A country of western South America on the Pacific Ocean. Inhabited since at least the 9th millennium b.c., it was the center of an Incan empire established after the 12th century a.d. The Spanish under Pizarro conquered the empire in 1533 and set up in 1542 the viceroyalty of Peru, which at one time included Panama and all of Spanish South America except Venezuela. Peru achieved full independence from Spain in 1824. Lima is the capital and the largest city. Population: 23,088,000.
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