Where Is Peru?

Twice the size of Texas, Peru is a country in South America that is home to a section of Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city high in the Andes mountains. Bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean, Peru is characterized by a great diversity of climate and archaeological sites. The name Peru is derived from the word Quechua meaning “land of abundance”. This is a reference to the economic wealth produced by the highly organized Inca civilization.

Peru’s archaeological wealth is a source of attraction for many tourists. The major touristic sites include Machu Picchu which represents the legacy of the Inca civilization and is located about 50 miles northwest of Cuzco, the Inca trail, the Cusco’s architectural treasures, lake Titiaca, Colca Canyon, and the Sacred Valley among others.

Peru is considered the fourth most populous country in South America with a population of about 31.2 millions inhabitants. It was conquered by Spanish conquistadors in 1533 but declared its independence in 1821. Since then, Peru moved from dictatorship in the 1930s to military rule in the 1960s to democratic leadership since 1980. Lima is the capital of Peru and derives from the Spanish pronunciation of “Limaq” meaning “talker” in Quecha. Limaq is the native name for the valley in which the city was founded in 1535.

Culturally, Peru is a multiethnic nation with the Mestizo constituting the majority of the population (60.2%). The other ethnic groups are Amerindian (25.8%), White (5.9%), Black (3.6%) and Asian (1.2%). Spanish is the official language of the country along Quechua and Aymara. Roman Catholicism has been the predominant religion in Peru for centuries but other religions such Evangelical, Protestant, Jewish and Latter-day Saints are also represented in Peru.

Some Fun Facts about Peru:

• There are over 3,000 different varieties of Potato grown in Peru.

• Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

• The Largest Flying Bird on Earth can be found in Peru, The Giant Andean Condor.

• Three-quarters of the world's alpaca population lives in Peru

• Roasted guinea pig – Cuy – is the national dish of Peru.

• The Peruvian Amazon covers 60% of the country.

• The currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol.

• Peru has the highest sand dune in the World

• The Pisco Sour is Peru’s national drink

• People still mine Salt in the Way of the Incas