As the third-largest country in South America, Peru is located on the western coast of South America. Peru shares borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. It has a coastline on the Pacific Ocean and is an international leader in terms of fish production.
Quick Facts
Population: 31.331 million
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo (60.2%), Amerindian (25.8%), White (5.9%), African descent (3.6%), Other (1.2%), Unspecified (3.3%)
Languages: Spanish (Official) (82.9%), Quechua (Official) (13.6%,) Aymara (Official) (1.6%), Ashaninka (0.3%), Other native languages (0.8%), Other (0.2%), None (0.1%), Unspecified (0.7%)
Religions: Roman Catholic (60.0%), Christian (14.6%), Other (0.3%), None (4.0%), Unspecified (21.1%)
Capital: Lima
CIA: The World Factbook — Last Updated December 27, 2019
Peruvians in Canada
Peruvian Population in Canada
42,145
Useful Links
Much of Peru’s population continues to live in poverty, but economic growth has been strong since 2000. The 1978 constitution guaranteed religious freedom but there is still a bias towards the Catholic Church, which is the state church. However, in recent years, the Catholic Church has been on the decline as members are turning to atheism or evangelicalism. In 1960, there were only 78,000 evangelicals in Peru, but the number increased to 3.4 million by 2010; evangelicals now account for more than one-tenth of the population.
- Central Intelligence Agency. (2019, December 18). The World Factbook: Peru. Retrieved December 27, 2019, from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/peru/
- Encyclopedia of the Nations. (n.d.). Peru. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/geography/Morocco-to-Slovakia/Peru.html
- Encyclopedia of the Nations. (n.d.). Peru. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Peru.html
- Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. (2009, October 15). Cultural Information – Peru. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from https://www.international.gc.ca/cil-cai/country_insights-apercus_pays/culture-culture_pe.aspx?lang=eng
- Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. (2011, December 15). Overview – Peru. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from https://www.international.gc.ca/cil-cai/country_insights-apercus_pays/overview-apercu_pe.aspx?lang=eng
- Mandryk, J. (2010). Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (7th ed.). Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing.
- Peruvians. (2009). In T. L. Gall & J. Hobby (Eds.), Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 447-452). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
- Statistics Canada. (2011, April 7). 2006 Census of Canada: Topic-based tabulations/Ethnic Origin, Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses and Sex for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census – 20% Sample Data. Retrieved July 15, 2014, from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement