- Peru is a South American country located along the Pacific Ocean with a population that is 45% indigenous Amerindian, 37% mixed race, and 15% white. - The country has a diverse landscape that includes a coastal plain, high Andes mountains, and eastern lowland jungle. Agriculture and mining are key industries. - Peru was home to advanced pre-Columbian civilizations like the Inca Empire, which was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century. It is now a constitutional republic with Spanish and Quechua as official languages.