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
note: the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990 mandate the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) intended to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 existing departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima. Because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities. The 1993 Constitution maintains the regionalization process with some modifications that will limit the powers of the regional governments. The new constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments.

Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution: 31 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); election last held on 10 June 1990 (next to be held NA April 1995); results - Alberto FUJIMORI 56.53%, Mario VARGAS Llosa 33.92%, other 9.55%
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
note: Prime Minister Efrain GOLDENBERG Schreiber (since February 1994) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Democratic Constituent Congress (CCD): elections last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held April 1995); seats - (80 total) New Majority/Change 90 44, Popular Christian Party 8, Independent Moralization Front 7, Renewal 6, Movement of the Democratic Left 4, Democratic Coordinator 4, others 7; note - several major parties (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, Popular Action) did not participate; with the next election the congress will be expanded to 100 seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Political parties and leaders:
note: Peru's political party system has become fragmented in recent years with independent movements proliferating; key parties are listed New Majority/Change 90 (Cambio 90), Alberto FUJIMORI; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Luis BEDOYA Reyes; Popular Action Party (AP), Raul DIEZ CANSECO; American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA), Armando VILLANUEVA del CAMPO; Independent Moralizing Front (FIM), Fernando OLIVERA Vega; National Renewal, Rafael REY Rey; Democratic Coordinator, Jose BARBA Caballero; Democratic Left Movement, Henry PEASE; Solidarity and Democracy (SODE), Manuel MOREYRA; National Front of Workers and Peasants (FRENATRACA), Roger CACARES
Other political or pressure groups: leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path, Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned); Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Nestor SERPA and Victor POLAY (imprisoned)
Member of: AG, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG (suspended), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo LUNA Mendoza
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: (202) 833-9860 through 9869
FAX: (202) 659-8124
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr.
embassy: corner of Avenida Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Avenida Espana, Lima
mailing address: P. O. Box 1991, Lima 1, Unit 3822, or APO AA 34031
telephone: [51] (14) 33-8000
FAX: [51] (14) 31-6682

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 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Peru Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Peru Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.