Peru

Republic of Peru
*República del Perú*
Republic of Peru República del Perú
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: none
	Anthem: Somos libres, seámoslo siempre; "We are free, may we always be so"
Capital and largest city	Lima
Official languages	Spanish1
Government	Constitutional republic
Independence
• Water (%)	8.80%
Population
• July 2005 estimate	27,925,628 (41st)
• 2005 census	26,152,265
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$168.9 billion (49th)
• Per capita	$6,000 (122nd)
HDI (2003)	0.762; high (79th)
Currency	Nuevo Sol (PEN)
Time zone	UTC-5
Calling code	51
ISO 3166 code	PE
Internet TLD	.pe
	1.) Quechua, Aymara and other regional languages are also official in the areas where they are predominant.

The Republic of Peru (Spanish: República del Perú pron. IPA [re'pu.βli.ka del pe'ru], Quechua: Piruw), is a country in western South America, bordering 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.

In addition to being known as the historical cradle of the Inca empire, Peru harbors many indigenous ethnic groups, making it a major fieldwork site for cultural anthropologists.

History

File:Peru Machu Picchu Sunset.jpg

Sunset at Machu Picchu

Pre-history

The first settlers of Peru may have crossed the Bering Strait temporarily connecting Northern Asia and North America, probably 20,000 to 15,000 years ago, along with the other to-be Native American populations. Various tribes, confederacies, kingdoms, states, and empires existed over coastal and Andean Peru, from the fourth millennium BCE until the Spanish conquest, the land was home to a culturally rich and diverse history. The story of pre-conquest Peru, is the story of the inhabitants of its coast, and its Andean mountains.

Peru is home to the first civilization in the Western Hemisphere, the Caral Supe civilization, dating back to at least 3000 BCE. The main city, Caral is believed to be the first city of the Americas, re-discovered in 2001. It was home to thousands of citizens, with residential areas, temples, theatres, and plazas; it was, in every sense, a thriving city. The people of Caral radically altered the landscape, turning it from an arid lifeless desert into fertile land supporting large populations. Perhaps one of the most important discoveries in Peruvian history is the finding of the oldest khipu. The khipu was a device for recording information, and this discovery suggests that it was used continuously for thousands of years in the area by various cultures, rather than only by the Inca empire, previously believed.

The Chavin culture around 900 BCE, like the Caral Supe culture, dominated the Peruvian coast from its political and cultural center at the central coast. The Chavin have a great cultural importance, since they influenced many of the cultures that followed. An important city of this great culture is today a world heritage site – Chavin de Huantar.

The Moche culture appeared during the time of Christ, concurrent with the Nazca culture influential in the south, that created the lines of Nazca. They are famous for their pottery and continued the long, rich tradition of high culture of western Peru.

The Chimu, people of Chimor, inherited the northern coast from the Moche. They were known for their city Chan Chan, a world heritage site, believed to have been the largest pre-Columbian city in South America, home to tens of thousand of inhabitants and social structures.

The Huari again dominated the entire central Peruvian coast, and from 500 AD vied for power with the Tiwanaku culture to the south which included parts of Peru, Chile and Bolivia. The Huari set up the foundations in western Peru for the organized power of the Inka empire, like agricultural planning and transportation systems. The kingdom of Chimor, and the great oracle city of Pachacamac, where believers from all over the land came to worship, were conquered by the Sapa Inka’s armies in their conquests over western South America centuries after the Huari culture died out.

Inka

The Inka Empire, also called “Tahuantinsuyu” (using Spanish spelling), meaning "land of the four quarters", dominated western South America from the southern boundary of modern Colombia, to the northern regions of Chile and Argentina. In fact, only the emperor was called “Sapa Inka”. The empire originated from a tribe based in Cusco, which became the capital. Pachacuti was the first ruler to considerably expand the boundaries of the Cuzco state. His offspring later ruled an empire by violent and peaceful conquest. In Cusco, the royal city was created to resemble a puma; the head, the main royal structure, formed what is now known as Sacsayhuaman. The empire was divided into four quarters: Chinchasuyu, Antisuyu, Contisuyu and Collasuyu.

