Moving to Peru: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

32,600,249

Population Growth Rate

0.48%

Population Distribution

• approximately one-third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima
• the Andean highlands, or sierra, which is strongly identified with the country's Amerindian population, contains roughly half of the overall population
• the eastern slopes of the Andes, and adjoining rainforest, are sparsely populated

Urban Population

• population: 78.9% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo

Population: Male/Female

• male: 15,952,556
• female: 16,647,693

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Age Structure

• years: 25.8% (male 4,293,229/female 4,119,269) 15-64
• years: 66.2% (male 10,546,502/female 11,041,106) 65 years and
• over: 8% (male 1,112,825/female 1,487,318)

Median Age

• total: 30.2 years
• male: 29.1 years
• female: 31.3 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

17

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

10.9

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

2.15

Gross reproduction rate

1

Child Marriage

women married by age 15: 2% women married by age 18: 14.1%

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

77.4%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

77.4%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.2%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

21.9

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.75 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.96 male(s)/female

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Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-1

Demographic profile

Peru's urban and coastal communities have benefited much more from recent economic growth than rural, Afro-Peruvian, indigenous, and poor populations of the Amazon and mountain regions.

The poverty rate has dropped substantially during the last decade but remains stubbornly high at about 30% (more than 55% in rural areas).

After remaining almost static for about a decade, Peru's malnutrition rate began falling in 2005, when the government introduced a coordinated strategy focusing on hygiene, sanitation, and clean water.

School enrollment has improved, but achievement scores reflect ongoing problems with educational quality.

Many poor children temporarily or permanently drop out of school to help support their families.

About a quarter to a third of Peruvian children aged 6 to 14 work, often putting in long hours at hazardous mining or construction sites.

Peru was a country of immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but has become a country of emigration in the last few decades.

Beginning in the 19th century, Peru brought in Asian contract laborers mainly to work on coastal plantations.

Populations of Chinese and Japanese descent - among the largest in Latin America - are economically and culturally influential in Peru today.

Peruvian emigration began rising in the 1980s due to an economic crisis and a violent internal conflict, but outflows have stabilized in the last few years as economic conditions have improved.

Nonetheless, more than 2 million Peruvians have emigrated in the last decade, principally to the US, Spain, and Argentina.

Ethnic Groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 60.2%, Indigenous 25.8%, White 5.9%, African descent 3.6%, other (includes Chinese and Japanese descent) 1.2%, unspecified 3.3%

Language Note

Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other (includes foreign languages and sign language) 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7%

Nationality Noun

• noun: Peruvian(s)
• adjective: Peruvian

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Literacy - total population

94.5%

Literacy - male

97%

Literacy - female

92%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

4%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 15 years
• male: 15 years
• female: 15 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 68.9 years
• male: 65.4 years
• female: 72.7 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

69

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

1.37

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

1.6

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

6.3%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

• risk: very high food or waterborne
• diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne
• diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Bartonellosis (Oroya fever), and sexually transmitted
• diseases: hepatitis B

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7%

Tobacco Use

• total: 8.1%
• male: 13.2%
• female: 3%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 5.74 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 3.01 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 97.2% of population
• rural: 82.4% of population
• total: 94% of population
• unimproved: urban: 2.8% of population
• rural: 17.6% of population
• total: 6% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 93.6% of population
• rural: 65.3% of population
• total: 87.4% of population
• unimproved: urban: 6.4% of population
• rural: 34.7% of population
• total: 12.6% of population

Underweight - percent of children under five years

2.1%

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Economic Overview

Peru's economy reflects its varied topography - an arid lowland coastal region, the central high sierra of the Andes, and the dense forest of the Amazon.

A wide range of important mineral resources are found in the mountainous and coastal areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds.

Peru is the world's second-largest producer of silver and copper.

The Peruvian economy grew by an average of 5.6% per year from 2009-13 with a stable exchange rate and low inflation.

This growth was due partly to high international prices for Peru's metals and minerals exports, which account for 55% of the country's total exports.

Growth slipped from 2014 to 2017, due to weaker world prices for these resources.

Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, dependence on minerals and metals exports and imported foodstuffs makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices.

