Peru is located in the southwestern region of South America. It comprises an area of approximately 496,222 square miles (28 million square kilometers), which is about three times the size of California. Its capital city is Lima with a population in excess of seven million. The terrain is varied: coastal plains with arid and mild weather on the west; the rugged Andes mountains with temperate to frigid temperatures in the central region; and lowlands with tropical rain forests and warm and humid climates on the east.

Nearly 29 million people live in Peru, 69% of whom live in cities. The annual growth rate is two percent and infant mortality is a rather high 52 per 1,000 births. Peru's ethnic structure is primarily made up of Indians (45%), Mestizos (37%), and Caucasians (15%). Some Peruvians also are of African descent, and Lima and other coastal cities have Chinese and Japanese communities.

Mestizos form a cultural bridge between the Hispanic-European and Indian societies. Caucasians tend to be culturally homogeneous throughout the country, whereas the Mestizos and Indians show greater cultural diversity. Due to education, economic development, and the movement from

Diseases associated with poverty are on the rise: yellow fever, malaria, viral hepatitis tuberculosis and measles. In 1995, the central jungle region was declared an emergency area due to the outbreak of yellow fever.

Between January and November of 1995, Peru's economy grew 7 percent, the second-fastest rate in Latin America after Chile (7).

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