Peru Today: A Land of Ancient Traditions, Diverse Cultures and Natural Beauty
The Country: Peru is the third-largest country in South America, and ranks among the world's top 20 largest nations. Its capital is Lima.
The Landscape: The country is comprised of three distinct regions. The coast is bordered by the South Pacific to the west and the Andes to the east and features beautiful beaches, deserts and valleys. The highlands are dominated by the Andes and the puna, or highland plain. The pleasant climate there makes it possible to grow a number of different crops. To the east, the Peruvian jungle is a vast area of thick, tropical vegetation that surrounds the winding Amazon.
The People: There are 25.7 million people in Peru. It is a nation of mixed ethnic origins, with indigenous peoples comingling with migrants from Africa, Asia and Europe. About three-quarters of the population lives in cities, the rest live in rural areas.
The Languages: Spanish: 80 percent, Quechua: 16 percent, other languages: 4 percent. Quechua is the major legacy of the Inca empire, and is still spoken with regional dialects in parts of Peru.
Religious Life: Roman Catholic: 89 percent, Evangelical: 4 percent, other religions: 7 percent.
Government: Peru is a democratic republic that is divided into 24 departments plus the Constitutional Province of Callao. The president and members of congress are elected every five years. The current president is Alejandro Toledo Manrique. His term runs until 2006.
Industry: Minerals (copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc), fishing products, cotton, textiles.
Currency: The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.), which is divided into 100 centimos.
Tourism: Because of the varied terrain of Peru , there are a number of activities that appeal to tourists. The Andes are an ideal environment for rock climbing, trekking, camping, mountain biking and white-water rafting. Peru 's coastline offers opportunities to surf, windsurf, fish, scuba dive, or just relax on the beaches. Because the country has a long and rich cultural heritage, there are festivals to enjoy, museums to explore, delicious cuisine to sample, and archaeological treasures to discover.
