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Peru |
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GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION |
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Peru is a country located in the western part of South America , in front of the Pacific Ocean . Bordering on Ecuador and Colombia in the North, on Brasil in the east, on Bolivia in the southwest, on Chile in the south. Its State is the Republic of Peru . It is a multi-ethnic country, with a great cultural and archaelogical wealth, and it is known internationally as the cradle of Inka empire. It is Andean Community seat and the South America Community of Nations temporal seat, in despite its secretary is in Brazil nowadays. |
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ARCHEOLOGICAL LEGACY |
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While Peru inevitably evokes images of Machu Picchu and the Inca empire, the country is also riddled with archaeological sites which are a legacy of even more ancient times, when great civilizations bequeathed a legacy of their art, customs and rituals, their wisdom and skills.
The Inca empire was a recent arrival during the process of cultural development in the Andes during the pre-Hispanic era, and the history of the Incas barely accounts for a century within the 20,000 years of human occupation of Peruvian territory.
Long before the Incas, the Chavín civilization (1500-400 BC) achieved considerable prowess in architecture, engineering and agriculture in the northern highlands. Along the north coast, the Moche civilization (200 BC-700 AD) is famous for its realistic pottery (portraits carved into pots and gourds) and its pyramid-shaped temples. The same area was later controlled by the Chimú kingdom (900-1450 AD), who built Chan Chan, an immense mud-brick citadel featuring 12-meter-high walls and superb architectural work.
To the south, the Nazca people (200 BC-900 AD) etched an impressive series of figures etched into the desert floor known as the Nazca Lines, while graves belonging to the Paracas culture (800 BC-600 AD) have unearthed superb weavings which point to the magical and religious vision that governed the lives of this ancient civilization.
Centuries later, the Incas (1300-1500 AD) were to make Cuzco the center of their empire, building major constructions such as Sacsayhuaman, Pisac and Koricancha. It is here that myth and history merge, where the Inca roads, the towns, people and traditions are a living example of the Andean spirit, sacred and monumental.
Discover why Peru is for many the heart of South America's greatest civilizations.
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FLORA AND FAUNA |
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Peru is doted with a rich diversity of animal and vegetal species, and Man has lived alongside them in a harmonious co-existence for thousands for years.
Species such as the condor, serpent and puma were worshipped by the ancient highlanders, who crafted their images into pottery and monuments during the rise of early civilizations, in homage to their beauty and power.
Other species served as food or as raw materials for Man's creations. Some animals even forged a relationship of interdependence that has lasted for thousands of years, a relationship maintained by Peruvians living outside the major cities.
Peru's territory has also long kept hidden thousands of species that continue to amaze scientists from all over the world. The most startling are the native species, due to their unique characteristics and beauty, and above all the way they have managed to adapt to Peru's difficult climate and geography.
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PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS |
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Peru, in a bid to conserve its natural surroundings, flora and fauna, has designed a series of mechanisms aimed at conserving the country's biological diversity.
These efforts are channeled through the National System of Natural Protected Areas (SINANPE) and the state natural resources entity (INRENA). To date, Peru features a total of 59 natural areas or conservation units, covering approximately 13% of the country's territory.
These areas are in turn split up into a variety of categories governing their use: parks, reserves and national sanctuaries, historic sanctuaries, reserved zones, game preserves, protected forests and communal reserves. The most important of these are the first five mentioned.
Rivers & Canyons
The beauty of Peru's rivers stems from the canyons which their waters have carved out over centuries, the plantlife which grows alongside and thevarieties of fauna found in their waters. All this makes them ideal spots for swimming, resting and adventure sports such as rafting.
Lakes & Lagoons
Peru's geography is reflected in its thousands of lakes and lagoons, which,according to the environment, feature their own particular characteristics.
Waterfalls
From the Andes down to the river, sea or lake into which Peru's rivers flow, the waters cascade down cliffs and mountainsides, forming spectacular waterfalls. Some of these lie near roads, while others take hours of hiking to reach amidst dense forest.
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GASTRONOMIA |
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Peru boasts one of the finest cuisines in Latin America. Recipes such as cebiche (raw fish marinated in lemon juice), pachamanca (meat and vegetables cooked underground), chupe de camarones (shrimp soup), ají de gallina (spicy chicken) and juane (cornmash pastries) are just a few of the mouth-watering dishes served up in Peru. The quality and variety of dishes in Peru are due to several reasons.
First, Peru's ecological and climactic diversity (Peru is home to 84 of the 104 eco-systems existing on Earth) has given rise to a major supply of fresh produce, which any chef would be ecstatic about. The rich Peruvian fishing grounds abound in fish and shellfish species, the heart of the succulent coastal gastronomy; rice, fowl and goat, meanwhile, are the key ingredients of Peru's north coastal cooking. In the Andes, meanwhile, delicious ingredients such as the potato and sweetcorn in all its varieties, plus cuy (guinea pig) and ají chili pepper are the basis of highland cooking and are to be found across the country. The jungle adds its own touch, wild game with a side serving of fried banana and manioc root. Local fruit varieties such as chirimoya (custard apple) and lucuma produce incomparable deserts.
The second reason is the rich mix of Western and Eastern cultural traditions. Over the course of centuries, Peru has felt the influence of Spain in stews and soups, Arab sweets and desserts, African contributions to Creole cooking, Italian pastas, Japanese preparations of fish and shellfish and Chinese culinary methods which have given birth to one of the most popular gastronomic traditions in Peru: chifa. But the originality of Peru's cuisine does not stem just from its traditional cooking -rather, it continues to incorporate new influences, preparing exquisite and impeccable dishes that have been dubbed the New Peruvian Cuisine. It is a veritable privilege to experience Peru's cooki |
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