Population & Culture

Peru is a nation of mixed ethnic origins. Throughout its history, Peru has been the meeting ground for different nations and cultures. The indigenous population was joined 500 years ago by the Spaniards.

As a result of this encounter, and later enriched by the migration of African blacks, Asians and Europeans, the Peruvian citizen emerged as the representative of a nation whose rich ethnic mix is one of its leading characteristics.

According to some estimates, Peru has 24,000,000 residents. Native Indians, descendants of the Incas, represent approximately 45% of the population of Peru, mainly Quechuas and Aymaras. Almost 37% are of mixed heritage between natives and European descent. Almost 15% of Peruvians are of European origins (especially Spanish). Another 3% are other immigrants, mostly Asians (Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese).

Peru is divided into 24 sectors, themselves divided into 164 provinces, plus the Constitutional Province of Callao.

Almost 72% of the population lives in urban cities. The capital and largest city of Peru is Lima (6,510,500 residents – all statistics from 1990). It is also the main economic centre. Other main cities are Arequipa (750,000 residents), a large industrial centre, Trujillo (400,000 residents), Chiclaya (400,000 residents) and Cuzco (162,000 residents), known for its Incan ruins. Callao, near Lima, is the country’s main port.

Spanish is spoken by almost 70% of the population and was the only official language in Peru for a long time. In 1975, Quechua was recognized as an official language. In the Southern Andes, Peruvians also speak Aymara, another indigenous language.