litary - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Peru

Introduction

Peru

Background: Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by
the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared
in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen
years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in
1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent
insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in
a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant
progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's
increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the
late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI
won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but international
pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November
of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring
of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government.

Geography Peru

Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
between Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 1,285,220 sq km water: 5,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 5,536 km border countries: Bolivia 900 km,
Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,414 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
to frigid in Andes

Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish,
iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1