) or SL [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Victor QUISPE Palomino (top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70

Agriculture - products

asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mango, barley, medicinal plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish; guinea pigs

Central bank discount rate

1.7% (31 December 2010 est.) 7.25% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

21.04% (31 December 2009 est.) 23.67% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$333 million (2010 est.) $246.3 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$33.29 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $30.51 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.6 (2009) 46.2 (1996)

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. The Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 9% per year in 2007 and 2008, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals and the government's aggressive trade liberalization strategies, but then fell to less than 1% in 2009 in the face of the world recession and lower commodity export prices. Growth resumed in 2010 at nearly 8%, due partly to increased exports. Peru's rapid expansion has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by about 15% since 2002, though underemployment remains high; inflation has trended downward in 2009, to below the Central Bank's 1-3% target. Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and poor infrastructure precludes the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas. Not all Peruvians therefore have shared in the benefits of growth and despite President GARCIA's pursuit of sound trade and macroeconomic policies, persistent inequality has cost him political support. Nevertheless, he remains committed to Peru's free-trade path. Since 2006, Peru has signed trade deals with the United States, Canada, Singapore, and China, concluded negotiations with the European Union, and begun trade talks with Korea, Japan, and others. The US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) entered into force 1 February 2009, opening the way to greater trade and investment between the two economies.

Electricity - consumption

28.97 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

30.57 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Exchange rates

nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 2.8178 (2010), 3.0115 (2009), 2.91 (2008), 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006)

Exports

$33.73 billion (2010 est.) $26.88 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, fishmeal

Exports - partners

US 17.86%, China 15.96%, Canada 11.35%, Japan 6.75%, Chile 5.42%, Germany 4.25% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5.8%

industry

33%

services

52.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,200 (2010 est.) $8,600 (2009 est.) $8,700 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.8% (2010 est.) 0.9% (2009 est.) 9.8% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$153.5 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$274.7 billion (2010 est.) $254.8 billion (2009 est.) $252.5 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Imports

$25.74 billion (2010 est.) $21.01 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners

US 23.96%, China 10.74%, Ecuador 7.25%, Brazil 7.19%, Chile 5.68%, Argentina 5.59%, Mexico 5.02% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

8.5% (2010 est.)

Industries

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2010 est.) 2.9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

10.58 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.7%

industry

23.8%

services

75.5% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$69.75 billion (31 December 2009) $55.63 billion (31 December 2008) $106 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

NA note: in 2010 Peru became a net exporter of LNG (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

334.1 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

157,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

68,640 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

133,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

148,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

470.8 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

34.8% (2009)

Public debt

23.6% of GDP (2010 est.) 25% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$37.27 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $33.23 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$55.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $43.57 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$2.12 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.88 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$43.47 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $36.91 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$28.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $23.37 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$20.53 billion (31 December 2010 est) $16.77 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

6.7% (2010 est.) 8.1% (2009 est.) note: data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Broadcast media

6 major television networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state-owned; multi-channel cable TV services are available; more than 500 radio stations including a substantial number of indigenous language stations (2007)

Internet country code

.pe

Internet hosts

268,225 (2010)

Internet users

9.158 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is only about 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to roughly 85 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

adequate for most requirements; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations

international

country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.965 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

24.7 million (2009)

Airports

211 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

58 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

153 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 87 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 7

foreign-owned

1 (Bahamas 1)

registered in other countries

13 (Belize 1, Panama 12) (2010)

total

13

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 533 km; gas 1,083 km; liquid petroleum gas 677 km; oil 1,018 km; refined products 15 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

Railways

narrow gauge

263 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

standard gauge

1,726 km 1.435-m gauge

total

1,989 km

Roadways

total

102,887 km note: includes 23,838 km of national roads, 19,049 km of departmental roads, and 60,000 km of local roads (2007)

Waterways

8,808 km note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries on Amazon system and 208 km on Lago Titicaca (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 7,920,056 females age 16-49: 7,795,130 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 6,045,256 females age 16-49: 6,501,224 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

302,452 (2010 est.)

male

312,375

Military branches

Army of Peru (Ejercito Peruano), Navy of Peru (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and Coast Guard)), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2010)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)

Disputes - international

Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border

Illicit drugs

until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000 hectares in 2007; second largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 210 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; 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, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipment to Europe and Africa; increasing domestic drug consumption page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)