Peru is a country in South America, with about 34.6 million people (2025) and an area of 1,285,216 square kilometres. Its capital is Lima, and it shares land borders with 5 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of PeruPeru in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Peru's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
Three worlds stacked side by side: desert, mountains, jungle
Peru runs from a narrow Pacific desert coast through the Andes, reaching above 6,000 meters, into the Amazon rainforest, which covers roughly 60% of the country. These three zones (costa, sierra, selva) are so distinct in climate, culture, and economy that they function almost as separate countries within one border. Lima sits on the desert coast; Indigenous communities in the highlands speak Quechua; the Amazon east is sparsely connected to either.
More on costa, sierra, selva
Peru's traditional three-region division. The costa (coast) has most of the population and economic activity; the sierra (highlands) has most of the mining; the selva (jungle) has most of the territory and much of the biodiversity.
4 more lenses on Peru in the app
STORY The Inca Empire was the largest pre-Columbian state in the Americas
STORY Peruvian cuisine became a global phenomenon built on layered migration
NOW Peru's political crisis has become permanent without ever resolving
THREAD Peru anchors the Pacific coast and shares the Amazon with its largest neighbors
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare Peru with another country
Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.
Common questions
What is the capital of Peru?
The capital of Peru is Lima. Lima lies at about 12.0 degrees south and 77.1 degrees west. Peru is in South America. It is home to about 34.6 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Peru?
About 34.6 million people live in Peru, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 48th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 1,285,216 square kilometres, that is about 27 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Peru?
Peru shares land borders with 5 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. The map on this page outlines each of them around Peru. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Peru?
Peru covers 1,285,216 square kilometres, or about 496,224 square miles. That makes it the 19th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 34.6 million gives a density of 27 people per square kilometre.
Peru is a country in South America, with about 34.6 million people (2025) and an area of 1,285,216 square kilometres. Its capital is Lima, and it shares land borders with 5 countries.
Capital
Lima
Continent
South America
Population
34,576,665 2025, World Bank. 48th of 195.
Area
1,285,216 km² (496,224 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 19th largest of 195.
Population density
27 people per km²
Land neighbours
5: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Official name
Republic of Peru
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Three worlds stacked side by side: desert, mountains, jungle
Peru runs from a narrow Pacific desert coast through the Andes, reaching above 6,000 meters, into the Amazon rainforest, which covers roughly 60% of the country. These three zones (costa, sierra, selva) are so distinct in climate, culture, and economy that they function almost as separate countries within one border. Lima sits on the desert coast; Indigenous communities in the highlands speak Quechua; the Amazon east is sparsely connected to either.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/peru/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Peru
NameDate
Draw the flag
Colour Peru on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
Continent
Population
Area
Languages
Currency
Neighbours
Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
1
2
3
One question I still have
?
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/peru/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
