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Peru covers 1,285,216 Km².
It embraces three regions: coast, mountain range and
jungle.
Coast – The coast is 2,500
Km in length, with a maximum width of 200 Km to the north and 40 Km to the south: The greatest concentration of the population is centred in the
south.
Mountain Range – The Andes,
the mountainous range, which is the most extensive in the world, cuts through
Peru from north to south.
Jungle – This enormous
region, lush and green as no other, is the region that is the least populated of
Peru.
One finds, in Peru, almost all
of the climates of the world.
It is curious that the
difference of relief can modify the climate of a region.
The climate of the coastal
region (Lima, Trujillo) – From April to September is the coldest period. It is
hot in the summer mornings and between the end of December and March the sky is
clear. During the night, it can become somewhat cool, thereby making it
necessary to wear a jacket.
The climate of the Andes (Mountains) –
There are two distinct seasons, marked by the presence or lack of rain. The
rainy season is between November and March, with frequent and heavy rainfall
which can last some hours, especially during the afternoon. The altitude and the almost
constant presence of clouds avoid the temperatures becoming too hot. although it
is summer in the southern hemisphere. The dry season is
characterised by a blue sky during the day. The temperatures remain comfortable
while there is sunshine, but it is generally cool at sunrise and sunset.
Jungle Climate (Amazon Rain
Forest) – As in the Hight Andes (mountains), there are also two seasons: one from November to May, during
which it rains practically every day, for various hours, and another from June
to October, known as the dry season, when heavy but short periods of rain can
fall. The climate of the jungle is essentially characterised by humidity that
varies from between 80% to 100%, depending on the seasons, and the temperature,
which varies little, is on average about 28ºC.
Nowadays, the economy is
dominated by the service sectors, which provide more than half of the Gross
National Product (GNP) and employs more than half of the working population.
Industry, mining and construction, providing a third of production, only
represents 15% of the working population. Lastly is agriculture and cattle
raising, with less than 15% of the GNP, but employing a third of the work-force.
With just over 23 million
inhabitants (data from June, 1994), Peru is the seventh most highly populated
country of America.
70% of the population is
concentrated in the cities. In Lima, there are presently more than 8 million
inhabitants, which means a third of the total, whereas in 1940, when the first
census of this century took place, the inhabitants of the capital were only
850,000.
Trujillo and Arequipa
represent about one million inhabitants.
The average density of the
population is 18 inhabitants per Km², although the differences between the
areas are enormous.
Spanish is the official
language of Peru and it is the mother tongue of more than 80% of the population.
16.5% of the Peruvians speak
"Quechua" as their first language, the remaining inhabitants speak
other native languages, such as diverse dialects used by the natives of the
Amazon Jungle.
Since the arrival of the
Spanish in Peru, the country has become mainly Catholic. Today, 90% of the
population follows this religion, even though recently there has been a slight
decrease in the number of followers due to the appearance of other religious
groups, mainly in the rural areas.
People who arrive from
European countries or US do not need a visa.
Arrival – On arriving in
Peru it is necessary to fill in a customs declaration, on which is listed the
objects which carry duty. These are listed on the back of the document. The
articles which are of free entry into the country are those normal to any
traveller.
After having completed
passport control and before leaving the airport, if you arrive in Lima by plane,
you have to go through a control system that consists of the following: the
passenger pushes a button: if a green light turns on, they can go their way; if
it is a red light, the customs officer must thoroughly check all the luggage.
Departure – It is absolutely
prohibited to take out objects of pre Colombian art, although some locations
freely sell them. Also, it is not advisable to take leaves of coca, even though
it is not specifically prohibited. In the country, the consumption of coca
leaves is normal and the leaves are sold legally to make tea or to chew.
Departure with this product can lead to a ‘fright’ or cause some loss of
time at customs.
The currency of Peru is the
Nuevo Sol.
The most acceptable foreign
currency is the American dollar, preferably cash as travellers cheques are more
difficult to exchange. The present exchange rate is One American
dollar = 3.48 Nuevos Soles
It is not advisable to drink
the water in any city in Peru. The Peruvians boil their own water from the
fountans or only drink bottled water.
City water can, nevertheless,
be used in showers and for brushing your teeth without any problems whatsoever.
The ‘Soroche’ or the
effect of the altitude is another point to keep in mind when you travel to a
country of such high altitude such as Peru. In General, altitudes higher than
3,000 metres, with people who are not accustomed to such heights, can produce a
sensation of queasiness and general weakness, accompanied by headaches, as a
consequence of a lower concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere.
The effect of high altitudes
can be experienced in the regions of the highest altitudes in the country, such
as Cusco and Puno.
Yellow Fever – a vaccine
certificate is needed for some jungle regions, such as Puerto Maldonado.
None of the seasons of the
year is bad to visit Peru. Bearing in mind the climate, the best time to go is
from between May and September, coinciding with the dry season on the Range and
in the Jungle. The rains in the middle of November to March can make activities
such as walks and jungle trips difficult. Some of these activities may
eventually be suspended.
Both the traffic in and the
consumption of drugs are equally penalised. Coca leaves can be acquired easily
in the markets. It is probable that, after a certain time in Peru, you will
develop the habit of drinking coca tea and will probably want to take some home.
It is best not to fall into this temptation and, even though it is less
colourful, it is preferable to buy it in tea bags (such as with apple tea), with
the health registration seal. In this way, you will avoid any problems with the
police in the case of customs inspection, both in your country of origin or with
the Peruvian police when you leave the country.
As there is a great variety of
climates in Peru, luggage should be varied according to the regions that you
have planned to travel through.
Independently of the season of
the year, if the journey includes visits to the coast, Andes (mountain range) or
jungle, you will need clothing that is comfortable: large shirts and trousers,
to avoid mosquito bites, blouses, trousers, comfortable walking shoes and tennis
shoes.
During the rainy season, it is
necessary to carry an umbrella and in the jungle it is best to wear a raincoat.
It is also advisable to take a solar protector and a hat.
As for taking money and documents, the shops specialised in travel goods offer various models of wallets
and belts which can be used on various parts of the body.
On international flights, the
luggage which is allowed is two suitcases per passenger and on domestic flights
it is 25 to 30 kg per person.
The time difference between
Peru and Greenwich Meridian is five or six hours, depending on the yearly season: The Hour in Peru remains the same throughout the
year.
The electrical current is 220
volts.
In the most important cities,
there are establishments for all tastes and wallets.
Good Peruvian food is found
all over and the best places almost always offer a menu which includes
international dishes.
In the villages, the number of
restaurants is much more limited and generally offer only local food.
For national or domestic
flights, the aeroport tax is US$ 5.00.
For International
departures the amount you have to pay is US$ 28.
These taxes are payed after
your Check-in. You need to take your boarding card to the bank desk (not
far from the Check-in desk) and pay the respective tax
Generally, you should pay 10%
for service at the hotel and restaurants, which is usually included with VAT (IGV),18%, on the price list of the
menu.
These prices are fixed. Although, at restaurants and hotels of higher
quality, the staff does expect to
receive an additional tip.
Local Guides also expect tips
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