Places To Visit in Peru

Long, long ago, Peru was a part of the Great Incan Empire. It was also the major viceroyaltyÊof Spanish South America. In 1821, Peru declared itself to be independent, but they managed to fully defeat the Spanish forces only in 1824. Years later, another war was fought between Peru and Spain, followed by a war with Chile. In 1945, Peru broke free from the shackles of dictatorship with the election of a President. In spite of several more protests, the democracy of Peru managed to survive.

Peruvian culture has been inherited from the Incas or the natives. Music and dance is an integral part of their culture and identity. Although the nuclear family system is dominant here, the extended family is also given a lot of importance, as kinship is important to them. The main religion of Peru is Roman Catholicism. Other Christian groups also exist. The official language of Peru is Spanish. Other languages spoken here include Aymara and Quechua, which are aboriginal languages.

Peru is divided into the Central Coast, which houses the capital Lima, the Southern Coast which is known for its sand dunes and greenery, the Northern Coast which holds a lot of beaches for relaxation, the Southern Sierra which has a lot of mountains and valleys, Central Sierra, known for quirky and charmingly traditional old towns and Northern Sierra which is the Andean region. The other secondary regions include Altiplano, San Martin, Peruvian Amazon and Madre de Dios.