Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 3.044 million (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
10 major TV networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state owned; multi-channel cable TV services are available; in excess of 5,000 radio stations including a substantial number of indigenous language stations (2021)
Internet country code [time series]
.pe
Internet users [time series]
total: 24.14 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 71% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: after suffering a sharp retraction in the number of subscriptions and revenue during 2020 due to the pandemic, Peru s telecom sector managed to stage a small recovery in the first half of 2021; it will likely be two to three years before penetration rates return to the peak levels last seen in 2018; this is especially true given the overwhelming influence of mobile on Peru s telecommunications market, which now commands almost 95% of all connections; Peru s fixed-line teledensity continued its slow dropping below 7% at the end of 2021; investment in network infrastructure is mainly focused on rolling out fiber cable for fixed broadband services in (mainly) urban areas; fixed broadband services inched higher to reach 8.4% at the end of 2020, a positive result that reflected the shift to working from home during enforced lock downs at the start of the year; yet Peru has a relatively low level of computer use, and prices for fixed broadband services are among the highest in Latin America; the overwhelmingly preferred internet access platform will remain the smartphone, with a further 8.6% growth in the number of mobile broadband subscriptions expected in 2021 (2021) domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is 128 telephones per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 51; landing points for the SAM-1, IGW, American Movil-Telxius, SAC and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 1.798 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 41.549 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
sugarcane, potatoes, rice, bananas, milk, chicken, maize, oil palm fruit, cassava, grapes (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures [time series]
on food: 26.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Budget [time series]
revenues: $48.008 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $51.709 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings [time series]
Fitch rating: BBB+ (2013) Moody's rating: A3 (2014) Standard & Poors rating: BBB+ (2013) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance [time series]
$2.219 billion (2023 est.) -$9.743 billion (2022 est.) -$4.674 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external [time series]
$37.467 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview [time series]
upper-middle-income South American economy; strong post-COVID rebound tempered by political uncertainty and climate risks; exports driven by mineral extraction and agriculture; large informal sector and uneven access to public services; stable fiscal position and financial sector
Exchange rates [time series]
nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 3.744 (2023 est.) 3.835 (2022 est.) 3.881 (2021 est.) 3.495 (2020 est.) 3.337 (2019 est.)
Exports [time series]
$73.326 billion (2023 est.) $71.129 billion (2022 est.) $66.061 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities [time series]
copper ore, gold, natural gas, refined copper, refined petroleum (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners [time series]
China 30%, US 15%, Japan 5%, Canada 5%, South Korea 4% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$267.603 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 64.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 13.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -2.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 27.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -23.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 7.1% (2022 est.) industry: 35% (2022 est.) services: 49.6% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]
40.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.1% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 30.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports [time series]
$62.99 billion (2023 est.) $69.44 billion (2022 est.) $58.509 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners [time series]
China 27%, US 24%, Brazil 6%, Argentina 4%, Chile 3% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
-1.28% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries [time series]
mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction; fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
6.46% (2023 est.) 8.33% (2022 est.) 4.27% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force [time series]
18.529 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Population below poverty line [time series]
27.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt [time series]
35.25% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$517.644 billion (2023 est.) $520.507 billion (2022 est.) $506.697 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
-0.55% (2023 est.) 2.73% (2022 est.) 13.36% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$15,100 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) $15,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances [time series]
1.58% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.59% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$71.394 billion (2023 est.) $72.328 billion (2022 est.) $78.59 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
15.92% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate [time series]
4.82% (2023 est.) 3.85% (2022 est.) 5.1% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 8.8% (2023 est.) male: 7.8% (2023 est.) female: 10% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions [time series]
45.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.481 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 27.786 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 16.236 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
production: 153,000 metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 712,000 metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 1.159 million metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 356,000 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 1.567 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity [time series]
installed generating capacity: 15.504 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 50.868 billion kWh (2022 est.) imports: 43 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6.814 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 96.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 85.1%
Electricity generation sources [time series]
fossil fuels: 38.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 55.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita [time series]
24.932 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Natural gas [time series]
production: 12.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) consumption: 7.185 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) exports: 5.041 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) proven reserves: 300.159 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum [time series]
total petroleum production: 118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 210,000 bbl/day (2022 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 858.89 million barrels (2021 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants [time series]
particulate matter emissions: 29.07 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 57.41 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 30.17 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate [time series]
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
Environment - current issues [time series]
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; overfishing
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geoparks [time series]
total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (2023)
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 18.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 14.6% (2018 est.) forest: 53% (2018 est.) other: 28.2% (2018 est.)
