Interesting facts about Peru for children. Some interesting facts about Peru. Features of the Peruvian territory

About this mysterious country we heard and read something somewhere, friends of friends and acquaintances of acquaintances showed us photographs, passionately recounting their impressions of what they saw. But what do we not know about this country?

Peru is considered the birthplace of potatoes. Moreover, about three hundred species of this vegetable grow here.

Peruvian cuisine is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most diverse, and on June 28, this country celebrates CEVICHE DAY.

Everyone has tried corn. What about chichu? This drink has been drunk since ancient times in the Inca Empire, obtained by fermenting various plants through saliva. Hence funny name“chicha”, which translated from German means “spit beer”.

When we say Peru, we mean Machu Picchu. The lost city of the Incas was not hidden from the watchful eyes of Professor Hiram Bingham, who discovered the “new wonder of the world” in 1911. And if you don’t have a selfie in front of its majestic ruins, take a tour with us" "

In the 19th century, the territory of Peru was divided into two parts - Peru itself and Bolivia.

Andean condors live in Peru - the largest winged predators with a wingspan of more than 3 meters.

IN New Year Peruvians give each other yellow underpants. After all, yellow, in their opinion, is considered the color of well-being.

The world's deepest river, the Amazon, originates in Peru.

Not only architecture and rich history The capital of Peru is Lima. The largest spot for surfing enthusiasts is located here. Interestingly, in the town of Chan Chan in Peru, prehistoric cave paintings were found with people riding the waves. These images are believed to be about 5,000 years old.

Since ancient times, a drink made from coca leaves has been revered by the peoples of South America, and in particular by the inhabitants of Peru. Here it was used both for medical purposes and for performing various religious rituals. Today you can try this invigorating drink in any hotel in the country.

The amazing and incredibly interesting Latin American country of Peru is a real treasury of history, everyone agrees with this fact. Ancient civilizations, in particular the Incas, left their rich heritage in this mountainous region. The modern Republic of Peru is one of the least rich states in the region, but at the same time one of the most beautiful. Yes, it is not very safe here, but the beauty, according to many tourists, is worth the risk.

Facts about Peru

The percentage of the Indian population in this country is higher than in almost all other countries in South and Central America.
In Peru, drinks infused with coca leaves are popular, as they are considered cultural heritage Peruvians. For obvious reasons, they cannot be taken out of the country.
In the capital, Lima, military personnel in armored cars guard all major streets at night to curb rampant crime.
Of all the countries in South America, Peru is second in size only to Argentina and Brazil ().
It is from Peru that plants that are widespread throughout the world, such as potatoes and tomatoes, originate.
Located in Peru, Marcos University, founded in 1551, is the oldest in the New World, that is, in the Americas.
The territory of Peru was once larger during the era of Spanish rule. After the expulsion of the colonialists, the famous revolutionary Simon Bolivar divided it into, in fact, Peru and Bolivia. True, immediately after this a military conflict began between these two states, which lasted about 20 years.
Many buildings erected in these parts by the Incas have survived to this day. Unfortunately, the conquistadors under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro destroyed all the ancient Inca temples, erecting their own, Catholic ones in their place.
In the 19th century, the Republic of Peru, together with Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador, successfully resisted Spain in the war ().
The gesture of “twirling your finger at your temple” among Peruvians does not mean a hint of madness to the interlocutor, but only that the person is thinking.
It was in Peru that such an animal as the llama was tamed and domesticated.
The most famous landmark in Peru is Machu Picchu, amazingly well preserved to this day. stone city Incas.
Peruvian drivers begin to press the horn as soon as anyone hesitates in front of them for even a second. In traffic jams there is always an eerie cacophony of dozens and hundreds of car horns.
Citizens of Peru have the right to visit Russia without visas. Russians do not need a visa to this exotic country either.
As in almost all Latin America With the exception of Paraguay, Spanish is the native language of the majority of the local population ().
Traditional Peruvian cuisine is included in the Guinness Book of Records because it has more dishes than any other - more than 500.
The most popular city among tourists in Peru is Cusco. More people would visit it than Lima, but international flights they still fly to the capital.
The most popular Peruvian dish is ceviche - raw fish marinated in lime juice. And the most common local side dish is rice.
At night, all areas of Lima, the Peruvian capital, are quite dangerous, except for the guarded center. There are also areas where you shouldn’t go during the day.
Attendance at elections in Peru is mandatory. Those who do not vote risk losing public services provided to the population.
Located in Peru, the Cotahuasi Canyon is the deepest in the world, as much as 3,500 meters. This is almost twice as much as Grand Canyon in USA ().
The Peruvian city of La Rinconada, lying at an altitude of more than 5 km above sea level, is the highest mountain city in the world.
IN rural areas In Peru, shamans are still held in high esteem and respect.
A primitive tribe still lives deep in the Peruvian wilds. Visiting it is prohibited, and its habitat is hidden from the general public.
There are almost more restaurants and cafes with Chinese cuisine in any Peruvian city than with national cuisine.
In total, as many as 16 languages are spoken in Peru, but only three of them are official - Aymara, Spanish and Quechua.
Lake Titicaca is located in Peru, the highest mountain in the world and at the same time the largest in South America.
This country ranks first in the world in the production and export of asparagus.
Peruvians associate the color yellow with good luck, so on New Year's Eve they dress up in all yellow.
The most popular Peruvian drink is called chicha. It is made from corn, and its taste is vaguely reminiscent of fermented kvass with a small amount of alcohol.
According to statistics, only in India there are more shamans than in Peru ().
Peru - Mountain country, but almost two-thirds of its territory is covered with forests, many of which have grown together into impassable jungles.
As in Asian countries, tuk-tuks and covered motorcycle taxis are popular here.
Corn is incredibly common in Peru, it is eaten and drinks are made from it. In total, more than 50 varieties are cultivated in this country.
According to archaeological finds, people lived on the territory modern Republic Peru 12,000 years ago.
Unfortunately, earthquakes are common here. On average, one of them every year turns out to be quite destructive.
Despite the high humidity, it rarely rains in Lima, Peru.
Some Peruvian National dishes prepared from guinea pigs.
More than 1,600 species of orchids grow in Peru.
The highest quality cotton in the world is grown in Peru.

