- For other uses, see Peru
(disambiguation)
The Republic of Peru (Spanish: Perú; Quechua, Aymara: Piruw) is a country in western South
America, bordering with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the east, south-east and south, Chile to the south, and
the Pacific Ocean to the west. Peru is rich in cultural anthropology, and
is well-known as the cradle of the Inca empire.
History
Main article: History of Peru
Before the Spanish arrived, Peru was home to various Pre-Inca
cultures and later, to the Inca Empire. Francisco Pizarro landed on the Peruvian coast in 1532, and
by the end of the 1530s Peru became a Viceroyalty and a major source of gold and silver for the Spanish Empire. Peru declared its independence from Spain on July
28, 1821 thanks to an alliance between the Argentine army of José de San Martín, and the Neogranadine Army of Simon Bolivar. Its first elected president, however, was not in power until
1827. From 1836 to 1839 Peru and Bolivia were united in the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy, dissolved only after an armed
conflict with Chile and Argentina.
Between these years, political unrest didn't fade away, with the Army as an important political force. Once again, between 1879
and 1883, Peru and Bolivia made an alliance and fought against Chile in the War of the Pacific. After the
war (and with the loss of the province of Tarapaca), political stability was achieved, during the early years of the 1900s; until Augusto Leguia and his dictatorship
arrived.
Regions
Main article: Regions of Peru
Peru's territory is divided into 25 regions (regiones; singular: región). These regions are subdivided into
provinces, which are composed of districts. There are 180 provinces and 1747 districts in Peru.
The area occupied by the province
of Lima, where the city of Lima is located, is known as Lima Metropolitana (Metropolitan Lima), and is not part of any
region.
Until 2002, Peru was divided into 24 departamentos (departments), and many people
still use this term when referring to today's regions, although it is now obsolete.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Peru
Peru is located in Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Chile and Ecuador. It also shares borders
with Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia.
The western coastal plains (costa) are separated from the eastern lowland jungle of the Amazon Basin (selva) by the high and
rugged Andes in the center (sierra). On the border with Bolivia lies Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 3821 m.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Peru
Economy
Main article: Economy of Peru
The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market oriented, with major privatizations completed since 1990;
in the mining, electricity, and telecommunications industries. Thanks to strong foreign investment and the cooperation between
the Fujimori government the IMF and the
World Bank, growth was strong in 1994–97 and inflation was brought under
control. In 1998, El Niño's impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia,
and instability in Brazilian markets undercut growth. And 1999 was another lean year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Niño and
the Asian financial crisis working its way through the
economy. Lima did manage to complete negotiations for an Extended Fund Facility with the IMF in June 1999, although it
subsequently had to renegotiate the targets. Pressure on spending grew in the run-up to the 2000 elections.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Peru
Culture
Main article: Culture of Peru
International rankings
External links
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