Peru is a South American country located on the western coast of South America, bordering Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, and the Pacific Ocean. Peru has a population of over 29 million people and its capital and largest city is Lima. Peru has a long history with several ancient civilizations, including the Mochica, Chimu, and Inca empires, before being conquered by Spain in the 16th century. Peru's culture is rooted in both indigenous Andean traditions and Spanish influences.

1. Kathleen Watanabe

2. •Official Name: Republic of Peru (República del Perú).
•Short Name: Peru.
•Capital: Lima.
•Date of Independence: Declared July 28, 1821, from
Spain; achieved, 1824.
•Peru covers 496,225 square miles (1,285,216 km2). It
borders Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to
the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south,
and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
•Peru is divided into 25 regions and the province of
Lima.

3. •The Andes mountains run parallel to the Pacific shoreline
dividing the country into three geographic regions.
•The costa (coast) region is a narrow dry plains, except for
valleys created by seasonal rivers.
•The sierra (highlands) is made up of the Andes. The
highest mountain is Huascarán at 6,768 m (22,205 ft).
•The selva (jungle) is a wide area of flat terrain covered by
the Amazon rainforest. Almost 60% of Peru is located
within this region.
•Unlike other countries in the equatorial region Peru does
not have an exclusively tropical climate. The costa has
moderate temperatures, low precipitation and high
humidity. The sierra receives rain and snow. The selva
has heavy rainfall and high temperatures and humidity.

4. •The population of Peru is approximately 29.5
million people.
•It is multiethnic country of Amerindians, mestizos
(of mixed ethnic descent), and people of African,
European and Asian descent.
•The primary language spoken is Spanish
(83.9%). Several native languages are spoken of
which 13.2% speak .
•76% of the population live in urban areas and
24% in rural areas.
•Roman Catholicism is the largest religion (81%)
followed by Evangelical (12.5%).

5. •The literacy rate of Peru is estimated at 93%
with the lower rates in the rural areas (80%)
and higher rates in the urban areas (96%).
•Primary and secondary education is
compulsory.
•Peru is a democratic republic.
•The President is the head of state and is
elected for a five-year term and can only
seek re-election after standing down one full
term.
•The President appoints a Prime Minister and
a Council of Ministers.
•There is a unicameral Congress of 120
members elected for five-year terms.

6. •Peruvian culture is rooted in Amerindian and
Spanish traditions. It is also influenced by
African, Asian and European traditions.
•Peruvian art includes pottery, textiles, jewelry
and sculpture are rooted in Pre-Inca societies.
•The Incas created the architectural marvel of
Machu Picchu.
•Peruvian literature is varied. It includes the
oral traditions of pre-Columbian societies as
well as varying genres introduced during the
colonial period.
•Peruvian cuisine is influenced by Amerindian
and Spanish roots. African and Asian cultures
have also influenced cuisine.

7. •Peruvian music is rooted in
Amerindian, Spanish and African
traditions.

8. •Amerindian civilizations date back over
10,000 years from descendants of the people
who crossed over the Bering land bridge.
•The Mochica civilization existed around the
first millennium C.E. The built and elaborate
irrigation system that transformed the coastal
desert into productive agricultural lands.
•In 1987 near Sipan, archaeologists
discovered large numbers of elaborate artifacts
of gold, silver and ceramics.
•The Chimu civilization created many large
cities from about 1150 to 1450. The capital,
Chan Chan had an estimated 100,00
inhabitants.

9. •The Inca civilization began as a small Quechuas
group and expanded from the thirteenth through
the sixteenth centuries by conquering its
neighbors.
•The Inca civilization encompassed one-third of
South America with a population of 9 to 16 million
inhabitants.
•The Spaniards under Francisco Pizarro arrived in
1532 and conquered the Incans.
•The Spaniards also brought diseases that
decimated the Inca population from 9 to 16 million
inhabitants to 2.7 million by 1570.
•Colonial Peru largely consisted of a modern,
capitalistic and urban society and an Amerindian
society of poverty, isolation and disease.

10. •The music of Peru is
rooted in Peru's Andean
musical roots and Spanish
musical influences.
•Native Peruvian music is
played on the charango an
instrument in the lute family
similar to a mandolin.
•Also played are the sikú
(or zampoña) and antara.
These are ancient
indigenous instruments
resembling panpipes.
They are made of aquatic
reeds found in many lakes
in the Andean Region of
South America.

11. •The sikú (or zampoña) and antara are
ancient indigenous instruments
resembling panpipes. They are made of
aquatic reeds found in many lakes in the
Andean Region of South America.
•Other common instruments included the
quena (a flute-like instrument) and the
tinya (a type of drum).

12. •The most well known dance in Peru is
the marinera. Other popular folk dances
are the tondero and huayno.

14. REFERENCES
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Peru. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru
The Library of Congress. Country studies. Retrieved from
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html