Peru

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Facts and Figures | History | Peruvian Culture | Environment and Climate
Sightseeing | Cost of Living | Support | Map

Facts and Figures:

Full country name: Republic of Peru
Population: 28 million
People: 54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (mixed European / Indian), 12% Spanish descent, 2% other
Language: Aymara, Quechua, Spanish
Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population
Major Industries: Pulp, paper, coca leaves, fishmeal, steel, chemicals, oil, minerals, cement, auto assembly, shipbuilding

History:

The first inhabitants of Peru were nomadic hunter-gatherers who lived in caves in Peru's coastal regions. The oldest site, Pikimachay cave, dates from 12,000 BC. Crops such as cotton, beans, squash and pepper chillis were planted around 4000 BC; later, advanced cultures such as the Chavin introduced weaving, agriculture and religion to the country. Around 300 BC, the Chavin inexplicably disappeared, but over the centuries several other cultures - including the Salinar, Nazca, Paracas Necropolis and Wari (Huari) - became locally important. By the early 15th century, the Inca empire had control of much of the area, even extending its influence into Colombia and Chile.

Between 1526-28, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro explored Peru's coastal regions and, drawn by the riches of the Inca empire, returned to Spain to raise money and recruit men for another expedition to the country. Return he did, marching into Cajamarca, in northern Peru, before capturing, ransoming and executing the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1533. Pizarro subsequently founded the city of Lima in 1535 but was assassinated six years later. The rebellion of the last Inca leader, Manco Inca, ended ingloriously with his beheading in 1572.

The next 200 years proved peaceful, with Lima becoming the major political, social and commercial center of the Andean nations. However, the exploitation of Indians by their colonial masters led to an uprising in 1780 under the self-styled Inca Tupac Amaru II. The rebellion was shortlived and most of the leaders were rounded up and executed. Peru continued to remain loyal to Spain until 1824, when the country was liberated by two 'outsiders': the Venezuelan Simon Bolivar and the Argentinian Jose de San Martin. In 1866, Peru won a brief war with Spain but was humiliated by Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-83), which resulted in the loss of lucrative nitrate fields in the northern Atacama Desert. Peru also went to war with Ecuador over a border dispute in 1941. The 1942 treaty of Rio de Janeiro ceded the area north of the Rio Maraqon to Peru but the decision was fiercely contested by Ecuador.

Cuban-inspired guerrilla uprisings in 1965 led by the National Liberation Army were unsuccessful, but a series of nationwide strikes coupled with a violent insurgency by the Maoist Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) guerrillas caused political instability in the 1980s. Another guerilla group - the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) - also gained in strength during this time. However, the 1990 presidential election victory of Alberto Fujimori (erroneously known as El Chino because of his Japanese parentage) over Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, and the capture in 1992 of inspirational MRTA and Sendero Luminoso leaders buoyed hopes for a sustained period of peace.

Peruvian Culture:

Typical Peruvian dishes are tasty and vary regionally. Seafood is best on the coast, while the Inca delicacy - roast guinea pig - can be sampled in the highlands. Other dishes include: lomo saltado (chopped steak fried with onions); cebiche de corvina (white sea bass marinated in lemon, chilli and onions, often served cold with a boiled potato or yam); and sopa a la criolla (a lightly spiced noodle soup with beef, egg, milk and vegetables).

Peruvian music is almost entirely folk music, while its literature encompasses everything from independence-inspired polemic to the anarchic individualism of its many poets and the boyhood reveries of the internationally renowned author Mario Vargas Llosa.

The main religion is Roman Catholicism, though the Indians, while outwardly Catholic, often blend Catholicism with traditional beliefs. Spanish is the main language. In the highlands, most Indians are bilingual, but speak Quechua as their mother tongue. There are about 70 other languages, and in remote parts of the Amazon, Spanish is rarely spoken.

Environment and Climate:

Peru is in western South America and shares borders with Chile (to the south), Bolivia (southeast), Brazil (northeast), Colombia (north) and Ecuador (northwest). It has three major regions: a narrow coastal belt, the wide Andean mountains and the Amazon Basin. The coastal strip is predominantly desert, but contains Peru's major cities and its best highway, the Carratera Panamericana. The Andes comprise two principal ranges - Cordillera Occidental and Oriental - and includes Huascaran (6770m/22,200ft), Peru's highest mountain. To the east is the Amazon Basin, a region of tropical lowland, which is drained by the Maranon and Ucayali rivers.

Bird and marine life is abundant along Peru's desert coast, with colonies of sea lion, the Humboldt penguin, Chilean flamingo, Peruvian pelican, Inca tern and the brown booby endemic to the region. Common highland birds include the Andean condor, puna ibis and a variety of hummingbird. The highlands are also home to cameloids such as the llama, alpaca, guanaco and vicuqa, while the eastern slopes of the Andes are the haunts of jaguars, spectacled bears and tapirs. Peru's flora contains a number of hardy and unique plants, including patches of Polylepis woodland found at extreme heights.

