Peru
Perú
Waiting for the first voice
تا مرد سخن نگفته باشد / عیب و هنرش نهفته باشد
Until a man has spoken, his faults and his gifts both stay hidden.
No advice from here yet. Know an elder from this country? Your recording could be the first: 2–3 minutes on a phone.
Did you know
Over 4,000 native potato varieties are grown in the Andean highlands, where Peru lies. (source)
Elders in numbers
- of people are 65 or older
- 9.5%
- people aged 65 or older
- 3.3M
- will be 65 or older in 2050
- 17.7%
- is how long people live after 60, on average
- 23.1 years
- of people 65+ live alone
- 15.2%
- women 15.5%, men 14.8%
- of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like
- 1.7%
Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2017; UN, 2017 census
Languages
96 languages, 83 of them endangered
- ArabelaCritically endangered
- CauquiCritically endangered
- CocamaCritically endangered
- HuachipaeriCritically endangered
- IñapariCritically endangered
- IquitoCritically endangered
- IsconahuaCritically endangered
- JeberoCritically endangered
- OcainaCritically endangered
- OrejónCritically endangered
- ResígaroCritically endangered
- TaushiroCritically endangered
Show all 96
- Yauyos–Chincha QuechuaCritically endangered
- ZáparoCritically endangered
- Cajatambo North Lima QuechuaSeverely endangered
- CapanahuaSeverely endangered
- Chiquián Ancash QuechuaSeverely endangered
- JaqaruSeverely endangered
- Lamas QuechuaSeverely endangered
- Nüpode HuitotoSeverely endangered
- Pacaraos QuechuaSeverely endangered
- Panao QuechuaSeverely endangered
- Shawsha WankaSeverely endangered
- AchuarDefinitely endangered
- AmahuacaDefinitely endangered
- AmarakaeriDefinitely endangered
- AshéninkaDefinitely endangered
- AxinincaDefinitely endangered
- Cajamarca QuechuaDefinitely endangered
- CashinahuaDefinitely endangered
- Chachapoyas QuechuaDefinitely endangered
- Chincha QuechuaDefinitely endangered
- CulinaDefinitely endangered
- HuambisaDefinitely endangered
- KakataiboDefinitely endangered
- Lambayeque QuechuaDefinitely endangered
- MachiguengaDefinitely endangered
- MatsésDefinitely endangered
- Minica HuitotoDefinitely endangered
- Murui HuitotoDefinitely endangered
- NomatsiguengaDefinitely endangered
- Perené AshéninkaDefinitely endangered
- Peruvian Sign LanguageDefinitely endangered
- Pichis AshéninkaDefinitely endangered
- SecoyaDefinitely endangered
- South Ucayali AshéninkaDefinitely endangered
- Ucayali–Yurúa AshéninkaDefinitely endangered
- UrarinaDefinitely endangered
- YaguaDefinitely endangered
- Yanahuanca Pasco QuechuaDefinitely endangered
- Yanesha'Definitely endangered
- YineDefinitely endangered
- YucunaDefinitely endangered
- AguarunaVulnerable
- Ambo-Pasco QuechuaVulnerable
- AsháninkaVulnerable
- BoraVulnerable
- Candoshi-ShapraVulnerable
- CaquinteVulnerable
- Central AymaraVulnerable
- ChayahuitaVulnerable
- Corongo Ancash QuechuaVulnerable
- Cusco QuechuaVulnerable
- Ese EjjaVulnerable
- Huallaga QuechuaVulnerable
- Huamalíes-Dos de Mayo Huánuco QuechuaVulnerable
- Huaylas QuechuaVulnerable
- Inmaculada Sign LanguageVulnerable
- Margos-Yarowilca-Lauricocha QuechuaVulnerable
- Mashco PiroVulnerable
- NantiVulnerable
- Napo Lowland QuechuaVulnerable
- North Junín QuechuaVulnerable
- Northern Conchucos Ancash QuechuaVulnerable
- Northern Pastaza QuichuaVulnerable
- Nueva Vida Maijuna Sign LanguageVulnerable
- SharanahuaVulnerable
- ShipiboVulnerable
- ShuarVulnerable
- Sihuas Ancash QuechuaVulnerable
- Sivia Sign LanguageVulnerable
- Southern Conchucos Ancash QuechuaVulnerable
- TicunaVulnerable
- Amazonic Spanish
- Arequipa-La Unión Quechua
- Ayacucho Quechua
- Eastern Apurímac Quechua
- Lowland Peruvian Quechua
- North Bolivian Quechua
- Portuguese
- Puno Quechua
- Southern Aymara
- Spanish
- Waylla Wanka
- Yaminawa
- Yora
Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.
UNESCO intangible heritage
- Sarawja, Aimara music and dance of Moquegua2025
- Practices and meanings associated with the preparation and consumption of ceviche, an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine2023
- Pottery-related values, knowledge, lore and practices of the Awajún people2021
- ‘Hatajo de Negritos’ and ‘Hatajo de Pallitas’ from the Peruvian south-central coastline2019
- Traditional system of Corongo’s water judges2017
- Wititi dance of the Colca Valley2015
- Festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria of Puno2014
- Knowledge, skills and rituals related to the annual renewal of the Q’eswachaka bridge2013
Show all 15
- Esuwa, Harakbut sung prayers of Peru’s Wachiperi people2011
- Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllurit’i2011
- Huaconada, ritual dance of Mito2010
- Scissors dance2010
- Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage of Aymara communities in Bolivia, Chile and Peru2009
- Oral heritage and cultural manifestations of the Zápara people2008
- Taquile and its textile art2008
List and years: ich.unesco.org
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