Peru is a country that brings together history, beauty, mystery, landscapes, fauna, flora and very friendly and hospitable people. Furthermore, it is one of the countries biologically more diverse of the world. It is even said that the first civilization of america originated in BarrancaPeruvian province, in the year 5,000 BC If you want to know more curiosities about Peru, come with us, for this new Supercurioso article we have compiled 20 curious facts about Peru that will leave you with your mouth open.
20 Curiosities of Peru that you will love to know
The Republic of Peru is located west of South America and its coasts are bathed by the Pacific Ocean. In it we find from desert coasts to valleys, plateaus and Andean peaks. It has more than 33 million inhabitants and its capital, Lima, is the largest city. But, in addition to this city, the country has a “historical capital”. This is nothing more and nothing less than Cuzco, the navel of the world, as it has been nicknamed. Now, let’s get to know the interesting facts about Peru.
1. What does Peru mean?
The first of these curiosities of Peru refers to the country name about whose origin historians disagree. In fact, it has been shown that the word does not come from the indigenous language, so the first hypothesis says that the name comes from the cacique Birú, indigenous leader of a culture bearing the same name. A second hypothesis says that it could come from a river that would have the same name.
2. The highest sand dune in the world
One of the curious facts about Peru is that there is the highest sand dune in the world. It is known as «White Hill» and it is in the valley of Nazca, in the department of Ica. this was a sacred mountain that was venerated by the ancient settlers. The base is at 1,300 meters and the top reaches 2,080 meters. In her you can go sandboardingbut to reach the drop point you must walk for three hours.
3. More animals than just llamas or alpacas
Probably when you think of Peru your mind paints llamas or alpacas. But, the biodiversity of this country in terms of its fauna and flora is much greater. In fact his Manu National Park obtained a world record for biodiversity. This was built in 1973, a place among the Amazon jungle that is home to different species. In Peru there are more than 3,000 varieties of potato and more than 50 types of corn. Also has 90 microclimates different and is the first country in number of fish speciesthe second in bird species and the third in amphibians and mammals.
4. What language is spoken in Peru?
Obviously, as you thought, the official language is Spanish. But, among the curiosities of Peru we find that There are two other languages: Quechua and Aymara. On the other hand, in the Amazon jungle area there are at least 13 more languages, spoken by the natives of the place.
The native peoples of Peru are another of the great wealth of the country because They have diverse customs and characteristics that are still practiced today. One of the curious facts about Peru that we find among the Quechua culture is the way in which married women are differentiated. The women wear a straw hat, while the single women wear knitted hats.
5. Machu Picchu
You cannot talk about Peru without citing Macchu Picchu. This is considered one of the most fascinating archaeological sites on the planet. It is located in the city of Cuzco and represents all the power and glory of the Inca Empire. What is most surprising about this place is the precision with which it is built all of stone without the existence of tools or the wheel. In 2007 it was declared as one of the 7 Modern Wonders of the World and in 1983 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Another curious fact about Peru is that if you decide to visit this lost city you must prepare yourself physically, since it has a height of 2,430 meters above sea level. This means that many tourists do not resist the pressure, for which they are offered coca tea. If you want to know more about Machu Picchu, be sure to read:Visit the impressive Machu Picchu!
6. Animals, among the curiosities of Peru
Did you know The vicuña is the national animal of Peru.? Due to the variety of climates in the country and its fertile mountainous area, among its most emblematic animals we find: Condor of the Andes, What is it the largest flying bird on our planet; the Giant Andean Condorconsidered as a sacred bird for the Incas and of course we cannot forget the Llama, said to have been domesticated as a pack animal by the Incas in 3,000 BC
7. The Mysterious Nazca Lines
Among the curiosities of Peru, we cannot leave out the mystery of the Nazca lines. The Nazca people lived in Peru about eight hours from Lima. These lines are a collection of more than 70 geoglyphs that have shapes of animals and some human beings.
Are They were discovered in 1927 when the area was finally flown over, since these lines can only be seen from the sky, due to its large size. This is the reason why they are not believed to have been made by humans. What do you think?
