Peru

Internet country code

.pe

Internet hosts

274,592 (2009) country comparison to the world: 58

Internet users

7.128 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36

Radio broadcast stations

AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to more than 70 telephones per 100 persons; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.878 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Telephones - mobile cellular

20.952 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 38

Television broadcast stations

13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mango, barley, medicinal plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish, guinea pigs

Budget

revenues: $38.01 billion expenditures: $35.29 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 5.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

23.67% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 24.1% (December 2008)

Current account balance

-$4.18 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $1.22 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$34.59 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $32.57 billion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.8 (2005) country comparison to the world: 26 46.2 (1996)

Economy - overview

Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. The Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 9% per year in 2007 and 2008, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals and the government's aggressive trade liberalization strategies. Peru's rapid expansion has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by about 15% since 2002, though underemployment and inflation remain high. Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and poor infrastructure precludes the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas. Not all Peruvians therefore have shared in the benefits of growth. President GARCIA's pursuit of sound trade and macroeconomic policies has cost him political support since his election. Nevertheless, he remains committed to Peru's free-trade path. The United States and Peru completed negotiations on the implementation of the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA), and the agreement entered into force February 1, 2009, opening the way to greater trade and investment between the two economies.

Electricity - consumption

28.97 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

30.57 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Exchange rates

nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 2.91 (2008 est.), 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004)

Exports

$31.53 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $27.88 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, fishmeal

Exports - partners

US 20%, China 15.2%, Canada 8.3%, Japan 7%, Chile 5.8%, Brazil 4.2% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$127.5 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$247.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $225.8 billion (2007 est.) $207.3 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8.5% industry: 21.2% services: 70.3% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $7,800 (2007 est.) $7,300 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

9.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 8.9% (2007 est.) 7.7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Imports

$28.44 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $19.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners

US 23.7%, China 10.6%, Brazil 7.5%, Ecuador 6.5%, Chile 5.1%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 4.5% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Industries

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 1.8% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Labor force

10.2 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.7% industry: 23.8% services: 75.5% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$55.63 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $106 billion (31 December 2007) $59.66 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - production

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - proved reserves

335.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - consumption

160,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Oil - exports

68,640 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - imports

133,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - production

120,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Oil - proved reserves

415.8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Population below poverty line

44.5% (2006)

Public debt

24% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 44.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$31.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $27.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.694 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $2.284 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$30.31 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $24.74 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$21.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 $17.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$15.42 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $14.66 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$25.32 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $19.95 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

8.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 6.9% (2007 est.) note: data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Area

total: 1,285,216 sq km country comparison to the world: 20 land: 1,279,996 sq km water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative

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 extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%) per capita: 720 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Geography - note

shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Irrigated land

12,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 7,461 km border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Land use

arable land: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

1,913 cu km (2000)

Administrative divisions

25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, 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)

Constitution

29 December 1993

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador P. Michael MCKINLEY embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis VALDIVIESO Montano chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006) note: Prime Minister Javier VELASQUEZ Quesquen (since 12 July 2009) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a nonconsecutive reelection); presidential and congressional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011 election results: Alan GARCIA Perez elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA Perez 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

Flag description

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF (a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Central Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes) [Victor Andres GARCIA Belaunde]; National Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY]; National Restoration Party (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Solidarity Party (Partido Solidaridad Nacional) or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA Perez] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA); Peruvian Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Union for Peru (Union por el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]

Political pressure groups and leaders

General Workers Confederation of Peru (Confederacion General de Trabajadores del Peru) or CGTP [Mario HUAMAN]; Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) or SL [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Victor QUISPE Palomino (top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections

Background

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces 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, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, has overseen a robust macroeconomic performance.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 7,653,898 females age 16-49: 7,531,329 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,920,716 females age 16-49: 6,359,803 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 310,575 female: 300,838 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Army of Peru (Ejercito Peruano), Navy of Peru (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and Coast Guard)), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2008)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 107

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 4,370,923/female 4,216,364) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 9,695,270/female 9,574,018) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 796,631/female 893,757) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

19.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Death rate

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Education expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 157

Ethnic groups

Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

76,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Infant mortality rate

total: 28.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 78 male: 31.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.74 years country comparison to the world: 138 male: 68.88 years female: 72.69 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.9% male: 96.4% female: 89.4% (2007 Census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Median age

total: 26.1 years male: 25.8 years female: 26.4 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian

Net migration rate

-0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Population

29,546,963 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Population growth rate

1.229% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Religions

Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.37 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Urbanization

urban population: 71% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border

Illicit drugs

until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000 hectares in 2007; second largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 210 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipment to Europe and Africa; increasing domestic drug consumption

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)

Airports

201 (2009) country comparison to the world: 30

Airports - with paved runways

total: 57 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 144 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 79 (2009)

Heliports

1 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 123 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4 foreign-owned: 1 (Bahamas 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Belize 1, Panama 16) (2008)

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 533 km; gas 1,078 km; liquid petroleum gas 654 km; oil 1,018 km; refined products 15 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

Railways

total: 1,989 km country comparison to the world: 73 standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 78,829 km country comparison to the world: 61 paved: 11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways) unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)

Waterways

8,808 km country comparison to the world: 14 note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2008)