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Peru (Spanish:
Perú, Quechua: Piruw, Aymara: Piruw),
officially the Republic of Peru (Spanish:
República del Perú, is a country in
western South America. It is
bordered on the north by Ecuador and
Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on
the southeast by Bolivia, on the
south by Chile, and on the west by
the Pacific Ocean.
Peruvian territory was home to the
Norte Chico civilization, one of the
oldest in the world, and to the Inca
Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian
America. The Spanish Empire
conquered the country in the 16th
century and established a
Viceroyalty, which included most of
its South American colonies. After
achieving independence in 1821, Peru
has undergone periods of political
unrest and fiscal crisis as well as
periods of stability and economic
upswing.
Peru is a presidential
representative democratic republic
divided into 25 regions. Its
geography varies from the arid
plains of the Pacific coast to the
peaks of the Andes mountains and the
tropical forests of the Amazon Basin.
It is a developing country with a
medium Human Development Index score
and a poverty level around 50%. Its
main economic activities include
agriculture, fishing, mining, and
manufacturing of products such as
textiles.
The Peruvian population, estimated
at 28 million, is multiethnic,
including Amerindians, Europeans,
Africans and Asians. The main spoken
language is Spanish, although a
significant number of Peruvians
speak Quechua and other native
languages. This mixture of cultural
traditions has resulted in a wide
diversity of expressions in fields
such as art, cuisine, literature,
and music. |
