Page two:
Key current issues
Economy
Women in Peru
Latin America - migration to the cities
Some basic
facts
Geographical position: situated on the west/Pacific
coast of South America, between longitude 81º 19` 35"
and 68º 30´ 11" west; and between latitude 0º
01´48" and 18º 21´05" south. The whole
territory lies in the tropical zone south of the Ecuator, which
passes through Ecuador, and north of the Tropic of Capricorn,
which passes through Chile.
Land area: 1,285,216km² [6th largest in all America,
3rd largest in Latin America, 19th in the world, 9 x size of
UK, smaller than Alaska].
Frontiers: to the North with Ecuador (1,529km: 3 sections
in dispute) and with Colombia (1,506km); to the south with Chile
(169km); to the east with Brazil (2,822km) and with Bolivia
(1,047km); to the west the Pacific coast (3,080km).
Terrain: the Andean Cordillera runs from
north to south, forming three principal natural regions: La
Costa - the coastal region (a narrow coastal desert ribbon where
52.1% of the population live); La Sierra-huge Andean mountains
and narrow valleys (36.9%) ; La Selva-jungle area forming part
of the great territory of the Amazon region (11%).
Eco diversity: In Peru there exist 84 of
the 115 world's ecological zones and ranks among the first in
the world in biodiversity. It is the 1st in birds, with 1,701
species, second in primates with 34 species, 3rd in mammals
with 361, 5th in reptiles with 297 and 5th in amphibians with
251. The Manu National Park and the Tambopata-Candamo National
Reserve on the southern Amazon, are a paradise of megadiversity.
In just one tree "shihuahuaco" (Asterix) of Madre
de Dios, entomologists found 5,000 specimens of insects, 80%
of them new to science. A first Peruvian genetic catalogue of
3,000 plants has classified 90 of ornamental value, 100 useful
for making tools, 110 for dyes and tints, 35 for drinks, 36
for essential oils and waxes, 334 toxics for use as organic
insecticides, 401 timber yielding, 524 edibles and 213 for medicinal
use. See also flora and fauna.
Elevation extremes: 0m at Pacific ocean to 6768m at
the peak of Huascaran. Lima is 153m above sea level.
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert
in west and depends, too, on altitude. Coast: (la costa) equable
temperatures, normal annual average about 20ºC (about 68ºF),
moderated by winds blowing from the cool offshore Peru or Humboldt
Current. Rainfall; less than 51mm (2") of rain each year.
Mist-laden clouds known as la garua cover much of western slopes
of the Sierra (and Lima) from June to October. Mountains: (la
sierra): temperature ranges seasonally from about -7 to 21ºC.
Rainfall is usually scanty especially on western slopes, but
in some localities heavy rains fall, mostly from October to
April. Jungle: (la selva) extremely hot and humid. Annual rainfall
in some districts averages as much as 3810mm (150"), principally
falling from November to April.
Population: 27,100,000 (2003 UN estimate).
Gender balance: 50.4% women; 49.6% men.
Life expectancy: 67 years - men, 72 years - women (2003
UN estimate).
Urban/rural divide: 72.3% live in urban areas; 27.7%
live in rural areas; 7,497 million (29.2%) live in Lima &
Callao; 22.2% live in other main cities;
20.9% in smaller towns.
Local / regional Government: divided into 24 Departments
and one Constitutional Province (El Callao). Each department
is divided into provinces: there is a total of 180 provinces
(including El Callao); these in turn are divided into districts
(totalling 1,747). One of these districts is Puente
Piedra, where our refuge is situated.
Capital: Lima.
Head of State: President Alan Garcia.
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara.
Currency: New sol. S/1 New sol= $0.30,
S/1 New sol =£0.16. £1 sterling = approx. S/6.15
New Soles; $1 USA= approx. S/3.31 New Soles. For precise daily
figures use currency converter.
National Holiday: 28 July celebrating independence
from Spain in 1821.
