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| Official Name | República de Perú |
| Land Area | 1,285,216 sq km |
| Population | 29.46 million (2010 estimate, Peruvian National Institute of Statistics) |
| Capital City | Lima |
| Religion | Catholic (81.33%) (2007 census) |
| Official Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Peru Nuevos Soles |
| Exchange Rate | US$1 = 2.68 Nuevo Soles (March 2011)
NZ$1 = 1.98 Nuevos Soles |
|
Key Ministers - as at October 2010
| Agriculture: | Rafael Quevedo |
| Defence: | Jaime Thorne |
| Economy & finance: | Ismael Benavides |
| Education: | José Antonio Chang |
| Energy & mining: | Pedro Sánchez |
| Environment: | Antonio Brack |
| Foreign relations: | José Antonio García Belaunde |
| Health: | Oscar Ugarte |
| Housing, construction & sanitation: | Juan Sarmiento |
| Fernando Barrios | Octavio Edilberto Salazar |
| International trade & tourism: | Eduardo Ferreyros |
| Justice: | Rosario Fernandez |
| Labour: | Manuela Esperanza García |
| Production: | Jorge Villasante |
| Transport & communications: | Enrique Javier Cornejo |
| Women & social development: | Virginia Borra |
| Central Bank president: | Julio Velarde |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| GDP | |||
| Nominal GDP (US$ bn) | 127.6 | 125.5 | 133.8 |
| Nominal GDP (Ns bn) | 373 | 391 | 419 |
| Real GDP growth (%) | 9.8 | 1.3 | 2.5 |
| Expenditure on GDP (% real change) | |||
| Private consumption | 8.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
| Government consumption | 3.9 | 9.4 | 7.2 |
| Gross fixed investment | 24.8 | -4.1 | 1.2 |
| Exports of goods & services | 8.2 | -6.9 | 1.3 |
| Imports of goods & services | 19.9 | -7.7 | 1.2 |
| Origin of GDP (% real change) | |||
| Agriculture | 6.7 | 2.1 | 3.5 |
| Industry | 8 | -2.5 | 3.2 |
| Services | 11 | 2.8 | 2.1 |
| Population and income | |||
| Population (m) | 29.1 | 29.4 | 29.8 |
| GDP per head (US$ at PPP) | 8,458 | 8,517 | 8,644 |
| Recorded unemployment (av; %) | 8.1 | 9 | 8.7 |
| Fiscal indicators (% of GDP) | |||
| Public-sector balance | 2.3 | -1.6 | -0.5 |
| Public-sector debt interest payments | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| Net public debt | 24.5 | 25 | 23.9 |
| Prices and financial indicators | |||
| Exchange rate Ns:US$ (end-period) | 3.14 | 3.12 | 3.16 |
| Exchange rate ¥:Ns (end-period) | 28.92 | 30.73 | 29.77 |
| Consumer prices (av; % change) | 5.8 | 4.1 | 3.1 |
| Producer prices (av; % change) | 8.9 | 1 | 2.5 |
| Stock of money M1 (% change) | 10.5 | 4.8 | 7.3 |
| Stock of money M2 (% change) | 23.2 | 9.9 | 5.9 |
| Lending interest rate (av; %) | 23.7 | 20 | 21.5 |
| Current account (US$ m) | |||
| Trade balance | 3,090 | -2,103 | -1,612 |
| Goods: exports fob | 31,529 | 20,688 | 22,116 |
| Goods: imports fob | -28,439 | -22,791 | -23,728 |
| Services balance | -1,929 | -1,726 | -1,831 |
| Income balance | -8,144 | -6,158 | -6,458 |
| Current transfers balance | 2,803 | 3,042 | 3,245 |
| Current-account balance | -4,180 | -6,946 | -6,657 |
| External debt (US$ m) | |||
| Debt stock | 34,940 | 33,675 | 34,242 |
| Debt service paid | 5,451 | 5,215 | 4,415 |
| Principal repayments | 4,335 | 4,351 | 3,528 |
| International reserves (US$ m) | |||
| Total international reserves | 31,254 | 27,848 | 26,532 |
Source: IMF, International Financial Statistics. |
|||
| (c) Economist Intelligence Unit 2009 | |||
| NZ Exports (FOB) | NZ$ 43 million (for year ended June 2010) |
| Main Exports | Milk and cream NZ$11.31million |
| Malt extracts NZ$8.96 million | |
| Butter and other fats, oils derived from milk NZ$7.26million | |
| Buttermilk, curdled milk and cream, yoghurt, kepphir, NZ$3.74 million | |
| Games; funfair, table or parlour, articles including for casino games and bowling alley equipment NZ$0.94million | |
| NZ Imports (CIF) | NZ$ 21million (for year ended June 2010) |
| Main Imports | Furskin Apparel NZ$8.03million |
| Wooden railway sleepers NZ$6.9 million | |
| Boron Oxides, Boric acids NZ$0.96 million | |
| Fertilizer NZ$1.61million | |
| Prepared or preserved fish NZ$1.3million |
Source: Statistics New Zealand.
