Perú

 

-Capital: Lima
-Official languages: Spanish, Quechua and Aymara
-Area: 1,285,216 Km2 (31 times bigger than The Netherlands)
-Population: aprox. 29 millions.
-Currency: Nuevo Sol (S/.)

Peru is located in the central part of the western coast of South America.

Peru’s inhabitants are mostly of Andean stock in the highlands and mixed-blooded “mestizos” on the coast, blended in with European blood, largely Spanish.

 

HISTORY
Although the Incas are Peru’s best known culture, civilizations preceding them set the foundations for the Inca Empire.Peru’s museums are filled with amazing ceramics and textiles designed and created by the pre-Inca civilizations such as the Chavin, Paracas, Nazca, Moche and Wari.

 

The Incas created the largest empire and dynasty of pre-Columbian America. The Tahuantinsuyo—which is derived from Quechua for “The Four United Regions”— reached its greatest extension at the beginning of the 16th century. It dominated a territory that included (from north to south): Ecuador, part of Colombia, the northern half of Chile, and the north-west part of Argentina; and from east to west, from Bolivia to the Amazonian forests andPeru.  The empire originated from a tribe based inCuzco, which became the capital.

 

Not all Andean cultures were willing to offer their loyalty to the Incas as the Incas expanded their empire, and many were openly hostile but the Inca eventually conquered and integrated them into their empire.

Machu Picchu (Quechua: OldPeak; sometimes called the “Lost Cityof the Incas”) is a well-preserved pre-Columbian Inca ruin located on a high mountain about 70 km northwest of Cuzco. Forgotten for centuries by the outside world, although not by locals, it was brought back to international attention by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham III, who rediscovered it in 1911.

Although Machu Picchu is by far the most well-known internationally, Peru boasts many other sites where the modern visitor can see extensive and well-preserved ruins, remnants of the Inca-period and even older constructions. Much of the Inca architecture and stonework found at these sites continues to confound archaeologists, today we not only do not know how these stones were shaped and smoothed, lifted on top of one another (they really are very massive) or fitted together by the Incas; we also don’t know how they got the stones to the site in the first place. The stone used is not native to the area, and most likely came from mountains many miles away.

 

NATURE
A country doted with a vast and varied geography, Peru features 28 types of climates and 84 of the 103 ecological zones existing on Earth.
Its territory is split into three natural regions running from north to south: the Coast narrow desert coastline, which is home to Lima and most of Peru’s main cities; the Highlands, which feature breath-taking mountain landscapes and picturesque villages; and the exuberant Amazon jungle, with a dizzying variety of animals and plant life. Peru has more than 1,800 species of birds, more than any country in the world (around 115 endemic); it is the dream of birdwatchers!

 

CULTURE

Peruvian culture is primarily rooted in Amerindian and Spanish traditions, though it has also a strong influenced of African, Asian, and European ethnic groups.

Popular celebrations are the product of every town’s traditions and legends. These celebrations include music, dances, meals and typical drinks.

 

In addition, Peru is a naturally religious country: a diversity of beliefs and freedom of worship can be seen from the wide range of festivals and rituals that feature both Catholic fervor and the mysticism of age-old pre-Hispanic cultures; besides religious celebrations like Christmas and Corpus Christi there are others that express the syncretism of the indigenous beliefs with the Christians.

 

Peruvian music is an amalgamation of sounds and styles drawing on thePeru’s Andean musical roots with Spanish and African musical influences.

 

Traditional Peruvian music is dominated by the national instruments: Cajon, Pan flutes and the charango (a type of mandolin that was invented in the Viceroyalty of Peru by musicians imitating Spanish guitars).

 

FOOD

Peruvian cuisine is a blend of Amerindian and Spanish food with strong influences from African, Arab, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese cooking. Favorite dishes include anticuchos, ceviche and aji de gallina. Because of the variety of climates withinPeru, a wide range of plants and animals are available for cooking. Peruvian cuisine has recently received fame due to its diversity of ingredients and techniques. 

Eating in Peruis a journey in itself. Starting from the Peruvian Sea, where the ceviches come swimming out, and passing through the Andes with the hundreds of varieties of potato, and moving on to the Amazon, loaded with the exotic for a natural and mysterious cuisine.
Good cooking is maybe the most widespread habit among Peruvians. We eat all things and for every occasion: when babies are born, when the old die, when children turn into adults, a well spread table witnesses every occasion without exception.

 

(Source: Wikipedia, Peru info, Peru Mucho gusto)

Would you like to know more aboutPeru? http://www.peru.info/perueng.asp