S, 77 03 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)

Administrative divisions:
25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*
(provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,
Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La
Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,
Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Independence:
28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:
31 December 1993

Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note
- for the first time in recent elections, members of the military
and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006);
First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President
Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July
2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice
President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006)
note: Prime Minister Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez (since 28 August
2006) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands
of the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); presidential and congressional
elections held 9 April 2006, with runoff election held 4 June 2006;
next to be held April 2011
election results: Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election;
percent of vote - Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held April 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%,
UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%; seats by party - UPP
45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are