Study Abroad in Peru

The former Spanish colony of Peru offers great history the experience during your study abroad program. Find study abroad programs in Peru!

Peru's extraordinary diversity allows students to experience the best of South America from the country's rich indigenous culture to its engrossing Spanish colonial history and modern complexity. Peru is also known for diversity from its amazing biological marvels to its turbulent political tradition.

Peru's higher education system is heavily centered in the nation's capital of Lima. Lima boasts South America's oldest university, the Universidad Nacional Mayor De San Marcos, which was founded in 1551 and still operates today as a state-financed institution. Modern Lima also offers numerous private institutions such as Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Major public universities include Universidad Nacional Agrario - UNA (National Agrarian University) and Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (National Engineering University). The Universidad de Lima is also popular, and the most prestigious medical school is the private Cayetano Heredía in Lima.

While Lima has the highest concentration of universities in the country, Cuzco is also an extremely popular destination for study abroad students, particularly those interested in archaeology, history, art, culture, and the Incas. Cuzco was the center of the Inca empire and is the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent, as well as an excellent starting point for a trek to the well preserved sacred city of Machu Picchu. Cuzco provides a rich tapestry of the cultures that have inhabited the city over time from the Incas to the Spanish conquistadors to its modern mix of people groups.

Peru also provides varied opportunities for students of biology and related fields with one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, the Peruvian Amazon. The country has close to 1,200 plant and animal species and contains 84 of the world's 104 known bio-zones. Some of Peru's more stunning and unique geography includes its coastal deserts with rolling dunes punctuated by fertile valleys and oases. From its tropical rain forests to the amazing Andes mountains, Peru is one of the world's top 10 biodiversity 'hot spots.' Peru has 1,500 miles of Pacific coastline, and is the only country that shares borders with all other Andean states.

Peru has had a turbulent past. The Inca empire was uprooted by the arrival of Pizarro in the 1530s, and the Spanish subsequently controlled the country until the 1800s. After independence from Spain, Peru experienced many years of border disputes and wars with Ecuador and Chile, as well as uprisings from various guerilla groups and insurgencies, including the Maoist Shining Path. The election of President Alberto Fujimori in 1990 brought hopes for stability, but ended with more upheaval as Fujimori resigned and fled the country in 2000 after his intelligence adviser was charged with human rights violations and corruption. The next president, Alejandro Toledo, was the country's first indigenous president. He faced many challenges in improving Peru's economy and controlling rebels. The country prospered under Toledo's leadership. After his term, he left Peru and became a fellow of the Center for Advanced Studies at Stanford University in California. He was succeeded in office by Alan Garcia Pérez, who had served a previous term (1985-1990) as Peru's president. That term was marked by an economic crisis, social unrest and violence. He lost to Toledo in a runoff in 2001, but regained Peru's presidency in 2006.

Both the turbulence and diversity of Peru's history influence its literary and artistic traditions today. The country's literature encompasses the indigenous texts of the past while embracing the modern in a body of renowned contemporary works including the acclaimed novels by Mario Vargas Llosa. Similarly, textiles that historically were ritual objects serve today as a means of communicating identity and status. More than 50 distinct groups of indigenous people live in Peru today, and the Quechua culture and language remain strong in the Andes. Beyond just art or literature, their influence extends to farming, music, folklore and architecture. Peru's population of 26 million is divided almost equally between the subsistence agriculture of the inland regions and the wealthier, more cosmopolitan culture of the fertile river valleys of the lowlands.

Modern Peru offers biological diversity and cultural depth that can be found in few other places in the world. However, it also struggles to overcome political and economic challenges and turmoil. All these factors make Peru an intriguing and fulfilling destination for study abroad.

ONLINE RESOURCES
IIEPassport.org: http://www.IIEPassport.org
Portal del Estado Peru (Spanish): http://www.peru.gob.pe/
Commission for the Promotion of Peru - PromPerú: http://www.peru.info/perueng.asp
iAgora.com: http://www.iagora.com/
WorldInfoZone.com: http://www.worldinfozone.com
CIA Factbook: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com