Airport
Domestic and international flights arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport, Airport code: LIM, located in the Constitutional Province of the Callao, about 20 minutes from Lima ($18 by cab). Carriers include: Aerocontinente, Aeroperu, American Airlines, United, Continental, Saeta, Mexicana, Aeromexico. Aerolineas Argentinas, Copa, Avianca, KLM, British Airways, Varig, Lloyd Aero Boliviano, Avensa, Challenge Cargo, Ecuatoriana, Lacsa, Lan Chile, and Lufthansa.

Visas
Passport needed. Visas are required only from the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Russia, Pakistan, India, and China. Vaccines are necessary only if travelers are visiting areas where there is an epidemic such as yellow fever and hepatitis B.
Most travelers do not need visas; most nationals are granted a 90-day stay and it can be extended

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Currency
The local currency is the Nuevo Sol. One Nuevo Sol is broken down into 100 céntimos (cents). Banknotes currently circulating include 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 Nuevos Soles, while there are coins for 1, 2 and 5 Nuevos Soles and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. At the time of this writing, the exchange rate (which can fluctuate daily) was 2.85 sols to the US dollar

Credit Cards
American Express, Visa, Master Card and Diners Club, are welcome in Peru. However not every establishment accepts all of them.
In case of needing cash you may use one of the numerous ATMs located all over the country.

Tipping
Most people leave about a 10% tip for the wait staff in restaurants. In nicer restaurants that add a 10% service charge, many patrons tip an additional 5% or a few coins for good service (because little if any of that service charge will ever make it to the waiter's pocket). Taxi drivers are not usually tipped unless they provide additional service. Bilingual tour guides should be tipped

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Useful Numbers
Area Code: 01
Lima - General Emergency 011/5114 -
Tourist Police 01/225 8698 or 01/225 8699
Fligth Information : +51 (1) 595-0666
Hospital: Alterta Medica - Av. Mexico 333, Lima, Ph 51-1-470-5000 All major credit cards accepted

Electricity
220V, 60Hz

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Health Risks
Altitude sickness, cholera, hepatitis, malaria (in the lowlands), rabies and typhoid. A yellow fever vaccination is essential if you plan to visit the eastern slopes of the Andes or the Amazonian Basin.
In order to avoid the most usual stomach upset you have to be careful with the water you drink. It is not recommended to drink water directly from the tap. It is advisable to drink only bottled or boiled water.

Time Zone
GMT/UTC: -5 hours

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Business Hours
Most stores are open from 9 or 10am to 12:30pm, and from 3 to 5 or 8pm. Banks are generally open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 4pm, though some stay open until 6pm. In major cities, most banks are also open Saturday from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Offices are open 8:30am to 12:30pm and 3 to 6pm, though many operate continuously from 9am to 5pm. Government offices are open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm and 3 to 5pm

Holidays
2008
1 Jan New Year's Day.
20 Mar Maundy Thursday.
21 Mar Good Friday.
1 May Labour Day.
29 Jun St Peter's and St Paul's Day.
28-29 Jul Independence Day Celebrations.
30 Aug St Rosa of Lima Day.
8 Oct Angamos Battle.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
8 Dec Immaculate Conception.
24 Dec Christmas Eve (half day).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
9 Apr Maundy Thursday.
10 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labour Day.
29 Jun St Peter's and St Paul's Day.
28-29 Jul Independence Day Celebrations.
30 Aug St Rosa of Lima Day.
8 Oct Angamos Battle.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
8 Dec Immaculate Conception.
24 Dec Christmas Eve (half day).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

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Climate
Lima has brilliant sunshine from December to May, when humidity goes up to 70 percent. The year-round temperature is characterized by a spring-like mildness.
From June to November the weather becomes cloudy and humidity reaches 90 percent. The sun, however, is always shining in Chosica - 15 miles to the east and 2600 feet above sea level.
Fall: Temperature approx. 15C. Begins in May.
Winter: Temperature approx. 13C. Begins in June.
Spring: Temperature approx. 17C. Begins in late September.
Summer: Temperature approx. 24C. Begins in December.

Clothing
Most Peruvian Natives live in the highlands and on the coast. Almost all highland Natives are farmers. Although most young people wear modern clothing, many of the older Natives wear traditional handwoven clothes.
Some people wear traditional clothing and some don't. Traditional clothing is hand made from woven cloth .Men and boys wear trousers and shirts. Some girl wear poncho's
There are different types of people here. There are teenagers that dress just like teenagers back home. There are old men that dress in formal suits. There are women from the country who dress in traditional clothing that has not changed much in many, many years. And there are children who dress in school uniforms almost every day of the week.

GDP Growth Rate
real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: $4,800 (2001 est.)

Inflation
6.7%

Imports
machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

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Exports
fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Trading Partners
USA, Japan, UK, China, Germany, Columbia

Industries
Pulp, paper, coca leaves, fishmeal, steel, chemicals, oil, minerals,cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding

Teledensity
7.3%

Government
Democracy

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Geography
The geography of the department of Lima is interesting, it being the most Andean one of the coast, since the Andes reach down to the shore in great altitude. The Cerro de Pasamayo reaches almost 1,000 meters in height, almost vertically over the Pacific Ocean. The Andes rise gigantically at less than 20 - 30 KM from the sea and its valleys form triangular inclined planes with peak encrusted in the Andes. They extent up to 40 KM in very few places.
Lima has several copious rivers, such as the Huaura, Pativilca, Chillón, Cañete and Rímac, this last one with a course of 160 KM, formed by its union with the Santa Eulalia near Chosica.
The sea at the department has some very beautiful bays, appropiate for ports such as the ones in Cerro Azul, Chancay and Huacho. Besides it has a great ictiologial richness, that is different from the ones in the northern and southern seas. Lima has in its Andean zone a great variety of minerals such as copper, silver, calcium and salt. Mines from Casapalca to San Mateo contain silver and copper. The coal zone of the central basin reaches Oyón, 100 KM from the sea.

Population
Peru: 28.7 million
Lima- 8 million

Ethnic Groups
54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (mixed European and Indian descent), 12% Spanish descent, 2% Black, Asian minority

Languages
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Literacy
88.70 %.

Religion
Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population