Quechua (Quichua) was the official language, imposed on the citizens. It was the language of a tribe neighbouring the original tribe of the empire. Conquered populations – tribes, kingdoms, states and cities – were allowed to practice their own religions and lifestyles, but had to recognize Inka cultural practices as superior to their own. For example, Inti, the sun god, was to be worshipped as one of the most important gods of the empire. Many strange and interesting customs were observed, for example the extravagant feast of Inti Raymi which gave thanks to Inti, and the young women who comprised the Virgins of the Sun, sacrificial virgins devoted to the sun god. The empire, for being so large, also had an impressive transportation system of roads to all points of the empire, and chasquis, message carriers who relayed information from anywhere in the empire to Cusco.

Spanish Rule

The Inka empire was defeated by the Spanish conquistadors’ superior firepower, and their greed for gold. Francisco Pizarro landed on the Peruvian coast in 1532, and by the end of the 1530s the Viceroyalty of Peru encompassed all of Spain's territories in South America.

The Viceroyalty was a major source of gold and silver for the Spanish Empire. Lima was one of the two most important cities in Spain's empire in America, the other being Mexico City. It is said that the country received its name from a Spaniard pronunciation of the Belu River. [1]

Independence

Peru declared its independence from Spain on July 28, 1821 thanks to an alliance between the Army of José de San Martín, and the Army of Simón Bolívar. 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 lead by Andrés de Santa Cruz. The confederation dissolved due to internal conflicts and finally in a war with Chile with the support of Peruvian expatriates. Between these years, political unrest continued, and the Army was as an important political force.

In 1864, Spain organised a so-called naval science expedition, whose main objective was to recover control of its former colonies. Spain started occupying the Chinchas Islands and arresting Peruvian citizens in 1864, claiming that Spaniards were mistreated on Peruvian ground. After that, the Spaniard Fleet destroyed the Chilean harbour of Valparaiso. Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru signed an alliance to defeat Spain by the end of December 1865. The Spanish Fleet tried to destroy the harbour of Callao, but failed. Main naval battles fought where the Battle of Papudo in 1865, Battle of Abtao and Battle of Callao in 1866.

In 1879 Peru entered the War of the Pacific which lasted until 1884. Bolivia invoked its alliance with Peru against Chile. The Peruvian Government tried to mediate the dispute by sending a diplomatic team to negotiate with the Chilean government, but the committee concluded that war was inevitable. Chile declared war on April 5, 1879.

Almost five years of war ended with the loss of the department of Tarapacá and the provinces of Tacna and Arica, in the Atacama region. After the war, an extraordinary effort of reconstruction began. Political stability was achieved only in the early 1900s. In 1929 Peru and Chile signed a final peace treaty, (Treaty of Ancon) by which Tacna returned to Peru and Peru yielded permanently the rich provinces of Arica and Tarapaca, but keept certain rights to the port activities in Arica and decisions of what Chile can do on those territories.

During World War II, Peru aligned with the Unites States and its allies against Germany and Japan.

Between 1941 and 1995, Peru and Ecuador fought three wars over control of the territory in the northern part of modern-day Peru. The dispute officially ended in 1998, when Peru was awarded most of the territory.

Politics

The current president is Alejandro Toledo, leader of Perú Posible. He was elected with 53% of the votes in second ballot in the 2001 election defeating former socialist president Alan García. Perú Posible, with 45 seats, was also the largest in the 120-seat parliament.

The second and third largest parties are in opposition; respectively Partido Aprista Peruano (short: PAP, 28 seats), which is led by Alan García Pérez, and Unidad Nacional (short: UN, 17 seats), which is led by Lourdes Flores Nano.

Other important political currents stem from the ongoing investigation of Fujimori-era corruption (notably the proceedings against Fujimori's former advisor, Vladimiro Montesinos), and an increase in activities by Sendero Luminoso, an insurgent maoist political organization.

