Country
Countries A-Z
Peru
Republic of Peru
República del Perú
Political Status: Independent republic proclaimed 1821; military rule imposed on October 3, 1968; constitutional government restored on July 28, 1980; national emergency declared in wake of army-backed “presidential coup” on April 5, 1992; present constitution effective from December 29, 1993.
Area: 496,222 sq. mi. (1,285,216 sq. km.).
Population: 22,566,492 (1993C), including an adjustment of 2.4 percent for underenumeration; 28,363,000 (2006E).
Major Urban Center (2005E): LIMA (metropolitan area, 8,550,000).
Official Languages: Spanish, Quechua.
Monetary Unit: New Sol (market rate November 2, 2007: 3 new sols = $1US).
President: Alan GARCÍA Pérez (Peruvian Aprista Party); served as president 1985–1990; returned to office in second-round balloting on June 4, 2006, and sworn in for a five-year term on July 28, succeeding Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (Peru Possible).
First Vice President: Luis GIAMPETRI ...