Here it is!

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS PERU?

Peru is a country in South America and is probably most famous for its ancient Inca civilizations. Peru is along the left perimeter of South America just north of Chile and south of the equator. It is the only country in South America which has beaches, mountains, desert, and jungle all within its own borders.

 We ministered in Arequipa, Peru, a city of about 600,000 people nestled in a valley of the Andes Mountains. The climate there is very temperate, rarely reaching over 75 degrees and rarely dipping under 60 degrees. The seasons are reversed there, with the summer months beginning at Christmastime. The school year generally runs from late March through December. Although our home and primary ministry was in Arequipa, we had many opportunities to travel throughout the Peru in various ministries.

CLICK ON HEADINGS BELOW FOR SOME GREAT VIEWS OF AREQUIPA AND PERU:

  • More about Arequipa
  • A Peek at Arequipa
  • Map - Look for Arequipa toward the bottom just above Chile
  • Images of Peru

    • Many different cultures exist in Peru. Although Spanish is considered the primary language, about half the population is made up of native people who speak either Quechua, the language of the Incas, or Aymara. Most native people live in the Andes Mountains. Smaller Native groups, such as the Mayoruna, live in the tropical rainforest and have little contact with the outside world. At least one-third of Peruvians are of mixed Native and Spanish heritage. These people are called mestizos. People of European descent, or criollos, make up about a tenth of Peru's population. There are smaller groups of people who are of African and Asian origin.