Gap Year Destinations

Where to go

Peru

The Machu Picchu ruins, Indianismo literature and two thousand types of soup!

Environment

Located in the north west of South America, Peru is a large country with a long Pacific coastline. Its geography is divided into three different areas – the coast, to the west, is a narrow plain, the uplands (called Sierra) which are Peru’s share of the Andes, and the Selva, or jungle (which is the Amazonian rainforest) forms part of the east. The capital is Lima.

Climate

Due to its varied geography, no other country in the world hosts as many different climatic variations as Peru. In general, though, the coastal climate is subtropical, with very little rainfall, while the mountainous areas have a cold climate with rain in the summer and dry winters. The eastern rainforest is warm and rainy, with a short dry season from June to August.

Demographics and Language

With the population standing at just under 30 million people, Peru is South America’s fourth most populous country. Like many other countries in South America, the majority of Peru’s population, is of Amerindian (45%) and mixed Amerindian and Spanish descent (37%), although recently immigration has resulted in communities of other European nationalities, Arabs and Japanese.

Spanish is spoken by 80% of the population, although indigenous Amerindian languages, such as Quechua, are also commonly spoken.

Cuisine

Peruvian food is celebrated for its diversity and originality, with huge variations within dishes. For example, along the Peruvian coast there are more than two thousand different types of soup and more than 250 traditional desserts.

Corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes, tomatoes and peanuts are commonly grown, and there are 650 native species of fruit harvested. Peru’s waters are also home to over 2000 species of fish; more than any other country on earth.

One example dish, which shows the ingenuity of Peruvian cooks, is Ají de gallina (chilli chicken) - thin strips of chicken served with a creamy yellow, spicy sauce, made with ají amarillo (yellow chillis), cheese, milk, bread, and walnuts.

Religion

Almost 90% of the Peruvian population class themselves as Catholics, with the further 10% made up of followers of evangelical and other forms of Protestantism, and agnostics and atheists.

Economy and money

45% of Peru’s population is classed as poor, of which 16% are ‘very poor’, and attempts to improve wealth distribution have had limited success. However, in the past ten years the economy has grown, propelled by better trade agreements with the US. Its main exports are copper, gold, zinc, textiles, and fish meal. The currency is the nuevo sol.

Culture and politics

Politically, Peru is a presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party system, where the President is elected every five years. The current President is Alan Garcia, who has had a chequered past, blighted by hyperinflation, debt and corruption. Nowadays, Peru is working towards democratisation, an ongoing process, with Garcia, who has said he has learned from the mistakes of the past.

Peruvian culture is ancient – pottery, jewellery, textiles and sculpture of pre-Incan peoples have been found in the country, indicating longstanding cultural richness. Architecturally, the world famous Machu Picchu is in Peru, while Baroque colonial architecture can be found in the cities. Peruvian literature is an extension of the oral tradition, and founded the movement Indianismo, where native writers explored indigenous themes, beliefs and lifestyles in their work. Musically, Peruvians have absorbed the Spanish guitar and harp and mixed them with traditional instruments likes the quena and tinya to create a unique musical heritage. Folk dances such as the marinera are also commonly enjoyed.