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: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
the course of several years
Independence:
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution:
31 December 1993
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note
- members of the military may not vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the
constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
17
elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)
Political parties and leaders:
Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original
name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan
GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA
Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];
Peru Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Popular Action or AP [Javier
DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
[Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]