1. The Republic of Peru Tadd Mannino History 141, Spring 2011 Palomar College
2. Geography 496,225 sq. miles Borders Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Pacific Andes Mountains Parallel to coast Divide Peru into: Costa, a thin coastal strip Sierra, the Andes Highlands Selva, the Amazon jungle 60% of the country Most rivers drain into Amazon
3. Geography Is not entirely tropical Andes, Humboldt Current affect weather Costa – moderate temps, low rain, deserts Sierra – frequent rain in summer, temp/humidity drops at altitude Selva – heavy rain, high temps High biodiversity due to varying climates Over 21,000 species Lake Titicaca – highest navigable lake in world
4. People Population –29,248,943 3rd largest in S. America Life expectancy – 72 yr.s Literacy – 92% Isolated by Andes, Amazon Distinct, diverse population ½ costal, ½ in highlands
5. People Ethnic groups Amerindian 45%, Mestizo 37%, white 15%, other 3% Languages Spanish 84%, Quecha 13% (both official) Large number of Amazonian languages Religions Catholic 81%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3%
6. Culture Architecture – Three styles Pre-Hispanic, Spanish Colonial, Modern Urban Pueblos Jovenos – squatter towns on urban edges Music –10,000 year tradition Huaynomixes ancient rural w/modern urban Marinera, upbeat dance music Guitar & horns
7. Culture Foods – Two styles Coastal: Soups, rice, seafood, plantains Highlands: meat, corn potatoes Art – Naifstyle blends Spanish & ancient Literature alive after 20 yr. guerrilla war/repressive govt.s Alonso Cueto, “The Blue Hour” Santiago Roncagliolo, “Red April” Mario Vargas Llosa, 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature "for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat".
8. History Many pre-Columbian cultures Dating back to 9000 BCE Oldest culture Norte Chico 3000 BCE Incas – Largest pre-Columbian culture 15th century, built monumental buildings, 6000 miles of roads Conquered by Pizarro, de Soto in 1532 Peru provides silver bullion to Spanish Crown Amerindian slave labor main workforce
9. History 1824, Jose de San Martin liberates Peru from Spain 1879 – Chile defeats Peru, Bolivia in War of Pacific Fought over mineral rights, territory 1924 – Nationalist APRA party founded 1948 – 1980 – Military govts. Often in power 1980 – Maoist Shining Path guerrillas fight govt. Terror attacks, death squad reprisals, 70,000 dead 1990 – Alberto Fujimori elected President 400% inflation, 3000 political murders 1992 – Fujimori shuts down Congress, suspends Constitution Rights trampled, corruption rife 2000 – Fujimori forced to resign 2002 Truth Commission into govt. atrocities 2009 – Fujimori 25 yr. prison sentence For role in govt. death squads, kidnappings Jose de San Martine Alberto Fujimori
