People

Population: 26 111 110 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36% (male 4 745 363; female 4 589 017)

15-64 years: 60% (male 7 856 414; female 7 752 085)

65 years and over: 4% (male 535 566; female 632 665) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.97% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 26.69 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.81 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.15 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 43.42 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.97 years

male: 67.78 years

female: 72.25 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45% mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37% white 15% black Japanese Chinese and other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: Spanish (official) Quechua (official) Aymara

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 94.5%

female: 83% (1995 est.)