Total area: 496,223 sq mi (1,285,220 sq km)
Population (2009 est.): 29,546,963
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Lima - 8,180,000 (metro. area)
Other large cities: Arequipa - 837,300; Trujillo - 725,200; Chiclayo - 598,400
Currency: Nuevo sol (New Sol)
Languages: Spanish, Quéchua (both official); Aymara; many minor Amazonian languages
Religion: Roman Catholic 81%, other Christian 2%, unspecified or none 16%
Time zone: GMT-5; DST is not observed
Electricity: AC 220V/60Hz; plugs with two round pins (europlugs) and American type plugs with two flat blades are used; many hotels have AC 110V/60Hz
Peru is a country in South America, situated on the west part of the continent, bordered by Ecuador and Colombia on the north, by Brazil on the east, by Bolivia on the southeast, by Chile on the south and by the Pacific Ocean on the west.
The Andes mountain range that run north-south on the east of the country, divide Peru into three regions. The westernmost region is the Pacific coast (Costa), a narrow plain, mostly arid, with some fertile valleys. Country's capital, Lima, is located in this region.
Second region is the Sierra, comprising the Andes, high plateaus and deep valleys. The highest point is the Huascarán, at 6,768 m (22,205 ft).
The Selva (jungle) region is located east of the mountains. It is a heavily forested, fertile, tropical and sub-tropical land that merges into the vast Amazon jungle. This region accounts for about 60% of the total area of Peru.
Peru's main attractions are the historical sites of the pre-Columbian era, the colonial architecture, natural beauty of the landscapes, and great diversity of fauna and flora.
