Peru

Religion.

The Roman Catholic Church is protected by the Government. There are ten dioceses: Lima, (an archbishopric), Arequipa, Puno, Cuzco, Ayacucho, Huanuco, Huaraz, Trujillo, Cajamarca and Chachapoyas. Each diocese has its seminary for the education of the priesthood, that of Arequipa being renowned for its influence in church affairs. The church owns 3,552 mon asteries, churches, and other buildings. There is a Catholic uni versity in Lima. The city of Lima has produced two saints, St. Toribio, archbishop from 1578 to 16°6, and Santa Rosa, patron of Lima (1586-1616). Nine strictly religious festivals are public holidays. There are Anglican Churches in Lima and other cities.

Political Divisions.

Under the Spaniards the country was divided into intendencias, renamed "departments" by the republic (1821). Departments are sub-divided into provinces, and prov inces into districts. There are at present 20 departments (includ ing Tacna Libre), two littoral provinces and the constitutional province of Callao. The departments, with their areas, capitals and estimated populations are as follows:— Cities.—There are but five cities with over 15,000 inhabitants: Lima, Callao, Arequipa, Cuzco and Cerro de Pasco. On the coast, the largest settlements are not ports, but towns in the fertile val leys a few miles inland. Ports usually consist of offices and ware houses near the landing-stage on an open roadstead and a cluster of adobe houses. Towns in the sierra coincide with agriculturally productive areas, intermont basins (Cajamarca, Cuzco), or rich valleys (Huaraz, Huancavelica), except for mining communities. In the montana there are river ports, but only one town of impor tance (Iquitos). Towns are all built on the same plan—a quad rangular plaza surrounded by public buildings. The church is often a fine example of Spanish colonial architecture. The condi tion of the plaza is an index of the prosperity of the community. Streets, crossed by others at right angles, extend from it in parallel lines. The houses, usually of adobe, are built around courts, and are one or two storeys high, the second with a balcony encircling the patio. Windows overlooking the street are covered with iron grilles. Flat roofs characteristic of the coast are replaced in the sierra by high-pitched tile roofs.

Communications.

At the fall of the Inca dynasty there were two longitudinal highways from Cuzco to Quito, each about 2,000 m. long, one in the sierra, one along the coast, and many cross roads. But as these were destroyed or allowed to fall into decay by the Spaniards, Peru has been for the last 400 years practically without roads. The programme of construction authorized by

Congress in March 1920 is of first importance in a country where the natural resources of adjacent regions are so unlike that they are mutually dependent. This plan included the construction of two longitudinal trunk-lines, one in the sierra, one along the coast, and a series of cross-roads, thus reverting to the plan of the Incas. More than £P400,000 was voted for road construction in 1926, and £P7oo,000 in 1927. Every citizen must give direct or in direct road service. In 1926 there were 6,600 m. in use, and 5,398 m. under construction. The coast road from Zarumilla to Mol lendo is actually in use throughout a distance of 1,50o m., includ ing the environs of Lima, where more than 10o m. of modern asphalt and concrete paving has already been laid. The sierra road is much less advanced. Finished sections include those in the Huaraz valley, Huanuco to Huancayo and Pampas, and Cuzco to Desaguadero, more than 400 m. in all. Transverse roads ascending the rocky quebradas from the coast end either at sierra towns or cross to river ports of the montana. Of the latter, the most im portant unites the port of Paita with Yurimaguas on the Huallaga, which is in constant communication with Iquitos and the Atlantic.

The first South American railway, between Lima and Callao, was opened in 1851, the first line of penetration, between Mol lendo and Arequipa, in 1869. The next few years were the golden age of construction. The War of the Pacific put an end to this ac tivity in 1879. In 1926, there were 2,523 m. of railways of various gauges, 8o% of which were under the management of the Peruvian Corporation, Limited. The two most important systems are the Central (259 m.) and Southern (569 m.). The Central Railway runs from Callao to Oroya, thence south to Huancayo and Huan cavelica. Between Lima and Oroya, there are 65 tunnels and 67 bridges and the divide is crossed at 15,665 feet. It is the highest standard-gauge railway in the world ; its construction, begun by Meiggs, was a famous engineering feat. (See CERRO DE PASCO.) The Southern railway runs from Mollendo to Lake Titicaca, 326 m., and connects with steamers to Bolivia. The highest point is Crucero Alto (14,666 ft.). A branch from Juliaca runs to Cuzco (2I0 m.). The Peruvian Corporation operates several lines from seaports to towns a few miles inland. 0633,070 were spent on construction in 1926 as against £P484,9oo in 1925. Power for electric traction and light for Lima is supplied by the Rimac.