Major aquifers [time series]
Amazon Basin
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Bolivia) - 8,030 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km) [time series]
Amazon river source (shared with Brazil [m]) - 6,400 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km) [time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)
Revenue from coal [time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources [time series]
0.12% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
1.88 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 2.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 3.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 32.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 8,356,711 tons (2014 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 334,268 tons (2012 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4% (2012 est.)
Geography
total : 1,285,216 sq km land: 1,279,996 sq km water: 5,220 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
almost twice the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska
Climate [time series]
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
Coastline [time series]
2,414 km
Elevation [time series]
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,746 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,555 m
Geographic coordinates [time series]
10 00 S, 76 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two and a half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animals note 4: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato
Irrigated land [time series]
25,800 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 7,062 km border countries (5): Bolivia 1,212 km; Brazil 2,659 km; Chile 168 km; Colombia 1,494 km; Ecuador 1,529 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 18.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 14.6% (2018 est.) forest: 53% (2018 est.) other: 28.2% (2018 est.)
Location [time series]
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Major aquifers [time series]
Amazon Basin
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Bolivia) - 8,030 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km) [time series]
Amazon river source (shared with Brazil [m]) - 6,400 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km) [time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)
Map references [time series]
South America
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Natural resources [time series]
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
Population distribution [time series]
approximately one-third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, which is strongly identified with the country's Amerindian population, contains roughly half of the overall population; the eastern slopes of the Andes, and adjoining rainforest, are sparsely populated
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]
25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali note: Callao, the largest port in Peru, is also referred to as a constitutional province, the only province of the Callao region
Capital [time series]
name: Lima geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the word "Lima" derives from the Spanish pronunciation of "Limaq," the native name for the valley in which the city was founded in 1535; "limaq" means "talker" in coastal Quechua and referred to an oracle that was situated in the valley but which was eventually destroyed by the Spanish and replaced with a church
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years
Constitution [time series]
history: several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993 amendments: proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions; amended many times, last in 2021
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Rep blica del Per local short form: Per etymology: exact meaning is obscure, but the name may derive from a native word "biru" meaning "river"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephanie SYPTAK-RAMNATH (since 20 June 2024) embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: 3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230 telephone: [51] (1) 618-2000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2724 email address and website: lima_webmaster@state.gov https://pe.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 email address and website: Webadmin@embassyofperu.us Embassy of Peru in the United States - E-United States - Platform of the Peruvian State (www.gob.pe) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), San Francisco
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra (since 7 December 2022) head of government: President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra (since 7 December 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms); election last held on 11 April 2021 with a runoff on 6 June 2021 (next to be held in April 2026) election results: 2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% note 1: First Vice President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra assumed the office of the president on 7 December 2022 after President Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones was impeached and arrested; BOLUARTE is the first woman to become president of Peru note 2: Prime Minister Gustavo ADRIANZ N (since 6 March 2024) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president; on 5 March 2024, Prime Minister Alberto OT ROLA resigned amid allegations of corruption note 3: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 vicuna (representing fauna), a cinchona tree (the source of quinine, signifying flora), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins (denoting mineral wealth); red recalls blood shed for independence, white symbolizes peace
Government type [time series]
presidential republic
Independence [time series]
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
International law organization participation [time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
AIIB, APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 16 judges and divided into civil, criminal, and constitutional-social sectors) judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside
Legal system [time series]
civil law system
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Rep blica del Per (130 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve single 5-year terms) elections: last held on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Free Peru 32, Popular Force 24, AP 15, APP 15, AvP 10, RP 9, Democratic Peru 7, We Are Peru 5, PP 5, JP 5, Purple Party 3; composition - men 80, women 50, percentage women 40%
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru) lyrics/music: Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO note: adopted 1822; the song won a national anthem contest
National heritage [time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 2 natural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cuzco (c); Machu Picchu (m); Chavin (c); Historic Lima (c); Huascar n National Park (n); Chan Chan (c); Man National Park (n); Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca (c); Rio Abiseo National Park (m); Historic Arequipa (c); Sacred City of Caral-Supe (c); Qhapaq an/Andean Road System (c)
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821)
National symbol(s) [time series]
vicuna (a camelid related to the llama); national colors: red, white
Political parties [time series]
