2020 Edition

Background

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were 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, an economic slump and the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in 2001 that installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, presided over a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in 2011 and carried on the market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow runoff in the 2016 presidential election. Facing impeachment after evidence surfaced of his involvement in a vote-buying scandal, KUCZYNSKI offered his resignation in 2018, and First Vice President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo was sworn in as president. In 2019, VIZCARRA invoked his constitutional authority to dissolve Peru's Congress after months of battling with the body over anticorruption reforms. New congressional elections in 2020 resulted in an opposition-led legislature. The Congress impeached VIZCARRA for a second time and removed him from office after accusations of corruption and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of vacancies in the vice-presidential positions, the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel MERINO, became the next president. His ascension to office was not well received, and large protests forced his resignation later in 2020. Francisco SAGASTI assumed the position of President of Peru after being appointed President of the Congress the previous day. Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones won presidential election in 2021 but was impeached and ousted the following year; his vice president, Dina BOLUARTE, assumed the presidency by constitutional succession in 2022.

Area

land

1,279,996 sq km

total

1,285,216 sq km

water

5,220 sq km

Area - comparative

almost twice the size of Texas; 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

highest point

Nevado Huascaran 6,746 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,555 m

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316-m (17,441-ft) peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two-and-a-half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animals

Irrigated land

25,800 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bolivia 1,212 km; Brazil 2,659 km; Chile 168 km; Colombia 1,494 km; Ecuador 1,529 km

total

7,062 km

Land use

agricultural land

19.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.)

forest

52.9% (2023 est.)

other

28% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago Titicaca (shared with Bolivia) - 8,030 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amazon river source (shared with Brazil [m]) - 6,400 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

Natural hazards

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m) is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

approximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

25.8% (male 4,293,229/female 4,119,269)

15-64 years

66.2% (male 10,546,502/female 11,041,106)

65 years and over

8% (2024 est.) (male 1,112,825/female 1,487,318)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

2% (2020)

women married by age 18

14.1% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.7% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.7% (2022 est.)

Death rate

9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

8.3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.4 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

38.4 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 84.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 94.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 15.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

19.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 60.2%, Indigenous 25.8%, White 5.9%, African descent 3.6%, other (includes Chinese and Japanese descent) 1.2%, unspecified 3.3% (2017 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

16.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

11.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes many minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7% (2017 est.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.7 years

male

65.4 years

total population

68.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

90.7% (2024 est.)

male

97% (2024 est.)

total population

93.7% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

51 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

31.3 years

male

29.1 years

total

30.4 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2013 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Peruvian

noun

Peruvian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Physician density

1.69 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

16,752,166

male

16,016,448

total

32,768,614 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.55% (2025 est.)

Religions

Catholic 76%, Evangelical Christian 15.7%, no religion 5.1%, other religions 3.2% (2017 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 88.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2017 est.)

male

15 years (2017 est.)

total

15 years (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2.1% (2025 est.)

male

9.5% (2025 est.)

total

5.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

78.9% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento), 1 province* (provincia), and 1 constitutional province** (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao**, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Capital

etymology

the name is an early Spanish mispronunciation of the Quechua name Rimak, referring to a god and deriving from the word rima (to speak); Quechua priests used to speak to worshippers from inside statues of their gods

geographic coordinates

12 03 S, 77 03 W

name

Lima

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

2 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions

history

several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Peru

conventional short form

Peru

etymology

the name may derive from the Guarani word biru, meaning "river"

local long form

República del Perú

local short form

Perú

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Bernardo NAVARRO; Chargé d’Affaires Joan PERKINS (since 18 April 2025)

email address and website

lima_webmaster@state.gov https://pe.usembassy.gov/

embassy

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

FAX

[51] (1) 618-2724

mailing address

3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230

telephone

[51] (1) 618-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

Webadmin@embassyofperu.us Embassy of Peru in the United States - E-United States - Platform of the Peruvian State (www.gob.pe)

FAX

[1] (202) 659-8124

telephone

[1] (202) 833-9860

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025)

election results

2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms)

expected date of next election

12 April 2026

head of government

President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025)

most recent election date

11 April 2021, with a runoff on 6 June 2021

Flag

description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), white, and red, with the coat of arms centered on the white band; the coat of arms has a shield with a vicuna, a cinchona tree, and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins meaning: the vicuna represents fauna, the cinchona tree is the source of quinine, and the cornucopia symbolizes mineral wealth; red stands for blood shed for independence, and white for peace

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

AIIB, APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 16 judges and divided into civil, criminal, and constitutional-social sectors)

judge selection and term of office

justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

April 2026

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República)

most recent election date

4/11/2021

number of seats

130 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Free Peru (PL) (37); Popular Force (FP) (24); Popular Action (AP) (16); Alliance for Progress (APP) (15); Go on Country - Social Integration Party (AvP) (10); Popular Renewal (RP) (9); We Are Peru" (SP) - Purple Party (PM) (9); Other (10)

percentage of women in chamber

41.5%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1821

lyrics/music

Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO

title

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

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Cuzco (c); Machu Picchu (m); Chavin (c); Historic Lima (c); Huascarán National Park (n); Chan Chan (c); Manú National Park (n); Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca (c); Rio Abiseo National Park (m); Historic Arequipa (c); Sacred City of Caral-Supe (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)

total World Heritage Sites

13 (9 cultural, 2 natural, 2 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821)

National symbol(s)

vicuna (a camelid related to the llama)

