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Kids Edition
Republic of
2014
Peru
República del Perú
An Incan teenage mummy, nicknamed the Ice Maiden, was discovered in Peru’s mountains in 1995, when a
volcano melted the ice that was preserving her. She died about five hundred years ago, probably as a sacrifice to
the gods.
In the late 1800s, Peru made a lot of money by selling guano (bird droppings), which is a great fertilizer.
A special reed that grows along Lake Titicaca floats so well that Native Americans made islands out of the reeds
and lived on them. Some people still live on these floating islands today!
Lima has South America’s oldest university, the National University of San Marcos, established in 1551.
The vicuña, an animal related to the llama, has wool so soft that in ancient times only nobles were allowed to wear
clothing made from it.
Peru has over 1,800 species of birds, more than in all of North America and Europe combined.
Known as the birthplace of the potato, Peru produces more than three thousand different varieties of the
vegetable!
Peruvian cottons, including Pima and Tanguis, are some of the finest cottons in the world.
Cotahuasi and Colca canyons are two of the deepest canyons in the world. Located in southern Peru, they are
each more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
The national flower of Peru is the Cantuta, a brightly colored flower that grows in the high valleys and forests of
the Andes Mountains.
Peru is home to the source of the Amazon River, which carries the highest volume of water of any river in the
world.
Flag
General San Martin reportedly chose the colors of the Peruvian flag during a battle for
independence. He woke up from a nap in the desert of Paracas to see the flight of
red-winged, white-breasted flamingos, called parihuanas. Red stands for the blood
shed for independence, and white symbolizes peace.
National Image
The symbol of the condor is seen everywhere in Peru. It’s on clothing, blankets,
pictures, and wall hangings. There’s even a song about it: “El Condor Pasa.” The
condor plays an important role in the folk tales and mythology of the Andean mountain
region. Its wingspan is between 8 and 10 feet (2–3 m).
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Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 496,225
Area (sq. km.): 1,285,216
Around the same size as Chad and almost twice the size of the state of Texas, Peru is
the third largest country in South America. The country has three very different regions.
The first, called the costa, is a narrow plain along the coast. Temperatures in this area
are very mild. For instance, Lima averages 65°F (18°C) year-round. Tall mountains
called the Andes jut up in the middle of the country. This region is called the sierra.
Some peaks there reach past 22,000 feet (6,706 m). That’s higher than the highest
mountain in all of North America! Animals such as the llama live in this region. In the
east, there’s the tropical Amazon Basin, which the people there call the selva. The
selva is home to many kinds of tropical animals, such as the toucan. More than four
hundred species of mammals—including jaguars, tapirs, alligators, llamas, alpacas
(similar to a llama), and monkeys—live in the interior of the country. Forests, mainly in
the Andes and the Amazon Basin, cover more than half of the country. Only about 3
percent of the land is good for farming. The wide range of climates makes for a diverse
array plant life, from tropical forests to desert vegetation.
Population
Population: 29,849,303
About 45 percent of Peruvians are descendants of the ancient Incas. Some of these
Native Americans live in the Amazon Basin, isolated from the rest of the world. About
37 percent of the people are mestizo, with mixed European and Native American
ancestry. The rest of the population includes Europeans (mostly Spaniards), Africans,
Japanese, Chinese, and others. The majority of the population lives in cities in the
western portion of the country. Lima is the largest city, with approximately eight million
residents. About one-third of the population is younger than age 15.
Language
Peru has not one but two official languages: Spanish and a Native American language called Quechua. Quechua was
the language of the Inca Empire and is the root of English words such as condor, guano, llama, and puma. Another
commonly spoken language is Aymara. Aymara is spoken by over 300,000 Peruvians, mainly in southern Peru. Most
of the people speak Spanish, but some speak both Spanish and a Native American language. However, about 30
percent of the population speaks only their Native American language. It’s sometimes difficult for these people to
communicate with others.
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Peru
Can You Say It in Spanish?
Hello
Hola
(OH-lah)
Good-bye
Adiós
(ah-dee-OHS)
Please
Por favor
(POHR fa-VOHR)
Thank you
Gracias
(GRAH-see-ahs)
Yes
Sí
(see)
No
No
(noh)
Religion
The Roman Catholic Church was the state church until 1979. Although there is freedom of religion, about 80 percent of
Peruvians are still Roman Catholic. Around two percent belong to other Christian churches, including Protestants and
Evangelicals, and the remainder belongs to other churches or to no church. Many native peoples who are Catholic mix
traditional beliefs with Christian values, sometimes calling native gods by Christian names.
Time Line
AD 1500
AD 1500s
The Incan Empire reaches its peak
1525
Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro first lands in Peru
1532
Pizarro invades the Incan Empire, which later becomes part of the
Vice-royalty of Peru
1535
Lima becomes the new capital
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1541
Pizarro is killed by other Spaniards
1572
The Incas are finally defeated
Peru
1600
1655
An earthquake wrecks Lima
1780–81
Tupac Amaru, claiming to be a descendant of the last Inca chief, leads
a band of rebels in revolt, which is crushed by the Spanish
1800
1814
The natives form another unsuccessful rebellion against the Spanish
1821
Peru declares its independence from Spain, under the leadership of
General Jose de San Martin
1824
General Simón Bolívar helps Peru win full independence
1849–1874
Close to 100,000 Chinese workers arrive in Peru looking for jobs
1879–83
Peru and Bolivia fight the War of the Pacific with Chile over land
boundaries; Peru loses land in the south to Chile
1900
1941
Peru wars with Ecuador over land boundaries
1968
The government is taken over by the military
1975
Quechua is made an official language
1990
Alberto Fujimori becomes president
1992
The leader of the Shining Path guerrilla (rebel) group is captured
1993
The present constitution is adopted
1996
Tupac Amaru guerrillas (rebels) seize hostages at the Japanese
ambassador’s residence
1997
The leader of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)
guerrilla group is killed
2000
2000
Fujimori escapes to Japan
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Peru
2001
Alejandro Toledo is elected the new president; he is the first president
of native Indian origin
2005
Peru and the United States sign a free trade agreement
2007
A powerful earthquake strikes Peru’s coast, killing hundreds of people
and leaving thousands homeless
2009
Former president Alberto Fujimori is sentenced to 25 years in jail for
ordering killings and kidnappings by security forces; at least 54 people
are killed in clashes in the Amazon between security forces and native
people protesting against land ownership laws opening up oil and gas
resources to foreign companies
PRESENT
The Incas
The Incas weren’t the first natives to live in Peru, but they were some of the strongest.
They conquered other Indian tribes and took over their land. As great architects, they
could build magnificent buildings and walls without any mortar, or cement. Instead, they
cut each stone so perfectly that it fit exactly with the stones around it. They also built
long, straight roads that connected their empire. However, they fought among
themselves. This weakened them, so they were not strong when the Europeans came.
When the Spanish arrived, the Incan empire was centered in Cuzco and stretched over
a large area of land, from what is now northern Ecuador to central Chile. Incan ruins at
Cuzco and Machu Picchu make Peru a favorite destination for archaeologists and
tourists.
Conquered
Spaniard Francisco Pizarro first saw Peru in 1525. He was so impressed with the
wealth of the Incan Empire that he came back in 1532, but this time with an army to
conquer the area. Through trickery, Pizarro and his men captured and killed the Incan
leader, Atahualpa. Then they enslaved the people. Some of the Incas were able to
escape and run to the jungles of Peru, but all were finally conquered by 1572. The area
soon became the richest and most powerful Spanish colony in South America because
of its location and many mineral treasures.
Liberation
Like many of Spain’s colonies, the people in Peru wanted to govern themselves. At
different times, the natives rebelled and tried to free themselves, but they were
unsuccessful. Under the leadership of South American liberator José de San Martín,
Peru declared independence from Spain in July 1821. A Venezuelan general named
Simón Bolívar had helped other South American colonies win their independence from
Spain. He brought his armies to help Peru, and they finally defeated the Spanish in
1824 at Ayacucho, putting an end to Spanish rule in all of South America. For the next
century, Peru worked to secure its territory and build its social institutions.
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Independence
All of Peru’s problems weren’t solved after it became independent. It had 35 different
rulers in the first 40 years. It also fought many wars, which drained the country of
money and other resources. The young nation’s relationship with its neighbors was
strained from the very beginning. The majority of the tension stemmed from
disagreements over who owned what land. After joining with Bolivia to war with Chile in
the War of the Pacific, Peru was forced to give up the Tarapaca region as well as the
Arica and Tacna provinces to Chile. Armed conflict over the boundary between Peru
and Ecuador continued off and on throughout the 20th century. Eventually they signed
a peace agreement settling on a permanent boundary between the two countries.
Peru Today
In the 20th century, rebel groups called guerrillas wanted to change the country. They
used bombing and kidnapping to get what they wanted. The Shining Path and other
terrorist organizations were responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. In the 1990s,
President Alberto Fujimori helped capture the guerrillas’ leaders. Fujimori also helped
the economy. However, he fled Peru when his government was accused of corruption
(using political power for personal gain). Fujimori was later brought back to Peru, where
he was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison. After Fujimori fled, his
opponent, Alejandro Toledo, was elected as the nation’s first native president.
However, Toledo was not successful in fighting poverty and increasing job
opportunities.
