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It's
the multiple layers of great civilizations which makes Peru
so fascinating. You can wander around colonial cities which
have preserved the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors, visit
the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco, explore the lost city
of Machu Picchu and ponder the enigma of the Nazca Lines (answers
on a postcard please). You don't have to be in Peru too long
to realize that the 'New World' had a rich and complex cultural
life thousands of years before Pizarro turned up wearing funny
clothing.
All
of this exists in a country with some of the most spectacular
and varied scenery in South America. The Peruvian Andes are
arguably the most beautiful on the continent and the mountains
are home to millions of highland Indians who still speak the
ancient tongue of Quechua and maintain a traditional way of
life. The verdant Amazon Basin, which occupies half of Peru,
is one of the world's top 10 biodiversity 'hot spots' - a
species-rich area of tropical rain forest that will make your
head spin when you start to learn about its ecology. And the
coastal deserts, with their huge rolling dunes, farmland oases
and fishing villages, are underappreciated by travelers but
offer the opportunity to get off the Gringo Trail in a big
way. But you don't have to be a zoologist, an anthropologist
or a mountain climber to enjoy Peru, all you need is a keen
eye, a love of landscape, an interest in history and a very
good money belt.
Full
country name: Republic of Peru
Area: 1,285,215 sq km (501,234 sq mi)
Population: 27,012,899 (1.9% growth)
Capital city: Lima (pop 8 million)
People: 54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (mixed European and Indian
descent), 12% Spanish descent, 2% Black, Asian minority
Language: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population
Government: Democracy
President: Alejandro Toledo
Prime Minister: Roberto Dañino
GDP:
US$111.8 billion
GDP per head: US$4,300
Annual growth: 1.8%
Inflation: 6.7%
Major industries: Pulp, paper, coca leaves, fishmeal, steel,
chemicals, oil, minerals,cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding
Major trading partner: USA, Japan, UK, China, Germany, Columbia
Peru
Flight from UK
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