_#_Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali; note—the 1979 Constitution and legislation enacted from 1987 to 1990 mandate the creation of regions (regiones, singular—region) intended to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 existing departments—Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government, the regions have yet to assume their reponsibilities and at the moment co-exist with the departmental structure
_#_Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
_#_Constitution: 28 July 1980 (often referred to as the 1979 Constitution because the Constituent Assembly met in 1979, but the Constitution actually took effect the following year); reestablished civilian government with a popularly elected president and bicameral legislature
_#_Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
_#_Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Alberto FUJIMORI (since 28 July 1990);
Vice President Maximo SAN ROMAN (since 28 July 1990);
Vice President Carlos GARCIA (since 28 July 1990);