With different leaders now in place, Peruvians hope their government will work hard to
improve the lives of all citizens. Recently, the government has tried to improve Peru’s
international relations with other countries by hosting international meetings and signing
trade deals with other countries.
Games and Sports
Peruvians love soccer, which they call fútbol. The whole country watches anxiously
when the national team competes in the World Cup. Kids play soccer on the street and
in many other places. Bullfighting is a popular sport among some in the upper class.
Bullfighters dance around death as bulls charge at them in the ring. Peru has one of the
biggest and oldest bullrings in South America.
Holidays
Many of Peru’s holidays are based on the main religion, Roman Catholicism. Corpus
Christi (meaning, "the body of Christ") is a holiday that’s celebrated almost two months
after Easter. The people take statues of Catholic saints and dress them up in rich
costumes. Then they parade around the streets with the saints on their shoulders. A
popular holiday that is not based on Catholicism is Independence Day. People gather in
the plaza de armas (town plaza) to watch fireworks and listen to bands. Everyone
usually gets a one- or two-week break from school and work. Many local holidays honor
patron saints or celebrate the harvest, as well as provide recreational opportunities.
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Food
People usually buy fresh food every single day, either at corner stores (in cities) or at
big open-air markets (in the countryside). Rice, beans, corn, and fish are foods that you
might eat every day in Peru. You might also eat a banana-like fruit called a plantain.
Plantains have to be cooked to be eaten. A flat bread called pan sobao is eaten with
most meals. Guinea pigs are eaten throughout the country and are raised in nearly all
rural (countryside) homes and some urban (city) ones. Ceviche (marinated raw fish
seasoned with lemon and vinegar) is popular on the coast. Papa a la Huancaina is a
cooled, sliced baked potato topped with sliced eggs and a sauce (such as hot chili). Be
sure to eat everything off your plate so you don’t offend the cook!
Schools
Adult Literacy: 92.9%
Peruvian kids are supposed to go to primary (elementary) and secondary (high)
schools, just as you are. Not all kids end up staying in school that long, especially if
they are poor and need to help out the family. But those who do stay in school have the
opportunity to go on to one of the country’s many universities. Students in both public
and private schools often have to wear uniforms. They study the same subjects you
might, such as math, science, Spanish, and even English.
Life as a Kid
About two-thirds of Peruvian children live in cities. Most city kids go to school. After they
come home from school, they work on homework, help around the house, and play with
their friends and family. They often live near their grandparents and their aunts, uncles,
and cousins. Some children who live in shantytowns (poor sections of cities made up of
shelters or huts) are too poor to go to school. They must work to help support their
families. Also, kids who live in the countryside sometimes don’t go to school because
they are helping to farm their family’s land.
Government
Capital: Lima
Head of State: Pres. Ollanta Humala
Head of Government: Pres. Ollanta Humala
Peru has an elected president, who serves for five years and then can run again for one
more term. Two vice presidents serve with the president. Laws are made by Congress
(130 members), and Peru also has a Supreme Court to make sure that the laws are
fair. The country has a fairly new constitution. It was adopted in 1993. Peru is divided
into 25 regions and the province (similar to a state) of Lima. All Peruvians between the
ages of 18 and 70 are required to vote.
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Money and Economy
Currency: Nuevo sol
Peru has had some serious money problems in recent years. In 1990, the country’s
inflation (a time of increasing prices) was 7,600 percent! That means that Peruvian
money was barely worth anything. In comparison, inflation in the United States usually
stays around 2 to 3 percent. Recently, Peru has been able to bring its inflation to less
than 5 percent, but there are still many poor people in the country, and unemployment
remains high.
Getting Around
Because gasoline is so expensive, most Peruvians ride the bus, even if they own a car.
In the cities, kids often walk or ride their bikes. High in the mountains, people might
walk or ride an animal, since roads there often aren’t paved. Two main roads, the
Pan-American Highway and the Marginal Jungle Highway, run the length of the country
from north to south. Some Native Americans in the Amazon Basin use canoes to get
from place to place. In fact, some areas can be reached only by canoe!
Ruins
High in the mountains in southeastern Peru lie the ruins of Machu Picchu. Built
somewhere around six hundred years ago, this ancient Incan city remains in almost
perfect condition. Temples, baths, storage rooms, and other stone buildings are
connected by stone walkways and green terraces. Historians and archaeologists
believe Machu Picchu was originally built as some sort of ceremonial site or royal
estate. You can hike for about 20 miles (32 km) or take a train to reach it. Travelers
come from all over the world to visit the ruins and wonder about the people who once
lived there.
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of the Republic of Peru, 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202)
833-9860; web site www.embassyofperu.org. Or contact the Commission for the Promotion of Peru, web site
www.peru.travel.
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