Long-form name: Republic of Peru

Type: republic

Capital: Lima

Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Constitution: 28 July 1980 (often referred to as the 1979 Constitution because constituent assembly met in 1979, but Constitution actually took effect the following year); reestablished civilian government with a popularly elected president and bicameral legislature

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Branches: executive, judicial, bicameral legislature (Senate, Chamber of Deputies)

Leaders: Alan GARCIA Perez, President (since July 1985); Armando VILLANUEVA, Prime Minister (since May 1988)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: election for president and congress held every five years; last election for president and congress held 14 April 1985; current government inaugurated 28 July 1985

Political parties and leaders: American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Alan Garcia; United Left (IU), run by committee; Democratic Front (FREDEMO), run by committee, composed of the Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis Bedoya Reyes; Popular Action Party (AP), Fernando Belaunde Terry; Liberty Movement (ML), Mario Vargas Llosa

Voting strength: (14 April 1985 presidential election) Alan GARCIA Perez (APRA) 45.7%, Alfonso BARRANTES Lingan (IU) 21.3%, others 33.0%

Communists: Peruvian Communist Party-Unity (PCP-U), pro-Soviet, 2,000; other minor Communist parties

Member of: Andean Pact, AIOEC, ASSIMER, CCC, CIPEC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, INTERPOL, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Cesar G. ATALA; Chancery at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 833-9860 through 9869); there are Peruvian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico); US--Ambassador Alexander F. WATSON; Embassy at the corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima (mailing address is P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1010, or APO Miami 34031); telephone Õ51å (14) 338-000

Flag: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

NOTE: The information regarding Peru on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Peru Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Peru Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.