top of pagePeru is a focus country under the Government’s Latin America Strategy. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding establishing formal foreign policy talks in May 1998. The first two rounds of talks took place in Lima in June 2002 and July 2004, with further rounds in Wellington in November 2005 and in Lima in October 2006.
Trade has traditionally been a key element in the Peru-New Zealand relationship. Peru has been a significant market for New Zealand dairy products, although a recent decline in dairy exports has seen overall trade figures fall sharply as milk production has risen in Peru. Peru is New Zealand’s 4th largest export market in Latin America. New Zealand exports to Peru to the year to June 2010 were NZ$43, while New Zealand imports from Peru in the same period were NZ$21 million.
The Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP - better known as ‘P4’) between Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore was signed in 2005. Negotiations for an expanded agreement including the United States, Australia, Peru and Viet Nam began in March 2010. Malaysia joined the negotiations during the third round in Brunei in October 2010.
The fifth round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations took place in Santiago from 14 to 18 February. Further progress was made in developing chapter text, with text proposals now on the table in almost all chapters. In addition, the first discussions took place on the goods market access offers which had been exchanged before the round. A more detailed discussion on “horizontal issues” such as regulatory coherence and small and medium-sized enterprises will lead to text proposals ahead of the next round.
The sixth round of negotiations will be held in Singapore in late March. In advance of the round, countries have agreed to exchange requests for improvements in initial goods offers, as well as exchanging initial offers for services and investment, government procurement and product-specific rules of origin.
As was the case at the previous round, stakeholders will be able to make presentations on a number of issues and will have opportunities to interact with negotiators. A programme for stakeholders is being planned for the Singapore round.
As the negotiation intensifies, officials are planning a process for more detailed consultation in many areas in advance of the rounds in March and June.
Read more on the TransPac page of this website.
An agreement on cooperation in agricultural health matters between the Peruvian agricultural agency, SENASA, and the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture was signed in June 2002 during the visit by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Peru.
Peru was a signatory to the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalisation of International Air Transport, which entered into force in 2002, along with . However, Peru announced in 2004 its decision to withdraw from the agreement. New Zealand has since sought to re-activate an "open skies" air services agreement that was negotiated with Peru in 1999, but never signed.
top of pageIn October 2004 New Zealand soprano Dame Malvina Major gave a concert in Lima. In July 2006, Chief Executive of New Zealand’s national museum, TePapaTongarewa, Dr Seddon Bennington, visited Peru’s foremost museums to discuss potential cultural cooperation.
New Zealand tertiary training institute Unitec signed a statement of agreement with the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences in 2004.
AucklandUniversity (The APEC Studies Centre) has links with the Universidaddel Pacífico, which also hosts an APEC Study Centre.
Victoria University of Wellington ran a pilot English language training programme on behalf of New Zealand’s Agency for International Development for 30 Peruvian government officials in 2006-07. There were 37 fee-paying Peruvians studying in New Zealand in 2007.
New Zealand contributed to a joint presentation with Peru at the January 2008 APEC preparatory symposium in China on the theme 'Education to Achieve 21st Century Competencies and Skills for All'.
