Peru

Peru, with its capital Lima, is located in western South America bordering the south Pacific Ocean; between Chile and Ecuador. The total area is 1,285,220 sq. km. and is compared to being slightly smaller than Alaska. The climate varies from tropical in the east to dry (desert) in west and temperate to frigid in the Andes. The terrain has coastal plains in the west, high and rugged Andes in the central, and lowland jungles of the Amazon Basin in the east. Some of their natural resources include: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, and hydropower. Their current environmental issues are: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging), overgrazing of the slopes leading to soil erosion, desertification, air pollution in Lima, and pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes.

In July 2001, the population size was estimated at 27,483,864. The official language is Spanish. Some of their industries include: mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, and metal fabrication. Their agriculture products are: coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca, poultry, beef, dairy products, wool, and fish.

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