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Peru’s global dynamics

Peru's history is one of many ancient civilisations, including the Incas, who were then colonised by the Spaniards. To this day, it carries a strong indigenous heritage.

Today, it is considered a middle-income country because of its GDP per capita. However, measures of health, life expectancy, child mortality, are also relevant to contextualise it.

Peru has a fast-growing economy, natural resource reserves, and rich cultural heritage.

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GDP per capita in 2019 (US$): UK and Peru.

Life expectancy in 2019 (age): UK and Peru.

World Bank, 2021

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World Bank, 2021

Global GDP per capita in 2019 (US$): UK, Spain, World, Peru, Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Piura’s socioeconomic characteristics

Poverty in Cristo Nos Valga (population 4,300): poverty: 61.9%, extreme poverty: 16.7%
Social exclusion in the Sechura province (population 79,177): 40-60%
Regional outmigration in the department of Piura: 3rd highest in the country.

Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, 2013; IOM, 2015.

El Comercio, 2022

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Exposure to natural hazards

Peru faces multiple natural hazards including volcanoes, earthquakes, and the floods brought by the El Niño phenomenon.

Peru is the third in the list of countries that will be most affected by climate change worldwide.

Tyndall Centre, 2013.

Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty

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Peru and the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Peru exceptionally hard as it faced the highest death rates per capita.

This is because of a weak health system and few solutions adapted to local contexts.

Taylor, 2021.

The Guardian, 2021; The Guardian, 2021

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Section 2: �What is the El Niño Phenomenon?

Met Office, 2014

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Sea surface temperatures

Nasa, 2014

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Section 3: El Niño in Northern Peru

Sentinel satellite imagery

February 2017

09/02/2017

March 2017

23/03/2017

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The El Niño Phenomenon benefits the communities in northern Peru

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The water fills the lakes, increasing fish populations and fishing.

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The water irrigates the land for agriculture.

Corn, sweet potato, pumpkin, beans, etc.

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More vegetation helps to feed livestock.

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By-products include syrup (from carob trees), honey (apiculture), and wood.

Pacio, 2014

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Economic growth increases the quality of life through subsistence and exports.

Subsistence: products for own consumption.

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Residents are more prepared for the next phenomenon.

They can anticipate necessary responses, including commercial ones.

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Section 4: The disaster narrative

Google, 2022

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However...

We have seen that this is not 100% true for El Niño in northern Peru.

Yes, residents experience the negative impacts of flooding,

BUT

these rains also bring long-term abundance to local communities.

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Conclusions

Peru faces challenges but is also rich in history and natural resources.
The El Niño phenomenon causes floods in the western countries of South America.
In northern Peru, these floods are beneficial.
Studying this experience will help people better prepare for and take advantage of floods.
This story of opportunities contradicts the usually negative “disaster narrative”.

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Next up...

In this chapter, you will learn more about different branches of geography, how they relate to the El Niño phenomenon in northern Peru, and how they are relevant to you.

We are going to be learning from many different sources of information, including videos that secondary students from northern Peru created for an educational programme.

You will also be learning about how to produce geographical knowledge, like real researchers!

So buckle down and let’s start learning!

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GDP and life expectancy data: World Bank Data [website]. Available at <https://data.worldbank.org/>.

Maps of World, n/a. Where is Peru [image] Available at: <https://www.mapsofworld.com/peru/peru-location-map.html>

El Comercio, 2022. Vea las postales desde Cristo Nos Valga - 1. [image] Available at: <https://elcomercio.pe/peru/piura/vea-postales-cristo-valga-296317-noticia/?foto=1>

Benavides, E. 2017. El Niño-fuelled flash floods and landslides hit parts of Lima last month. [image] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/apr/13/peru-prevent-floods-landslides-climate-change>

The Guardian, 2021. A worker digs a grave in the San Juan Bautista cemetary in Iquitos, Peru, in March. [image] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/01/peru-has-worlds-worst-per-capita-covid-toll-after-death-data-revised

The Guardian, 2021. The shantytown near Lima is home to Nilda Lopez. [Image] Avaliable at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/16/hidden-pandemic-peruvian-children-in-crisis-as-carers-die

Met Office, 2014. El Nino- What is it?. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPA-KpldDVc> [Accessed 17 May 2022].

NASA, 2014. 1997-1998 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies (SSTA). [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rPqIuXlWuA&ab_channel=NASAJPLPODAAC>.

Paico, J. 2014. Los algarrobos de Piura estan dejando de producir. [image] Avilable at: <los-algarrobos-de-piura-estan-dejando-de-producir>

Google, 2022. Google search 'disaster'. [Image] Available at: <disaster-Google.com>