Peru's rapid expansion coupled with cash transfers and other programs has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by over 35 percentage points since 2004, but inequality persists and continues to pose a challenge for the Ollanta HUMALA administration, which championed a policy of social inclusion and a more equitable distribution of income.

Poor infrastructure hinders the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas.

The HUMALA administration passed several economic stimulus packages in 2014 to bolster growth, including reforms to environmental regulations in order to spur investment in Peru’s lucrative mining sector, a move that was opposed by some environmental groups.

However, in 2015, mining investment fell as global commodity prices remained low and social conflicts plagued the sector.

Peru's free trade policy continued under the HUMALA administration; since 2006, Peru has signed trade deals with the US, Canada, Singapore, China, Korea, Mexico, Japan, the EU, the European Free Trade Association, Chile, Thailand, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Honduras, concluded negotiations with Guatemala and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and begun trade talks with El Salvador, India, and Turkey.

Peru also has signed a trade pact with Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, called the Pacific Alliance, that seeks integration of services, capital, investment, and movement of people.

Since the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement entered into force in February 2009, total trade between Peru and the US has doubled.

President Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI succeeded HUMALA in July 2016 and is focusing on economic reforms and free market policies aimed at boosting investment in Peru.

Mining output increased significantly in 2016-17, which helped Peru attain one of the highest GDP growth rates in Latin America, and Peru should maintain strong growth in 2018.

However, economic performance was depressed by delays in infrastructure mega-projects and the start of a corruption scandal associated with a Brazilian firm.

Massive flooding in early 2017 also was a drag on growth, offset somewhat by additional public spending aimed at recovery efforts.

Industries

• Mining and refining of minerals
• steel, metal fabrication
• petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction
• fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.4%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$371,290,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$12,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.4%

GDP - official exchange rate

$179,900,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 63.2% Government
• consumption: 12.7% Investment in fixed
• capital: 23.8% Investment in
• inventories: 1.1% Exports of goods and
• services: 22.4% Imports of goods and
• services: -23.2%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

7%

GDP by Sector- Industry

34.5%

GDP by Sector- services

58.5%

Industrial Growth Rate

5%

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Inflation Rate

3.6%

Currency Name and Code

Peruvian (Nuevo) Sol (PEN)

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

20.3%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate - note

Note: domestic currency lending rate, 90-day maturity

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Labor Force

16,200,000

Unemployment Rate

7.7%

Unemployment - note

Data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Major Industries

• Mining and refining of minerals
• steel, metal fabrication
• petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction
• fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture

Agriculture Products

• Asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mangoes, barley, medicinal plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans
• poultry, beef, pork, dairy products
• guinea pigs
• fish

Population Below Poverty Line

31.3%

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

2,545,855

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

34%

Child Labor - note

note: data represents children ages 5-17

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

25.8%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

17.4%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

56.8%

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Annual Budget

$58,150,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

18.3%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

1%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

29%

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Full Country Name

Republic of Peru

Country Name

Peru

Local - Long

República del Perú

Local - Short

Perú

Etymology- history of name

exact meaning is obscure, but the name may derive from a native word "biru" meaning "river"

Independence

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821)

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Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993
• amendments: proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions; amended many times, last in 2021

Legal System:

civil law system

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra (since 7 December 2022); first vice president (vacant); second vice president (vacant); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
• head of government: President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra (since 7 December 2022); first vice president (vacant); second vice president (vacant)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
• elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms); election last held on 11 April 2021 with a runoff on 6 June 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)
• election results: 2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% note 1: First Vice President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra assumed the office of the president on 7 December 2022 after President Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones was impeached and arrested; BOLUARTE is the first woman to become president of Peru note 2: Prime Minister Gustavo ADRIANZÉN (since 6 March 2024) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president; on 5 March 2024, Prime Minister Alberto OTÁROLA resigned amid allegations of corruption

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la República del Perú (130 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve single 5-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Free Peru 32, Popular Force 24, AP 15, APP 15, AvP 10, RP 9, Democratic Peru 7, We Are Peru 5, PP 5, JP 5, Purple Party 3; composition as of February 2024- men 80, women 50, percentage women 40%
• Note: seats by party/coalition as of January 2024 - Popular Force 23, Free Peru 16, AP 14, APP 11, AvP 9, Democratic Peru 9, RP 9, SP 6, PP 6, PB 5; BMCN 9, independent 25

Judicial Branch:

• office: justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
• subordinate courts: Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside

Regions or States:

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 note: Callao, the largest port in Peru, is also referred to as a constitutional province, the only province of the Callao region

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Advance the Nation (Avanza País) or AvP [Aldo BORRERO Zeta]
• Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]
• Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA [Marco ARANA]
• Free Peru (Perú Libre) or PL [Vladimir CERRON Rojas]
• Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]
• Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertación Nacional) or BMCN [Álex PAREDES]
• National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN [George FORSYTH Sommer]
• Peru Bicentennial (Perú Bicentenario) or PB [Jorge MARTICORENA]
• Popular Action (Acción Popular) or AP [Mesias GUEVARA Amasifuen]
• Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP [Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi]
• Popular Renewal (Renovación Popular) or RP [Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA]
• Purple Party (Partido Morado) [Luis DURAN Rojo]
• Social Integration Party (Avanza País - Partido de Integración Social) [Aldo BORRERO]
• Together For Perú (Juntos por el Peru) or JP [Robert SANCHEZ Palomino]
• We Are Peru (Somos Perú) of SP [Patricia LI]
• We Can Peru (Podemos Perú) or PP [Jose Leon LUNA Galvez]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: yes Citizenship by
• descent: yes Dual citizenship
• recognized: yes Residency requirement for
• naturalization: 2 years

Capital Name

Lima

Capital - geographic coordinate

12 03 S, 77 03 W

Capital Time Difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• AIIB
• APEC
• BIS
• CAN
• CD
• CELAC
• EITI (compliant country)
• FAO
• G-24
• G-77
• IADB
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (NGOs)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IMSO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• LAES
• LAIA
• Mercosur (associate)
• MIGA
• MINUSTAH
• MONUSCO
• NAM
• OAS
• OPANAL
• OPCW
• Pacific Alliance
• PCA
• PROSUR
• SICA (observer)
• UN
• UNAMID
• UNASUR
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNHCR
• UNIDO
• Union Latina
• UNISFA
• UNMISS
• UNOCI
• UNOOSA
• UN Security Council (temporary)
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John T. McNAMARA (since 8 September 2023)
• Embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33
• Mailing Address: 3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230
• Telephone: [51] (1) 618-2000
• FAX: [51] (1) 618-2724
• Email: LimaACS@state.gov
• Website: https://pe.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024)
• Chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
• Telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860
• FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
• Email: Webadmin@embassyofperu.us
• Consulate(s) General: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), San Francisco, Washington DC

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Geographic Location

South America

Geographic Coordinates

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Total Area

496,222 Square Miles 1,285,216 Square Kilometers

Land Area

494,206 Square Miles 1,279,996 Square Kilometers

Water Area

2,015 Square Miles 5,220 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

4,636 Miles 7,461 Kilometers

Border Countries

Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline

1,500 Miles 2,414 Kilometers

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Terrain

Western coastal plain (Costa), high and rugged Andes in the center (Sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (Selva)

Highest Point

6,768 Meters

Highest Point Location

Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Lowest Point Location

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

Copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Irrigated Land

4,618 Square Miles 11,960 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

Peru lies below the Equator, therefore, its seasons along the Pacific Coast, which includes Lima, are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere.

Summer lasts from about mid-December through April in that region and is generally pleasant, with warm, sunny days and cool, comfortable nights.

February is usually the warmest month, with an average temperature of 79 (F) and humidity of 83%.

Temperatures rarely range above the mid-80s.

Only two distinct seasons occur in the highlands/sierra: the rainy season from December to April and a dry period the rest of the year.

Temperatures fluctuate considerably depending on the weather and altitude.

Winter along the coast lasts from May or June to November and the weather is chilly and damp.

Sunny days in Lima's winter are rare, particularly in July, August, and September.

Rain is virtually unknown; however, a fine mist often falls and fog is common.

The coolest, dampest months are July and August, with average temperatures about 60(F), rarely falling below the low 50s.