Political parties

Advance the Nation (Avanza País) or AvP Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA Free Peru (Perú Libre) or PL Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertación Nacional) or BMCN National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN Peru Bicentennial (Perú Bicentenario) or PB Popular Action (Acción Popular) or AP Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP Popular Renewal (Renovación Popular) or RP Purple Party (Partido Morado) Social Integration Party (Avanza País - Partido de Integración Social) Together For Perú (Juntos por el Peru) or JP We Are Peru (Somos Perú) of SP We Can Peru (Podemos Perú) or PP

Suffrage

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

Agricultural products

sugarcane, potatoes, rice, bananas, milk, maize, chicken, oil palm fruit, cassava, grapes (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

26.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$55.34 billion (2021 est.)

revenues

$48.003 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$9.972 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$881.934 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$6.39 billion (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$38.102 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper-middle-income South American economy; strong post-COVID rebound tempered by political uncertainty and climate risks; exports driven by mineral extraction and agriculture; large informal sector and uneven access to public services; stable fiscal position and financial sector

Exchange rates

Currency

nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

3.337 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3.495 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3.881 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

3.835 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

3.744 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$71.39 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$72.97 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$83.325 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper ore, gold, refined copper, refined petroleum, grapes (2023)

Exports - partners

China 34%, USA 14%, Canada 5%, India 4%, Switzerland 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

28.5% (2024 est.)

government consumption

13.4% (2024 est.)

household consumption

61.6% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-22.9% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.8% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.1% (2024 est.)

industry

32.2% (2024 est.)

services

52.7% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$289.222 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

40.7 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.6% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

2% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$69.936 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$63.776 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$67.16 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, trucks, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Imports - partners

China 26%, USA 21%, Brazil 7%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 3% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2024 est.)

Industries

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction; fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2% (2024 est.)

Labor force

18.918 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

27.5% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2021

35.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$520.872 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$518.771 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$535.911 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-0.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$15,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$15,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$15,700 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$72.328 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$71.394 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$79.246 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.9% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.9% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.8% (2024 est.)

male

7.9% (2024 est.)

total

8.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

973,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

1.261 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

446,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

1.382 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.567 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

53.3 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

47.696 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

16.164 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

6.638 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

85.1%

electrification - total population

96.2% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

99%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

44.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

49.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

30.923 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

9.675 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

4.883 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

14.647 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

300.159 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

858.89 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

255,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2023 est.)

total

3.53 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

10 major TV networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state owned; multi-channel cable TV services are available; in excess of 5,000 radio stations including a substantial number of local-language stations (2021)

Internet country code

.pe

Internet users

percent of population

80% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

1.504 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

42.6 million (2024 est.)

Airports

174 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OB

Heliports

7 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 9, other 101

total

111 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos, Puerto del Callao, Talara

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

16

small

3

total ports

20 (2024)

very small

16

Railways

narrow gauge

124 km (2014) 0.914-m gauge

standard gauge

1,730.4 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified)

total

1,854.4 km (2017)

Military - note

the Peruvian Armed Forces (FAP) are responsible for external defense in addition to some domestic security responsibilities in designated emergency areas and in exceptional circumstances; key areas of focus include counterinsurgency, counternarcotics, cyber defense, disaster relief, and maritime security operations; the FAP supported the police during anti-government protests in early 2023; it has contributed to UN missions since 1958 and has ties to regional militaries, particularly Colombia, as well as those of numerous other countries such as China, Russia, Spain, and the US; the FAP’s last external conflict was a brief border war with Ecuador in 1995 the Special Command of the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers (CE-VRAEM) is responsible for combating the remnants of the Shining Path terrorist group (aka Sendero Luminoso) and includes several thousand air, ground, naval, police, and special forces personnel; the FAP also provides aircraft, vehicles, and logistical support to the command (2025)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Peru (Fuerzas Armadas del Perú or FAP): Peruvian Army (Ejercito del Peru), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP, includes naval infantry and General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards, DICAPI), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) Ministry of the Interior: Peruvian National Police (Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 85,000 active-duty Armed Forces (50,000 Army; 25,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 75,000 National Police (2025)

Military deployments

225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Spain, and the US; Peru has a small defense industry, including a shipyard that builds and upgrades naval vessels; it also has defense industrial cooperation agreements with several countries, including Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (12-24 months) (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

83,441 (2024 est.)

refugees

546,699 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

32 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2006 - launched first sounding rocket/space probe (Paulet-1) 2013 - first domestically built scientific/research satellite (PUCP-SAT-1) launched by Russia; launched first domestically built rocket (Paulet 1-B) capable of reaching the stratosphere 2016 - first remote sensing satellite (PeruSat-1) acquired from France and launched on European rocket 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration

Space agency/agencies

National Aerospace Research and Development Commission (Comisión Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Aeroespacia, CONIDA; established 1974) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

in 2024, Peru announced an initiative to develop a future spaceport in Talara (Piura department)

Space program overview

focuses on acquiring satellites, applying space applications such as data satellite imagery, and building small rockets; has built a small science/technology satellite; operates satellites and processes satellite imagery data; builds and launches sounding rockets with goal of developing a satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV); researching, developing, and acquiring technologies for manufacturing satellites and satellite payloads, including remote sensing (RS) capabilities; member of Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) since its formation in 2021; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and the US, as well as other ALCE signatories (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso); Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

2.177 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

21.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

34.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

58.903 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes; overfishing

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

1

International environmental agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

623.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

233.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

317 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

31.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.88 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

21.112 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

1.666 billion cubic meters (2022)

municipal

3.141 billion cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

8.357 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

9.2% (2022 est.)