Media
Below are a number of links to web sites which focus
primarily on Peruvian / Latin American news:
The National Anthem
Once the Protectorate was established after the country's independence,
General Jose de San Martin called a contest to establish the
national anthem as a symbol of sovereignty. The winning piece
was written by Jose Bernardo Alcedo (music) and Jose de la Torre
Ugarte (words). The anthem, considered one of the most beautiful
in the world, was sung for the first time in the Principal Theatre
of Lima on the night of September 24, 1821, by Rosa Merino de
Arenas, and was adopted as Peru's National Anthem on April 15,
1822
The Flag Created
in 1820, it is said that the colours of the Peruvian flag, red
and white, occurred to general San Martin during the liberation
campaign, when watching a flight of "parihuanas",
a variety of flamingo with red wings and white breasts, after
awaking from a siesta in the desert of Paracas. The flag comprised
a rectangular of linen divided by two diagonals into four fields,
white at the top and bottom and red on the sides. Since this
pattern presented some inconvenience, in March 1922 it was decided
to take the form of three horizontal stripes, the top and bottom
ones red and the middle white, but since this new flag could
be confused with the Spanish one, in May 1922, the stripes were
changed to vertical ones, the two outside ones being red and
the centre one white.
The Coat of Arms A
Congressional law passed by Simon Bolivar in 1825 consecrated
the Coat of Arms of Peru. This comprises three fields: sky blue
to the upper left, with a vicuña looking inwards; white
to the upper right with a chinchona tree and red in the horizontal
lower field, with a golden cornucopia spilling out gold coins.
These symbols represent the natural wealth of Peru. On the top,
like a crest, is a civic crown of oak seen from the side. On
both sides the Coat of Arms is a flag and a standard.
Flora
Above and below: characteristic vegetation from Peru's coastal
region
illustrated in drawings from Chimu pottery.
Andean crops
Of the ten cereals existing in the vegetable world, four are
native to Peru: quinua, kiwicha, corn and cañihua, all
of them invaluable sources of nutrition. Kiwicha and quinua
have been considered by NASA as the ideal food for astronauts.
The Andean region's varied geography permitted ancient Peruvians
to cultivate and develop an incredible variety of species and
even to study them deeply. The tubercle known as "mashua"
for example, is said to have aphrodisiac properties, and many
turn to a certain corn as the equivalent of the world famous
Korean ginseng.
The coca leaf
On 12 October 12 1492, when Columbus landed on the Isle of Guanahani,
the Indians offered a handful of dried leaves. It is thought
these may have been coca leaves. What is true is that coca had
already been a traditional crop for 6,500 years. The sacred
plant of the Incas, this leaf has an important place in Andean
culture, in which context it is believed to induce wisdom and
knowledge. It is used in multiple ways medicinally, as well
as a palliative for fatigue and hunger. The use made of it by
the narcotic traffic has had a very negative influence on the
image of a plant which has high symbolic and cultural worth.
Fauna
Fish and birds pictures taken from Chimu pottery.
Sea life The
rich fish stocks (anchovieta) which thrive in the cold Humboldt
current encourage millions of sea birds. El Niño ("The
Christ Child", as it normally arrives around Christmas)
is a warm ocean current which disrupts this cycle, bringing
dramatic weather change, winds and rain to Peru's coast and
mountains, as well as killing the Pacific fish and seabirds
that thrive in the Humboldt current. Recently identified as
linked to global climate change El Niño has been a feature
of life in Peru for centuries.
South American camel family: With
acknowledgements to www.llama.co.uk.
Llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicunas are collectively known
as New World or South American Camelids. They are all members
of the camelid family and are related to Bactrian and Dromedary
camels.
Llamas Llamas
are traditionally pack animals. The llama is the largest of
the South American Camelids, weighing anything up to 400lbs
(180kg) and standing approximately 4ft (1.25m) at the shoulder.
Llamas are strong, intelligent, hardy animals with a gentle
temperament and inquisitive nature. These elegant animals, with
their distinctive "banana" shaped ears, are found
in a variety of colours from solid white to black and with varying
shades and mixes of brown and grey. The llama has a double coat,
an outer coat of coarse ‘guard hair’ and an undercoat
of soft fine down, much sought after by hand spinners. The fibre
is used for making many kinds of garments, guard hairs can be
used for making wall-hangings, rugs etc.
