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Peru is located in western South America, bordering Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to
the east, Bolivia to the south-east, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Along the border with Bolivia lies Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world. The
Altiplano plateau is a dry basin located along the slopes of the Andes in southeastern Peru.
Along the border with Chile, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet. The Peruvian
Sea is home to a large amount and variety of fish life. |
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In addition to being known as the cradle of the Inca empire, Peru harbors many indigenous
ethnic groups, making it a major historical and cultural site. Like its rich national history,
the popular culture of contemporary Peru is the result of a fusion of cultures, constituted
primarily from the cultural legacy of the indigenous groups, and Spanish and African colonists. This
cultural mixture has been further enriched by the contributions of other immigrant groups,
particularly Asians and non-Iberian Europeans. |
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The art of Peru was shaped by the melting between Spanish and Amerindian cultures. During pre-Columbian
times, Peru was one of the major centers of artistic expression in The Americas, where Pre-Inca
cultures developed high-quality pottery, textiles, jewelry, and sculpture. Drawing upon earlier
cultures, the Incas continued to maintain these rafts but made even more impressive achievements
in architecture. The mountain town of Machu Picchu and the buildings at Cuzco are excellent
examples of Inca architectural design. During the colonial period, Spanish baroque fused with
the rich Inca tradition to produce mestizo art.
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