New Zealand and Peru signed a working holiday agreement during the APEC leaders’ meeting in Peru in November 2008. The scheme came into effect from 1 August 2009 and enables 100 young Peruvians and New Zealanders to travel to the other country each year to travel, study (one or more courses of up to 3 months’ duration) and work to finance their travel (for up to 3 months with the same employer).
top of pageNew Zealand and Peru are both members of APEC and the Cairns Group and cooperate where there are shared interests in the World Trade Organisation and United Nations.
In 1989 Peru acquired the status of Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party with support.
An agreement for technical cooperation on fisheries between Peru’s Maritime Institute (IMARPE) and the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (IGNS) was signed in May 1998.
In 2005 IMARPE signed a cooperation agreement with New Zealand NGO Southern Seabirds Solutions to mitigate by-catch of seabirds in fishing practice.
Peru recently participated in the negotiations to establish a South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation.
Peru and New Zealand are cooperating to address greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector through the Livestock Emissions and Abatement Research Network (LEARN) and as members of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
During the late 1970s New Zealand funded a pasture development project in the highlands of southern Peru based around the town of Puno. Current development assistance includes post-graduate scholarships for Peruvian students to study in New Zealand, short term training awards, and a head of mission fund for small-scale, community-based projects. In July 1999 the Government waived outstanding debts of US$5million as a result of trade credits extended in the 1970s.
A revised Latin America Development Programme of the New Zeland Aid Programme includes the Andean sub-region of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador as one of its areas of focus, with thematic priorities being sustainable rural development and good governance. The programme is supporting two multilateral agencies who are working to improve the livelihoods of poor farming communities in Andean Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador:
Several New Zealand ministers and senior officials have visited Peru during its hosting of APEC in 2008. Prime Minister John Key attended the APEC Leaders Summit meeting in Lima in November 2008, together the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Murray McCully and Minister of Trade, Hon Tim Groser, who also attended the APEC Annual Ministers Meetings held immediately prior to the Leaders’ Summit. Hon Chris Carter, MinisterofEducation attended the APEC Education Ministers in Lima in June. Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Trade, visited Arequipa in May 2008 to attend the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting. Mr Ray Salter, CEO of the MinistryofTourism, attended the APEC Tourism Ministers’ meeting also in Lima in April 2008.
Hon Jim Sutton, Roving Ambassador for Trade, visited Lima in October 2006 to encourage Peru to consider accession to the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (P4).
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hon Phil Goff visited Peru in January 2002. Minister Goff made a joint declaration on bilateral cooperation with his Peruvian counterpart, Diego Garcia-Sayan, and signed an agreement on Antarctic cooperation with Peru.
Hon. Jim Sutton, Minister of Agriculture and Minister for Trade Negotiations attended the Presidential Inauguration of Alejandro Toledo in July 2001.
Prime Minister Shipley visited Peru in May 1999 as part of an APEC focused visit to Chile, Peru and Mexico. Minister for International Trade, Dr. Lockwood Smith, visited Peru in July 1999, and Minister of Agriculture John Luxton visited in August 1999.
Foreign Minister Rt Hon Don McKinnon’s visit to Peru in May 1998 was the first ever visit there by a New Zealand Foreign Minister.
Vice Minister of Trade, Eduardo Ferreyros, visited New Zealand as the Prime Minister Fellow from Peru in June 2009. Minister Ferreyros has since been appointed Minister of Trade.
The National Director of SENASA visited New Zealand in April 2006 to hold talks with Biosecurity New Zealand and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Foreign Minister de Trazegnies met with New Zealand Foreign Minister McKinnon in Wellington in January 1999 after attending a Ministerial-on-Ice in Antarctica, and both President Fujimori and de Trazegnies returned to in September 1999 for the APEC meetings in Auckland.
President Fujimori made the first State visit by a Peruvian President to in June 1998.
top of pageThe New Zealand Embassy in Chile is also responsible for Peru [external link].
The Peruvian Embassy in Australia is responsible for New Zealand [external link].
top of page
The New Zealand government's Safe Travel website has comprehensive travel information including advice on the safety and security of travel to Peru [external link].
Further enquiries may be directed to:
Consular Division
Tel: +64 4 439 8000
Fax: +64 4 439 8532
cons@mfat.govt.nz
[1] Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu) "Old Mountain" is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level in the Southern Peru.
Photo courtesy of outdoorbound.com
