- Officially » República del Perú
Flag of Peru
- Republic of Peru (English)
- Capital » Lima
- Current Time and Date (UTC – 5hrs)
- Weather
Facts
- Population » 32 million
- Languages » Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
- Religion » Christianity
- Life expectancy » 72 years (men), 77 years (women)
- Currency » nuevo sol
- Emergency numbers »
- Ambulance» 117
- Fire » 116
- Police » 105
Geography
- Area » 1.28 million sq km (496,225 sq miles)
- 19th largest country in the world, and the third largest in South America
- 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 south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
Maps
Tourism
- Machu Picchu – well known and overrun with tourists (Fodor’s)
- Choquequirao – The little sister to the better-known Machu Picchu (The Guardian)
- Only a few hundred people visit during the dry season (May to October)
- 100 km west of Cusco in the Vilcabamba range
National Parks
Hiking
- Huaraz is one of the Best Hiking Towns (Best Hike)
- Hiking to Laguna 69 from Huaraz » 2-day high-altitude hike » (Kraig Adams Video)
- Peru Backpacking Guide – South American Backpacker
Been There » Places to Visit Next Time
Climate
- Dry season » May to October
Health
Notes
- Police (as well as other officials) are very corrupt, often stopping tourists and demanding bribes. (Personal experience)
- “Peru is a developing country, ranking 82nd on the Human Development Index, with a high level of human development with an upper middle income level and a poverty rate around 19 percent. It is one of the region’s most prosperous economies with an average growth rate of 5.9% and it has one of the world’s fastest industrial growth rates at an average of 9.6%.” (Wikipedia)