Peru, officially the Republic of Peru is the third largest country in South America. Politically it’s a presidential representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions.
Peru was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the country in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing.
Peru has a multiethnic population (Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians) estimated in 28 million. The main spoken language is Spanish although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua and other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions results in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as art, cuisine, literature.
The Peruvian geography is interesting and unique; from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes Mountains (being the Huascaran with 22,205 ft the highest peak of the country) and the tropical forests of the Amazon rainforest. Almost 60% of the country is located within this region.
Because of its geography and diverse climate, Peru is one of the most bio diverse countries in the world with 21,462 species of plants and animals had been reported as of 2003, 5,855 of them endemic.
In spite of all the natural richness of the country, Peru is a developing country with a poverty level around 50%. Its main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing of products such as textiles
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Literature.- The works of Mario Vargas Llosa, Alfredo Bryce, Cesar Vallejo, Ricardo Palma, Ciro Alegria, Jose Maria Arguedas and Jaime Bayly are an example of Peruvian literature and its genres.
Crafts.- Peruvian artistic traditions date back to the elaborate pottery, textiles, jewelry, and sculpture of Pre-Inca cultures. Nowadays, Peruvian craftsmen have an immense wealth of creativity and skills that they apply daily to their products. They are wonderful and they need more work. That’s why we are here.
Marinera.- Marinera is a coastal dance of Peru, generally called the "National Dance of Peru." Marinera is a graceful and romantic couple's dance that uses handkerchiefs as props. The dance is an elegant and stylized reenactment of a courtship, and it shows a blend of the different cultures of Peru. The dance itself has gained a lot of recognition and is one of the most popular traditional dances of Peru. If you are interested in buying traditional Marinera Dresses for your personal use of as part of your collection. We are proud to work with Gilda Moron, a clothes designer and dancer creating exclusively for us Marinera Dresses according to your specifications. Contact us for more information.
Click here for the fantastic National Geographic Photo Gallery of Peru
Click here for a sample of Peruvian music