1. Peru is the third largest country in South America.

2. It is the last Spanish colony in South America to gain independence. This happened on July 28, 1821.

3. The name of the country comes from a Quechua word that means “abundance” and is associated with the prosperity and wealth of the Inca Empire.

4. Peru is the most rich country in the world by mineral deposits. Thanks to the rapidly developing mining industry, the country's economic level and international importance are steadily growing.

5. The country ranks 6th in the world in gold production.

6. Peru has three official languages: Spanish, Quechua and Aymara, but 13 other different languages are spoken east of the Andes in the Amazon jungle region.

7. Tallest city world - La Rinconada in Peru - located at an altitude of 5,099 m above sea level. 30,000 people live here, most of whom are engaged in gold mining.

8. Peru grows more than 55 types of corn.

9. Potatoes, tomatoes and avocados are believed to have originated in Peru.

10. More than 3,000 different varieties of potatoes are grown in the country. Proud Peruvians use the phrase “Soy mas Peruano que la papa” (“I am more Peruvian than potatoes”).

11. The blessed land of Peru has 84 of the planet's 103 existing ecosystems, and 28 of the 32 known climatic zones. Peru is one of the 12 countries with the richest biosphere.

12. Two thirds of Peru's territory is covered with rain forests.

13. Peru is home to the second tallest dune in the world. The Cerro Blanco dune, reaching a height of 1176 m, is located in the Sechura Desert, near the Nazca Lines.

14. In the territory of modern Peru, the llama was domesticated. This happened approximately 1000 BC.

15. The territory of Peru is inhabited by 135 species of hummingbirds. These are small birds, the size of which ranges from 5 to 21 cm, and weight - from 1.6 to 20 g. The flight speed of hummingbirds can reach 80 km/h.

16. Beautiful bird with bright plumage - the Andean cock of the rock, or "tunqui" in the Quechua language - is considered national symbol Peru. The bird reaches a length of 38 cm.

17. A very rare, very ancient and colossal plant - Puya Raymonda from the bromeliad family - lives today in the wild only in the Andes. You can find its giant panicle inflorescences more than 10 m high and 2.5 m in diameter. Puya Raymonda is recognized as the plant with the largest inflorescence in the world.

18. There are 1,625 species of orchids in Peru, 425 of which can be found directly in Machu Picchu. The Inkaterra Hotel in Machu Picchu houses the largest private collection of these flowers in South America, numbering 500 species.

19. The National University of San Marcos is the oldest in the Americas, founded on May 12, 1551.

20. The bridge, erected in 1610 in Lima, the capital of the country, is built from cement mortar mixed not with water, but with the whites of 10,000 eggs. The Egg Bridge still stands today.

21. Pisco sur is the national drink of Peru, it is made from lemon juice, sugar water, egg whites and ice.

22. Peruvian cuisine is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most diverse. It has about 500 dishes. Peruvian cuisine has developed under the influence of two cultures - Indian and Spanish.

23. In Peru, on New Year's Eve, according to tradition, everyone dresses in yellow - the color of good luck.

24. Peru is second only to India in the number of shamans.

25. If during a conversation with you a Peruvian twirls his finger at his temple, do not be alarmed, this does not mean that he is calling you crazy. In Peru, such a gesture means that a person is thinking.

Peru is a country in South America. It borders in the northwest with Ecuador, in the north with Colombia, in the east with Brazil, and in the southeast with Bolivia and Chile. In the west it is washed Pacific Ocean. The third largest country in South America (after Brazil and Argentina).

So, interesting facts about Peru:

It was in Peru that the ancient Inca state was formed.

For a long time the country was a Spanish colony. In 1821, Peru gained its independence. This happened after other Latin American countries gained independence.

The Inca civilization was formed in the 12th century BC. Until 1533, the Incas lived in Peru.

