Peru is a South American state located on the western coast and bordered by Ecuador and Colombia on the north, Brazil on the east, Bolivia on the southeast and Chile on the east. Throughout the world, Peru is known as the home to the Inca civilization. Peru is a democratic developing country with a high level of poverty which is around 50%. The economy is orientated towards agriculture, fishing and mining. The name "Peru" comes from the proper name "Birú"; Birú was a Panamian chief who lived in the 16th century and whose lands were called after him. Panama used to be the Spanish center for various explorations and as Birú´s lands were found towards the south, all territories in that direction were included under "Birú".

Landscape

Peruvian landscape can be divided into three geographically distinctive regions: 1. Coastal Zone is an area between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. Much of the shore is formed by high cliffs that make the ocean inaccessible from the mainland. Most of the population live in the valleys near the rivers. The temperature is not usually lower than 14 and higher than 30 °C. 2. The Andes consist of two mountain ranges, the Cordillera Occidental in the northwest and Cordillera Oriental in the southeast. Permanently snow-covered peaks, volcanos and glaciers can be found there. Well-known Lake Titicaca is also located in this area. 3. Eastern Lowlands include Andean foothills and lower areas farther east. This region is suitable for agriculture as it has broad valleys, a dense network of rivers, warm temperatures and regular rainfalls.

History of Peru

The first civilizations in today´s Peru are supposed to have emerged around 6000 BC. They grew corn and cotton, kept llamas and alpacas and practiced spinning, knitting, basketry and pottery. The Incas are the most famous culture that had existed in pre-Columbian America. The nucleus of the Inca Empire was found in Cusco Region; it was an organized society with developed architecture and transportation system. When the Spanish arrived in 1531, the empire had been in the middle of the war between two princes, Huáscar and Atahualpa. The Spanish, lead by Francisco Pizzaro, took advantage of the situation and made Cusco a Spanish colony. During some 45 years the number of Incas lowered from 12 million to 1 million. Peru´s war of independence took place between 1810 and 1824 and then fights for territories started with Chile and Ecuador. Between 1948 and 1979 Peru experienced dictatorial military governments accompanied by economic hardship and corruption. Since 1979 Peru has been coping with the effects of the previous era including chronic inflation and cultivation of coca.

People and culture

There live various ethnic groups in Peru represented, for example, by Amerindians, Spaniards, Africans, English, Italian, French, German, Arabs and Japanese. The official language is Spanish but almost 20% of the population speak some indigenous language, Quechua above of all. Most of the people are Roman Catholic and live in the cities like Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Piura, Cusco and Huancayo. Peruvian culture is based on indigenous and Spanish traditions that can be recognized in pottery, jewelry, textiles, literature, music, architecture and cuisine. In short, Peru offers a unique opportunity to discover its rich and mysterious history by the means of sightseeing, tasting, clothing, speaking, dancing, reading, watching and wandering throughout the country.

Why is Peru worth visiting?

Vacations in Peru are full of adrenaline because once you go there, you are driven to reveal the secrets and manage to see as many places as possible. Moreover, the treasure of the Incas has not been found yet!