Peru's climate can be divided into two seasons - wet and dry - though this varies, depending on the geographical region. The coast and western Andean slopes are generally dry, with the summer falling between December and April; during the rest of the year, the garza (coastal fog) moves in and the sun is rarely seen. In the Andes, the dry season is from May to September, while the wet season takes up the remainder of the year. On the eastern slopes of the Andes, the drier months are similar to the highlands, though the wet season (January to April) is more pronounced.

Sightseeing:

Lima

Peru's capital is overcrowded, polluted, noisy and often has wretched weather. Nevertheless, the inhabitants are friendly and hospitable, opportunities for dining and nightlife are ample and the city has a great selection of museums. Attractions include the Museo de Arte, which exhibits colonial furniture and pre-Columbian artifacts as well as 400 years of Peruvian art, and the Museo Nacional de Antropologma y Arquelogma, noted for its excellent exhibits of prehistoric Peru. Lima's many markets, including Polvos Azules, overflow with consumer goods and handicrafts. There are also plazas, lovely colonial buildings and a zoo. The suburb of Miraflores has the city's best stores, restaurants and nightspots.

South Coast

The Panamerican highway hugs the coast and passes through many areas of interest south of Lima, including Pisco, an important fishing port (best known for its white grape brandy), used by travelers as a base to see the wildlife of the nearby Islas Ballestas and Peninsula de Paracas. The area is of much historical and archaeological interest, with burial sites of the Paracas culture a major lure. Further south is the town of Nazca, known for its colorful and elaborate pottery and the world-famous Nazca Lines - huge geometric designs, mostly of animals and birds - which are thought to have been built between 900 BC and 600 AD. The designs are only visible from the air but there are numerous flights over the area for around US$50.

Cuzco

Its legacy as the hub of the Inca empire is readily apparent. Most of the city streets are lined with Inca-built stone walls and crowded with Quecha-speaking descendants of the Incas. The city has magnificent repositories of colonial art such as the catedral (begun in 1559) and La Merced Church. There is also the Coricancha ruins, east of the city center, which were formerly covered with gold (the stonework is all that remains) and the Museo de Arqueologia, the interior of which is filled with metal and gold work, jewelery, pottery, textiles and mummies. Four other ruins - Sacsayhuaman, Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay - are nearby.

West of Cuzco is Machu Picchu, the best-known and most spectacular site on the continent. Despite the relentless stampede of tourists (especially during the dry season months, June to September), this 'Lost City of the Incas' still retains an air of grandeur and mystery and is a 'must see' for any visitor to Peru.

Iquitos

Iquitos (pop 400,000), Peru's largest jungle city and the Amazon Basin's largest settlement without road links, is connected to the outside world only by air and river. Founded in the 1750s by Jesuits, it would later become an oil and rubber boomtown. Iquitos' main attraction is as a civilized gateway to the Amazon and jumping-off point for jungle excursions.

Huarez Area

Huraz is the most important climbing, trekking and backpacking center in Peru. The city of Huaraz has been demolished several times by massive earthquakes. The surrounding mountains are exceptionally beautiful. The Andes offer a wide range of attractions, the most evident of which are the many permanently glaciated peaks jutting up to 6000m. The climbing and hiking season runs May to September. There are also glacial lakes and hot springs and Inca and pre-Inca archeological sites, most notably Chavin de Huantar.

Arequipa and Lake Titicaca

Arequipa is surrounded by spectacular mountains, including the volcano El Misti. A feature of the city is its many beautiful buildings made of a light-colored volcanic rock called sillar. The Convento de Santa Catalina, perhaps the most fascinating colonial religious building in the country, was, until recently, home to almost 450 nuns. Many of the city's beautiful colonial houses, such as Casa Ricketts, are now used as art galleries or museums. The Colca Canyon, arguably the world's deepest canyon, is a popular excursion from Arequipa.

Lake Titicaca, at 3820m (12,530ft), is the highest navigable lake in the world. At over 170km (105mi) long, it is also the largest lake in South America. Its altitude means the air is unusually clear and the azure waters particularly striking. Interesting boat trips can be made from Puno, the major port on the lake. The area is also known for its folk dances and huge herds of alpacas and llamas.

Cost of Living:

The cost of living in Peru is lower, on average, than in developed countries, but higher than many neighboring countries. Lima is one of the most expensive cities in all of South America. Cuzco is also an expensive part of Peru. You may convert your dollars in banks, casas de cambio (recommended), first-class hotels or with street changers (not recommended - they are known to cheat foreigners). ATMs (Visa and Plus system are most widely recognized) are the best way to extract money in Peru.

Food in Peru is relatively cheap. Budget meals range from $2-5. Cheaper restaurants don't add taxes and tipping is not expected. Moderate meals range from $5-10, and tips of 10-15% are standard unless a service charge has been added to your bill already.

Like most of the local markets, bargaining is the way prices are set. If you are traveling around via taxi, make sure you bargain beforehand and stick to that agreed price. Drivers are not tipped.

Support During Your Placement:

We will be available to give you any support, advice, or guidance you may need with any issues. There will always be an emergency number for you to contact. Our aim is to ensure that you have a happy and successful experience during your stay in Peru.