The Toledo government has remained committed to neoliberal economic policies and structural reform in the hope of attracting sufficient international investment to generate growth and job creation. After the impeachment of Fujimori, Alejandro Toledo cannot run for the presidency again. The next presidential election was held on Sunday, April the 9th, 2006, and more than 16 million Peruvians will be able to vote worldwide. With no candidate receiving more than 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff election in May.

Politico-administrative division

Peru's territory is divided successively into regions (25) (Spanish: regiones; singular: región), provinces (180) and districts (1747).

The Lima Province, located in the central coast of the country, is unique in that it doesn't belong to any of the twenty-five regions. The city of Lima is located in this province, which is also known as Lima Metropolitana (Metropolitan Lima).

Until 2002, Peru was divided into 24 departments (departamentos) plus one constitutional province (Callao), and many people still use this term when referring to today's regions, although it is now obsolete.

Current Peruvian regions are:

Geography

Peru is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia on the north, Brazil to the east, and Bolivia and Chile to the southeast and south, respectively. To the west lies the Pacific Ocean. Eastern Peru consists mostly of the moist tropical jungles of the Amazon Rain Forest, the largest on Earth.

In the southeast along the border with Bolivia lies Lake Titicaca — the highest navigable lake in the world. The Altiplano plateau is a dry basin located along the slopes of the Andes in southeastern Peru. Along the border with Chile, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet.

The Pacific Ocean is home to a large amount and variety of fish life. The Sechura Desert is located in northwestern Peru along the Pacific coastline.

The main rivers of the Peru include the Ucayali, Marañon, Amazon (which is formed by the confluence of the Marañon and the Ucayali), Putumayo, Pastaza, Napo, Jurua, and the Purus.

The largest cities include Lima (the capital and the economic and cultural centre), Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Callao (a suburb of Lima), Piura, Iquitos, Chimbote, Huancayo, Cusco (the capital of the ancient Inca Empire), Pucallpa, and Cajamarca.

Economy

The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market oriented, with major privatizations completed since 1990 in the mining, electric/power, and telecommunications industries. Thanks to strong foreign investment and the cooperation between the former Fujimori administration, 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. 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.

Growth up to the year 2005 has been driven by construction, investment, domestic demand, and exports to different world regions. Peru's economy is one of the better-managed in Latin America. Over the next few years, the country is likely to attract both domestic and foreign investment in the tourism, agriculture, mining, construction, industry, petroleum and natural gas, and power industries.

It has taken steps to consolidate a possible free trade agreement with United States of America by April 2006; both countries wait for the approval of the terms by their respective congresses. Peru is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Chile, Mexico and Singapore which may be finished between March and April 2006.

Peru currently has a free trade agreements with the Andean Community, which is composed of Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela. It also holds free trade agreements with many of the countries in Mercosur as well as Thailand, and during the recent APEC summit, Peru voiced intentions to sign free trade agreements with China, Japan, South Korea.

It is also pushing for a free trade agreement with the European Union. All these negotiations will broadly expand the markets in which the Peruvian products are traded. Peru has a great export potential in agricultural products, textiles, clothing, shoes, petroleum derivatives, natural gas, minerals, as well as fish and seafood products, tourism, and manufacturing.

In 2005 Peruvian exports reached US$ 17.1 billion (an increase of 34.6% compared to 2004) and it is expected to grow 35% for this year reaching US$23.5 billion at the end of 2006. Also, the economy has shown a healthy grow in all its sectors (energy, construction, commerce, fishing, manufacturing, tourism, etc) in 2005 growing over 6.67% (one the fastest growth rates in South America) and it is projected to grow a strong 7% for 2006 considering that commodity prices, which Peru is a great producer, will have an estimated increment of 25% on average.

For the next five years (until 2010) the Peruvian government has registered over US$ 10 billion in private investment (both domestic and foreign) in the mining and energy sectors, as well as investments of US$ 15 billion in other sectors such as industry, commerce, tourism, seafood and agriculture, which will keep the economy growing at healthy levels of 5% or more, anually.

