Peru | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff
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Facts & Figures

  • Official name: Republic of Peru (República del Perú)

    Land area: 494,208 sq mi (1,279,999 sq km)

    Total area: 496,223 sq mi (1,285,220 sq km)

    Prime Minister: Mercedes Aráoz (Since 2017)

    President: Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (Since 2016)

    Current government officials

    Capital: Lima, 9.752 million (2015 est.)

    Other large city: Arequipa, 804,000

    Currency: Nuevo sol

    National Holiday: Fiestas Patrias (7/28 and 7/29)

     

    Population: 31,036,656 (July 2017 est.)

    Population Change: Growth rate: 0.95%; 17.8 births/1,000 population, 6.1 deaths/1,000 population, -2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population; infant mortality rate: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births  (2017 est.)

    Life Expectancy: 74 years

     

    Nationality/Demonym: Peruvian (Peruano/a)

    Languages: Spanish 84.1%, Quéchua 13%; Aymara 1.7% (all three official); many minor Amazonian languages

    Ethnicity/race: Amerindian 45%, mestizo 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% (2007 est.)

    Religions: Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 est.)

    Literacy rate: 94.2% (2016 est.)

     

    Major sources and definitions