Peru is sometimes considered a land of great extremes, a land of great contrasts. For example, the climate is very hot in one part and very cold in another part. The landscape ranges from the snow-capped Andes Mountains to steaming jungles on the western foothills; from thick, green forests to dry, rugged desert along the Pacific Coast. And in today’s cosmopolitan cities, vestiges of its ancient past stand side by side with the most modern of structures.
Peru is very rich in natural resources yet economically very poor. In fact, it is now one of the poorest countries in the world. Peru is situated in one of the world’s most bountiful regions and yet it has one of the highest unpaid foreign debts. Today, Peru is the world’s leading fishmeal exporter, second leading gold and silver producer in Latin America and the world’s third leading zinc, lead and copper exporter. Aside from these, it is also a major exporter of phosphates, manganese, petroleum and metal products. Yet Peru’s resources and industries are controlled by only a small number of upper class white families. The rest of the country remains in poverty, beset by political turmoil, ruled by one dictator after another.
Peru is very rich in natural resources yet economically very poor. In fact, it is now one of the poorest countries in the world.
South-American Traditional Food Diary: Peru
