Baker Island (2001) | Peru (2006) | |
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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 30.9% (male 4,456,195/female 4,300,233)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 9,078,123/female 8,961,981) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 709,763/female 796,308) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish |
Airports | 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2000 est.) | 268 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 54
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 214
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 124 (2006) |
Area | total:
1.4 sq km land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Alaska |
Background | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. | Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors 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, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government - the first democratically elected president of Quechua ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social conditions. |
Birth rate | - | 20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $21.87 billion
expenditures: $22.47 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion for general government, but excluding private enterprises (2005 est.) |
Capital | - | name: Lima
geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun | varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes |
Coastline | 4.8 km | 2,414 km |
Constitution | - | 31 December 1993 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Baker Island |
conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru |
Death rate | - | 6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $30.94 billion (2005 est.) |
Dependency status | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington, DC |
Disputes - international | none | Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral law to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundary along the parallel of latitude to an equidistance line which favors Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru does not support Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $491 million (2002) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more than 4 percent per year during the period 2002-2005, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the strong macroeconomic performance, the TOLEDO administration remained unpopular in 2005, and unemployment and poverty have stayed persistently high. Economic growth will be driven by the Camisea natural gas megaproject and by exports of minerals, textiles, and agricultural products. Peru is expected to sign a free-trade agreement with the United States in early 2006. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 21.09 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 22.68 billion kWh (2003 est.) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources | deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | - | Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% |
Exchange rates | - | nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002), 3.5068 (2001) |
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% |
Exports | - | 49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
Exports - commodities | - | copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee |
Exports - partners | - | US 31.1%, China 10.8%, Chile 6.6%, Canada 5.9%, Switzerland 4.6% (2005) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of the US is used | three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 8%
industry: 27% services: 65% (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 6.4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 0 13 N, 176 31 W | 10 00 S, 76 00 W |
Geography - note | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife | shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River |
Heliports | - | 1 (2006) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 37.2% (2000) |
Illicit drugs | - | until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15% to 31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa |
Imports | - | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper |
Imports - partners | - | US 18.2%, China 8.5%, Brazil 8%, Ecuador 7.4%, Colombia 6.1%, Argentina 5.1%, Chile 5.1%, Venezuela 4.1% (2005) |
Independence | - | 28 July 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 6.9% (2005 est.) |
Industries | - | mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.6% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | - | APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | 12,000 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary) |
Labor force | - | 9.06 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 9%
industry: 18% services: 73% (2001) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 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 |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
arable land: 2.88%
permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005) |
Languages | - | Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages |
Legal system | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 69.84 years
male: 68.05 years female: 71.71 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.7% male: 93.5% female: 82.1% (2004 est.) |
Location | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia | Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador |
Map references | Oceania | South America |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT
by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Panama 15) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard | - |
Military branches | - | Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast guard), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $829.3 million (2003 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.4% (2003 est.) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 28 July (1821) |
Nationality | - | noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity |
Natural resources | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife | copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas |
Net migration rate | - | -1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 983 km; gas/lpg 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,754 km; refined products 13 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF - a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple [Martha CHAVEZ Cossio]; Centrist Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC - a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes [Valentin PANIAGUA Corazoa]; Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; Nationalist Party Uniting Peru (Partido Nacionalista Uniendo al Peru) or UPP - a coalition of Union for Peru (UPP) and Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP - also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA [Alan GARCIA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)] |
Population | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2001 est.) |
28,302,603 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 54% (2003 est.) |
Population growth rate | - | 1.32% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999) |
Railways | - | total: 3,462 km
standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - members of the military and national police may not vote |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 2,250,500 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 5.583 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef | western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva) |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.51 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 7.6% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | 8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2005) |