During the reign of the Incas, the monarchy was born here.

The culture of the Peruvians is in many ways similar to the culture of the Spaniards, but they adopted their cuisine from the Incas.

Lake Titicaca in Peru

Titicaca is the most big lake Latin America. It is located in Peru.

Peruvians domesticated llamas about 3 thousand years ago.

Peruvians often twirl their finger at their temple during a conversation. Do not think that they want to offend you in this way. This gesture in Peru means that your interlocutor is thinking.

In 1939, a unique incident occurred in Peru. A five-year-old girl was delivered by caesarean section. Fortunately, the child survived, as did the girl, who is still alive today.

The University of San Marcos was opened in 1551. It is the oldest in Latin America.

The country's population lives poorly, but its level of literacy can be the envy of other, more developed countries. The country achieved high results because it made primary and secondary education free.

Peru This is the country where a travel lover should definitely visit if the opportunity arises. And it is worth doing this for the following reasons:

1 ) IN Southern Peru the largest concentration of huge and dizzying canyons on the ground, and Kolkinsky the canyon was included in Guinness Book of Records as the deepest in the world. Kolka Canyon for a whole kilometer deeper than the Great American- distance from the river surface to mountain peaks reaches 3 kilometers 400 meters.

2 ) There you can also see the largest winged predator in the world - the Andean condor, whose wingspan exceeds 3 meters and weight can exceed 11 kilograms. Interestingly, Andean condors can even see the body of a dead animal on the ground from a height of 7,000 m.

3 ) Peru, along with Bolivia, has the largest alpine and navigable lake in the world Titicaca, located at an altitude of 3812 m.

4 ) A city located high in the mountains Machu Picchu is the most visited attraction in Latin America. Thisthe most famous and most mysterious monument Inca culture, locatedat an altitude of 2.5 thousand meters above sea level, it is visited by more than half a million tourists a year. And it's worth it.

5 ) Reserve Manu is the largest protected area in Peru and one of the largest in the world. In terms of biological richness and diversity, no reserve in the world can compare with Manu, since most of its inhabitants are endemic biological species, that is, those that are found only here. In 1977, UNESCO declared Manu a zone biosphere reserve reserve and natural heritage of humanity. In the territory of Manu they also live aboriginal archaic tribes that do not maintain contact with the civilized world. At least on my own initiative.

6 ) And of course these are famous Nazca desert drawings(or Nazca Lines, or Nazca Geoglyphs), which you can see with your own eyes by taking a bus to the town of Nazca and buying a ticket to a special tower, or ordering a small special excursion plane.

7 ) Well, one more, bonus, reason to visit Peru: in 2007, the fountain complex “El Circuito Mágico del Agua” was opened in Lima, which at that time was the largest in the world, for which it was included in the Guinness Book of Records. It is truly an impressive and beautiful sight.

And this was filmed on its own “soap box” back in 2007.

And further 8 interesting facts about Peru:

1 ) In Peru there are not only seals but even penguins. These are Humboldt penguins, a species found only on the rocky ocean coasts of Peru and Chile and on offshore islands.

2 ) The Peruvian coat of arms depicts, among other things, cinchona. The point is that the medicine quinine the product obtained from it is wonderful anti-malaria, a fever that decimated Europeans who were exploring new worlds. But the only people who knew the secret of healing were the conquered Incas.

3 ) Growing the coca bush and consuming its leaves is legal in Peru (as in other Latin American countries). A tonic tea is made from coca leaves and simply chewed. However, coca is not cocaine. In fact, the use of its leaves in Latin America has such ancient roots that coca cannot be found growing wild. Its leaves are used as a tonic by truck and bus drivers during night journeys, students, Indians carrying loads across mountain roads, etc. To do this, the leaves are simply placed between the teeth. But, as already mentioned, coca leaves are not prohibited here, since in order to achieve the effect of one dose of the famous drug, it is necessary to chew about one bag of coca leaves. And this is physically impossible.

4 ) In Peru, in Cajamarcafamous mystic writer was bornCarlos Castaneda .

5 ) Famous illustrator Boris Vallejo(Boris Vallejo) was born and raised in Lima, Peru. However, he gained fame in America, where he emigrated in his youth, feeling confident in himself as an artist.

6 ) The most famous artist of the style pin-upAlberto Vargas(Alberto Vargas) is also from Peru. He also emigrated to America, where he later gained fame. By the way, his works were so popular that the term “Vargas girls", and in the 40s many military aircraft were decorated with his "girls".

7 ) When you look on the map, then Peru looks like a relatively small state in terms of its size, especially compared to Brazil.

However, in territory of Peru can fit 4 Italy with a ponytail, or all Spain together with Portugal + France + Greece and there will still be a little space left, or 11 Bulgaria.

8 ) And finally, a completely amazing fact: neither The Incas, neither knew the culture before them no wheel, no writing, no even gland(!) And yet somehow they managed to build a fairly developed civilization, although far behind Europe and Asia.

True, there are big doubts that all these great buildings really builtThe Incas.

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