Advance the Nation (Avanza Pa s) or AvP Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA Free Peru (Per Libre) or PL Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertaci n Nacional) or BMCN National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN Peru Bicentennial (Per Bicentenario) or PB Popular Action (Acci n Popular) or AP Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP Popular Renewal (Renovaci n Popular) or RP Purple Party (Partido Morado) Social Integration Party (Avanza Pa s - Partido de Integraci n Social) Together For Per (Juntos por el Peru) or JP We Are Peru (Somos Per ) of SP We Can Peru (Podemos Per ) or PP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70
Introduction
Background [time series]
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980 but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, an economic slump and the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in 2001 that installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, presided over a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in 2011 and carried on the market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow runoff in the 2016 presidential election. Facing impeachment after evidence surfaced of his involvement in a vote-buying scandal, KUCZYNSKI offered his resignation in 2018, and First Vice President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo was sworn in as president. In 2019, VIZCARRA invoked his constitutional authority to dissolve Peru's Congress after months of battling with the body over anticorruption reforms. New congressional elections in 2020 resulted in an opposition-led legislature. The Congress impeached VIZCARRA for a second time and removed him from office after accusations of corruption and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of vacancies in the vice-presidential positions, the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel MERINO, became the next president. His ascension to office was not well received, and large protests forced his resignation later in 2020. Francisco SAGASTI assumed the position of President of Peru after being appointed President of the Congress the previous day. Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones won presidential election in 2021 but was impeached and ousted the following year; his vice president, Dina BOLUARTE, assumed the presidency by constitutional succession in 2022.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
the Peruvian Armed Forces (FAP) are responsible for external defense in addition to some domestic security responsibilities in designated emergency areas and in exceptional circumstances; key areas of focus include counterinsurgency, counternarcotics, disaster relief, and maritime security operations; the FAP has contributed to UN missions since 1958 and has ties to regional militaries, particularly Colombia, as well as those of numerous other countries such as China, Russia, Spain, and the US; the FAP s last external conflict was a brief border war with Ecuador in 1995; the FAP supported the police during anti-government protests in early 2023 and was accused of human rights violations the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru (Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas del Per or CCFFAA) has responsibility for the planning, preparation, coordination, and direction of the military s operations; the CCFFAA has oversight over commands for air, air defense, cyber, maritime, and special operations, as well as five regional commands (Amazonas, central, north, south, and Ucayali) and a Special Command of the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers (CE-VRAEM); CE-VRAEM is responsible for combating the remnants of the Shining Path terrorist group (aka Sendero Luminoso) and includes several thousand air, ground, naval, police, and special forces personnel; the FAP also provides aircraft, vehicles, and logistical support to the command (2024)
Military and security forces [time series]
Armed Forces of Peru (Fuerzas Armadas del Per or FAP): Peruvian Army (Ejercito del Peru), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP, includes naval infantry and Coast Guard), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) Ministry of the Interior (Ministerio del Interior): Peruvian National Police (Polic a Nacional del Per , PNP) (2024)
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
information varies; approximately 95,000 active-duty personnel (60,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, including about 4,000 naval infantry and 1,000 Coast Guard; 10,000 Air Force) (2023)
Military deployments [time series]
225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2024)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
the military has a broad mix of mostly older but some more modern equipment from a range of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the former Soviet Union, South Korea, and the US; some deliveries have been secondhand weapons systems; Peru has a small defense industry, including a shipyard that builds and upgrades naval vessels; it also has defense industrial cooperation agreements with several countries, including Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the US (2024)
Military expenditures [time series]
1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (12 months); no conscription (abolished in 1999) (2023) note: as of 2019, women made up about 10% of the active duty military
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 4,293,229/female 4,119,269) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 10,546,502/female 11,041,106) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 1,112,825/female 1,487,318)
Alcohol consumption per capita [time series]
total: 5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
16.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Child marriage [time series]
women married by age 15: 2% women married by age 18: 14.1% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
2.1% (2021)
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
77.4% (2020)
Current health expenditure [time series]
6.3% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49) [time series]
51.2% (2023 est.)
Death rate [time series]
10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Demographic profile [time series]
A sharp fertility decline in urban areas has driven overall fertility reduction in Peru. The national birth rate is about 2.2 children per woman as of 2023 and averaged 2.5 in rural areas as of 2022. Contraceptive prevalence has increased largely due to a greater use of traditional rather than modern methods. Like most other Andean countries, Peru s opportunity to benefit from its large labor force will taper off as its dependency ratio the ratio of dependents to working-age persons bottoms out between 2025 and 2030. The poverty rate has climbed to 27.5% in 2022, much higher than the rate before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, 51% of the population was living in moderate food insecurity; Peru is the most food insecure country in South America. School enrollment has improved, but achievement scores reflect ongoing problems with educational quality. Many poor children temporarily or permanently drop out of school to help support their families. As of 2018, 21.8% Peruvian children aged 5 to 14 were working, often putting in long hours at hazardous mining or construction sites. Peru was a country of immigration in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries but has become a country of emigration in the last few decades. Beginning in the 19 th century, Peru brought in Asian contract laborers mainly to work on coastal plantations. Populations of Chinese and Japanese descent - among the largest in Latin America - are economically and culturally influential in Peru today. Peruvian emigration began rising in the 1980s due to an economic crisis and a violent internal conflict, but outflows have stabilized in the last few years as economic conditions have improved. Nonetheless, between 1990 and 2020 over 3 million Peruvians left the country principally to the US, Spain, and Argentina and did not return.
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 53 youth dependency ratio: 37.1 elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 potential support ratio: 7.9 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 97.2% of population rural: 82.4% of population total: 94% of population unimproved: urban: 2.8% of population rural: 17.6% of population total: 6% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 60.2%, Indigenous 25.8%, White 5.9%, African descent 3.6%, other (includes Chinese and Japanese descent) 1.2%, unspecified 3.3% (2017 est.)
Gross reproduction rate [time series]
1.05 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes many minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7% (2017 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 68.9 years (2024 est.) male: 65.4 years female: 72.7 years
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 97% female: 92% (2020)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
69 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 30.2 years (2024 est.) male: 29.1 years female: 31.3 years
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
21.9 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Nationality [time series]
noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian
Net migration rate [time series]
-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
19.7% (2016)
Physician density [time series]
1.37 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Population [time series]
total: 32,600,249 male: 15,952,556 female: 16,647,693 (2024 est.)
Population distribution [time series]
approximately one-third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, which is strongly identified with the country's Amerindian population, contains roughly half of the overall population; the eastern slopes of the Andes, and adjoining rainforest, are sparsely populated
Population growth rate [time series]
0.48% (2024 est.)
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 66.4%, Protestant 22.4% (Evangelical 19.6%, other Protestant 1.3%), other 1.9%, agnostic/atheist none 6.8%, unspecified 1.2% (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 93.6% of population rural: 65.3% of population total: 87.4% of population unimproved: urban: 6.4% of population rural: 34.7% of population total: 12.6% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2017)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use [time series]
total: 8.1% (2020 est.) male: 13.2% (2020 est.) female: 3% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies [time series]
National Aerospace Research and Development Commission (Comisi n Nacional de Investigaci n y Desarrollo Aeroespacia, CONIDA; established 1974); National Satellite Imagery Operations Center (Centro Nacional de Operaciones de Im genes Satelitales, CONIS; established 2006) (2024)
Space launch site(s) [time series]
Punta Lobos Rocket Range (Chilca, Huancayo; used by foreign partners for scientific sounding rocket launches (1970s-1990s; the US used the site for scientific launches in 1975 and 1983) (2023)
Space program overview [time series]
has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites, applying space applications such as data satellite imagery, and building small rockets; has built a small science/technology satellite; operates satellites and processes satellite imagery data; builds and launches sounding rockets with goal of developing a satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV); researching, developing, and acquiring technologies for manufacturing satellites and satellite payloads with a focus on remote sensing (RS) capabilities; member of Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE); cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the European Space Agency and individual member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and the US, as well as signatories of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2024) note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s) [time series]
Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs [time series]
world s second-largest producer of cocaine and coca (after Colombia), with approximately 84,400 hectares (ha) under cultivation in 2021; Peruvian cocaine is trafficked throughout South America for shipment to Europe, East Asia, Mexico, and the United States; major importer of precursor chemicals for cocaine production; growing domestic drug consumption problem; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 1,542,004 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2023) IDPs: 73,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions; as of 2011, no new information on the situation of these IDPs) (2022)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
166 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
OB
Heliports [time series]
6 (2024)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 111 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 9, other 101
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 62 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 17,758,527 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 313.26 million (2018) mt-km
Pipelines [time series]
786 km extra heavy crude, 1,526 km gas, 679 km liquid petroleum gas, 1,106 km oil, 15 km refined products (2022)
total ports: 20 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 3 very small: 16 ports with oil terminals: 16 key ports: Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos, Puerto del Callao, Talara
Railways [time series]
total: 1,854.4 km (2017) standard gauge: 1,730.4 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified) narrow gauge: 124 km (2014) 0.914-m gauge
Roadways [time series]
total: 70,000 km (2021) paved: 18,699 km (2022) note: includes 27,109 km of national roads (21,434 km paved), 247,505 km of departmental roads (3,623 km paved), and 113,857 km of local roads (1,858 km paved)
Waterways [time series]
8,808 km (2011) (8,600 km of navigable tributaries on the Amazon River system and 208 km on Lago Titicaca)