Conclusions

Geography
Peru is a beautiful mix of highlands, rainforests and coasts. The Andes Mountains,
Lake Titicaca and the Amazon River make for a beautifully eclectic setting. Any
location you choose in Peru will be an adventure. Be careful how you pack. In the
mountains the weather can get quite cold, whereas the coasts are quite temperate.
Dont forget how long Peru is. It crosses many latitudes resulting in much different
temperatures to the North than to the South. An adventure in the capital, Lima is a
great option, but each of Perus regions is distinct, so make sure you visit many of
them.

History
While many people associate Peru with the Incan Empire, people actually lived
there much earlier in history. These thousands of years of history created some
amazing historical sites, like Machu Picchu. Perus history is not a quiet one. Then
the Spain conquered the Incan Empire in the 1530s, it was by a great amount of

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bloodshed. This history of bloodshed has continued into the current era as
Peruvians have fought for independence and then for democracy.

Points of Interest
Perus complex history and varied geography has resulted in many point of
interest. You can spend you day boating down the Amazon River, climbing the
trails to Machu Picchu, exploring the city of Lima, or flying over the Nazca Lines.
Peru has both urban and rural adventures, historic and contemporary, religious and
secular. After all, what can you expect from a region that has had inhabitants for
over the last 10,000 years?

People
Because of Perus history of conquest, the country is inhabited by people from a
wide variety of backgrounds. There are native Peruvians who can trace their
heritage to before the western conquest. Those who were part of the invading
armies in the 1500s have now been in Peru over 500 years. South America is also

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a country with constantly changing immigration. Many people from the

neighboring countries have mixed with the Peruvian population over the years.

Economy
Peru is rich in many minerals, contributing to its relatively stable economy for a
South American Country. It is ranked 40th in the world for GDP. While its
unemployment rate is very low, the percent of the population living below the
poverty line is 25.8%. A majority of jobs are in services, while a quarter are in
Industry, and a small percent are agricultural. The national currency is the Nuevo
Sol.

Government
The government of Peru has had a tumultuous several centuries. After Peru
declared its independence, many parties tried to take control. In the last 100 years
the government has switched between military control and democracy. It is
currently a democracy existing under the name of The Republic of Peru. There is
a president, legislative, and judicial system. Peru is a multiparty system, but
citizens must be 18 years of age to vote.

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Census Data
Peru has a relatively young population with the median age being 27 years old.
Most of the population lives in urban area. While most people are Catholic, many
other religions flourish. Peru has a positive population growth rate of .99%. 34% of
children under 14 are employed which is not surprising due to the high poverty
rates.

Peruano
Languages
Make sure you brush up on your Spanish before going to Peru. It is both the
official language, and spoken by 84% of the population. Quechua and Aymara and
also both official language, but they are only spoken by 13% and 1.7% of the
population respectively, plus good luck finding an Aymara language class in the
USA before going on your trip. The Amazon River region is the home to many
different tribes, each with their own language. If you do explore the Amazon, make
sure to hire a guide who speaks many languages and can interact with any tribes
you may encounter.

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Health Concerns
The major concern when visiting Peru is to make sure you have your shots.
Malaria and Yellow Fever are always a concern. To make matters more
complicated the doctor to population ratio is very low, about 20 doctors to every
10,000 population. This number is even less in rural areas. The CIA ranks Peru as
very high risk for infectious diseases, so make sure to take proper precautions and
to drink bottled water. And dont forget, much of Peru is in higher altitudes, so if
youre planning on going on a hike, make sure you are prepared.

Dos and Donts

Peru is a great country to visit, but as with all traveling, the customs are a little
different from the USA. Always make sure to bring your own roll of toilet paper.
Do make sure have all necessary paperwork on you at all times. Do make sure you
have a little extra money on you to pay fees if you are missing some of your
paper work. Dont ride in vehicle that looks unsafe; it probably is. Finally, if you
are driving, watch out for stray animals.

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