Geographic Information About the Country of Peru

Geographic Information About the Country of Peru Population: 31.77 million (2016 estimate)Capital: LimaBordering Countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and EcuadorArea: 496,224 square miles (1,285,216 sq km)Coastline: 1,500 miles (2,414 km)Highest Point: Nevado Huascaran at 22,205 feet (6,768 m)Peru is a country located on the western side of South America between Chile and Ecuador. It also shares borders with Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia and has a coastline along the South Pacific Ocean. Peru is the fifth most populous country in Latin America and it is known for its ancient history, varied topography and multiethnic population. History of Peru Peru has a long history that dates back to the Norte Chico civilization and the Inca Empire. Europeans did not arrive in Peru until 1531 when the Spanish landed on the territory and discovered the Inca civilization. At that time, the Inca Empire was centered in what is present-day Cuzco but it stretched from northern Ecuador to central Chile (U.S. Department of State). In the early 1530s Spains Francisco Pizarro began searching the area for wealth and by 1533 had taken over Cuzco. In 1535 Pizarro founded Lima and in 1542 a viceroyalty was established there that gave the city control over all Spanish colonies in the region.Spanish control of Peru lasted until the early 1800s at which time Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar began a push for independence. On July 28, 1821, San Martin declared Peru independent and in 1824 it achieved partial independence. Spain fully recognized Peru as independent in 1879. Following its independence, there were several territorial disputes between Peru and neighboring countries. These conflicts eventually led to the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883 as well as several clashes in the early 1900s. In 1929 Peru and Chile drafted an agreement on where the borders would be, however it was not fully implemented until 1999 and there are still disagreements about maritime boundaries.Beginning in the 1960s, social instability led to a period of military rule that lasted from 1968 to 1980. Military rule began to end when General Juan Velasco Alvarado was replaced by General Francisco Morales Bermudez in 1975 due to poor health and problems managing Peru. Bermudez eventually worked at returning Peru to a democracy by allowing a new constitution and elections in May 1980. At that time President Belaunde Terry was re-elected (he was overthrown in 1968).Despite its return to democracy, Peru suffered severe instability in the 1980s due to economic problems. From 1982 to 1983 El Nino caused flooding, drought and destroyed the countrys fishing industry. In addition, two terrorist groups, Sendero Luminoso and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, emerged and caused chaos in much of the country. In 1985 Alan Garcia Perez was elected president and economic mismanagement followed, further devastating Perus economy from 1988 to 1990.In 1990 Alberto Fujimori was elected president and he made several large changes in the government throughout the 1990s. Instability continued and in 2000 Fujimori resigned from office after several political scandals. In 2001 Alejandro Toledo took office and put Peru on track to return to democracy. In 2006 Alan Garcia Perez again became Perus president and since then the countrys economy and stability have rebounded. Government of Peru Today Perus government is considered a constitutional republic. It has an executive branch of government that is made up of a chief of state and a head of government (both of which are filled by the president) and a unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru for its legislative branch. Perus judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court of Justice. Peru is divided into 25 regions for local administration. Economics and Land Use in Peru Since 2006 Perus economy has been on the rebound. It is also known as being varied due to the varied landscape within the country. For example, certain areas are known for fishing, while others feature abundant mineral resources. The main industries in Peru are mining and refining of minerals, steel, metal fabrication, petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction, fishing, cement, textiles, clothing and food processing. Agriculture is also a major part of Perus economy and the main products are asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guava, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, tomatoes, mango, barley, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, beans, poultry, beef, dairy products, fish and guinea pigs. Geography and Climate of Peru Peru is located in the western part of South America just below the equator. It has a varied topography that consists of a coastal plain in the west, high rugged mountains in its center (the Andes) and a lowland jungle in the east that leads into the Amazon River basin. The highest point in Peru is Nevado Huascaran at 22,205 feet (6,768 m).The climate of Peru varies based on the landscape but it is mostly tropical in the east, desert in the west and temperate in the Andes. Lima, which is located on the coast, has an average February high temperature of 80˚F (26.5˚C) and an August low of 58˚F (14˚C).​ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (15 June 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Peru. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Peru: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107883.htmlUnited States Department of State. (30 September 2010). P eru. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35762.htmWikipedia.org. (20 June 2011). Peru - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru