Travel Info: Visiting Peru Of South America

:: Peruvian regions are

Amazonas
Ancash
Apurimac
Arequipa
Ayacucho
Cajamarca
Callao
Cusco
Huancavelica

Ica
Junin
La Libertad
Lambayeque
Lima
Loreto
Madre de Dios
Moquegua
Pasco

» Peru is located in Western South America , bordering the Pacific Ocean , between Chile  and Ecuador . It also shares borders with Colombia , Brazil  and Bolivia .

The western coastal plains (costa) are separated from the eastern lowland jungle of the Amazon Basin (selva) by the high and rugged Andes  in the center (sierra). On the border with Bolivia lies Lake Titicaca , the world's highest navigable lake at 3821 m. A land rich in cultural heritage and a variety of natural environments, harbors 84 of the 118 known life zones of the earth.


» The culture of Peru was shaped by the relationship between Hispanic  and Amerindian cultures. During pre-Columbian times, Peru was one of the major centers of artistic expression in The Americas, where Pre-Inca cultures, such as Chavín , Moche , Paracas, Huari  (Wari), Nazca, Chimu and Tiahuanaco developed high-quality pottery , jewelry, and sculpture . Drawing upon earlier cultures, the Incas continued to maintain these crafts but made even more impressive achievements in architecture. The mountain town of Machu Picchu  and the buildings at Cuzco are excellent examples of Inca architectural design.

Peru has passed through various intellectual stages--from colonial Hispanic culture to European Romanticism after independence. The early 20th century brought "indigenismo," expressed in a new awareness of Indian culture. Since World War II , Peruvian writers, artists, and intellectuals such as Cesar Vallejo and Jose Maria Arguedas have participated in worldwide intellectual and artistic movements, drawing especially on U.S. and European trends.

About 45% of Peru's population is indigenous, while mestizos make up about 37% and whites 15%. There are also small numbers of persons of Japanese, Chinese, and African descent. Most of the native inhabitants speak Quechua (an official language) or Aymara; they live in the Andes and have retained much of their traditional way of life. Small groups of indigenous peoples live in the isolated rain forest of E Peru and speak a variety of languages. Most other Peruvians speak Spanish (the other official language) and are Roman Catholic. Power and wealth in the country have traditionally been monopolized by the European-descended inhabitants and by a small number of the mestizos; the bulk of the mestizos and virtually all of the indigenous people are laborers or subsistence farmers. The leading universities are at Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo, and Cuzco.