Peru
Country in South America, on the Pacific, bounded N by Ecuador and
Colombia, E by Brazil and Bolivia, and S by Chile.
Government
The 1993 constitution provides for a president, as head of state, elected
by universal suffrage for a five-year term, renewable only once, and
a single-chamber, 120-member national congress, similarly elected by
proportional representation from a single national list of candidates
for the same length of term. The president appoints a prime minister,
as head of government, and a council of ministers.
History
The Chimu culture flourished from about 1200 and was gradually superseded
by the Inca empire, building on 800 years of Andean civilization and
covering a large part of South America. Civil war had weakened the Incas
when the conquistador Pizarro arrived from Spain 1531 and began raiding,
looting, and enslaving the people. He executed the last of the Inca
emperors, Atahualpa, 1533. Before Pizarro's assassination 1541, Spanish
rule was firmly established.
A native revolt by Túpac Amarú 1780 failed, and during the successful
rebellions by the European settlers in other Spanish possessions in
South America 1810-22, Peru remained the Spanish government's headquarters;
it was the last to achieve independence 1824.
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