political Overview
Peru is a unitary, representative democratic republic with a president as head of state and government and a separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Its capital and largest city is Lima, which is the country’s political, commercial and cultural hub. Administratively Peru is divided into regional units (commonly described as 25 regions plus the separate Lima Province), each with elected regional authorities that work alongside national institutions a structure that shapes how policy and public services are delivered across the coast, highlands and jungle.
Cultural heritage and identity
Peru’s identity is rooted in a long, layered history from pre-Inca and Inca civilizations to Spanish colonial influences and later Afro-, Asian- and European-immigrant contributions producing a powerful mix visible in language, festivals, crafts and daily life. The country’s most famous archaeological legacy, Machu Picchu, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a global symbol of the Inca civilization; Peruvian culinary culture has also become a major part of its global image: traditional ceviche was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and Peruvian gastronomy (with Lima as a leading foodie capital) has won international acclaim and awards. These cultural assets archaeology, indigenous traditions, music, festivals and world-class cuisine are central to how Peru is recognized abroad.
Geographical landscape, area and climate
Peru covers about 1,285,000 km² of western South America and is exceptionally geographically varied: a narrow, mostly arid Pacific coast (costa), the high Andes mountains (sierra) with peaks like Huascarán, and the vast tropical Amazon lowlands (selva) to the east. That tripartite geography produces a wide range of climates coastal deserts and mild Pacific influences, high-altitude alpine and puna climates in the Andes, and hot, humid rainforest in the Amazon which together support extraordinary biodiversity and different tourism experiences (beaches and Paracas, highland cultural circuits around Cusco and the Sacred Valley, trekking to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon, the Nazca Lines, and jungle lodges in Madre de Dios and Loreto). These contrasts make Peru a top destination for cultural, adventure, eco and gastronomic tourism.
