PERU, LAND OF DIVERSITY
| Tours Exotiques discovering the Andes |
| Population 28.000.000 inhabitants. - Urban: 72% - Rural: 28% Peru is a nation of mixed ethnic origins. Throughout its history, Peru has been the meeting ground for different nations and cultures. The indigenous population was joined 500 years ago by the christians. As a result of this encounter, and later enriched by the migration of African blacks, Asians and Europeans, Peruvian man emerged as the representative of a nation whose ethnic mix is one of its leading characteristics. Language: Oficial languages: Spanish 80%, Quechua 16%, Other languages 4% As part of its rich cultural tradition, Peru features many different languages. Although Spanish is commonly spoken across the country, Quechua is a major legacy of the Inka empire, and is still spoken with regional dialects in many parts of Peru. In addition, other languages are spoken such as Aimara (in Puno) and a startling variety of dialects in the Amazon jungle, which are divided up into 15 linguistic families and 40 different languages. Currency. The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.), which is divided into 100 centimos. The currency includes coins for 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimos and 1, 2 and 5 sol coins. There are bills in the denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Nuevos Soles. Government. Peru is a democratic republic. The president and members of Congress are elected every five years by universal suffrage. The current constitutional president of Peru is Alan Garcia Pérez (2006-2011). Religion Roman Catholic: 90% Evangelical: 6% Other religions: 4% Peru is a forced religious country: a diversity of beliefs and freedom of worship can be seen from the wide range of festivals and rituals that feature the Catholic dogmas and its fanatic traditions. Heir to ancient cultures, Perú is a magical spot which involves one of the richest biodiversities of Earth, and is a melting pot of different cultures who together are forging the promise of a better future. • 2,000 lodgings offering 200.000 beds. • 26 five-star hotels, 26 four-star hotels, 500 three-star hotels, and 42 logdes. Accessibility by air and land • 14 airports equipped to receive commercial flights. • 7 airline companies offering domestic flights. *Ports. Peru's largest port is Callao, outside Lima. Other major ports include Paita, Salaverry, Chimbote, Callao, Pisco, Ilo and Matarani. Archaeological heritage. Ten thousand years of history are lived through museums and historical places. While Peru inevitably evokes images of Machu Picchu and the Inka empire, the country is also riddled with archaeological sites which are a legacy of even more ancient times, when great civilizations bequeathed a legacy of their art, customs and rituals, their wisdom and skills. Nature and Landscapes • As home to 84 of the 104 life zones that exist on our plant makes Peru a privileged destination for nature lovers. • Close to 20% of the world birds and 10% of the world's reptiles live here. • Peru has converted 13% of its territory into Protected Natural Areas. Festivities and Traditions Peru is a country that sings and dances in joy and sadness with colour and a great deal of paraphernalia. Incomparable cuisine. Over 10,000 restaurants across the country reflect the diversity of a nation that has mixed its native traditions with the cuisines of Europe, Arabia, China, Africa and Japan. The result: unique flavours that make Peruvian cuisine one of the best and most varied in the world. Telephone. Peru features a far-reaching telephone network that provides services for national and international long-distance calls from private telephone lines and public cabins. There are also millions clients who have cellular phones, and satellite communications are currently being developed. |
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Money. Change is S/.2,79 (US$1).
The main roads running down the length of the country are the Pan-American
Highway (North and South), which links up the towns along Peru's coast, and the
Marginal Jungle Highway which links up the towns in the northern jungle with the
south, near the Bolivian border. Cutting inland is the Central Highway, which starts
out in Lima and runs up to the central highlands, climbing through the high mountain
pass of Ticlio (Kilometer 132), which at 4,818 meters above sea level is also the
world's highest railway pass. From here, the road descends to the towns of La Oroya
and Tarma, continuing down to the Chanchamayo jungle valley in the department of
Junín. The government plans to build another 1,819.2 km of roads in the next
century.
Geography
Peru is divided into three regions.
Although this simple division is a fair portrait of Peru's geography, the reality is much
richer and far more complex: in Peru, nature appears to have taken on particular
characteristics which have turned its mountains, plains, jungles and valleys into
unique habitats. An extraordinary variety of eco-systems shelters a wide diversity of
animals and plants.
The Coast. Which features deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys. The
Peruvian coastline is formed by a long snaking desert hemmed in between the sea
and the mountains. The Andes to the east and the cold Humboldt sea current that
runs along the coast are what make this area so arid. From the Sechura desert to
the Nasca plains and the Atacama desert, the dry coastal terrain is occasionally split
by valleys covered by a thick layer of cloud and drizzle in the winter.