Alpacas Smaller
than the llama, alpacas stand about 3ft (0.92m) at the shoulder
and weigh, on average, 150lb (68kg). They produce a superb,
heavy fleece of fine, strong fibre which will grow down to the
ground if not clipped. Their fleece also grows thickly on their
legs and faces, giving them an extremely attractive appearance.
Like llamas, alpacas are found in a variety of colours, from
solid white to black and with varying shades and mixes of brown
and grey. Alpacas' luxurious fibre makes wonderfully soft and
warm garments and is particularly appreciated by hand-knitters.
An annual shearing will produce between 1-6lb (0.8kg-2.8 kg)
of very fine fibre.
Guanacos Guanacos
are elegant and fine boned and stand approximately 3ft6"
(1.06m) at the shoulder and weigh around 200lb (91kg). Like
the llama, the guanaco is double coated with a coarse guard
hair and soft undercoat, which is even more highly prized
that that of the alpaca, although they carry far less of it.
The colour varies very little, ranging from a light brown
to dark cinnamon and shading to white underneath. Guanacos
have grey faces and small straight ears.
Vicuna Vicuna
are the smallest of the Camelid family standing at just 2ft
8"-3ft 7" (0.8-1.1m) at the shoulder. They typically
weigh in the region of 99-121lb (45-55kg). They are extremely
refined and delicate to look at, being a cinnamon colour with
an apron of long white hair on their chest. The vicuña
-a very timid animal- lives on the high, lonely parts of the
mountain ranges, and offers the finest and most exquisite fibre
in the world, very much in demand in international markets.
Until a decade ago this animal was on the endangered list, but
in 1990 herds amounting to a total of 65,000 were counted, thanks
to conservation projects aimed at sustainable exploitation of
these animals with the direct and constant participation of
native communities.
At a number of our events we are supported
by the presence of llamas, courtesy of West Ridge Camelids.
Animals in the Nazca Lines Dr
Paul Kosok of Long Island University, New York, made them
well known in 1939 after flying over the Nazca zone and seeing
immense drawings of animals and anthropomorphic figures. These
mysterious signs are also associated with the name of Maria
Reiche, a German mathematician who has studied them closely
for more than 40 years. According to her theory, they form
a gigantic agricultural and religious calendar.
The principal figures are of the Nazca culture
(200 BC - 500 AD) are located on the pampas of San Jose. The
best known are the Spider, the Monkey and the Humming bird,
but the largest are the Lizard (180m), the "Guanay"
(280m) and the Pelican (285m).
The condor Sacred
bird of the Incas, the Vultur gryphus can live 50 years, stands
1.30m tall with a wing expansion of more than three metres,
which permits it to fly, almost without moving its wings, from
its nest in the heights of the Andes (5,000m a.s.l.) down to
the beaches where it feeds on dead sea lions. Ancestral carrion
bird, it has no song and the male only emits squawks with his
tongue when courting the female. They are monogamous, with black
plumage with white splashes at the end at the extremities and
a white collar. The head and neck have no feathers. The male
has a great crest and numerous skin folds which give him a majestic
aspect, although not very friendly. Hunting the condor is forbidden
but in certain traditional Andean festivals he is tied to the
back of a bull, representing the conflict between conquered
and conqueror.
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Created
in 1820, it is said that the colours of the Peruvian flag, red
and white, occurred to general San Martin during the liberation
campaign, when watching a flight of "parihuanas",
a variety of flamingo with red wings and white breasts, after
awaking from a siesta in the desert of Paracas. The flag comprised
a rectangular of linen divided by two diagonals into four fields,
white at the top and bottom and red on the sides. Since this
pattern presented some inconvenience, in March 1922 it was decided
to take the form of three horizontal stripes, the top and bottom
ones red and the middle white, but since this new flag could
be confused with the Spanish one, in May 1922, the stripes were
changed to vertical ones, the two outside ones being red and
the centre one white.
A
Congressional law passed by Simon Bolivar in 1825 consecrated
the Coat of Arms of Peru. This comprises three fields: sky blue
to the upper left, with a vicuña looking inwards; white
to the upper right with a chinchona tree and red in the horizontal
lower field, with a golden cornucopia spilling out gold coins.
