📜 A long story
Peru, 1800 → today
Peru grew from 1.27 million in 1800 to 33.9 million; a newborn can expect 40.7 more years of life than in 1940, and output per person is 12× its 1800 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 1.27 million people lived in Peru.
1900
3.66 million people.
2.9× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1844.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 20% between 1852 and 1860 (3.18 million → 2.54 million).
1950
7.68 million people.
2.1× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1940.
2023
33.9 million people, the latest year in this series.
4.4× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1968.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 1998.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1940
In 1940, a newborn in Peru could expect to live 37 years, on average.
2023
77.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+41 years since 1940
Passed 40 years in 1950 (no data between 1940 and 1950, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 50 years in 1959.
Passed 60 years in 1980.
Passed 70 years in 2001.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 8.1 years between 1969 and 1970 (55.8 years → 47.7 years).
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1800
In 1800, Peru produced about Int$1,060 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$1,080.
about the same as in 1800
The sharpest fall in the data: down 58% between 1876 and 1883 (Int$1,790 → Int$760).
1950
Int$3,680.
3.4× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1922.
2022
Int$12,800, the latest year in this series.
3.5× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1963.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 2012.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1856
In 1856, fossil fuels and industry in Peru emitted about 0.018 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.1 t.
4.3× the 1856 level
Reached twice the 1856 level in 1864.
Reached 5 times the 1856 level in 1870.
Reached 10 times the 1856 level in 1872.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 78% between 1872 and 1880 (0.2 t → 0.042 t).
1950
0.6 t.
7.6× the 1900 level
Reached 20 times the 1856 level in 1908.
Reached 50 times the 1856 level in 1925.
2024
2.1 t, the latest year in this series.
3.5× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Peru had spent 0.03 years in school, on average.
1900
0.2 years.
+0.19 years since 1870
1950
2.9 years.
+2.7 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1935.
2015
9.6 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.7 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1970.
Passed 6 years in 1980.
Passed 8 years in 1995.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).