Peru
Peru holds Machu Picchu, a whole Inca city built on a mountain ridge and hidden from the outside world for over 300 years.
- CapitalLimaA desert city that almost never gets rain
- PopulationAbout 34 millionAround a third live in Lima
- Area1,285,216 km2Third largest in South America
- LanguagesSpanish, Quechua, AymaraAll three are official
Peru comes in three strips. A narrow desert coast where it hardly ever rains, the Andes mountains running down the middle, and Amazon rainforest filling the whole eastern half of the country.
The Inca empire was the largest in the Americas before the Spanish arrived in 1532. It ran for over 4,000 km along the Andes and was held together by a road network and by knotted strings called quipu that recorded numbers, because the Inca had no writing.
National symbols
- National animal Vicuna, a wild relative of the llama with the finest wool in the world
- National colours Red and white
- National anthem Himno Nacional del Peru (Translation: National Anthem of Peru)
- National day Independence Day, 28 July
Map of Peru
Geography
Peru covers 1,285,216 km2 and borders Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile, with the Pacific Ocean to the west.
The Andes run the length of the country and rise to Huascaran at 6,768 m. Lake Titicaca, shared with Bolivia, sits at 3,812 m and is the highest large navigable lake in the world. The Amazon River is generally considered to begin in the Peruvian Andes.
Climate
The coast is desert, cooled by the Humboldt Current flowing up from Antarctica. Lima gets almost no rain, only a grey coastal mist that locals call the garua.
The mountains are cool and dry, with strong sun by day and near-freezing nights. The Amazon side is hot and wet all year. Every few years El Nino warms the Pacific and flips the pattern, bringing floods to the desert.
Famous landmarks
There are several fascinating landmarks, monuments and buildings in Peru including the historical site of Machu Picchu, Temple of the Moon, the incredible Inca Trail, Moray Inca Site, the religious sites of Compania de Jesus Church and the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, Monolithic carvings of Aramu Muru and Sayhuite Monolith, Ancient Burial Sites and Shrines, the Tucume Pyramids, and the Pyramids of Caral in Lima (oldest city in the Americas).
Peru is famous for its archaeological heritage, colonial architecture and for having one of the most historical landmarks in the world; the Incan site at Machu Picchu which receives thousands of visitors every week. This South American country is steeped in history and ancient civilizations that once lived here, and is known for its natural stunning beauty. This large South American country boasts dense forests, fabulous beaches and a rich ecosystem of plants and animals, including rare species such as jaguar, puma and the spectacled bear. Paddington Bear originates from Peru and the Spectacled Bear, is in fact, the species by which the fictional Paddington Bear character is based upon.
Culture
Spanish, Quechua and Aymara are all official. Quechua was the language of the Inca and is still spoken by millions of people in the highlands.
Peruvian food is celebrated worldwide, mixing Indigenous ingredients with Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. Ceviche, raw fish cured in lime juice, is the national dish. About 76 per cent of Peruvians are Catholic.
Economy
Mining dominates. Peru is one of the world's largest producers of copper, silver, zinc and gold, most of it dug from the Andes.
Fishing off the cold Pacific coast is among the biggest catches on Earth, mostly anchoveta turned into fishmeal. Farming exports include coffee, asparagus, blueberries and avocados, and tourism to Machu Picchu is a major earner.
The flag
The flag has three vertical bands, red on both sides and white in the middle. One story says the independence leader Jose de San Martin saw red and white flamingos flying overhead and took them as a sign.
The coat of arms in the centre has three parts: a vicuna for the animals, a cinchona tree for the plants, and a golden cornucopia spilling coins for the country's mineral wealth. The plain version without the arms is used by ordinary citizens.
