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Fun Peru Facts you Never Knew About

Peru is a country that has many deep cultural roots that are still present today. While there are parts of the country that are quite modern today, there are also sections of the country that follow rituals and customs from hunderes of years ago. This all adds the the rich culture that the country of Peru posseses. The geography of the country plays a critial role in determining what type of jobs the locals work in. Since the Andes mountain chain passes through the country there are several different climates and microclimates prestne depending upon the elevation and distance to the coast.

There are some interesting facts about the country of Peru.

Modern Peru Facts:

Peru's economy is weak compared to most modern countries. Peru's average household income per year is only $4,400.
The government requires that no members of the national police, or the armed forces may vote in the national elections.
There are almost seven times more unpaved roads in Peru than paved roads. Transportation is particularly interesting in the wet season- where it has been known to rain more than 16 days per month!
Peru gained its independence from Spain on July 28, 1821. However, a constitution was not created until 1993!
Peru contains only 205,000 Internet hosts. If Peru was compared to the United States based on the amount of hosts connected to the Internet, Peru would only make up 1.05% of the Unites States' Internet hosts. However, 4.57 million users are able to access information from the Internet in Peru. This means that for every Internet host, there are almost 23 people using that computer!

Ancient Peru Facts:

Cuzco was the capital of the Incan people. It was also one of the last cities to fall to the Spanish invaders.
The Incas spoke Quechua, which they spread to all of their people- including ones that they conquered. However, the Incas did not have a written language.
The ancient city of Machu Picchu remains today an archaeological marvel- the Incas built the entire city without using cement or mortar. Instead, they built the city walls by simply placing stones closely together.
In the sixteenth century, the Incas controlled more territory than any other country in South America. This is true even to today.

Jungle Peru Facts:

More than half of Peru is covered by jungle and rainforests. In particular, the Amazon Rainforest is the most famous in the world. In fact, Peru is a member of the Amazonas, or a collection of four nations which the Amazon River passes through.
Peru's Rainforests contain thousands of indigenous plants, and animals. Some of these plants have yet to be discovered- and some are even used in modern drugs to cure diseases.
The Amazon River Basin is the largest rainforest in the world. This rainforest is located in the northeast section of Peru.
Peru is very protective of its natural rainforests, and in the recently created a national park to protect its rainforests and natural resources from being damaged by deforestation and pollution.

Tourism Peru Facts:

The capital of Peru is Lima. Lima is by far Peru's economic and cultural heart.
Most restaurants include a 10% service fee with a meal, but you are encouraged to tip 5-10% extra if your waiter or waitress has performed an exceptional job.
Peru is on Eastern time, or GMT -5. During daylight savings in the United States (Peru does not use daylight savings), Peru is on the same time as the Central timezone.
Peru's political system is now extremely stable. This used to not be the case, as Peru used to be a military-ran country.

The Andes mountains, which lie on the western part of the country, are considered by many to be the most beautiful mountains in South America.
Many International tourists prefer to start their travels at the ancient city of Cuzco.
Peru is also known for its great fishing industry. Many travellers prefer to spend the day fishing in the Pacific Ocean, and few are disappointed.
Perhaps the best adventure in Peru is the rainforests. Peru has the largest protected rainforests in the world.