These symbols represent the natural wealth of Peru. On the top,
like a crest, is a civic crown of oak seen from the side. On
both sides the Coat of Arms is a flag and a standard.
The
rich fish stocks (anchovieta) which thrive in the cold Humboldt
current encourage millions of sea birds. El Niño ("The
Christ Child", as it normally arrives around Christmas)
is a warm ocean current which disrupts this cycle, bringing
dramatic weather change, winds and rain to Peru's coast and
mountains, as well as killing the Pacific fish and seabirds
that thrive in the Humboldt current. Recently identified as
linked to global climate change El Niño has been a feature
of life in Peru for centuries.
Llamas
are traditionally pack animals. The llama is the largest of
the South American Camelids, weighing anything up to 400lbs
(180kg) and standing approximately 4ft (1.25m) at the shoulder.
Llamas are strong, intelligent, hardy animals with a gentle
temperament and inquisitive nature. These elegant animals, with
their distinctive "banana" shaped ears, are found
in a variety of colours from solid white to black and with varying
shades and mixes of brown and grey. The llama has a double coat,
an outer coat of coarse ‘guard hair’ and an undercoat
of soft fine down, much sought after by hand spinners. The fibre
is used for making many kinds of garments, guard hairs can be
used for making wall-hangings, rugs etc.
Smaller
than the llama, alpacas stand about 3ft (0.92m) at the shoulder
and weigh, on average, 150lb (68kg). They produce a superb,
heavy fleece of fine, strong fibre which will grow down to the
ground if not clipped. Their fleece also grows thickly on their
legs and faces, giving them an extremely attractive appearance.
Like llamas, alpacas are found in a variety of colours, from
solid white to black and with varying shades and mixes of brown
and grey. Alpacas' luxurious fibre makes wonderfully soft and
warm garments and is particularly appreciated by hand-knitters.
An annual shearing will produce between 1-6lb (0.8kg-2.8 kg)
of very fine fibre.
Guanacos
are elegant and fine boned and stand approximately 3ft6"
(1.06m) at the shoulder and weigh around 200lb (91kg). Like
the llama, the guanaco is double coated with a coarse guard
hair and soft undercoat, which is even more highly prized
that that of the alpaca, although they carry far less of it.
The colour varies very little, ranging from a light brown
to dark cinnamon and shading to white underneath. Guanacos
have grey faces and small straight ears. 
Vicuna
are the smallest of the Camelid family standing at just 2ft
8"-3ft 7" (0.8-1.1m) at the shoulder. They typically
weigh in the region of 99-121lb (45-55kg). They are extremely
refined and delicate to look at, being a cinnamon colour with
an apron of long white hair on their chest. The vicuña
-a very timid animal- lives on the high, lonely parts of the
mountain ranges, and offers the finest and most exquisite fibre
in the world, very much in demand in international markets.
Until a decade ago this animal was on the endangered list, but
in 1990 herds amounting to a total of 65,000 were counted, thanks
to conservation projects aimed at sustainable exploitation of
these animals with the direct and constant participation of
native communities.
Dr
Paul Kosok of Long Island University, New York, made them
well known in 1939 after flying over the Nazca zone and seeing
immense drawings of animals and anthropomorphic figures. These
mysterious signs are also associated with the name of Maria
Reiche, a German mathematician who has studied them closely
for more than 40 years. According to her theory, they form
a gigantic agricultural and religious calendar.
Sacred
bird of the Incas, the Vultur gryphus can live 50 years, stands
1.30m tall with a wing expansion of more than three metres,
which permits it to fly, almost without moving its wings, from
its nest in the heights of the Andes (5,000m a.s.l.) down to
the beaches where it feeds on dead sea lions. Ancestral carrion
bird, it has no song and the male only emits squawks with his
tongue when courting the female. They are monogamous, with black
plumage with white splashes at the end at the extremities and
a white collar. The head and neck have no feathers. The male
has a great crest and numerous skin folds which give him a majestic
aspect, although not very friendly. Hunting the condor is forbidden
but in certain traditional Andean festivals he is tied to the
back of a bull, representing the conflict between conquered
and conqueror.