Peru
Peru – the third largest country in South America – can be divided into three geographical regions: a) a narrow Pacific coast; b) a much wider central highlands, and c) the Amazon rainforest. Though the Pacific coast is mostly desert, it is home to Lima (the nation’s capital) as well as the majority of Peru’s Black population – the focus of BLAC FOUNDATION interest. A full 50% of the population is Native American, 33% is Mestizo and 12% profess to be white. The Afro-Peruvian population is said to comprise only 6% of the population most of whom live in El Carmen, Lima, and Zaña. Some, however, have migrated into the rain forest. For a great deal more about Afro-Peruvians see Dr. E. Powe’s The Black & Indigenous Lore of Bolivia, Perú and Ecuador .