Terrain

Western coastal plain (Costa), high and rugged Andes in the center (Sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (Selva)

Location

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

Total Area

496,222 Square Miles 1,285,216 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Environment - Current Issues

• 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

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Exports

$47,380,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$41,150,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

• Copper, gold, lead, zinc, tin, iron ore, molybdenum, silver
• crude petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas
• coffee, asparagus and other vegetables, fruit, apparel and textiles, fishmeal, fish, chemicals, fabricated metal products and machinery, alloys

Major Imports

Petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, plastics, machinery, vehicles, color TV sets, power shovels, front-end loaders, telephones and telecommunication equipment, iron and steel, wheat, corn, soybean products, paper, cotton, vaccines and medicines

Top Export Partners

China 18.3%, United States 15.2%, Canada 11.4%, Japan 5.4%, Spain 5.3%, Chile 4.8%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.1%

Top Import Partners

United States 24.5%, China 13.7%, Brazil 6.7%, Chile 5.9%, Ecuador 4.4%, South Korea 4%

Export Partners

China 18.3%, United States 15.2%, Canada 11.4%, Japan 5.4%, Spain 5.3%, Chile 4.8%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.1%

Import Partners

United States 24.5%, China 13.7%, Brazil 6.7%, Chile 5.9%, Ecuador 4.4%, South Korea 4%

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Country Description

Peru is a developing country with an expanding tourism sector.

A wide variety of tourist facilities and services are available, with quality varying according to price and location.

Safety & Security

• zones: Apurimac:
• Restricted: Provinces of Andahuaylas and Chincheros.
• Permitted: Everywhere else.
• Ayacucho: Restricted: Provinces of Huanta, and La Mar. Road travel from Ayacucho to San Francisco.
• Permitted: Daylight road travel from Ayacucho City to the city of Huanta. Staying within the city limits of Huanta. Daylight road travel from Pisco to Ayacucho City.
• Cusco: Restricted: The province of La Convención. The districts of Kimbiri, Pichari, Vilcabamba, and the Echarate.
• Permitted: Everywhere else, including the Machu Picchu area and the city of Cusco.
• Huancavelica: Restricted: Provinces of Pampas, Churcampa, Acobamba and Tayacaja. In the province of Concepcion, travel east of the cities of San Antonio de Ocopa and Santa Rosa (located northeast of Concepcion city). Travel to Huancavelica City.
• Permitted: Daylight road travel from Pisco to Ayacucho City.Train travel from Lima to Huancayo. Daylight road travel from Lima to Huancayo. Huánuco:
• Restricted: All zones; ground travel is permitted only with Deputy Chief of Mission authorization.
• Permitted: Flying into and staying within the city limits of Huánuco and Tingo María. Junín:
• Restricted: Provinces of Satipo and Concepción east of the Rio Mantaro. The District of Santo Domingo de Acobamba in the Province of Huancayo.
• Permitted: Daylight road travel from La Merced to Satipo.
• Loreto: Restricted: a 20-kilometer swath of territory contiguous to the Colombian border. Travel on the Putumayo River.
• Permitted: Everywhere else. San Martín:
• Restricted: Provinces of Tocache, Mariscal Caceres, Huallaga, and Bellavista. Ground travel is permitted only with the Deputy Chief of Mission's authorization.
• Permitted: Flying only into and remaining within the city limits of Tocache, Saposoa, Juanjui, and Bellavista.
• Ucayali: Restricted: Provinces of Padre Abad and Coronel Portillo west of Pucallpa City and west of Ucayali River. Road travel from Pucallpa to Aguaytia and all cities west of Aguaytia.
• Permitted: Flying into and remaining within the city limits of Pucallpa and Aguaytía. The provi

