Peru has a history that dates back over 10,000 years, with early cultures thriving in the Andean highlands. The Inca Empire was one of the largest and most sophisticated empires in the world until the Spanish conquest in 1532. Peru was then colonized by Spain and became an important source of gold and silver for the Spanish crown. Independence was achieved in the early 19th century after efforts led by Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin, though Peru struggled with political instability afterwards. Today, Peru has a population of almost 30 million inhabitants, with Spanish and Quechua as the dominant languages among its diverse ethnic groups.

1. Peru Stephanie Stimson History 28

2. History of Peru History goes back over 10,000 years Early Peruvian culture thrived in one of the harshest environments in the world- the Andean highlands The Incan empire was once of the largest and most sophisticated in the world

3. History of Peru Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizzaro conquered the Inca’s under the leadership of the Incan Emperor Atahualpa in 1532 The Spanish colonized Peru, establishing the Viceroyalty of Peru The native Amerindians became the main workforce for the Spanish They mined gold and silver which were, for a time, a main income source for the Spanish crown

4. Independence Most of Latin America was fighting for independence while Peru remained loyal to the crown It wasn’t until the efforts of Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martin that Peruvians were able to overcome loyalists Independence was achieved but Peru struggled with political instability Peru had a period of stability under Castilla Guano became a primary export and helped improve the economy

5. Political Geography Peru sits on the western coast of South America Its borders include, the Pacific on its western side, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile Only 3% of the land is arable 66% of the land is forest and woodland

6. Physical Geography Western coast is arid and mountainous The Andes mountain range runs through the center of the country The puna is grassland and plateau in the southern region The East has semi-tropical lowlands, part of the Amazon Basin

7. Peru’s People Peru has almost 30 million inhabitants Lima is the most populated city with over 8 million people Most people speak Spanish, but a large minority speak Quecha the language of the indigenous people Peruvians are the descendents of Amerindians, Spanish, Africans and a significant number of Chinese, who came to Peru as a workforce when slavery declined

8. Education and Health in Peru Education Health Infant mortality is 22/1000 live births Life expectancy Men 70 years Women 74 years Infectious disease rate is high, there remains a lack of potable water Many women die each year seeking illegal abortions Pre-primary for the first 6 years Free 6 years of primary education Secondary education begins at age 12 58% of children attend school Literacy for males is 92% Literacy for females is 79% Peru has 27 national universities

9. The Culture of Peru The culture is primarily Amerindian and Spanish Peruvian food is a blend of Amerindian and Spanish with some African influence Many people are becoming interested in Peruvian food due to its variety and use of different meats and vegetables Machu Picchu is the source of great pride with it’s amazing architectural feats The Indigenismo art movement became strong in the 1920s Roman Catholicism is the major religion, however some urban poor are turning to Mormonism

10. Sources for Information Historical, political and cultural information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru Geographical and economic information http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ectoc.html Images of Peru - http://www.google.com/imghp