History:

When the Spanish arrived in Peru in 1531, the country's territory was the
nucleus of the highly developed Inca civilization. Centered at Cuzco, the Inca
Empire extended over a vast region from northern Ecuador to central Chile.
In search of Inca wealth, the Spanish explorer, Francisco Pizarro, who arrived
in the territory after the Incas had fought a debilitating civil war, conquered
the weakened people. The Spanish had captured the Incan capital at Cuzco
by 1533 and consolidated their control by 1542. Gold and silver from the
Andes enriched the conquerors, and Peru became the principal source of
Spanish wealth and power in South America. In 1879, Spain finally recognized
Peru's independence.
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Facts:

Full country name Republic of Peru (Republica del Peru)

Nationality terms noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Area 1.28 million sq km

Population 28.7 million

Capital Lima

Currency Neuvo sol (S/.)

Time zone UTC - 5

Internet domain .pe

Languages Spanish, Aymara, Quechua

Ethnicities 54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (European-Indian), 12% Spanish

descent, 2% other

Religions 81% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population, 16%

unspecified

Government constitutional republic

Major industries Pulp, paper, coca leaves, fishmeal, steel, chemicals, oil,
minerals, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding

Major trading partners USA, Japan, UK, China, Germany, Columbia

Literacy rate 87.7%

Natural hazards earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic

activity

Life expectancy 70.1 years

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GEOGRAPHY

Peru is the third largest country in South America, after Brazil and Argentina.
It is made up of a variety of landscapes, from mountains and beaches to
deserts and rain forests. Most people live along the coast of the Pacific
Ocean, where the capital, Lima, is located.

Along Peru's west coast is a narrow strip of desert 1,555 miles (2,500
kilometers) long. Ancient people, called the Chimú and the Nasca, first
inhabited this region thousands of years ago. The coastal desert makes up
only about 10 percent of Peru, but it is home to more than half of all
Peruvians.

The world's largest rain forest, the Amazon, covers nearly half of Peru. Called
the selva in Spanish, this huge jungle, which also covers half of Brazil, is
home to plants and animals that do not live anywhere else on Earth. Some
scientists think there may even be Indian tribes there that have never seen
the outside world.

The second highest mountain range in the world runs through Peru. These
peaks, called the Andes, are so tall and forbidding that the ancient Inca
people thought they were gods. They run from north to south and can be
seen from Peru's beaches 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the west. The highest
peak, Mount Huascarán, is 22,205 feet (6,768 meters) high.

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Some pictures for the powerpoint for you

Flag: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/peru/images/flag-350.jpg

Beach/city: http://www.destination360.com/south-
america/peru/images/s/peru-beaches.jpg
Mountains and shit: http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1239089-
Machu_Picchu_Peru-Peru.jpg
and
http://kellygrainger.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/machu-
picchu-peru.jpg

Basic map: http://americas.rcrwireless.com/files/2011/03/peru_map31.jpg