Facts and information for the Traveler

Oficial Name: República del Perú
Foundation: July 28, 1821
First President: Jose de San Martín
Current President: Alan García Pérez

Type of Government: The Republic of Peru government type is presidential, unitary and decentralized.

Capital: Lima
Surface: 1.285.261 Km2
Currency: The official Peruvian currency is the nuevo sol (1 nuevo sol = 100 cents)

Population: 27,148,101 (2003)

Official language: Spanish and Quechua are the official languages. Aymará is spoken in some areas of the region of Puno. Many other dialects exist in the jungle regions.

Geography: The Peru is divided, in three important regions:
Cost: Ocean Pacific Area
Sierra: A mountain area, with a great presence of the great Cordillera de los Andes
Forest: full Area mostly of tropical forest

Limits: Peru limits with Brazil for the East, Colombia for the Northeast, Ecuador for the North, Chile for the South, Bolivia for the Southeast and for the West with the Pacific Ocean.

Administrative political organization: The political division is constituted by the departments that are of 24 and a Constitutional County that is The Callao; the departments are constituted by counties that, at the present time, they make a total of 180 (included The Callao); these, at the same time are integrated for districts that are a total of 1,747.

Presidential elections: Every 5 years.

Vote: The authorities of the departments, counties and districts (prefects, sub prefects and governors) they are named by the Executive Power, as long as the local governments (provincial mayors and from the district) they are chosen by universal vote for a three year-old period.

Bills: are of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 nuevos soles
Coins: are of 1, 2 and 5 nuevos soles, and 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.

Money Exchange: Although the Dollar are generally accepted, we recommend using banks and other official exchange houses, to avoid possible frauds.

Traveler Check:
The use of traveler checks is limited. It is highly suggested exchange the checks in Banks considering the lost of the 2% or 5% of the total.

Exchange type: Aproximate 1 dollar = 3.25 nuevos soles

Credit cards: The credit cards are highly accepted in Lima as American Express, Visa, Dinners club and Master Card. Please consider that in province the use of credit cards is not usual.

Airport fees:
International: USD 25.00
National: USD 5.00

Weather:
In Peru the weather vary according to the region.
In the coast, the winter reaches a temperature average of 14°C. In summer the temperatures are superior to the 28°C.
At the Peruvian mountains, the sun shines all year long, but the temperature descends during the nights till reach a temperature average of 5°C. In the jungle area the weather is tropical.
In the mountains as in the jungle, the rain season starts in December and finishes in April.

Seasons:
Peru has two well differentiate seasons: dry and humid, terms that according to the geographical characteristics of the country are more pertinent than winter and summer.
The best season to visit Peru is the period of time comprehended between May and September that are dry.

Electricity:
220 volts and 60 cicles. You will find adaptation devices in specialized stores.

Vaccination:
Currently no vaccines or medical test are required to travel to Peru, although is highly recommended the yellow fever vaccine if you have plans to visit the Amazonian jungle.

International Area Code:
Peru area code: 51. Direct international phone connection available.

Time Reference:
The time in Peru is the same as United States Eastern Time or GMT+5 hours.

Laboral Schedule:
- Banks: 09:00 to 13: 00 hours and from 15:00 to 18:00 hours.
- Stores: 09:00 to 20:00 hours.
- Public Administration: 09:00 to 17:00 hours in winter and from 08:00 a 15:00 hours in summer.

Public Transportation:
The public transport of passengers is available from 06:00 in the morning to 24 :00 hours. The rates are exposed in the interior as in the exterior of the vehicle, with the exception of taxis.

* Taxis:
The taxis services are really cheap, not regulated, reason because it is suggested negotiate the rate with the driver before. The taxis are yellow. There’s also a large amount of radio-taxi companies that you could take by calling to a enterprise that provide the service and indicating the place to pick you up.

* Remise:
The remise service are available at the Airport and at the hotels doors. The remises are black, and could be hired in advance or directly at the airport always with a previous consult about the rates to the driver.

* Trains:
In Peru exist two train networks that are not connected to each other but both connect the coast with the high land plane.

* Buses:
The public transportation of passengers are covered by buses and microbuses known as “combis” that work from 06:00 in the morning to 24:00 hours.

To travel between cities and towns the buses are the most convenient and economic way to travel, its routes covered almost everywhere but Machu Picchu and the interior of the jungle.

* Rent a Car:
The rented cars are suggested in short lengths or to visit archeological and distant places.
In Lima, rent a car international and national companies offers its services.

National Holydays
· January 1. New Year.
· May 1. Labor Day.
· July 28. Peru independence day.
· June 29. San Pedro y San Pablo.
· August 30. Santa Rosa. Lima patron saint.
· October 8. Angamos Batle Aniversary de .
· November 1. All saints day.
· December 25. Christmas.
· December 31. New years eve.

Updating, May 2008