General Information

General Information

Surface Area | Population | Language | Currency | Government | Religion Surface Area With an area of 1,285,215 square km, Peru is the third-largest country in South America after Brazil and Argentina, ranking it amongst the world’s 20 largest nations.   Peru also holds sway over the sea up to 200 miles from the Peruvian coast and has territorial rights to an area of 60 million hectares in the Antarctic. Peru is divided into 24 departments. Lima is the capital of Peru.   Population 27.000.000 inhabitants. - Urban: 72,3 % - Rural: 27,7 % Peru is a nation of mixed ethnic origins. Throughout its history, Peru has been the meeting ground for different nations and cultures. The indigenous population was joined 500 years ago by the Spaniards.    As a result of this encounter, and later enriched by the migration of African blacks, Asians and Europeans, Peruvian man emerged as the representative of a nation whose rich ethnic mix is one of its leading characteristics.   Language - Spanish: 80,3% - Quechua: 16,2% - Other languages: 3,0% - Foreign languages: 0,2% As part of its rich cultural tradition, Peru features many different languages. Although Spanish is commonly spoken across the country, Quechua is a major legacy of the Inca empire, and is still spoken with regional dialects in many parts of Peru.    In addition, other languages are spoken such as Aymara (in Puno) and a startling variety of dialects in the Amazon jungle, which are divided up into 15 linguistic families and 43 different languages.   Currency The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.), which is divided into 100 centimos. The currency includes coins for 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimos and 1, 2 and 5 sol coins. There are bills in the denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Nuevos Soles.     Government Peru is a democratic republic. The president and members of Congress are elected every five years by universal suffrage. The current constitutional president of Peru is Alan Garcia Pérez (2006-2011).     Religion Roman Catholic: 89,03% Evangelical: 6,73% Other religions: 2,56% Any Religion: 1.65% Peru is a naturally religious country: a diversity of beliefs and freedom of worship can be seen from the wide range of festivals and rituals that feature both Catholic fervor and the mysticism of age-old pre-Hispanic cultures.

Peru, World Heritage

The city of Cuzco Declared a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1983.Cuzco, which in the ancient Quechua language means “navel of the world”, was an important hub in Inca times that connected all of South America, from Colombia to the north of Argentina. Today, centuries later, Cuzco continues to be the centre of attentionnot only for our neighbouring countries but for the whole world. In its streets, historical centres, churches, pubs and cafés you can hear not only Quechua and Spanish spoken, but such diverse languages as English, French, Japanese and Hebrew. All of them, united by the same experience, found in the charming and fascinating “belly button” of the world. Machu Picchu Inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site also in 1983.I could say a great deal about this archaeological site, which was hidden for centuries until it came to light in the early 1900s, but it is difficult to describe in words what one feels when the citadel suddenly appears, like a challenge to the imagination and to engineering, between the mountains that mark the beginning and the end of the Andes and the Amazon Basin. The temple or fortress of Chavin de Huantar Declared a World Cultural Heritage in 1985.I could tell you of the gusts of air that brush your face almost like a sigh when you walk through its sophisticated underground galleries. Known as the “castle”, Chavin and its intricate passageways is believed to be one of the oldest constructions in the Americas. The Huascaran National Park, Inscribed as a World Natural Heritage in 1985.Here I can tell you about the turquoise colour of its lakes that contrast with the snow-capped peaks of the highest tropical mountain range in the world. The Huascaran National Park is a paradise and a challenge to nature and adventure sports lovers alike. It has over 600 glaciers, close to 300 lakes, and 27 snow-capped peaks that reach heights of over 6,000 metres, such as the Huascaran which rises to 6,768 meters above sea level. Chan Chan is another of the 10 sites Inscribed as World Cultural Heritages by UNESCO, this in 1986. Known as the largest city of clay in pre-Columbian America, Chan Chan is texture, it is form, it is desert sand made into art. The birds that decorate the walls of Chan Chan seem almost to fly in the strong breeze that blows through this ancient Chimu site. The Manu National Park Inscribed as a World Natural Heritage in 1987. Manu is the feast of life and diversity, with more than 1,000 species of birds, 1,200 types of butterflies, over 20,000 varieties of plants and an unknown quantity of reptiles, insects and amphibians. Lima’s Historical Centre Declared a World Cultural Heritage in 1991. Lima is a sum of colours, textures and sounds. It is a cosmopolitan capital par excellence where the taste is acquired from the flavour offered by its street-side cooks frying anticuchos or soft picarones in syrup against a backdrop of colonial balconies, old houses, and churches with secret tunnels. The Rio Abiseo National Park Inscribed as a World Natural Heritage in 1990.Becausse geographical location and the fragility of the archaeological sites within the park, Rio Abiseo remains closed to tourism since 1996. Today Peruvian and foreign scientists travel through the park to continue studying the flora and fauna and the remains of pre-Inca cultures. The Nazca Lines and the Pampas de Juma Declared a World Heritage site in 1994. Close to the other natural jewel that is the Paracas National Reserve, these lines and figures of different animals, drawn on the Peruvian desert and seen properly only from the sky, were considered a mystery for decades because it was not known if they were a calendar or a form of communication with outer space. Arequipa’s Historical Centre Declared a World Cultural Heritage in 2000.The city of Arequipa is, precisely, an example of how culture in Peru is constantly abrew. Arequipa, known as the White City because of the volcanic rock, or “sillar”, with which its churches and homes are built. Arequipa is the land of passions and contrasts, of the hot rocoto pepper and the magnificent condor which can only be seen flying over the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world. Caral Declared a World Cultural Heritage in 2009.Caral is one of 18 settlements identified in the valley. Covering an area of around 65 hectares, the city features a series of complexes such as the Great Pyramid, the Amphitheater Pyramid and the Residential Quarters of the Elite. The wind gusts powerfully over the sands Caral, the oldest city in the Americas. A living force that the ancient inhabitants allegedly tried to reproduce in their flutes. Crafted from condor and pelican bones, the first 32 flutes found at the archaeological site represented one of the biggest surprises produced at Caral. In 2001, researchers held the Archaeo-Musicological Research Workshop for the Flutes of Caral, in a bid to reproduce the sound of each one of them, just as the ancient dwellers might have heard them in 3000 BC.

History

The First Settlers The first settlers reached Peru some 20,000 years ago. They brought stone tools and were hunter-gatherers, living off game and fruit… The Pre-Incas Cultures Over the course of 1400 years, pre-Inca cultures settled along the Peruvian coast and highlands. The power and influence of some civilizations… The Incas The Inca empire (1200 – 1500 BC) was possibly the most organized civilization in South America. Their economic system, distribution of wealth, artistic.. The encounter between 2 worlds The encounter between the Inca culture and Hispanic culture got underway as a result of the Spanish conquest in the early sixteenth century… Birth of the Peruvian State Peru was declared an independent nation by Jose de San Martin in 1821, and in 1824 Simon Bolivar put an end to the War of Independence… Peru Today The early part of the twentieth century was marked by a drawn-out civilian dictatorship headed by President Augusto B. Leguia….

Geography

Peru is divided into three regions. Although this simple division is a fair portrait of Peru’s geography, the reality is much richer and far more complex: in Peru, nature appears to have taken on particular characteristics which have turned its mountains, plains, jungles and valleys into unique habitats. An extraordinary variety of eco-systems shelters a wide diversity of animals and plants.

The Coast Which features deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys… The Peruvian coastline is formed by a long snaking desert hemmed in between the sea and the mountains. The Andes to the east and the cold Humboldt sea current that runs along the coast are what make this area so arid. From the Sechura desert to the Nazca plains and the Atacama desert, the dry coastal terrain is occasionally split by valleys covered by a thick layer of cloud and drizzle in the winter. Humidity in these areas produces a sensation of cold, although temperatures rarely dip below 12°C. During the summer, meanwhile, the sun beats down and temperatures often top 30°C. The central and southern sections of the coast feature two well-defined seasons: winter from April to October, and summer from November to March. The north coast, meanwhile, is not touched by the effects of the cold current, which means it enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year and warm temperatures all year-long (as much as 35°C in the summer). The rain season runs from November to March

The Highlands A mountainous area dominated by the Andes, where Mount Huascaran soars to 6,768 meters. In the Peruvian highlands, there are two well-defined seasons: the dry season (from April to October), marked by sunny days, cold nights and the lack of rain (the ideal time for visiting); and the rainy season (November to March), when there are frequent rain showers (generally more than 1000 mm). A characteristic of the mountain region is the drop in temperature during the day: temperatures commonly range around 24°C at midday before plunging to -3°C at night. The steep slopes of the Andes means temperatures gradually drop in the highest region, known as the puna, the highland plain. The dry and pleasant climate in the highlands makes it possible to grow a wide variety of crops there.

