Peru

[puh-roo]

noun

1. Spanish Perú. a republic in western South America. 496,222 sq. mi. (1,285,215 sq. km). Lima.

2. a city in north-central Indiana.

3. a city in northern Illinois.

Peru

/ pəˈruː /

noun

1. a republic in W South America, on the Pacific: the centre of the great Inca Empire when conquered by the Spanish in 1532; gained independence in 1824 by defeating Spanish forces with armies led by San Martín and Bolívar; consists of a coastal desert, rising to the Andes; an important exporter of minerals and a major fishing nation. Official languages: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Official religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: nuevo sol. Capital: Lima. Pop: 29 849 303 (2013 est). Area: 1 285 215 sq km (496 222 sq miles)

Peru

1. Republic in western South America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Ecuador to the northwest, Colombia to the northeast, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Its capital and largest city is Lima.

Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire, which flourished from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. The remains of the empire include the fabled stone fortress of Machu Picchu.

Achieved independence from Spain in 1821.

Other Word Forms

• Peruvian adjective
• non-Peruvian adjective

Example Sentences

Peru's ousted president Dina Boluarte on Friday insisted that she would not seek to claim asylum elsewhere, after prosecutors had asked the courts to prevent her from leaving the country.

Read more on Barron's

Peru's former president Dina Boluarte-- who was removed from office by lawmakers and is facing multiple probes for corruption and abuse of power -- said Friday she would not attempt to seek asylum abroad.

Read more on Barron's

In a statement, the public prosecutor's office asked that Boluarte be barred from leaving Peru while under investigation on charges including money laundering.

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Landing in Peru in 1531, during the Inca Civil War, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro found the Inca Road an ideal conduit for seizing the empire and draining it of its treasure.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In an address on national television following the vote, Boluarte questioned the implications it would have on the stability of Peru's democracy.

Read more on BBC