Peru Geography

Country Name: Republic of Peru

Capital City: Lima

Population: 28,302,603 (July 2006)

Population Growth: 1.32% (2006 est.)

Currency: nuevo sol (PEN)

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages

Area: 1,285,220 sq km

Inflation Rate: 2.1% (2006 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 7.2% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2006)

Domain extension: .pe

GEOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF PERU

Location:

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador

Geographic Co-ordinates:

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Area - total:

1,285,220 sq km

Area - total:

1,285,220 sq km

Area - land:

1.28 million sq km

Area - water:

5,220 sq km

Land Boundaries:

7,461 km

Border Countries:

Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Terrain:

western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation - highest point:

Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Elevation - lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources:

copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Arable Land:

2.88%

Permanent Crops:

0.47%

Other Land Use:

96.65% (2005)

Natural Hazards:

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity