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The
country of Peru
Peru
is the third largest South American country, about twice the size of
France.
After the Spanish conquest of Peru in the 1500s, many Spaniards and
Indians married. Their descendants, called mestizos, now make up almost
one half of the population. Indians also form a large ethnic group. Both
of these groups have kept cultural and linguistic traditions that date
back to pre-Inca times.
A
constant challenge for Peruvians is the threat of El Niño, a phenomenon
that can give rise to devastating floods and storms and affects rainfall
worldwide. Damage to homes, infrastructure and crops are among some of
the most obvious consequences of the wind and rain but dramatic
increases in diarrhoea, malaria and dengue fever are also linked to El
Niño.
Plan
Peru' involvement
A
key part of Plan's work with children and their communities in Peru over
the past year, particularly in the region of Piura, has been to support
families still affected by previous bad weather and to reduce people’s
vulnerability to any further disaster by developing contingency plans. [Read
More]
Country
information
Official
Name República de Perú
Population
28.5 millions
Capital
City Lima (8.4 millions)
Area 1,285,220 sq km (496,243 sq mi)
Coastline
2,414 km (1,490 mi)
Languages Spanish (Official),
Quechua (Official), Aymara
Religions
Roman Catholic 90%
Currency
Nuevo Sol
Vital stats
Per
capita income $5,000/year (USA $36,300)
Population
under 15 33.5% (USA 21%)
Life
expectancy 71 years (USA 77)
Population
growth 1.61% (USA 0.92%)
Mortality Rate
(under 5) 37/1,000 live births (USA 6.75)
Poverty
50% (USA 13%)
Access
to safe water 80%
Adequate
sanitation facilities 61%
Literacy
(over 15) Male 95% Female 87% (USA 97%/97%)
Sources:
CIA World Fact Book, Plan
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