Inca Civilization

The Inca civilization was the largest Pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas and Cusco was its capital. The best kept example of its architecture is Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

The Sacred City is one of the most significant archeological sites left by the Incas

Culture

Fascinating culture and Inca heritage of this beautiful country

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. It occupies an important place in Inca mythology.

Animals of Peru

Animals in Peru have specialized and adapted to the conditions of its geography. At higher altitude levels, few animals and plants can survive because of the lack of oxygen.

Home » The Rainforest

The rubber boom

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From the 1890s to the 1920s rubber from the Peruvian jungle was in high demand, it was used to produce tires for automobiles, waterproof shoes and clothes.

Rubber tree

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Foreign companies settled in the city of Iquitos, Peru from where they controlled the extraction of rubber. In 1851 Iquitos had a population of 200 and by 1900 its population reached 20,000. In the 1860s, approximately 3,000 tons of rubber was being exported annually and by 1911 annual exports had grown to 44,000 tons, representing 9.3% of Peru’s exports.

Thousands of native Indians worked as rubber tappers, removing the sap from the trees. They worked in harsh slavery conditions and they were not paid fairly. They were also the victims of foreign diseases that killed about 40,000 native workers.

By the end of the 1920s rubber was being produced cheaper in Ceylon and India, English companies moved their production to these locations and abandoned the Peruvian Amazonian jungle bringing the rubber boom to an end. Hundreds of local families were plunged into poverty.

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Related information

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Peru’s Amazon Jungle and Rain Forest

More than three quarters of the Peruvian territory lies east of the Andes. The jungle or Selva has two parts, the high and the low Selva.

Rainforest Economy

Mining and oil extraction are very controversial economic activities as they bring wealth and economic development but pollute the environment.

The amazing Amazon River

In terms of volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world, it contains one fifth of the earth’s fresh water.

Amazon River Ecosystem and Biodiversity

The Amazon river is home to many species of animals and many of them are in danger of extinction. Some of them are the pink dolphin, the Amazonian manatee and the giant river otter.

Peru’s forest Indians

Economic development is taking its toll among native Indians, many of them have fled deep inside the jungle, some have died of starvation and others have adapted to modern live.

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