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Peru

South America · 33 million

About Peru

Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a sovereign country located in South America, specifically within the South America subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Lima, and the country is home to approximately 34.4 million people. In its native languages, the country is known as “Piruw”, “Piruw”, “Perú”. Aymara, Quechua and Spanish are recognised as official or widely-spoken languages, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Peru. The official currency in circulation is the Peruvian sol (S/ ), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Peru is widely recognised for Machu Picchu, llamas and ceviche cuisine. People from Peru are referred to as Peruvian.

Geography & climate

Peru covers approximately 1.29 million km² of territory, making it a large country by land area. It shares land borders with 5 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Peru sits in the Southern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 10.0° S, 76.0° W. Standard civil time follows UTC-05:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Peru can be summarised as: coast, andes & amazon with arid, alpine, tropical. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 34.4 million inhabitants, Peru is a country of significant population size. Linguistic life is plural here: Aymara, Quechua and Spanish are all in active use, with regional and minority tongues often adding further variety. Locals refer to their homeland as “Piruw” or “Piruw”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Peruvian, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Peruvian sol (S/ ) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to Peru should familiarise themselves with the capital, Lima, the local time zone (UTC-05:00), the local currency (Peruvian sol). The international dialling prefix is +51, which is required when phoning a Peru number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .pe, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

Peru is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Peru is generally classified within the South America region and more specifically the South America subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "Andean South America" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.

Bordering countries

Peru shares land borders with 5 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:

Did you know?

Machu Picchu was built at 2,430 m altitude and was never discovered by Spanish conquistadors — it was only brought to global attention by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Peru in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, Peru appears as a moderately challenging puzzle, suited to players who already know the major continents. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Peru carries the personality tags “🏔️ Inca Empire” and “🌿 Biodiversity Hub”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Peru to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.

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