Peru

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3.53 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

10 major TV networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state owned; multi-channel cable TV services are available; in excess of 5,000 radio stations including a substantial number of local-language stations (2021)

Internet country code

.pe

Internet users

percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.504 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 42.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, potatoes, rice, bananas, milk, maize, chicken, oil palm fruit, cassava, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 26.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $48.003 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $55.34 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$6.39 billion (2024 est.) $881.934 million (2023 est.) -$9.972 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$38.102 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper-middle-income South American economy; strong post-COVID rebound tempered by political uncertainty and climate risks; exports driven by mineral extraction and agriculture; large informal sector and uneven access to public services; stable fiscal position and financial sector

Exchange rates

nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 3.744 (2023 est.) 3.835 (2022 est.) 3.881 (2021 est.) 3.495 (2020 est.) 3.337 (2019 est.)

Exports

$83.325 billion (2024 est.) $72.97 billion (2023 est.) $71.39 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

copper ore, gold, refined copper, refined petroleum, grapes (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 34%, USA 14%, Canada 5%, India 4%, Switzerland 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$289.222 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 61.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 6.1% (2024 est.) industry: 32.2% (2024 est.) services: 52.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

40.7 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 30.6% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$67.16 billion (2024 est.) $63.776 billion (2023 est.) $69.936 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, trucks, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 26%, USA 21%, Brazil 7%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction; fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

18.918 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

27.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

35.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$535.911 billion (2024 est.) $518.771 billion (2023 est.) $520.872 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

3.3% (2024 est.) -0.4% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$15,700 (2024 est.) $15,300 (2023 est.) $15,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$79.246 billion (2024 est.) $71.394 billion (2023 est.) $72.328 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

15.9% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

4.9% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 8.8% (2024 est.) male: 7.9% (2024 est.) female: 9.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 1.382 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 973,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.261 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 446,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.567 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 16.164 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 53.3 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 47.696 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6.638 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 96.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 85.1%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 44.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 49.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

30.923 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 14.647 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 9.675 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 4.883 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 300.159 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 255,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 858.89 million barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

58.903 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.177 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 34.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 21.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

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

Environmental issues

deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes; overfishing

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (2023)

International environmental agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 233.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 623.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 317 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

31.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.88 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 3.141 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.666 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 21.112 billion cubic meters (2022)

Urbanization

urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 8.357 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.2% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 1,285,216 sq km land: 1,279,996 sq km water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative

almost twice the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska

Climate

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

Coastline

2,414 km

Elevation

highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,746 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,555 m

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316-m (17,441-ft) peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two-and-a-half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animals

Irrigated land

25,800 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 7,062 km border countries (5): Bolivia 1,212 km; Brazil 2,659 km; Chile 168 km; Colombia 1,494 km; Ecuador 1,529 km

Land use

agricultural land: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Bolivia) - 8,030 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amazon river source (shared with Brazil [m]) - 6,400 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m) is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

approximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

24 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ), 1 province* ( provincia ), and 1 constitutional province** ( provincia constitucional ); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao**, Cusco, Huancavelica, Hu nuco, Ica, Jun n, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Capital

name: Lima geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is an early Spanish mispronunciation of the Quechua name Rimak , referring to a god and deriving from the word rima (to speak); Quechua priests used to speak to worshippers from inside statues of their gods

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993 amendment process: proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Rep blica del Per local short form: Per etymology: the name may derive from the Guarani word biru, meaning "river"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Bernardo NAVARRO; Charg d Affaires Joan PERKINS (since 18 April 2025) embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: 3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230 telephone: [51] (1) 618-2000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2724 email address and website: lima_webmaster@state.gov https://pe.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 email address and website: Webadmin@embassyofperu.us Embassy of Peru in the United States - E-United States - Platform of the Peruvian State (www.gob.pe) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jos Enrique JER Or (since 10 October 2025) head of government: President Jos Enrique JER Or (since 10 October 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms) most recent election date: 11 April 2021, with a runoff on 6 June 2021 election results: 2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% expected date of next election: 12 April 2026 note 1: First Vice President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra assumed the office of the president on 7 December 2022 after President Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones was impeached and arrested; on 10 October 2025, the president of the Congress, Jos Enrique JER Or , was sworn in as the new president after Congress overwhelmingly voted to remove BOLUARTE from office note 2: Prime Minister Ernesto LVAREZ (since 14 October 2025) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president note 3: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag

description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), white, and red, with the coat of arms centered on the white band; the coat of arms has a shield with a vicuna, a cinchona tree, and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins meaning: the vicuna represents fauna, the cinchona tree is the source of quinine, and the cornucopia symbolizes mineral wealth; red stands for blood shed for independence, and white for peace

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

AIIB, APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 16 judges and divided into civil, criminal, and constitutional-social sectors) judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

legislature name: Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 130 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/11/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Free Peru (PL) (37); Popular Force (FP) (24); Popular Action (AP) (16); Alliance for Progress (APP) (15); Go on Country - Social Integration Party (AvP) (10); Popular Renewal (RP) (9); We Are Peru" (SP) - Purple Party (PM) (9); Other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 41.5% expected date of next election: April 2026

National anthem(s)

title: "Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru) lyrics/music: Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO history: adopted 1821

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 2 natural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cuzco (c); Machu Picchu (m); Chavin (c); Historic Lima (c); Huascar n National Park (n); Chan Chan (c); Man National Park (n); Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca (c); Rio Abiseo National Park (m); Historic Arequipa (c); Sacred City of Caral-Supe (c); Qhapaq an/Andean Road System (c)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821)

National symbol(s)

vicuna (a camelid related to the llama)

Political parties

Advance the Nation (Avanza Pa s) or AvP Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA Free Peru (Per Libre) or PL Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertaci n Nacional) or BMCN National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN Peru Bicentennial (Per Bicentenario) or PB Popular Action (Acci n Popular) or AP Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP Popular Renewal (Renovaci n Popular) or RP Purple Party (Partido Morado) Social Integration Party (Avanza Pa s - Partido de Integraci n Social) Together For Per (Juntos por el Peru) or JP We Are Peru (Somos Per ) of SP We Can Peru (Podemos Per ) or PP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70

Background

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were 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, an economic slump and the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in 2001 that installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, presided over a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in 2011 and carried on the market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow runoff in the 2016 presidential election. Facing impeachment after evidence surfaced of his involvement in a vote-buying scandal, KUCZYNSKI offered his resignation in 2018, and First Vice President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo was sworn in as president. In 2019, VIZCARRA invoked his constitutional authority to dissolve Peru's Congress after months of battling with the body over anticorruption reforms. New congressional elections in 2020 resulted in an opposition-led legislature. The Congress impeached VIZCARRA for a second time and removed him from office after accusations of corruption and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of vacancies in the vice-presidential positions, the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel MERINO, became the next president. His ascension to office was not well received, and large protests forced his resignation later in 2020. Francisco SAGASTI assumed the position of President of Peru after being appointed President of the Congress the previous day. Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones won presidential election in 2021 but was impeached and ousted the following year; his vice president, Dina BOLUARTE, assumed the presidency by constitutional succession in 2022.

Military - note

the Peruvian Armed Forces (FAP) are responsible for external defense in addition to some domestic security responsibilities in designated emergency areas and in exceptional circumstances; key areas of focus include counterinsurgency, counternarcotics, cyber defense, disaster relief, and maritime security operations; the FAP supported the police during anti-government protests in early 2023; it has contributed to UN missions since 1958 and has ties to regional militaries, particularly Colombia, as well as those of numerous other countries such as China, Russia, Spain, and the US; the FAP s last external conflict was a brief border war with Ecuador in 1995 the Special Command of the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers (CE-VRAEM) is responsible for combating the remnants of the Shining Path terrorist group (aka Sendero Luminoso) and includes several thousand air, ground, naval, police, and special forces personnel; the FAP also provides aircraft, vehicles, and logistical support to the command (2025)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Peru (Fuerzas Armadas del Per or FAP): Peruvian Army (Ejercito del Peru), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP, includes naval infantry and General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards, DICAPI), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) Ministry of the Interior: Peruvian National Police (Polic a Nacional del Per , PNP) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 85,000 active-duty Armed Forces (50,000 Army; 25,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 75,000 National Police (2025)

Military deployments

225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Spain, and the US; Peru has a small defense industry, including a shipyard that builds and upgrades naval vessels; it also has defense industrial cooperation agreements with several countries, including Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (12-24 months) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 11% of the active-duty military

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 4,293,229/female 4,119,269) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 10,546,502/female 11,041,106) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 1,112,825/female 1,487,318)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 2% (2020) women married by age 18: 14.1% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.7% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.7% (2022 est.)

Death rate

9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.3 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 60.2%, Indigenous 25.8%, White 5.9%, African descent 3.6%, other (includes Chinese and Japanese descent) 1.2%, unspecified 3.3% (2017 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

6.2% of GDP (2021) 16.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes many minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7% (2017 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.9 years (2024 est.) male: 65.4 years female: 72.7 years

Literacy

total population: 93.7% (2024 est.) male: 97% (2024 est.) female: 90.7% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

51 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 30.4 years (2025 est.) male: 29.1 years female: 31.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian

Net migration rate

-1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Physician density

1.69 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

total: 32,768,614 (2025 est.) male: 16,016,448 female: 16,752,166

Population distribution

approximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.55% (2025 est.)

Religions

Catholic 76%, Evangelical Christian 15.7%, no religion 5.1%, other religions 3.2% (2017 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.1% of population (2022 est.) urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2017 est.) male: 15 years (2017 est.) female: 15 years (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 5.7% (2025 est.) male: 9.5% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2006 - launched first sounding rocket/space probe (Paulet-1) 2013 - first domestically built scientific/research satellite (PUCP-SAT-1) launched by Russia; launched first domestically built rocket (Paulet 1-B) capable of reaching the stratosphere 2016 - first remote sensing satellite (PeruSat-1) acquired from France and launched on European rocket 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration

Space agency/agencies

National Aerospace Research and Development Commission (Comisi n Nacional de Investigaci n y Desarrollo Aeroespacia, CONIDA; established 1974) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

in 2024, Peru announced an initiative to develop a future spaceport in Talara (Piura department)

Space program overview

focuses on acquiring satellites, applying space applications such as data satellite imagery, and building small rockets; has built a small science/technology satellite; operates satellites and processes satellite imagery data; builds and launches sounding rockets with goal of developing a satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV); researching, developing, and acquiring technologies for manufacturing satellites and satellite payloads, including remote sensing (RS) capabilities; member of Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) since its formation in 2021; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and the US, as well as other ALCE signatories (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso); Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Illicit drugs

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 546,699 (2024 est.) IDPs: 83,441 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 32 (2024 est.)

Airports

174 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OB

Heliports

7 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 111 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 9, other 101

Ports

total ports: 20 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 3 very small: 16 ports with oil terminals: 16 key ports: Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos, Puerto del Callao, Talara

Railways

total: 1,854.4 km (2017) standard gauge: 1,730.4 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified) narrow gauge: 124 km (2014) 0.914-m gauge