Tierra Unica

Happy Birthday Peru! - ¡Feliz Cumpleaños Perú!

Today is the 188th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Peru from Spain!  But it has over 10,000 years of scientifically verified history.  The domestication of the potato in Peru has been verified by European and American scientists to be 8,000 years before Christ!

From Alaska, USA to Tierra de Fuego, Argentina, Peru is the oldest civilization in all the Americas.  In northern Peru, Caral has been verified by European scientists to be over 2,000 years older than the oldest Mayan civilization in Guatemala and Southern Mexico.

In Latin America, Peru has no rival when it comes its archaeological, biological, historical, religious (Catholicism) and culture influence (especially in South America).  When it comes to its historical alliance to Spain, the Viceroyalty of Peru or Viceroyalty of New Castile (el Virreinato del Peru o el Virreinato de Nuevo Castilla) was the largest, richest, and most powerful viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire from the 15th, 16th, and 17th century.  Lima, Peru was capital of practically all of South America, including Brazil!                   

In world significance, Peru's ancient civilizations are as old as Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), Egypt, China, and India.

On a global scale, Peru is by far the most biologically diverse country in the world with the most animals, fishes, incests, birds, and plant species in the Peruvian Amazon (lowland & highland jungles), tropical Andes, Andean glaciers, and coastal deserts.

Here, in high-definition (HD), is the national anthem of Peru with spectacular scenery of present day Peru.  The anthem is not well known like the U.S., French, or English one; but if you hear it to its entirety you will come to the conclusion that it has to be among the most beautiful anthems.

Listen to the instrumental version in the 1st-half and then listen in the 2nd-half to the vocal version by Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez, argumentatively the best tenor in the world today and heir to Spanish great Placido Domingo.         

Happy Birthday Peru! - ¡Feliz cumpleaños Perú!

Peruvian Anthem in HD cinemascope 2.35:1 ratio - Stereo Sound.  New comprehensive English translation subtitles.   See spectacular scenery of Machu-Picchu, the Peruvian coast, Lima and other inland places.  Peru - a large Latin American republic in the mid-west of South America on the equator and south of the equator.

Map of Peru during most of the colonial era - Virreinato/Virreynato del Perú Viceroyalty of Peru - The "Peruvian Empire" so to speak.  Quote - "If Spain is the motherland of Latin America, Peru is the motherland of South American."  Originally stated by King Juan Carlos of Spain in 2007 and later used by current President of Peru, Dr. Alan Garcia in 2008.   

Present day Peru, Central and South America.
 
Juan Diego Florez and his wife, fashion model Julia Trappe.

Happy Birthday Peru - Feliz Cumpleaños Peru!

From San Francisco, California;

Happy Birthday Peru - If Spain is the motherland of Latin America, Peru is the motherland of South America!

Castillano/Spanish:

"Feliz Cumpleaños Peru - Si España es la Madre Tierra de America Latina, Peru es la Madre Tierra de America del Sur!"

Even though it is not well known globally like our American, or French, or English anthem, the Peruvian National Anthems is definitely right up there among the best in the world.  Listen and hear it for yourself.  Also look at the imagery of that beautiful country:

A vocal and instrumental version of the Peruvian National Anthem sung by the Peruvian Juan Diego Florez, argumentally the best tenor in the world today.   

"Himno Nacional del Peru cantado por Juan Diego Florez":

Juan Diego Florez and his wife, German fashion model Julia Trappe:

The Forez's wedding gala on April 5, 2008 at the Lima National Cathedral, Peru.  A celebrity marriage between Europe & South America:

 

Peruvian National Flag:

Map of the Peru during the first part of the colonial era in the 16th century called Viceroyalty of Peru (aka: Viceroyalty of New Castilla).  This was an era where Spain also controlled the other great empire, Portugal.  Hence, Spain controlled most of Brazil through Peru.  Peru was the largest and richest viceroyalty in the history of the Spain Empire - the first global empire in world history where "The Sun Never Sets". 

In the  15th and 16th centuries, Spain was in the vanguard of European global exploration and colonial expansion. Spain opened trade routes across the oceans, with trade flourishing across the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and America and across the Pacific Ocean between Asia-Pacific and Mexico via the Philippines.  Conquistadors toppled the Aztec and Inca civilizations, and laid claim to vast stretches of land in North and South America. For a time, the Spanish Empire was the foremost global power, dominating the oceans with its experienced navy and ruling the European battlefield with its infantry (tercios). Spain enjoyed a cultural golden age in the 16th and 17th centuries.  During this era, the Spain Empire ruled most of Western Europe (Portugal, Italy, Holland, Austria, etc.).  

Map of Peru during most of the colonial era - Virreinato/Virreynato del Perú
Viceroyalty of Peru - The "Peruvian Empire" so to speak:

Present day Peru, Central and South America:

 

 PERU:

The Republic of Peru is a country in western South America.  It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico civilization, the oldest civilization in all of the Americas and one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies.  After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing.

Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions. Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin.  It is a developing country with a medium Human Development Index score and a poverty level around 40%. Its main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing of products such as textiles.

The Peruvian population, estimated at 29 & half million, is multi-ethnic, including Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians.  The main spoken language is Spanish, although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua or other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions has resulted in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as art, cuisine, literature, and music.