Demography of Perú
The Peruvian population exists for 47% of pure Indians, 32% of mestizos, 12% whites and 3% Asians and Africans. Most Indians live in the Andes and Amazonia area, whites and mestizos mostly at the coast. On the social ladder the whites are still much higher, the mestizos after them and much lower the Indians. After Bolivia Peru is the country with the highest percentage of Indians.
The blacks are descendants of African slaves. Until 1810 about 800.000 Africans arrived in Peru. Most of them live in Chincha, south of Lima. The Asians arrived in Peru between 1850 and 1920 to build railways. Between 1876 and 1920 many Europeans settled in Peru: Italians, Spaniards, French, English and Germans.
General demographic information
- Birth rate in 2003: 22.81 per 1000
- Death rate in 2003: 5.69 per 1000
- Infant mortality in 2003: 37 per 1000 born alive
- Average life expectancy: 73.4 for women, 68.45 for men
- Population living in the cities: 72%
