Peru is South America's third largest country, covering 1,285,215 sq. km
It can be divided into three geographic regions:
- the central high sierra of the Andes - one of the world's most unstable mountain ranges, with frequent earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods.
- the narrow, dry lowland coastal region, home to Peru’s main centres of population including the capital, Lima.
- the dense forest that surrounds the headwaters of the Amazon beneath the eastern slopes of the Andes.
View of Tarapoto
Border countries
Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km
Current environmental issues
Deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
History
The best known and shortest lived of the many civilisations that developed in Peru is the Inca Empire. In 1430, it covered little more than the river valley around Cuzco. Less than a century later, the Incas controlled almost 1 million square kilometres from northwest of the modern day Argentina to the southern area of the future Colombia. The Inca capital, at Qosqo, which has almost completely disappeared, was the richest city in all of the Americas, with temples encrusted with heavy gold plate. The ceremonial centre of Machu Picchu still survives intact and is now a huge tourist attraction.
In 1532, at the height of its power, Inca society it was at war over who should succeed as ruler. In the same year Francisco Pizarro and his band of Spanish conquistadors arrived on the scene and using lies and cunning, gained a meeting with Atahualpa, the Inca ruler, whom Pizarro then assassinated. Despite fierce resistance, the Spaniards seized Cuzco and sacked the city. Although the Incas continued to fight for the next few years, their empire had ended and Spanish rule had begun. In 1821 Peru declared it independence from Spain and became a state in its own right.
500 years after the Spanish invasion, 45% of Peruvians are Amerindian 37% are mestizo (mixed Amerindian/European heritage). About ten percent are of European descent, and there are significant African and Asian minorities. Peru's official languages are Spanish and Quechua.
The recent civil war (1980-2000) left many people internally displaced, mostly in the Andean and Amazonian regions.
Peru is implementing a decentralization program so its 25 administrative divisions will begin to have greater governmental authority over their territories. It is not yet clear exactly how this will operate, but responsibilities will be devolved to the regions over the course of several years.