Unfortunately poverty in Peru is still very high, with a rate of 51.6% of the total population, however the poverty rate is being reduced slowly and it is expected to be reduced to 25% of the population in 15 years.

Demographics

File:Lima centre.jpg

Pedestrian street leading to Lima's main square, Plaza de Armas

Ethnography

Peru is one of only three countries in Latin America whose largest segment of the population is comprised of Amerindians - where almost half of all Peruvians, or 40% percent, is Amerindian.

Mestizos, a term that denotes people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry, constitute around 37% of the people. Another 15% is of unmixed European ancestry (including mostly Spaniards, but also Italians, German, and others), the majority living in Peru's largest cities, including Trujillo, Arequipa and Lima. At one point, Peru had the second largest population of people of Japanese descent in Latin America after Brazil. Many of them traveled to Japan in the 90's as the economic situation in Peru got worse. A large community of people of chinese descent live in Lima. In contrast to the Japanese, the Chinese intermarried much more. Another 3-5% are of African descent, especially in coastal cities such as Lima, Chincha, Ica, as well as in the Peruvian North. Few black peruvians identify themsleves as black, most common terms are Zambos or Sambos (Mix Mestiso or indian with black) and Mulatos (Mix white/criollo with black).

The two major indigenous ethnic groups are the various Quechua-speaking populations, followed closely by the Aymará, as well as several dozen small Amerindian ethnic tribes scattered throughout the country beyond the Andes Mountains and in the Amazon basin.

A large proportion of Amerindians who live in the Andean highlands still speak Quechua or Aymara, and have a rich culture which was part of the Inca Empire, the most advanced agricultural civilisation in the world. In the low lands of the Amazon Jungle there are thousands of indigenuos Amazonians dispersed over thousands of square miles of inexpugnable jungles and 3 large cities (Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, and Pucallpa) with a population of more than one million and an area larger than the US states of Texas and West Virginia combined.

Language

Peru has two official languages - Spanish and the foremost indigenous language, Quechua. Spanish is used by all coastal Peruvians, the government, the media, and in education and formal commerce; although there is an increasing and organised effort to teach Quechua in public schools.

The major obstacle to a more widespread use of the Quechua language is the lack of modern media which use it: for example books, newspapers, software, magazines, technical journals, etc. However, non-governmental organisations as well as state sponsored groups are involved in projects to edit and translate major works into the Quechua language; for instance, in late 2005 a superb version of Don Quixote was presented in Quechua.

Despite this work an even more fundamental problem remains: most of the native speakers of Quechua are illiterate. Thus, Quechua, along with Aymara and the minor indigenous languages, remains essentially an oral language. Until more work is done in terms of teaching written Quechua, it is unlikely to rival Spanish as the major language of the country.

Culture

Like its rich national history, the popular culture of contemporary Peru is the result of a fusion of cultures, constituted primarily from the cultural legacy of the Incas and the culture of Spain. This cultural mixture has been further enriched by the contributions of so many other cultures of the world that have come to call Peru home throughout its history; from African slaves, to non-Hispanic Europeans, and even East Asians. Together they have given rise to one of the richest and varied cultures in the world.

Art

The art of Peru was shaped by the melting between Spanish and Amerindian cultures. During pre-Columbian times, Peru was one of the major centers of artistic expression in The Americas, where Pre-Inca cultures, such as Chavín, Moche, Paracas, Huari (Wari), Nazca, Chimu, and Tiahuanaco developed high-quality pottery, textiles, jewelry, and sculpture.

Drawing upon earlier cultures, the Incas continued to maintain these crafts but made even more impressive achievements in architecture. The mountain town of Machu Picchu and the buildings at Cuzco are excellent examples of Inca architectural design.

During the colonial period, Spanish baroque fused with the rich Inca tradition to produce mestizo art. The Cuzco school of largely anonymous Indian artists followed the Spanish baroque tradition with influence from the Italian, Flemish, and French schools.

