Economy and Religion of Perú
Economy
From way back the Peruvian economy depends strongly on export of products of agriculture, mining and fishery. The most important export products are copper, silver, sugar, fish and fish flour, coffee, cotton, coca and since some years crude.
The informal sector is very high, partly because of the high unemployment. A lot of people work as for example street vendor or taxi driver. Very important is the sea fishery with a value of 17% of Peru's total export value. Peru is after China the country with the biggest fish caught. Peru is the biggest producer of fish flour in the world.
Mining
Mining is of big importance for the Peruvian economy. It makes
sure half of the export value. Peru
is the second largest producer of silver and 6th when it comes to
copper and 4th with zinc, lead and tin.
The electricity comes for 75% from water turbines, but 35% of the
people don't have electricity.
Industry
Processing the primary products from agriculture, mining and fishery are very important, but also the production of transport goods, electronics and textile are becoming more important. The industrial sector still strongly depends on foreign capital. Important industrial centres are:
- Lima-Callao: The industrial centre of the country: Food supplies, drinks, tobacco, textile, electronics, glass, rubber and cement.
- Chimbote: Fish flour, fish oil, fish conserves and steel.
- Chiclayo: Sugar.
- Trujillo: Cars, tractors, machines, motors and sugar.
- Arequipa: Textile and dairy products
- Cusco: Textile and artificial manure.
- Ilo: Copper refining.
- La Oroya: Copper and zinc smelting, metallurgy.
- Nazca: Steel
Oil refinings in Talara, Lima, Tumbes, Iquitos, Conchán, Pucallpa and Bayóvar.
Import mostly exist of raw materials, semi-finished products, machines and food supplies.
Religion
Approximately 96% of the Peruvians is Roman-Catholic. By the constitution of 1933 there is freedom of religion in Peru. To reach all people the church services are done in Spanish, Quechua, Aymara and other dialects. Because pagan activities were forbidden in the colonial time, lots of old traditions and customs are mixed with Catholicism. The Catholic Church is prominently present in the schools in Peru and some universities are owned by the Catholic Church. About 3% of the Peruvians are Protestant.
