Peru
Republic of PeruRepublica del Peru
republicIndependence 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Peru as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Geography
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Chile and | Ecuador
14 fieldsTerrain
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Environment
- subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, mild volcanic activity;
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- desertification;
- air pollution in Lima
People
14 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1993 est.)
Male · female(1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Government
Republic
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Names
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Peru
- conventional short form:
- Peru
- local long form:
- Republica del Peru
- local short form:
- Peru
Administrative divisions
- 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional);
- Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa,, Ayacucho, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990 mandate the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) intended to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities;
so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 existing departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali);
formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government, the regions have yet to assume their responsibilities and at the moment coexist with the departmental structure
Constitution
- 28 July 1980 (often referred to as the 1979 Constitution because the Constituent Assembly met in 1979, but the Constitution actually took effect the following year);
- suspended 5 April 1992;
- being revised or replaced
Political parties and leaders
- New Majority/Change 90 (Cambio 90), Alberto FUJIMORI;
- Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes;
- Popular Action Party (AP), Eduardo CALMELL del Solar;
- Liberty Movement (ML), Luis BUSTAMANTE;
- American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Alan GARCIA;
- Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega;
- National Renewal, Rafael REY;
- Democratic Coordinator, Jose Barba CAHALLERO;
- Democratic Left Movement, Gloria HOFLER
Other political or pressure groups
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and Victor POLAY (imprisoned)
Elections
- President:
- last held on 10 June 1990 (next to be held NA April 1995); results - Alberto FUJIMORI 56.53%, Mario VARGAS Llosa 33.92%, other 9.55%
- Democratic Constituent Congress:
- last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA);
- seats - (80 total) New Majority/Change 90 44, Popular Christian Party 8, Independent Moralization Front 7, Renewal 6, Movement of the Democratic Left 4, Democratic Coordinator 4, others 7;
- several major parties (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, Popular Action) did not participate
Leaders
- Chief of State:
- President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990)
- Head of Government:
- Prime Minister Oscar DE LA PUENTE Raygada (since 6 April 1992)
Member of
AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ricardo LUNA
- chancery:
- 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- (202) 833-9860 through 9869)
- consulates general:
- Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles H. BRAYSHAW
- embassy:
- corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1991, Lima 1, or APO AA 34031
- telephone:
- [51] (14) 33-8000
- FAX:
- [51] (14) 31-6682
Flag
- 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 llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath
Economy
The Peruvian economy is becoming increasingly market oriented, with a large | dose of government ownership remaining in mining, energy, and banking.
19 fieldsOverview
The Peruvian economy is becoming increasingly market oriented, with a large dose of government ownership remaining in mining, energy, and banking. In the 1980s the economy suffered from hyperinflation, declining per capita output, and mounting external debt. Peru was shut off from IMF and World Bank support in the mid-1980s because of its huge debt arrears.
An austerity program implemented shortly after the FUJIMORI government took office in July 1990 contributed to a third consecutive yearly contraction of economic activity, but the slide halted late that year, and output rose 2.4% in 1991. After a burst of inflation as the austerity program eliminated government price subsidies, monthly price increases eased to the single-digit level and by December 1991 dropped to the lowest increase since mid-1987.
Lima obtained a financial rescue package from multilateral lenders in September 1991, although it faced $14 billion in arrears on its external debt. By working with the IMF and World Bank on new financial conditions and arrangements, the government succeeded in ending its arrears by March 1993.
In 1992, GDP fell by 2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in a 30% drop in the fish catch. Meanwhile, revival of growth in GDP continued to be restricted by the large amount of public and private resources being devoted to strengthening internal security.
Exports
$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
- commodities:
- copper, fishmeal, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton
- partners:
- EC 28%, US 22%, Japan 13%, Latin America 12%, former USSR 2% (1991)
Imports
$4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
- commodities:
- foodstuffs, machinery, transport equipment, iron and steel semimanufactures, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
- partners:
- US 32%, Latin America 22%, EC 17%, Switzerland 6%, Japan 3% (1991)
Industries
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication
Agriculture
- accounts for 10% of GDP, about 35% of labor force;
- commercial crops - coffee, cotton, sugarcane;
- other crops - rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca;
- animal products - poultry, red meats, dairy, wool;
- not self-sufficient in grain or vegetable oil;
- fish catch of 6.9 million metric tons (1990)
Illicit drugs
- world's largest coca leaf producer with about 121,000 hectares under cultivation;
- source of supply for most of the world's coca paste and cocaine base;
- at least 85% of coca cultivation is for illicit production;
- most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market
Economic aid
- US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion;
- Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.3 billion;
- Communist countries (1970-89), $577 million
Exchange rates
nuevo sol (S/. per US$1 - 1.690 (January 1993), 1.245 (1992), 0.772 (1991), 0.187 (1990), 2.666 (1989), 0.129 (1988)
Communications
8 fieldsNetworkskm
Merchant marine
- 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 194,473 GRT/307,845 DWT;
- includes 13 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 oil tanker, 4 bulk;
- note - in addition, 6 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used commercially
Airports
- total:
- 228
- usable:
- 199
- with permanent-surface runways:
- 37
- with runways over 3,659 m:
- 2
- with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
- 23
- with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
- 46
Telecommunications
- fairly adequate for most requirements;
- nationwide microwave system;
- 544,000 telephones;
- broadcast stations - 273 AM, no FM, 140 TV, 144 shortwave;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 12 domestic
Defense Forces
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force (Fuerza | Aerea del Peru), National Police
3 fieldsBranches
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49 6,030,354;
- fit for military service 4,076,197;
- reach military age (20) annually 241,336 (1993 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Peru.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/peru/1993.