/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
65.17 years
male:
63.02 years
female:
67.44 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.22 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Peruvian(s)
adjective:
Peruvian
Ethnic divisions:
Indian 45%, mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 37%, white 15%,
black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions:
Roman Catholic
Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
85%
male: 92%
female:
29%
Labor force:
8 million (1992)
by occupation:
government and other services 44%, agriculture 37%, industry 19% (1988 est.)

*Peru, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Peru
conventional short form:
Peru
local long form:
Republica del Peru
local short form:
Peru
Digraph:
PE
Type:
republic
Capital:
Lima
Administrative divisions:
24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional
province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa,, Ayacucho,
Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La, Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura,
Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note:
the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990 mandate the
creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) intended to function
eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12
regions have been constituted from 23 existing departments - Amazonas (from
Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from
Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from
Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los
Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from
Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque,
Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali);
formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the
constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima;
because of inadequate funding from the central government, the regions have
yet to assume their responsibilities and at the moment coexist with the
departmental structure
Independence:
28 July 1821