Humidity in these areas produces a sensation of cold, although temperatures rarely
dip below 12°C. During the summer, meanwhile, the sun beats down and
temperatures often top 30°C. The central and southern sections of the coast feature
two well-defined seasons: winter and summer. The north coast, meanwhile, is not
touched by the effects of the cold current, which means it enjoys many days of
sunshine a year and warm temperatures all year-long (as much as 35°C in the
summer). The rain season runs from December to March
The Highlands. A mountainous area dominated by the Andes, where the Waskaran
mountain soars to 6,768 meters. In the Peruvian highlands, there are two
well-defined seasons: the dry season (from April to October), marked by sunny days
and cold nights; the rainy season (November to March), when there are frequent
rain showers. A characteristic of the mountain region is the drop in temperature
during the day: temperatures commonly range around 25°C at midday before
plunging to 0°C at night. The steep slopes of the Andes means temperatures
gradually drop in the highest region, known as the puna, the highland plain.
The Jungle. A vast region of tropical vegetation in the Amazon River Basin, home to
Peru's largest natural reserves. The vast Peruvian jungle, which surrounds the wide
and winding Amazon river, is divided into two differentiated areas: the cloud forest
(above 700 masl), which features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rain
showers (around 3000 mm a year) between November and March, and sunny days
from April to October; and the lowland jungle (below 700 masl), where the dry
season runs from April to October, with sunshine and high temperatures often
topping 35°C.
The jungle features high humidity all year long. In the southern jungle, there are
sometimes cold spells known locally as friajes or surazos, cold fronts which drift up
from the far south of the continent between May and August, where temperatures
can drop to 8-12°C.
Note: To calculate Fahrenheit temperatures: 9/5 (ºC) + 32
The main roads running down the length of the country are the Pan-American
Highway (North and South), which links up the towns along Peru's coast, and the
Marginal Jungle Highway which links up the towns in the northern jungle with the
south, near the Bolivian border. Cutting inland is the Central Highway, which starts
out in Lima and runs up to the central highlands, climbing through the high mountain
pass of Ticlio (Kilometer 132), which at 4,818 meters above sea level is also the
world's highest railway pass. From here, the road descends to the towns of La Oroya
and Tarma, continuing down to the Chanchamayo jungle valley in the department of
Junín. The government plans to build another 1,819.2 km of roads in the next
century.
Geography
Peru is divided into three regions.
Although this simple division is a fair portrait of Peru's geography, the reality is much
richer and far more complex: in Peru, nature appears to have taken on particular
characteristics which have turned its mountains, plains, jungles and valleys into
unique habitats. An extraordinary variety of eco-systems shelters a wide diversity of
animals and plants.
The Coast. Which features deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys. The
Peruvian coastline is formed by a long snaking desert hemmed in between the sea
and the mountains. The Andes to the east and the cold Humboldt sea current that
runs along the coast are what make this area so arid. From the Sechura desert to
the Nasca plains and the Atacama desert, the dry coastal terrain is occasionally split
by valleys covered by a thick layer of cloud and drizzle in the winter.
Humidity in these areas produces a sensation of cold, although temperatures rarely
dip below 12°C. During the summer, meanwhile, the sun beats down and
temperatures often top 30°C. The central and southern sections of the coast feature
two well-defined seasons: winter and summer. The north coast, meanwhile, is not
touched by the effects of the cold current, which means it enjoys many days of
sunshine a year and warm temperatures all year-long (as much as 35°C in the
summer). The rain season runs from December to March
The Highlands. A mountainous area dominated by the Andes, where the Waskaran
mountain soars to 6,768 meters. In the Peruvian highlands, there are two
well-defined seasons: the dry season (from April to October), marked by sunny days
and cold nights; the rainy season (November to March), when there are frequent
rain showers. A characteristic of the mountain region is the drop in temperature
during the day: temperatures commonly range around 25°C at midday before
plunging to 0°C at night. The steep slopes of the Andes means temperatures
gradually drop in the highest region, known as the puna, the highland plain.
The Jungle. A vast region of tropical vegetation in the Amazon River Basin, home to
Peru's largest natural reserves. The vast Peruvian jungle, which surrounds the wide
and winding Amazon river, is divided into two differentiated areas: the cloud forest
(above 700 masl), which features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rain
showers (around 3000 mm a year) between November and March, and sunny days
from April to October; and the lowland jungle (below 700 masl), where the dry
season runs from April to October, with sunshine and high temperatures often
topping 35°C.
The jungle features high humidity all year long. In the southern jungle, there are
sometimes cold spells known locally as friajes or surazos, cold fronts which drift up
from the far south of the continent between May and August, where temperatures
can drop to 8-12°C.
Note: To calculate Fahrenheit temperatures: 9/5 (ºC) + 32
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