Peru is located in the central part of South America and borders on the north with Ecuador and Colombia, on the east with Brazil and Bolivia, on the south with Chile and on the west with the Pacific Ocean. The Peruvian territory covers an area of 1,285.216 square kilometers. More than half of the Peruvian population (54.6%) lives on the coast. The Andean region is home to 32%, whereas only 13.4% of the total population lives on the Amazonian plains. Lima is the capital city of the Republic. Peru is the third largest country in South America after Brazil and Argentina, and ranks among the 20 largest countries in the world. The country’s location facilitates the access to markets in Asia and the United States of America, which enables its projection as a linking bridge between markets in South America and Southeast Asia.

The Peruvian flag consists of three equal, vertical bands of red, white and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band. The coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath.

Since 1991 the Nuevo Sol is Peru's currency. The International code for the Peruvian currency Nuevo Sol (S/.) is PEN. The Nuevo Sol is subdivided into 100 Centimos. There are banknotes for S/. 10, S/. 20, S/. 50, S/. 100 and S/. 200. Coins have been issued for 1 Centimo, 5 Centimos, 10 Centimos, 20 Centimos, 50 Centimos, S/. 1, S/. 2 and S/. 5. Nowadays the Nuevo Sol is a quite stable currency with a moderate inflation and has a more or less steady exchange rate with the US Dollar.
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Arid and mild in the coastal area, temperate to frigid in the Andes, warm and humid in the jungle lowlands.

• There are 84 of the world’s 103 eco-systems present in Peru
• Peru is under the five most important centres in the world for genetic resources of plants

Western South America at the Pacific Ocean.

• North: Ecuador (border of 1420 km) and Colombia (border of 1800 km)
• East: Brazil (border of 2995 km) and Bolivia (border of 1075 km)
• South: Chile (border of 171km)
• West: Pacific Ocean (coastline of 2414 km)

• Total: 1,285,216 km²
• Land: 1,280,000 km²
• Water: 5,216 km²

• 11.7% "Costa" - Western coastal plain with deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys.
• 28.4% "Sierra"- Mountainous area dominated by the Andes, where Mount Huascaran rises • 59.9% "Selva"- Eastern lowland jungle of the Amazon basin.

• Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
• Highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

• Earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

• Form of government: Constitutional Republic
• Capital: Lima
• Independence: 28th July 1821 (from Spain)
• Constitution: 29th December 1993
• Legal System: Based on a civil law system

• Chief of state: President Alan Garcia (since 2006)
• Head of government: President Alan Garcia (since 2006)
• Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and led by the Prime Minister
• Elections: President elected by popular vote for 5 years

Unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru with 120 seats. Members are elected by popular vote for a five year term.

Supreme Court of Justice. Judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary.

Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana (APRA), National Unity (UN), Peru Posible (PP), Popular Action (AP), Union for Peru (UPP), Solucion Popular, Somos Peru (SP).

Amazonas, Ancash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Ayacuhco, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima Area, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali.

• Lima – Callao Metropolitan (8,472,935 citizens, Census 2007)
• Arequipa (749,291 citizens, Census 2007)
• Trujillo (682,834 citizens, Census 2007)
• Chiclayo (524,442citizens, Census 2007)
• Piura (377,496 citizens, Census 2007)
• Iquitos (370,962 citizens, Census 2007)
• Cusco (348,935 citizens, Census 2007)
• Chimbote (334,568 citizens, Census 2007)
• Huancayo (323,054 citizens, Census 2007)
• Tacna (242,451 citizens, Census 2007)
• Cajamarca (162,326 citizens, Census 2007)
• Ayacucho (151,019 citizens, Census 2007)

• Callao, Paita, Salverry, Chimbote, Pisco, Ilo (on the Pacific)
• Iquitos and Pucallpa (in the Amazon basin)

• Population: 27,412,157 (Census 2007)
• Projected population: 34,476,469 in 2025 (est. 2006), 38,300,067 in 2050 (est. 2006)
• Population density: 22 persons per km² (Census 2007)
• Population growth: 1.23% (est. 2009)

• 54, 6% on the coast (Census 2007)
• 32,0% in the highlands (Census 2007)
• 13,4% in the Amazon basin (Census 2007)
• 75.9% in cities (Census 2007)
• 24.1% in rural areas (Census 2007)

Age structure:
30.5% 0 to 14 years, 63.1% 15 years to 64 years, 6.4% 65 and older (Census 2007)

Average age:
26.1 years (est. 2009)

• 45% indigenous Amerindian
• 37% Mestizo (mixed Native American and white)
• 15% White
• 3% Japanese, Chinese, black and others

Spanish (official), Quecha (official), Aymara and a large number of indigenous Amazonian languages.

• 81.3% Roman Catholics (Census 2007)
• 12.5% Evangelical Protestants (Census 2007)
• 6.2% unspecified or none (Census 2007)

• Life expectancy total population: 70.74 years (est. 2009)
• Life expectancy of men: 67.9 years (2007)
• Life expectancy of women: 72.8 years (2007)
• Birth rate 19.38 births / 1000 Population (est. 2009)
• Death rate 6.14 deaths / 1000 population (est. 2009)
• Infant mortality rate 28.62 deaths / 1000 live births (est. 2009)
• Malnourished children under 5 years 5,2 % (2007)
• Undernourished population 15% (2005)
• Major infectious diseases:
• Food or waterborne diseases: Bacterial, hepatitis A and typhoid fever
• Vector borne disease: Dengue fever, malaria and yellow fever
• Water contact disease: Leptospirosis (2009)

• Literacy 92.9% of population age 15 and older can read and write (Census 2007)
• 85% of Peru's students attend public schools (2007)
• 15% of Peru's students attend privat schools (2007)

• Telephone 27.7% (Census 2007)
• Mobile phones 42.9% (Census 2007)
• Radio 72.1% (Census 2007)
• TV 61% (Census 2007)
• PC 14.8% (Census 2007)
• Internet connection at home 6.8% (Census 2007)

• GDP (PPP): $253 billion (est. 2009)
• GDP growth rate: 0.9% (2009)
• GDP growth rate 5.7% (est. for 2010) and 6.7% (est. for 2011)
• Per capita GDP: $ 8600 (est. 2009)
• GDP composition by sector: Agriculture: 8.2%, industry: 25.1%, services: 54.5%
• Inflation rate 1.2% (2009)
• Inflation rate 2.8% (est. for 2010) and 3.3% (est. for 2011)

• Labour Force 10.26 million (est. 2009)
• Unemployment: 9% (est. 2009)
• Underemployment: 50.2% (Census 2007)

• Poverty rate: 39.3% (Census 2007)
• Extreme poverty: 13.7 (Census 2007)

Copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, natural gas, hydropower.

Mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mango, barley, medicinal plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans; poultry, beef, dairy products, fish, guinea pigs.

Products:
Copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, fishmeal.

Mayor partners:
US 20%, China 15.2%, Canada 8.3%, Japan 7%, Chile 5.8%, Brazil 4.2% (2008)

Products:
Petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper.

Major partners:
US 23.4%, China 10.5%, Brazil 8.7%, Ecuador 6.4%, Chile 5%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 4.5% (2008)

Airports:
201 (2009), 57 with paved runways , 144 with unpaved runways (mostly only airstrips)

Railways:
1989 km (2008), 1726 km standard gauge, 263 km narrow gauge

Roads:
78,829 km (2004), 11,351 km paved, 67478 km unpaved

Waterways:
8808 km (2008)