Peru
Peru is a potentially wealthy country with a rich and varied cultural and architectural heritage. But Peru's development has been held back by widespread corruption and the failure of successive governments to address social and economic inequality.
Peru is rich in copper, silver, lead, zinc, oil and gold. It also enjoys spectacular and varied scenery, including Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, and has a strong Inca and pre-Inca heritage, which includes the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco and the lost city of Machu Picchu.
But Peru's more recent history has seen it alternate between democracy and military dictatorship. Also, the country is deeply divided politically and economically. A small elite of Spanish descent controls most of its wealth and political power, while the indigenous peoples are largely excluded from both and make up many of the millions of Peruvians who live below the poverty line.
Because of these problems, foreign investors have generally stayed away.
Peru witnessed a brutal war against Maoist rebels, which claimed as many as 69,000 lives in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite the virtual destruction of the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru guerrilla groups, violence, in the form of murders, armed robberies and gang warfare, is still a problem, and Peru has yet to succeed in eliminating coca production.
Source: BBC News
- Fact Sheet…basic info about the country
- CLWR's Involvement…a description of CLWR's program
- Projects…information about specific projects
- Photo Gallery…photos from CLWR program locations and the country in general
- Donate to Peru…direct link to online donation
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