ARCHIVE // PE // 2025
Peru
2025 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 3.53 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2023 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 local-language stations (2021)
Internet country code
[time series]
.pe
Internet users
[time series]
percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 1.504 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 42.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2024 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
sugarcane, potatoes, rice, bananas, milk, maize, chicken, oil palm fruit, cassava, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures
[time series]
on food: 26.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $48.003 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $55.34 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Current account balance
[time series]
$6.39 billion (2024 est.) $881.934 million (2023 est.) -$9.972 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
[time series]
$38.102 billion (2023 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]
$83.325 billion (2024 est.) $72.97 billion (2023 est.) $71.39 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
copper ore, gold, refined copper, refined petroleum, grapes (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
[time series]
China 34%, USA 14%, Canada 5%, India 4%, Switzerland 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$289.222 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 61.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 6.1% (2024 est.) industry: 32.2% (2024 est.) services: 52.7% (2024 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]
40.7 (2023 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% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 30.6% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports
[time series]
$67.16 billion (2024 est.) $63.776 billion (2023 est.) $69.936 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, trucks, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
[time series]
China 26%, USA 21%, Brazil 7%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
3.1% (2024 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]
2% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
[time series]
18.918 million (2024 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]
35.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$535.911 billion (2024 est.) $518.771 billion (2023 est.) $520.872 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
3.3% (2024 est.) -0.4% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$15,700 (2024 est.) $15,300 (2023 est.) $15,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances
[time series]
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% 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]
$79.246 billion (2024 est.) $71.394 billion (2023 est.) $72.328 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
15.9% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
[time series]
4.9% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 8.8% (2024 est.) male: 7.9% (2024 est.) female: 9.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Coal
[time series]
production: 1.382 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 973,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.261 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 446,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.567 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 16.164 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 53.3 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 47.696 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6.638 billion kWh (2023 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: 44.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 49.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
30.923 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
production: 14.647 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 9.675 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 4.883 billion cubic meters (2023 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: 255,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 858.89 million barrels (2021 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
58.903 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.177 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 34.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 21.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Climate
[time series]
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
Environmental 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
Geoparks
[time series]
total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (2023)
International environmental 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
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
[time series]
energy: 233.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 623.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 317 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
[time series]
31.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
1.88 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 3.141 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.666 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 21.112 billion cubic meters (2022)
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: 8.357 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.2% (2022 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
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 (17,441-ft) peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes 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
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: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 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) 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, contain roughly half of the 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]
24 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ), 1 province* ( provincia ), and 1 constitutional province** ( provincia constitucional ); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao**, Cusco, Huancavelica, Hu nuco, Ica, Jun n, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
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 name is an early Spanish mispronunciation of the Quechua name Rimak , referring to a god and deriving from the word rima (to speak); Quechua priests used to speak to worshippers from inside statues of their gods
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 amendment process: 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
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: the name may derive from the Guarani word biru, meaning "river"
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Bernardo NAVARRO; Charg d Affaires Joan PERKINS (since 18 April 2025) 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 Jos Enrique JER Or (since 10 October 2025) head of government: President Jos Enrique JER Or (since 10 October 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms) most recent election date: 11 April 2021, with a runoff on 6 June 2021 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% expected date of next election: 12 April 2026 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; on 10 October 2025, the president of the Congress, Jos Enrique JER Or , was sworn in as the new president after Congress overwhelmingly voted to remove BOLUARTE from office note 2: Prime Minister Ernesto LVAREZ (since 14 October 2025) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president note 3: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Flag
[time series]
description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), white, and red, with the coat of arms centered on the white band; the coat of arms has a shield with a vicuna, a cinchona tree, and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins meaning: the vicuna represents fauna, the cinchona tree is the source of quinine, and the cornucopia symbolizes mineral wealth; red stands for blood shed for independence, and white for 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]
legislature name: Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 130 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/11/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Free Peru (PL) (37); Popular Force (FP) (24); Popular Action (AP) (16); Alliance for Progress (APP) (15); Go on Country - Social Integration Party (AvP) (10); Popular Renewal (RP) (9); We Are Peru" (SP) - Purple Party (PM) (9); Other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 41.5% expected date of next election: April 2026
National anthem(s)
[time series]
title: "Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru) lyrics/music: Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO history: adopted 1821
National color(s)
[time series]
red, white
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)
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, cyber defense, disaster relief, and maritime security operations; the FAP supported the police during anti-government protests in early 2023; it 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 Special Command of the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers (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 (2025)
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 General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards, DICAPI), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) Ministry of the Interior: Peruvian National Police (Polic a Nacional del Per , PNP) (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
information varies; approximately 85,000 active-duty Armed Forces (50,000 Army; 25,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 75,000 National Police (2025)
Military deployments
[time series]
225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the military's inventory consists of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Spain, and the US; 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 (2025)
Military expenditures
[time series]
0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (12-24 months) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 11% 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]
16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Child marriage
[time series]
women married by age 15: 2% (2020) women married by age 18: 14.1% (2020)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
2.7% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
52.7% (2022 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.3 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
[time series]
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.2% national budget (2024 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]
1.04 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
[time series]
6.2% of GDP (2021) 16.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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]
total population: 93.7% (2024 est.) male: 97% (2024 est.) female: 90.7% (2024 est.)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
51 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 30.4 years (2025 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]
-1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
19.7% (2016)
Physician density
[time series]
1.69 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population
[time series]
total: 32,768,614 (2025 est.) male: 16,016,448 female: 16,752,166
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, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.55% (2025 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Catholic 76%, Evangelical Christian 15.7%, no religion 5.1%, other religions 3.2% (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.1% of population (2022 est.) urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 15 years (2017 est.) male: 15 years (2017 est.) female: 15 years (2017 est.)
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: 5.7% (2025 est.) male: 9.5% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.12 children born/woman (2025 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
Key space-program milestones
[time series]
2006 - launched first sounding rocket/space probe (Paulet-1) 2013 - first domestically built scientific/research satellite (PUCP-SAT-1) launched by Russia; launched first domestically built rocket (Paulet 1-B) capable of reaching the stratosphere 2016 - first remote sensing satellite (PeruSat-1) acquired from France and launched on European rocket 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration
Space agency/agencies
[time series]
National Aerospace Research and Development Commission (Comisi n Nacional de Investigaci n y Desarrollo Aeroespacia, CONIDA; established 1974) (2025)
Space launch site(s)
[time series]
in 2024, Peru announced an initiative to develop a future spaceport in Talara (Piura department)
Space program overview
[time series]
focuses 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, including remote sensing (RS) capabilities; member of Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) since its formation in 2021; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and the US, as well as other ALCE signatories (2025)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
[time series]
Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso); Tren de Aragua (TdA) 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]
USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
refugees: 546,699 (2024 est.) IDPs: 83,441 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 32 (2024 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
174 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
OB
Heliports
[time series]
7 (2025)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 111 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 9, other 101
Ports
[time series]
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