Painter Francisco Fierro made a distinctive contribution to this school with his portrayals of typical events, manners, and customs of mid-19th-century Peru. Francisco Lazo, forerunner of the indigenous school of painters, also achieved fame for his portraits.

Peru has passed early 20th century brought "indigenismo," expressed in a new awareness of Indian culture. Since World War II, Peruvian writers, artists, and intellectuals such as Cesar Vallejo and José María Arguedas have participated in worldwide intellectual and artistic movements, drawing especially on U.S. and European trends.

In the decade after 1932, the "indigenous school" of painting headed by José Sabogal dominated the cultural scene in Peru. A subsequent reaction among Peruvian artists led to the beginning of modern Peruvian painting. Sabogal's resignation as director of the National School of Arts in 1943 coincided with the return of several Peruvian painters from Europe who revitalised "universal" and international styles of painting in Peru.

During the 1960s, Fernando de Szyszlo, an internationally recognised Peruvian artist, became the main advocate for abstract painting and pushed Peruvian art toward modernism. Peru remains an art-producing center with painters such as Fernando de Szyslo, Gerardo Chavez, José Tola, Alberto Quintanilla, and José Carlos Ramos, along with sculptor Victor Delfín, gaining international stature.

Promising young artists continue to develop now that Peru's economy allows more promotion of the arts.

Music

Typical instruments include the Andean flute and pan-pipes (Quena and Zampoña), the Cajon drum used in Afro Peruvian music, and the traditional Spanish guitar. Peru is home to thousands of dances of pre Inca, Andean and mestizo origin. The southern Andean region is famous for the Huayno.

Arequipa is the proud creator of the famous Yaraví, a melancholy style of A Capella that evokes the solitude of the mountains. Probably the most well known song of this style is "El Condor Pasa", a traditional Peruvian song popularized in the United States by the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel and featured in the movie "The Graduate". The original composition consists of a Yaraví, followed by an Inca "Pasacalle" and a Huayno fugue, three traditional Inca rhythms. The Huaylas, by contrast, is a cheery, rhythmic style from the central Andes.

The coast has a different feel to its music than its Andean counterpart. Primarily Spanish in origin, coastal culture combines traditional European rhythms such as the flamenco and the waltz with Creole, African and Gypsy influences to create the wide range of styles we hear today. Lima's most well known musical style is the Vals Peruano (Peruvian Waltz), popularised by the great Chabuca Granda. She is widely considered the most important composer of Coastal Creole music, with such songs as La Flor de La Canela, Fina Estampa, and José Antonio. Other commonly known Vals Peruano tunes are: Alma Corazon y Vida, Odiame, Mi Propiedad Privada, El Plebeyo, and Devuelveme El Rosario de Mi Madre, some of which are sung by Caribbean artists in the Bolero or Salsa version.

Afro Peruvian music is most commonly performed by duos of Creole guitars, the Cajon and spoon rhythms. African derived rhythms like the Festejo and Landó are common among the Afro-Peruvian communities of the southern coast. Susana Baca is a renowned singer and composer of Afro Peruvian music. She won a Grammy award in 2002 for her album Lamento Negro.

The Marinera is the National Dance of Peru, named in honour of the marines who fought against the Chilean military in the War of the Pacific. Among Peruvians of the coast, it is considered as traditional and representative as the Tango is to Argentina. Many people take classes and look forward to the annual Marinera Festival held in the city of Trujillo every July, with thousands in attendance. Lambayeque and Piura are also known for their marineras and tonderos.

Lima is famous for the Señor de los Milagros Procession and Bullfighting, which takes place in Plaza de Toros Acho — the oldest bullfighting venue of the Americas. Considered the largest procession in South America, congregating devotees from all over the country, the Se�or de los Milagros or Lord of Miracles Procession takes place during October. During the whole month, known as the mes morado (purple month), minor observations are celebrated in honour of the patron saint whose colour is purple. The main event occurs the 18th: dressed in purple habits, hundreds of thousands of devotees sing and pray while accompanying the image on its 24-hour route from the Nazarenas temple to La Merced church in the Barrios Altos district.

