All About Peru

Remember the selfish ruler, Kuzco, who was turned into a llama in
the movie, The Emperors New Groove? His character is based on
an ancient Incan ruler and the kingdom that he rules is based on the
ancient Incan city of Cusco in Peru.

The Incan people built an elaborate civilization in Peru that was

mostly wiped out when the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century.
You can still visit the ruins of this civilization at Macchu
Picchu and other sites. The Koricancha, or Sun Temple, still stands,
although the sheets of gold that covered it are gone. The city of
Cusco is still thriving.

National Flag of Peru Map of Peru

The country of Peru sits in South America between the Pacific

Ocean and Columbia, Brazil and Bolivia. Peru is a beautiful
country with rainforests, mountains and dry coastal plains. The
rainforests are home to animal species found nowhere on Earth and
there are Indian tribes living in the rainforest that have probably
never seen other people. Snakes, reptiles, huge cats and colorful
birds live in the rainforests. Fish, penguins and other birds live in
and near the ocean. Llamas and alpacas live in the mountains. The
puya Raimondi plant grows for 100 years before blooming. Thats
a long time to wait for a flower!
Peru is one of the richest sources of silver, copper and lead in the
world, but many people are very poor. People live in tiny houses
without electricity or running water. They may not have enough
food to eat and they work very hard.

Incan City of Machu Picchu Lima, Capital City of Peru

Fun Facts About Peru for Kids

27,947,000 people live in Peru.
Peru has 496,224 square miles of land.
Most people speak Spanish or Quechua or Aymara, which are native
languages in Peru.
Native Indian tribes have kept their traditional language, culture and
religion.
People in Peru can expect to live 69 years.
Most people are Roman Catholic.
91 percent of adults can read.
Peru Vocabulary
1. Ancient: very old
2. Civilization: cities and towns where groups of people live and gather
3. Ruins: the remains of a town or settlement
4. Thrive: grow, flourish