8. About the Peruvian flag
The Flag of Peru is made up of three vertical bands, the lateral ones are red and the central one is white. This color combination represents the red of blood, which was the color of battle for the Incas and the white, which was the color of the purity of feelings. this flag first used on July 18, 1821 when General José de San Martín proclaimed the independence of the country. On the other hand, andhe June 7th is celebrated the Peru Flag Day and the feat of the Battle of Arica is commemorated.
9. What are the culinary curiosities of Peru?
One of the interesting facts about Peru is that one of its oldest typical dishes is the Cuy (it has been eaten for more than 4,000 years). Previously, this was used as an offering to the gods and it was the main food of the Incas. This is because it is a high source of protein and has no fat, which makes it a very healthy meal.
You can also enjoy the camu camu fruitwhat it has the highest concentration of vitamin C of any food in the world. 60 times more than oranges!, which is why it is considered a “super food”.
Finally, we cannot fail to mention the delicious Ceviche. This dish was declared by the National Institute of Culture as National Heritage in 2004. In addition, another of the curious facts about Peru is that Ceviche Day has been celebrated on June 28 since 2008.
10. The El Niño Phenomenon was named in Peru
Another of the curious facts about Peru is that the name of this atmospheric phenomenon was born on its coasts. This current came to Peru every Christmas and that is why they decided to name it in this way, alluding to the Child Godwho also visits them at Christmas time.
11. The Mountain of Colors, one of the curiosities of Peru that you should know
One of the interesting facts about Peru is this strange mountain that is located about 100 km. from Cusco and has an altitude of 5,200m above sea level. Different colors are presented in it, which is why it has also been nicknamed “the rainbow mountain”. The explanation for its strange coloration is due to the different layers of remains of minerals and sediments that were transported by the water that covered the area more than 65 million years ago years.
12. How many parties are there in Peru?
Like most countries, Peru is a multicultural country. Although its most widespread festivities in the territory are that of Santa Rosa de Lima and the Lord of Miracles, in total in one year Peru has more than 6,000 civic festivities.
13. The oldest city
One of the curiosities of Peru is that it is said that there exists the oldest city on the continent. It is believed that in this ancient sacred city existed the oldest civilization, dating back more than 5,000 years. This place was discovered in 1944 and due to its shapes it is described as the first urban construction
14. The Japanese community in Peru
A curious fact about Peru is that there lives the second largest Japanese community from the entire American continent. Besides, The largest Chinese community in all of Latin America lives in Lima. Therefore, It is estimated that at least 10% of the Peruvian population has some ancestry of oriental origin.
15. The Nevado de Huascarán, among the natural curiosities of Peru
This natural formation is the highest point in all of Peru. It rises to 6,768 meters above sea level. The Nevado de Huascarán also It is considered as the largest tropical mountain in the entire world.
16. The Sechura Depression
In contrast to our previous Peru curiosity, this is the lowest point in the country. This depression is located at -34 meters above sea level. It has also been given the name of Bayóvar Depression.
17. The Peruvian Beauty Queen
One of the curiosities of Peru is that it became the first country in Latin America and Spanish-speaking countries to have a Miss Universe. This was thanks to the Peruvian Gladys Urbina who won the crown in 1957.
18. The origin of the Amazon River
The Amazon region is a vast jungle terrain that extends over much of the territory of South America. There we can find the Amazon River, which is considered the longest and mightiest river in the world. Well it turns out that this famous river has its source in Peru, in the Arequipa region, and then empties into the Atlantic Ocean. As for the Amazon, we find another interesting piece of information from Peru and it is that this country is the second (after Brazil) with more Amazon jungle.
19. Iquitos, among the curious facts of Peru
Iquitos is the capital of the department of Loreto. This city has 495,000 inhabitants and is located in the heart of the jungle in the east of the country. But this is not what interests us about this city. Among the curiosities of Peru we find that this is the only city in the world that does not have road access. This means that Iquitos can only be accessed by boat or plane.
20. Water shows in the Reserve Park
In the city of Lima there is a beautiful attraction for all tourists. This is known as «The Magic Water Circuit» and it’s definitely something What to see in Peru This features a series of fountains that are controlled by a computer to light up and move to the beat of the music. This wonder was inaugurated in June 2007 and won a Guinness Record for the largest fountain complex in the world.
There are many more curiosities of Peru worth mentioning, but we would have an infinite list. Tell us which of these interesting facts about Peru caught your attention the most and if you know of any other, leave it to us in the comments.