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Crime

• Crime: Violent crime, including carjacking, assault, sexual assault, and armed robbery is common in Lima and other large cities. The Embassy is aware of reports of women being sexually assaulted in their place of lodging, or after their drinks were drugged while visiting bars or nightclubs. Women traveling alone should be especially careful to avoid situations in which they are vulnerable due to impaired judgment or isolation. Resistance to attempted robberies often provokes greater violence, while victims who do not resist usually do not suffer serious physical harm. "Express kidnappings," in which criminals kidnap victims and seek to obtain funds from their bank accounts via automatic teller machines, occur frequently. In the recent past, there have been a number of cases of armed robbery, rape, other sexual assault, and attempted rape of U.S. citizens and other foreign tourists in Arequipa and in Cusco city, as well as in the outlying areas in the vicinity of various Incan ruins. These assaults have occurred both during daylight hours and at night. Taxis and Road
• Crime: Passengers who hail taxis on the street have been assaulted and robbed. Street taxis are not well regulated and are often used as a front by criminals to rob unsuspecting victims. The Embassy’s Regional Security Officer recommends that all Embassy personnel use telephone-dispatched radio taxis or car services associated with major hotels and not hail taxis on the street. In the city of Arequipa, express kidnappings have become such a problem that all U.S. government personnel are prohibited from hailing taxis off the street. U.S. government personnel there must utilize cabs from well-established dispatch taxi companies. The Embassy’s Regional Security Officer recommends that all U.S. citizens visiting Arequipa also use dispatch taxi companies. Some crimes in the city of Cusco and in Arequipa have involved the drivers of rogue (or unregistered) taxis. Travelers should use only licensed, registered taxis such as those available from taxi stands in Cuscodisplaying a blue decal issued by the municipal government on the windshield of the vehicle. Visitors should not accept offers of transportation or guide services from individuals seeking clients on the streets. In recent years there have been several reports of U.S. citizens falling victim to so-called “express kidnappings” in Arequipa after taking taxis hailed on the street. On occasion, the victim was bound, beaten, and held for over 24 hours as the assailants attempted to empty cash from bank accounts with the victim’s stolen ATM card.
• Theft: Travelers should guard against the theft of luggage and other belongings, particularly U.S. passports, at the Lima airport. Passengers arriving at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport should be cautious in making arrangements for ground transportation. Upon exiting the airport, travelers may be approached by persons seeming to know them, or who claim that a pre-arranged taxi has been sent to take them to their hotel. Some travelers have been charged exorbitant rates or been taken to marginal hotels in unsafe parts of town. Travelers who are not being met by a known party or by a reputable travel agent or hotel shuttle are advised to arrange for a taxi inside the airport. At least two taxi companies maintain counters inside the international arrival area (between immigration clearance and baggage claim). An additional two companies have agents at the information kiosk just before the exit from the passenger arrival area. Travelers should not leave any valuables in sight or unattended in parked vehicles as these become inviting targets for thieves. Visitors

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Peru, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have a copy of your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.

In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Peru, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Peru, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Languages Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other (includes foreign languages and sign language) 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7%

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Medical Facilities

Medical care is generally good in Lima and usually adequate in other major cities, but it is less so elsewhere in Peru.

Urban private healthcare facilities are often better staffed and equipped than public or rural ones.

Public hospital facilities in Cusco, the prime tourist destination, are generally inadequate to handle serious medical conditions.

Although some private hospital facilities in Cusco may be able to treat acute medical problems, in general, the seriously ill traveler should return to Lima for further care as soon as is medically feasible.

Visitors to high-altitude Andean destinations such as Cusco (11,000 feet), Machu Picchu (8,000 feet), or Lake Titicaca (13,000 feet) should discuss the trip with their personal physician prior to departing the United States.

Travel to high altitudes could pose a serious risk of illness, hospitalization, and even death, particularly if the traveler has a medical condition that affects blood circulation or breathing.

Several U.S. citizens have died in Peru from medical conditions exacerbated by altitude.

Tourists or business visitors, particularly those who suffer from cardiac-related problems or high blood pressure, who wish to travel to high-altitude areas in Peru should undergo a medical examination before traveling.

New arrivals, even healthy and fit persons, will feel symptoms of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) at high altitudes, and most will need time to adjust to the altitude.

Most people will have increased respiration and heart rate.

Many will have headaches, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, minor gastric and intestinal upsets, and mood changes.

To help prevent these complications, consult your personal physician, avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one week after arrival at high altitudes, and limit physical activity for the first 36 to 48 hours after arrival at high altitudes.

In jungle areas east of the Andes mountain range (cordillera), chloroquine-resistant malaria is a serious problem.

Cholera, yellow fever, hepatitis, dengue fever, and other exotic and contagious diseases are also present.

Yellow fever is endemic in certain areas of Peru; in general, those areas are located on the eastern side of the cordillera and at lower elevations in jungle areas.

The U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Peruvian government recommend that travelers to Peru receive a yellow fever vaccination and carry documentation of the vaccination with them on their trip.

Diarrhea caused by contaminated food or water is very common in Peru and is potentially serious.

If suffering from persistent symptoms, seek medical attention.

Local tap water in Peru is not considered potable.

Only bottled or treated (disinfected) water should be used for drinking.

Fruits and vegetables should be washed and/or disinfected with care, and meats and fish should be thoroughly cooked.

Eggs, meat, unpasteurized cheese, and seafood are common sources of the bacteria that can cause travelers' diarrhea, and they should be properly prepared or avoided.

Philanthropic groups and individuals planning to enter Peru with medical supplies in quantities greater than for personal use are strongly advised to consult with a Peruvian consulate in the United States prior to arrival in Peru.

Medical, dental, and other kinds of charitable donations are subject to confiscation by Peruvian authorities for failure to comply with Peruvian regulations.

Medical teams, non-profit organizations or visitors to Peru who plan to donate medical supplies, medicines, or other similar items may wish to review Peruvian regulations governing such donations (Spanish only) or contact Agencia Peruana de Cooperacion Internacional (APCI) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 51-1-319-3632 before proceeding.

The U.S.

Embassy cannot accept such items by mail, assist in evading customs requirements, or provide a broker to secure their release if they are held.

Traffic Safety

While in Peru, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Peru is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving conditions in Peru are very different from those found in the United States and can be considerably more dangerous.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with local laws and driving customs before attempting to operate vehicles.

Road travel at night is extremely dangerous due to poor road markings and frequent unmarked road hazards.

Drivers should not travel alone on rural roads, even in daylight.

Convoy travel is preferable.

Spare tires, parts, and fuel are needed when traveling in remote areas, where distances between service areas are great.

Fog is common on coastal and mountain highways, and the resulting poor visibility frequently causes accidents.

Inter-city bus travel is dangerous.

Armed robbers, who force passengers off buses and steal their belongings, sometimes hold up inter-city buses at night.

Bus accidents resulting in multiple deaths and injuries are common, and they are frequently attributed to excessive speed, poor bus maintenance, and driver fatigue.

Because of these safety concerns, the U.S.

Peace Corps in Peru restricts Peace Corps volunteers’ use of overnight inter-city buses and requires Peace Corps volunteers who make inter-city bus trips to use certain bus lines with good safety records.

Current approved lines are Cruz del Sur, Linea, Movil Tours, CIAL, OLTURSA, Ormeño, TEPSA, and ITTSA.

The Peruvian Ministry of Transportation also publishes a list in Spanish of the intercity bus companies with the highest rates of traffic accidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries.

For further information, travelers may contact their nearest automobile club, or (for information in Spanish) the Associacion Automotriz del Peru, 299 Avenida Dos de Mayo, San Isidro, Lima 27, Peru, telephone 51-1-440-0495.

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Airports - total

191

Airports with Paved Runways

59

Heliports

5

Railways

1,185 Miles 1,907 Kilometers

Roadways- total

87,410 Miles 140,672 Kilometers

Waterways

5,473 Miles 8,808 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note - Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries oil terminals: Conchan oil terminal, La Pampilla oil terminal

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Pipelines: extra heavy crude

488 Miles 786 Kilometers

Pipelines: Gas

948 Miles 1,526 Kilometers

Pipelines: Liquid Petroleum Gas

422 Miles 679 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

642 Miles 1,033 Kilometers

Pipelines: Refined Products

9 Miles 15 Kilometers

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Telephones

3,688,000

Cell Phones

32,461,000

Internet Users

9,158,000

Internet Country Code

.pe

Internet Hosts

234,102

Broadcast Media

• 10 major TV networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state-owned
• multi-channel cable TV services are available
• an excess of 2,000 radio stations including a substantial number of indigenous language stations

Telephone System

• Assessment: adequate for most requirements; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
• Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons
• International: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the United States; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

34,250,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

6,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

38,700,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

5,490,000,000

Natural Gas Exports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

8,730,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

32,400,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

359,600,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

206,900

Oil Exports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

15,610

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

99,590

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

152,600

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

579,200,000

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Anthem History

"Somos libres, seámoslo siempre" is the national anthem of Peru and was written by José de La Torre Ugarte and composed by José Bernardo Alcedo, who won a contest run by Don José de San Martín, known for being the liberator of Peru, in 1821.

It was performed for the first time by Rosa Merino in the Municipal Theater of Lima.

Anthem Lyrics

Somos libres, seámoslo siempre Chorus: Somos libres, seámoslo siempre y antes niegue sus luces el sol, que faltemos al voto solemne que la patria al Eterno elevó.

Largo tiempo el peruano oprimido la ominosa cadena arrastró; condenado a cruel servidumbre largo tiempo en silencio gimió.

Mas apenas el grito sagrado ¡Libertad!

En sus costas se oyó, la indolencia de esclavo sacude, la humillada cerviz levantó.

Ya el estruendo de broncas cadenas que escuchamos tres siglos de horror, de los libres al grito sagrado que oyó atónito el mundo, cesó.

Por doquier San Martín inflamado, Libertad, libertad, pronunció, y meciendo su base los Andes la anunciaron, también a una voz.

Con su influjo los pueblos despiertan y cual rayo corrió la opinión; desde el itsmo a las tierras del fuego desde el fuego a la helada región.

Todos juran romper el enlace que natura a ambos mundos negó, y quebrar ese cetro que España, reclinaba orgullosa en los dos.

Lima, cumple ese voto solemne, y, severa, su enojo mostró, al tirano impotente lanzando, que intentaba alargar su opresión.

A su esfuerzo sellaron los grillos y los surcos que en sí reparó, le atizaron el odio y venganza que heredara de su Inca y Señor.

Compatriotas, no más verla esclava si humillada tres siglos gimió, para siempre jurémosla libre manteniendo su propio esplendor.

Nuestros brazos, hasta hoy desarmados estén siempre cebando el cañón, que algú n día las playas de Iberia sentirán de su estruendo el terror.

En su cima los Andes sostengan la bandera o pendón bicolor, que a los siglos anuncie el esfuerzo que ser libres, por siempre nos dió.

A su sombra vivamos tranquilos, y al nacer por sus cumbres el sol, renovemos el gran juramento que rendimos al Dios de Jacob.

Anthem Lyrics English

CHORUS We are free, let's always be so and may the sun deny its light if we fail the solemn vow that the motherland swore to the Eternal One.

For a long time the oppressed Peruvian dragged the ominous chain; condemned to a cruel servitude for a long time, he cried in silence.

But once the sacred cry Freedom!

In its coasts, it was heard the slave's indolence shakes, the humiliated neck he raised.

Already the roar of angry chains that we heard three centuries of horror, from the free to the sacred cry which the world heard astonished, ceased.

Everywhere Saint Martin inflamed, Freedom, freedom, he pronounced, and rocking the base of it the Andes They announced it, also with one voice.

With its influence, the people awaken and like lightning the opinion spread; from the isthmus to the lands of fire From the fire to the frozen region.

Everyone swears to break the link that nature denied both worlds, and break that scepter that Spain, She leaned proudly on both of them.

Lima, fulfill that solemn vow, and, severe, her anger showed, to the impotent tyrant throwing, who tried to prolong his oppression.

At his effort, they sealed the crickets and the furrows that he repaired in himself, They fueled hatred and revenge that he would inherit from the Inca and Lord of him.

Compatriots, no more seeing her as a slave if she humiliated three centuries she moaned, forever let us swear her free maintaining its own splendor.

Our arms, until today unarmed They are always priming the cannon, that one day the beaches of Iberia They will feel the terror of its roar.

At their summit the Andes hold the two-color flag or pennant, that to the centuries announce the effort that being free, he gave us forever.

In its shadow let us live peacefully, and when the sun rises through its peaks, let's renew the great oath that we surrender to the God of Jacob.