Peru's rich and varied heritage includes the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco and the lost city of Machu Picchu. The country boasts spectacular scenery, including Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
It is rich in copper, silver, lead, zinc, oil and gold. Despite this, Peru's progress has been held back by corruption and the failure of successive governments to deal with social and economic inequality.
Overview
In its recent past Peru has alternated between democracy and military dictatorship. Also, it is deeply divided politically and economically. A small elite of Spanish descent controls most of the wealth and political power, while indigenous Peruvians are largely excluded from both and make up many of the millions who live in poverty.
AT-A-GLANCE
Politics: Former leader Alan Garcia won presidential elections in June 2006; his first term ended in 1990 with the economy in tatters; nationalist rival Ollanta Humala has a majority in Congress
Economy: Peru has seen growth, but the lot of the rural poor is little improved; the US and Peru have agreed a free trade deal
International: Peru and Chile dispute their maritime border; Venezuela's President Chavez ruffled some Peruvian feathers by backing Alan Garcia's election rival
Because of these problems, foreign investors have often given Peru a wide berth. In addition, a preoccupation with political power struggles has meant that the economy and infrastructure have been neglected, a factor which fuelled Peru's guerrilla insurgencies.
Peru endured a brutal war against Maoist rebels in which up to 69,000 people were killed in the 1980s and 1990s. Investigators have blamed the rebels for many of the killings, but the military has also been implicated.
Despite the near destruction of the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru guerrilla groups, violence - in the form of murders and gang warfare - is still a problem and has been linked to the drugs trade.
Peru is one of South America's biggest producers of coca - the raw material for cocaine. The UN children's fund, Unicef, has found that most of the pickers in the coca-growing areas in the north-east and south-east are children.
Facing the Pacific, Peru is an important link between Asia and Brazil.
Facts
- Full name: Republic of Peru
- Population: 28.2 million (UN, 2008)
- Capital: Lima
- Area: 1.28 million sq km (496,225 sq miles)
- Major languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 69 years (men), 74 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 nuevo sol = 100 centimos
- Main exports: Fish and fish products, copper, zinc, gold, crude petroleum and by-products, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton
- GNI per capita: US $3,450 (World Bank, 2007)
- Internet domain: .pe
- International dialling code: +51
Leaders
President: Alan Garcia
Economic turmoil dogged Alan Garcia's first government
Former centre-left president Alan Garcia celebrated a dramatic political comeback in June 2006, 16 years after he left office with rock-bottom approval ratings. Hyperinflation, food shortages and a Maoist guerrilla insurgency plagued his 1985-1990 term; the president says he has learned from his mistakes.
He won a run-off vote in presidential elections having campaigned on promises to tackle poverty and boost economic growth. His rival, the political newcomer and former military man Ollanta Humala, was backed by Venezuela's populist leftist leader Hugo Chavez.
President Garcia represents Peru's oldest political party, the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, or Apra. On taking office he announced an austerity drive - which included a cut in his own salary - and cited Chile as an economic role model.
His government has come under fire from environmental and human rights campaigners over plans to auction off swathes of the Amazon to oil and gas companies. They say the amount of Peruvian Amazon territory now open to oil exploration has risen from 13 to 70% in two years.
In October 2008, the entire Apra-led cabinet resigned after members of the party were implicated in a corruption scandal over the allocation of oil contracts. In an effort to restore public confidence in his administration, Mr Garcia appointed Yehude Simon, a leftist regional governor from outside the ruling party, as the new prime minister.
Mr Garcia's predecessor, Alejandro Toledo, took office promising to wage "a head-on war on poverty" but struggled to improve the lot of the poor and to deliver on a pledge to create one million jobs over five years.
Mr Toledo oversaw economic growth but had to balance the need for economic prudence with calls for more spending on social programmes and public-sector wage increases.
He was beset by street protests and a string of scandals involving ministers, aides and family members.
Media
Privately-run broadcasters and newspapers dominate the media scene, with the state-run media having relatively small audiences.
The airwaves of Lima are home to dozens of radio stations and several TV services. Many radio stations and regional newspapers are available in the provinces.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says there is a high level of violence against the media. Corruption, drug-trafficking and the activities of Shining Path rebels are "very dangerous" subjects for reporters.
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