Communications
Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]
broadcast stations: AM 273, FM 0, shortwave 144 radios: NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
544,000 telephones; fairly adequate for most requirements local: NA intercity: nationwide microwave radio relay system and 12 domestic satellite links international: 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Broadcast media (Television) [time series]
broadcast stations: 140 televisions: NA
Defense Forces
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
exchange rate conversion - $810 million, about 2.7% of GDP (1994) PHILIPPINES
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49 6,369,157; males fit for military service 4,300,772; males reach military age (20) annually 251,798 (1995 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
accounts for 12% 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)
Budget [time series]
revenues: $2 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1992 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: 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
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 4,190,000 kW production: 11.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 448 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates [time series]
nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1 - 2.20 (February 1995), 2.195 (1994),1.988 (1993), 1.245 (1992), 0.772 (1991), 0.187 (1990)
Exports [time series]
$4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton partners: US 19%, Japan 9%, Italy, Germany
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$22.4 billion (1994 est.)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Illicit drugs [time series]
world's largest coca leaf producer with about 108,600 hectares under cultivation in 1994; 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, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing
Imports [time series]
$5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 21%, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Brazil
Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]
NA
Industries [time series]
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
15% (1994 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]
GDP - purchasing power parity - $73.6 billion (1994 est.)
Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]
$3,110 (1994 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]
8.6% (1994 est.)
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed in 1994 in the mining and telecommunications industries. 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 came to a halt late that year, and in 1991 output rose 2.4%. 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 had fallen by 2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in a 30% drop in the fish catch, but the economy rebounded as strong foreign investment helped push growth to 6% in 1993 and 8.6% in 1994.
Unemployment rate [time series]
15%; extensive underemployment (1992 est.)
Geography
total area: 1,285,220 sq km land area: 1.28 million sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alaska
Climate [time series]
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Coastline [time series]
2,414 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Tropical Timber 94
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
three sections of the boundary with Ecuador are in dispute
Irrigated land [time series]
12,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
total 6,940 km, Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 21% forest and woodland: 55% other: 21%
Location [time series]
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Map references [time series]
South America
Maritime claims [time series]
continental shelf: 200 nm territorial sea: 200 nm
Natural resources [time series]
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
Terrain [time series]
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali note: the 1979 Constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 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 and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 Constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 Constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments.
Capital [time series]
Lima
Legislative branch (Congress) [time series]
elections last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - C90/NM 52.1% of the total vote, UPP 14%, eleven other parties 33.9%; seats - (120 total, when installed on 28 July 1995) C90/NM 67, UPP 17, APRA 8, FIM 6, (CODE)-Pais Posible 5, AP 4, PPC 3, Renovacion 3, IU 2, OBRAS 2, MIA 1, FRENATRACA 1, (FREPAP) 1
Constitution [time series]
31 December 1993
Digraph [time series]
PE
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo V. LUNA Mendoza chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state and head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); election last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Alberto FUJIMORI 64.42%, Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR 21.80%, Mercedes CABANILLAS 4.11%, other 9.67% cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president note: Prime Minister Efrain GOLDENBERG Schreiber (since NA February 1994) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[51] (14) 316682
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
Independence [time series]
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Legal system [time series]
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral
International organization participation (Member of) [time series]
AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Country name (Names) [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and Victor POLAY (imprisoned)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Change 90-New Majority (C90/NM), Alberto FUJIMORI; Union for Peru (UPP), Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Agustin MANTILLA Campos; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega; Democratic Coordinator (CODE) - Pais Posible, Jose BARBA Caballero and Alejandro TOLEDO; Popular Action Party (AP), Raul DIEZ CANSECO; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Renovacion, Rafael REY Rey; Civic Works Movement (OBRAS), Ricardo BELMONT; United Left (IU), Agustin HAYA de la TORRE; Independent Agrarian Movement (MIA), Rolando SALVATERRIE; Peru 2000-National Front of Workers and Peasants (FRENATRACA), Roger CACARES; Popular Agricultural Front (FREPAP), Ezequiel ATAUCUSI
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type (Type) [time series]
republic
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr. embassy: corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031 telephone: [51] (14) 338000
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 35% (female 4,152,520; male 4,296,293) 15-64 years: 61% (female 7,280,287; male 7,378,227) 65 years and over: 4% (female 535,156; male 444,889) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
24.88 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.84 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force [time series]
8 million (1992) by occupation: government and other services 44%, agriculture 37%, industry 19% (1988 est.)
Languages [time series]
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 66.07 years male: 63.86 years female: 68.38 years (1995 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 82% male: 92% female: 74%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population [time series]
24,087,372 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.8% (1995 est.)
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate [time series]
3 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 236 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 97 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 21 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 77
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 69,942 km paved: 7,459 km unpaved: improved earth 13,538 km; unimproved earth 48,945 km
Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]
8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 90,501 GRT/144,913 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 6, refrigerated cargo 1 note: in addition, 4 naval tankers and 1 naval cargo are sometimes used commercially
Pipelines [time series]
crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km
Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries
Railways (Railroads) [time series]
total: 1,801 km standard gauge: 1,501 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 300 km 0.914-m gauge