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Peru in Brief
Capital City: Lima
People: 28.4million
Area:1,285,220sq km
Population: 28.4 million
Language: Spanish, Quechua,
Aymara
Religion: Roman Catholic 90%
Government: Constitutional Republic
Currency: Nuevo Sol S/.
Capital city: Lima
A land rich in cultural heritage and a
variety of natural environments, harbors 84 of the 118 known life zones of the
earth. This rich variety of ecosystems has also produced a variety of cultures
and civilizations, which have flourished in different regions of the country
over time. The cultures that comprise Perú influenced each other over time,
cross-fertilizing their ability to evolve and to manage natural resources and
the environment.
Immense treasures of human architecture, culture and religion
are found throughout the country - from the dry desert coast
interspersed with lush fertile valleys, to the foothills, valleys, snow-capped
peaks, and cloud forests of the Andes mountains, and the Amazon
flood plains. These three distinct climate and geomorphological zones
are divided into a myriad of microclimates and ecozones that make Perú what it
is - a land of unparalleled diversity.
The Coast
To the north, valleys that harbored
distinctive ethnic groups in Trujillo and Chiclayo drain into the Pacific Ocean.
Here fishing is a mainstay for the local population and surfing is an important
attraction. Beaches of arid sand and desert landscapes make a vacation in
northern Perú unique and exhilarating. To the south, Paracas Resort is the ideal place to take a break from the maddening world.
The Andes
The valleys and rolling hills of the Andes were the backbone of Inca
and pre-Inca settlements and cultures. An array of microclimates along the
North-South spine of the mountain range, and the advancing cloud forest along
its eastern slopes, enabled a variety of flora and fauna to be domesticated and
cultivated by the Incas and their predecessors. Hundreds of ruins and vestiges
of Inca temples, housing, fortresses and warehouses abound. This area includes
the towering Machu Picchu, the satellite citadel of what used to be the
main capital, Cusco.
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