Cuisine

Peruvian cuisine, for years unnoticed abroad, has recently exploded onto the world gastronomic scene. Peruvian cuisine is a blend of Amerindian and Spanish roots, but has also been influenced by other groups, including Africans, Italians, Chinese and Japanese, all of whom have added their own ingredients and traditions to the mix.

Peru's many climate zones also make it possible to grow a wide range of crops. There are the dozens of native potato, maize and chile pepper varieties from the Andes,Rocoto being the most popular, to the plentiful fish and seafood from the Pacific coast, mangoes and limes from the coastal valleys, and bananas and manioc from the Amazon jungle.

One of Peru's most known dishes is the ceviche, the most popular ceviche is a type of seafood cocktail where the fish has been cooked in lemon, hot peppers and onions. But there are several types of ceviches that include with only fish, mix seafood, conchas negras, etc. Other typical food include staples from the Andes; chicha (maize beer), and chicha morada (made out of purple corn) humitas (tamales), roast guinea pig, papa a la Huancaina, Jalea de Mar, Chilcano, Chupe de Camarones, Sudado, Aguadito, Tallarin Saltado, Aji de Gallina, Arros con Pollo, Seco de Res, Pachamanca, Chicharrones, Tacu Tacu, Carapulcra (Dry potato), choncholi, Salchipapas, Mondonguito a la Italiana, Chanfainita, Ocopa, different Chifa dishes (chinese food made with peruvian ingredients), Estofado, Bistec a la Pobre, Arros con Pato, Olluquito, Anticuchos (grill cow heart),Rocoto Relleno Empanadas, Pollo a la Braza Lechon, etc.

Caramel, also known as Manjar Blanco in Peru, is very popular in sweets. Also Crema Chantilly in very popular in cakes. Other sweets include Mazamorra Morada, Arroz con Leche, Flan, Crema Volteada, Leche Asada, Torta Helada, etc

The national soda is Inca Kola, but other sodas are popular too.

Sports

Soccer: The most popular Peruvian sport is soccer (World Cup appeareances: 1930,1970,1978,1982 two Copa America tournaments). Although the National team has not been very successful, most of the population of Peru follow the World Cup tournament on television. Soccer legends from Peru include Hugo Sotil, Cesar Cueto, and Teofilo Cubillas, Peru's best striker in World Cup Finals with 10 goals. Current renowned players include midfielder Nolberto Solano (Newcastle United since 1998, with a 2-year parenthesis in Aston Villa), and strikers Claudio Pizarro, Jose Paolo Guerrero(Bayern Munich) and Jefferson Farfán (PSV Eindhoven). Universitario de Deportes, Alianza Lima, and Sporting Cristal are the biggest teams in Peru

Volleyball: Other popular sport is Women’s Volleyball (Silver medal in Seoul 1988 Olympic Games and 14 times South American champion).

Surfing: Sofia Mulanovich, Women’s World Surf Champion in 2004 and 2005.

Sailing: Peru is the only country of the region that has won for six consecutive years the world Cup in the Sunfish Class. In addition, Peru has won the Central American, South American & Caribbean Championships for the same category. In the Optimist Class, it was three times World Champion in Team-Racing in 1997, 1998, and 1999.

Shooting: Peruvian shooters have won 3 of Peru's 4 Olympic medals. Edwin Vásquez won Peru's only gold medal in London 1948 Olympic Games, while Francisco Boza (Los Angeles 1984), and Juan Giha (Barcelona 1992) both won silver medals.

Other popular sports include Tennis and Boxing.

International rankings

Reporters without borders world-wide press freedom index 2004: Rank 116 out of 167 countries (2005)
UN Human Development Index 2005: Ranked 79 out of 177 countries. Up 6 places from 85 in 2004.