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Table of Contents
See the fact file below for more information on the country of Peru or alternatively, you can download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
General Information:
- Capital : Lima
- Population : 28,302,603 (July 2006 est.)
- Area : Total: 1,285,220 sq km
- Land: 1.28 million sq km
- Water: 5,220 sq km
Slightly smaller than Alaska - Government: Constitutional Republic
- Money: Nuevo Sol (PEN)
- Climate: Varies from tropical in the east to desert in the west; temperate to freezing in the Andes
- Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor amazonian languages
History:
- Before Peru was called Peru, it was called the Great Inca Empire. Manco Capac became the first Inca king sometime in the 11th century. But it was not until 1438, under the reign of Pachacutec, that the empire began to expand on a larger scale.
- The rapid expansion of the Inca empire began with Pachacuti, one of the great conquerors in the history of the Americas.
- With his accession in 1438, and as a great civic planner; history credits him with the city plan of Cuzco as well as the erection of many of the massive masonry buildings that still awe visitors to the ancient capital.
- Beginning in 1532, Spanish soldiers under the command of Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru with the intent to conquer the empire rich in gold and silver, in much the same way Hernan Cortes had toppled the Aztec Empire (1519-21).
- In 1535, Pizarro founded the city of Lima as the capital of his newly conquered territories. In 1541, he was assassinated in Lima by his former associate, Diego Almagro. Colonization, however, did not end.
- From 1808 to 1822, Spanish America fought for its independence from the Crown. In Peru, small-scale revolts had begun decades earlier.
- On July 28, 1821, Peru proclaimed its independence, but the Spanish were not defeated until 1824. For a hundred years, revolutions were frequent; a new war was fought with Spain in 1864–1866, and an unsuccessful war was fought with Chile until 1883.
- Since 1990, Peru has been trying to recover and sustain economic growth, and it is now one of the fastest-growing economies in
South America. - Quechua, which was spoken by the Incas, is still widely spoken in Peru, with an estimated 6 to 8 million speakers.
- In the 21st century, Peru has enjoyed a long period of political and economic stability. In 2015, the population of Peru was estimated at 31.2 million. Approximately 30% of this population (or 9.7 million) resides in the capital city of Lima.
Geography & Climate:
- Peru is one of the larger South American countries covering an area of 1,285,000 square kilometres and with a population of over 26 million.
- Around seventy percent of its inhabitants live in cities, which are mainly located along the coast and limited almost exclusively to half a dozen thin but relatively fertile river valleys running to the Pacific.
- The weather in Peru varies according to area – the changes in altitude are so extreme that the climate goes from freezing snow in the mountains, some 4000m above sea level, to boiling deserts on the coast.
- On the coast, winter lasts from June to September. The weather tends to be overcast and slightly damp at this time, but rarely very cold. It hardly ever rains in Lima nor most of the coast, except for Tumbes and Piura, which have tropical climates.
- During June to September, the mountainous areas are often sunny during the day but cold at night. This is high tourist season and the best time to visit most regions.
Culture & Courtesy:
- Peruvian traditional dress is beautiful. In some regions, the women wear layers of bright skirts called polleras. Some wear black skirts with a wide embroidered belt, or cotton petticoats underneath with elaborate designs.
- Peruvians are generally considered to be very warm and friendly to strangers, especially in the coastal areas and larger cities.
- If you’re invited to someone’s home for dinner or a party, apart from showing up fashionably late, it’s considered proper to bring a small gift for the host.
- Peruvians tend to dress a bit more formally. Jeans are becoming more common, but when in doubt it’s always better to use dressier clothes – slacks or pressed khakis for men, dress pants or skirts/dresses for women are nearly always appropriate.
- It’s considered polite to always greet people properly, even shopkeepers and taxi drivers, no matter how long you’ve been acquainted.
Economy:
- Peru is classified as upper middle income by the World Bank and is the 39th largest in the world by total GDP.
- Peru agricultural exports are highly appreciated and include artichokes, grapes, avocados, mangoes, peppers, sugarcane, organic coffee and premium-quality cotton. It is also the largest exporter or quinoa.
- Fishing: Peru is an international leader in fishing, producing nearly 10 percent of the world’s fish catch.
- Mining in Peru: Peru ranks fifth worldwide in gold production (first in Latin America), second in copper, and is among the top five producers of lead and zinc.
- Tourism has represented a new growth industry in Peru since the early 1990s, with the government and private sector dedicating considerable energy to boosting the country’s tourist destinations both to Peruvians and foreigners.
Politics:
- The politics of the Republic of Peru takes place in a framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic, the President of Peru is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.
- Executive power is exercised by the President and the Government.
- Legislative power is vested in both the Government and Congress.
- The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature
Peru Worksheets
This bundle includes 10 ready-to-use Turkey worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about Peru, known officially as the Republic of Peru which is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.
This download includes the following worksheets
- Peru Facts
- Quick Quiz
- Truth or Bluff
- Peru in One Sentence
- Peruvian Government Terms
- My Government
- Beautiful Peru
- Machu Picchu – I Color
- Peru Wonders – It is Recorded!
- Time Match
- Peru Wonders – Scenic Word Find
- Language – Peruvian Greetings
- Heroes of Peru – Inspiring Peruvians
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Link will appear as Peru Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 25, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.