Peru

§1. Peru Introduction

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. FUJIMORI won reelection to a
  third term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and corruption
  scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A
  caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which
  ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government; his presidency
  has been hampered by allegations of corruption.

§2. Peru Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:
  South_America

Area:
  total: 1,285,220 km²
  land: 1.28 million km²
  water: 5,220 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,536 km
  border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia
    1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:
  2,414 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

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

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

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

Land use:
  arable land: 2.88%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 96.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  11,950 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

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

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

§3. Peru People

Population:
  28,302,603 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.9% (male 4,456,195/female 4,300,233)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 9,078,123/female 8,961,981)
  65 years and over: 5.3% (male 709,763/female 796,308) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 25 years
  female: 25.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.32% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 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 (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 28.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.84 years
  male: 68.05 years
  female: 71.71 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  82,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

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

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other
  0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor
  Amazonian languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.7%
  male: 93.5%
  female: 82.1% (2004 est.)

§4. Peru Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Lima

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

Independence:
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:
  31 December 1993

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note -
  members of the military and national police may not vote

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001);
    note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
    additionally, the constitution provides for two vice presidents, First
    Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN
    Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
    2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
    government; additionally, the constitution provides for two vice
    presidents, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President David
    WAISMAN Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  note: Prime Minister Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI (since 25 August 2005) does not
    exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special
    presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001, with runoff
    election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
  election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected president in
    runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique 53.1%, Alan
    GARCIA 46.9%

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)
  elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PP 26.3%, APRA 19.7%, UN
    13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - PP 47, APRA 28, UN 17,
    FIM 11, others 17

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity
  (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Posible or PP [David
  WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original
  name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan GARCIA];
  Peruvian Nationalist Party or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA]; Popular Action or AP
  [Javier DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
  [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso
  (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at- large)]; Tupac Amaru
  Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA
  Valdez (top leader at- large)]

International organization participation:
  APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los
    Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco,
    Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA
    34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

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, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow
  cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

§5. Peru Economy

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. However, overdependence
  on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world
  prices, and a lack of infrastructure deters trade and investment. After
  several years of inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy
  grew by more than 4 percent per year during the period 2002- 2005, with a
  stable exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on
  secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004, reflecting
  investor optimism regarding the government's prudent fiscal policies and
  openness to trade and investment. Despite the strong macroeconomic
  performance, the TOLEDO administration remained unpopular in 2005, and
  unemployment and poverty have stayed persistently high. Economic growth
  will be driven by the Camisea natural gas megaproject and by exports of
  minerals, textiles, and agricultural products. Peru is expected to sign a
  free-trade agreement with the United States in early 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $169.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $71.65 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $6,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 27%
  services: 65% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  9.06 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 9%, industry 18%, services 73% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  8.7% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  54% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $21.87 billion
  expenditures: $22.47 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8
    billion for general government, but excluding private enterprises (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  41.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes,
  oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  22.68 billion kWh (2003 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
  21.09 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  120,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  157,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  370 million bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  560 million m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  910 million m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  247.1 billion m³ (2005)

Current account balance:
  $241 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $15.95 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee

Exports - partners:
  US 29.5%, China 9.9%, UK 9%, Chile 5.1%, Japan 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $12.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and
  steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners:
  US 30.3%, Spain 11.5%, Chile 7.2%, Brazil 5.4%, Colombia 5.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $15.34 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $30.18 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $491 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Exchange rates:
  nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003),
  3.5165 (2002), 3.5068 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Peru Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,049,800 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,092,600 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite
    system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
    (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pe

Internet hosts:
  205,532 (2005)

Internet users:
  4.57 million (2005)

§7. Peru Transportation

Airports:
  246 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 54
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 3 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 192
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 59
  under 914 m: 111 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 3,462 km
  standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 78,672 km
  paved: 10,314 km (including 276 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 68,358 km (2003)

Waterways:
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago
    Titicaca (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)
  registered in other countries: 14 (Panama 14) (2005)

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

§8. Peru Military

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval
  Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru;
  FAP)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,647,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,938,417 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 277,105 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $829.3 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (2003 est.)

§9. Peru Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral law to shift the
  axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundary along the parallel of
  latitude to an equidistance line which favors Peru; organized illegal
  narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru
  does not support Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a
  sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants
    in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; cultivation of coca in
  Peru fell 15% to 31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of
  the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into
  cocaine, while 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 and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone
  or transshipped to Europe and Africa


<Factbook 2006>