The Jungle A vast region of tropical vegetation in the Amazon River Basin, home to Peru’s largest natural reserves. The vast Peruvian jungle, which surrounds the wide and winding Amazon river, is divided into two differentiated areas: the cloud forest (above 700 masl), which features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rain showers (around 3000 mm a year) between November and March, and sunny days from April to October; and the lowland jungle (below 700 masl), where the dry season runs from April to October and is ideal for tourism, with sunshine and high temperatures often topping 35°C. During this season, the river levels dip and roads are easy to drive. The rainy season, meanwhile, which runs from November to March, features frequent rain showers (at least once a day) which can damage roads in the area. The jungle features high humidity all year long. In the southern jungle, there are sometimes cold spells known locally as friajes or surazos, cold fronts which drift up from the far south of the continent between May and August, where temperatures can drop to 8-12°C Note: To calculate Fahrenheit temperatures: 9/5 (ºC) + 32

Peru: a privileged destination

Peru: a privileged destination

Perú! You have to see it to believe it, to open your eyes and all of a sudden awaken in Machu Picchu, magical city, that has just been internationally voted as one the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is a dream come true that every living soul should experience, along with planting a tree, writing a book, and having a child… visit Machu Picchu (and discover Peru).   Heir to ancient cultures and a rich colonial tradition, Perú is a magical spot which involves one of the richest biodiversities of Earth, and is a melting pot of different cultures who together are forging the promise of a better future   Important hotel infrastructure 7.646 lodgings offering 131.624 rooms and 229.886 beds.. 26 five-star hotels, 26 four-star hotels, 487 three-star hotels. 927 two star-hotels, 411 one star-hotels and 42 logdes. . More: Hotels and Acommodations.         Accessibility by air and land 14 airports equipped to receive commercial flights and 10 ready for international flights: Lima, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Pisco, Pucallpa, Iquitos, Cusco, Trujillo, Tacna and Juliaca. (++ CORPAC – Corporación Peruana de Aviación Comercial) 17 airlines operating international flights. 7 airline companies offering domestic flights. More than 78,000 kilometers of highways, 8,084.26 of which are asphalted. (++ Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones) More: Communications | Airlines | Buses         Archaeological heritage Ten thousand years of history are lived through 180 museums and historical places. While Peru inevitably evokes images of Machu Picchu and the Inca empire, the country is also riddled with archaeological sites which are a legacy of even more ancient times, when great civilizations bequeathed a legacy of their art, customs and rituals, their wisdom and skills. (++ More)         Nature and Landscapes As home to 84 of the 104 life zones that exist on our plant makes Peru a privileged destination for nature lovers. Close to 20% of the worlds birds and 10% of the world’s reptiles live here. Peru has converted 13% of its territory into Protected Natural Areas. (++More)         Festivities and Traditions Peru is a country that sings and dances in joy and sadness with color and a great deal of paraphernalia. Peruvians celebrate some 3,000 festivals all over the country. (++ More)       Incomparable cuisine Over 40,000 restaurants across the country reflect the diversity of a nation that has mixed its native traditions with the cuisines of Europe, Arabia, China, Africa and Japan. The result: unique flavours that make Peruvian cuisine one of the best and most varied in the world. (++ More)

Peru, a country that has it all

PERU, Top destinations 2010

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Top destinations Real Travel

Lima among top ten tourist destinations in America

The Peruvian capital Lima is listed among the top best destinations for tourism, according to Colombian daily El Tiempo. The list includes cities like Raivavae (French Polinesia), Bali (Indonesia), San Francisco (US),…. (click on the link below to read more…)

 

Lima Top Ten

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu among top five greatest adventure trips in the world

Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPerú) announced Friday that a jury of the UK’s top explorers, adventurers, and award-winning writers has selected the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu as one of the ten world’s greatest adventure trips, ranking fifth on that list. Read the link below for more info..

 

Inka Trail Top Five

China lauds Peruvian cuisine as the best in Latin America

Peruvian cuisine was chosen by Asian media as the best food in Latin America currently experiencing an unprecedented boom, which places it among the best in the world along with French, Italian and Chinese. Click on the link below to read more…

Gastronomy