World Factbook
Peru
República del Perú
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), white, and red, with the coat of arms centered on the white band; the coat of arms has a shield with a vicuna, a cinchona tree, and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins meaning: the vicuna represents fauna, the cinchona tree is the source of quinine, and the cornucopia symbolizes mineral wealth; red stands for blood shed for independence, and white for peace
Capital
name
Lima
etymology
the name is an early Spanish mispronunciation of the Quechua name Rimak , referring to a god and deriving from the word rima (to speak); Quechua priests used to speak to worshippers from inside statues of their gods
time difference
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
12 03 S, 77 03 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
2 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993
amendment process
proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions
Country name
etymology
the name may derive from the Guarani word biru, meaning "river"
local long form
República del Perú
local short form
Perú
conventional long form
Republic of Peru
conventional short form
Peru
Independence
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law system
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of 16 judges and divided into civil, criminal, and constitutional-social sectors)
subordinate courts
Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside
judge selection and term of office
justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Executive branch
note
note 1: First Vice President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra assumed the office of the president on 7 December 2022 after President Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones was impeached and arrested; on 10 October 2025, the president of the Congress, José Enrique JERÍ Oré, was sworn in as the new president after Congress overwhelmingly voted to remove BOLUARTE from office note 2: Prime Minister Ernesto ÁLVAREZ (since 14 October 2025) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president note 3: the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025)
election results
2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9%
head of government
President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025)
most recent election date
11 April 2021, with a runoff on 6 June 2021
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms)
expected date of next election
12 April 2026
National holiday
Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821)
National color(s)
red, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
13 (9 cultural, 2 natural, 2 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Cuzco (c); Machu Picchu (m); Chavin (c); Historic Lima (c); Huascarán National Park (n); Chan Chan (c); Manú National Park (n); Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca (c); Rio Abiseo National Park (m); Historic Arequipa (c); Sacred City of Caral-Supe (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)
Political parties
Advance the Nation (Avanza País) or AvP Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA Free Peru (Perú Libre) or PL Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertación Nacional) or BMCN National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN Peru Bicentennial (Perú Bicentenario) or PB Popular Action (Acción Popular) or AP Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP Popular Renewal (Renovación Popular) or RP Purple Party (Partido Morado) Social Integration Party (Avanza País - Partido de Integración Social) Together For Perú (Juntos por el Peru) or JP We Are Peru (Somos Perú) of SP We Can Peru (Podemos Perú) or PP
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
130 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
4/11/2021
expected date of next election
April 2026
percentage of women in chamber
41.5%
parties elected and seats per party
Free Peru (PL) (37); Popular Force (FP) (24); Popular Action (AP) (16); Alliance for Progress (APP) (15); Go on Country - Social Integration Party (AvP) (10); Popular Renewal (RP) (9); We Are Peru" (SP) - Purple Party (PM) (9); Other (10)
National anthem(s)
title
"Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru)
history
adopted 1821
lyrics/music
Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO
National symbol(s)
vicuna (a camelid related to the llama)
Administrative divisions
24 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ), 1 province* ( provincia ), and 1 constitutional province** ( provincia constitucional ); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao**, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 659-8124
chancery
1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 833-9860
chief of mission
Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024)
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), San Francisco
email address and website
Webadmin@embassyofperu.us Embassy of Peru in the United States - E-United States - Platform of the Peruvian State (www.gob.pe)
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[51] (1) 618-2724
embassy
Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33
telephone
[51] (1) 618-2000
mailing address
3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230
chief of mission
Ambassador-designate Bernardo NAVARRO; Chargé d’Affaires Joan PERKINS (since 18 April 2025)
email address and website
lima_webmaster@state.gov https://pe.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
AIIB, APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction