Area: 27 sq mi

Elevation: 512 feet

Population: 6,886,308 (almost 8,000,000 including population of suburbs) The population is largely indigenous people and Mestizos with a noticeable influence from European (mainly Spanish), and Asian and African settlers.

Language: Spanish and Quecha are the official languages. Many other dialects exist in the jungle regions. English is spoken in major tourist areas of the city and surrounding area.

Religion: 90% Roman Catholic

Time: Greenwich Mean Time minus 5 hours: the equivalent of Eastern Standard time.

Currency: Peru's national currency is the nuevo sol S/, (or new sun), divided into 100 céntimos. Bills are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 soles. Coins are 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 céntimos and 1, 2, and 5 soles. Be careful not to confuse the 1-sol coin with the older and now worthless 1-inti coin. The recently introduced 2- and 5-sol coins are also confusingly similar.

Business Hours: Most banks are open from 9:30am to 4:00pm Mon - Fri. Some banks are open on Sat from 9:30am - 12:30 pm. Most museums are open Monday-Saturday 9-6. Some close at lunch, usually between 1 and 3 or 4 pm. Church hours are more irregular. Some are open to visitors only in the early morning, while others have hours similar to those of museums, except that they are also open on Sunday.

Entry requirements: A valid passport and a return ticket. Visas are not required for US citizens. There is a departure tax of approximately US $18 on international flights. It is important to set this aside even before arrival. The money should bein exact change; in cash. It is wise to place it with your travel documents in advance so that it won't be overlooked in the rush to pack and leave the country at the end of your stay.

Electricity: 200 volts AC, 60 Hz. Appliance plugs are compatible with both US and European type.

Climate: It seldom rains in the coastal desert area in and around Lima, but a dank, heavy fog called the garua coats Lima from June through December. Beyond Lima, coastal weather is clearer and warm. Average Temperatures (In Fahrenheit): High Low January - March 80 68 April - June 76 61 July - September 67 59 October - December 76 61

Packing:If you're doing business in Lima, you will need the same business attire you would wear in U.S. and European cities: for men, suits and ties, and for women, suits for day wear and cocktail dresses or other suitable dinner clothes. For sightseeing and leisure, casual clothing and good walking shoes are both desirable and appropriate. Very formal clothes are not required, even for evenings. Peruvians dress quite informally when they dine out, and often a sport jacket is sufficient for men even at very expensive restaurants. A smart pair of slacks or a skirt is always appropriate for women. Shorts are frowned upon everywhere except at the beach, and T-shirts should be worn only in very modest restaurants.

Travelers Checks: All major banks in Lima will cash travelers checks. So will American Express at the Lima Tours Office in Lima at Belén 1040. Cashing traveler checks outside of Lima is a more difficult and slower process. Telephones: All Lima pay telephones are operated by rins , metal tokens or phone cards which you can buy in corner shops or on the street in Lima Centro. Most corner shops also have a phone for public use. This usually costs little more than the price of the rin. International calls can be made from Telefonica Peru phone kiosks or in the main Lima Centro Telephone Office, near the corner of Wiese and Carabaya 933, on Plaza San Martin daily 8am-9pm.

International Direct Dialing: Country code: 51 City codes: Lima: 01 Outgoing international code: 00

International Calls: To dial direct, dial 00, then 1 for the United States and Canada, To make an operator-assisted international call, dial 108. For information inside Peru, dial 103. To reach an AT&T operator, dial 191. For MCI, dial 190. For Sprint, dial 176.

Fax: Telefonica del Peru offers a fax service throughout the country. Main hotels also have facilities and in the country, small public booths and services are found in commercial areas.

Mail: Postal facilities are limited outside of Lima. airmail to Western Europe takes up to one week. First-class airmail from Europe or North America and addressed to PO boxes in Peru usually takes four days or longer. The main post office Correo Central de Lima is near the Plaza de Armas and is open Mon through Sat from 8:00am to 8:00pm and Sundays 9am to 2:00pm.

Newspapers and other Publications:The daily newspaper El Comercio carries the most complete listing of activities in Lima. An English-language monthly, the Lima Times, is available at kiosks and at the publication's office Pasaje Los Pinos 156, Office B-6, Miraflores, 01/445-3761 or 01/446-9120, fax 01/446-7888; open weekdays 9-5, which also sells a selection of English-language books on Peru. The Peru Guide, an advertising monthly with tourist information, is available free at most major hotels.

Tipping: If a 13% service charge has been included, only a nominal tip is expected 2%-5% of the pretax bill; otherwise 5%-10% is sufficient in most restaurants. Porters in hotels and airports expect 50 cents-$1 per bag. There is no need to tip taxi drivers.

TV-Cable: There are nine TV channels in Lima which broadcast in Spanish. Major hotels also have international cable TV.

Public Holidays: Jan 1: New Year's Day. March or April: Holy Week. May 1: Labor Day. June 29: St. Peter and Paul. July 28 - 29: Independence Day. Aug. 30: St. Rosa of Lima. Oct. 8: Battle of Angamos. Nov. 1: All Saint's Day. Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception. Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Health: Before coming to Peru, all travelers should receive a typhoid vaccination, which consists of two injections given four weeks apart. The injections can be painful and cause a fever, so don't leave them until the last minute. Also make sure that as an adult you have had a polio booster, and that you have had a tetanus-diphtheria booster within the past 10 years. Hepatitis A is common in Peru; a vaccination either Havrix or Vaqta is now available. Drinking bottled water is recommended. Public water is chlorinated and relatively safe but may cause mild stomach upset. Be sure that meats and fish are well cooked, preferably served hot. Avoid pork, raw salads and mayonnaise as well as uncooked vegetables and unpeeled fruit. Avoid the food served by street vendors..

Safety: For accurate updates about Peru's political situation, contact the Peruvian Consulate 215 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016, 212/481-7410 or the Peruvian Embassy 1700 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, DC 20036, 202/833-9860. Also be sure to read the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet on Peru.

The Tourist Bureau of Complaints 24 hour hot line: 224-7888

Getting Around: Lima is divided into neighborhoods: Lima, also known as Centro, Miraflores, and Barranco. Walking is the best mode of travel within a neighborhood, but a taxi or bus is required to go the distance between neighborhoods. Regular buses, the school-bus-size micros, and the van-size combis offer frequent service, are inexpensive and stop at almost every corner. You must flag them down, but it is often difficult to know where they are going. If you're not sure, ask before you board. Combi drivers are notorious for their lack of driving skills, and their vehicles are usually uncomfortable and accident-prone.

Avoid driving in Lima if you can. Roads are poorly maintained and drivers follow few rules of the road. Parking lots charging about a dollar an hour are common and provide the best security. If you park on the street, get someone to guard your car. Usually, a child will approach offering "cuidar su carro" to look after your car. Pay him S/0.50-S/1 when you return and find your car intact. Driving is on the right, passing on the left. Speed limits are 25-35 kph (15-20 mph) in residential areas, 85-100 kph (50-60) mph on highways. You can drive in Peru with a foreign license for up to six months, after which time you will need an international driver's license. The Touring and Automobile Club of Peru emergency 01/440-3270 or 01/422-5957 will provide emergency road service for members of AAA and affiliates on presentation of their membership cards.

Cabs are plentiful and cheap. To recognize them, look for a plastic taxi sign on the windshield. Taxi fares need to be "negotiated " through bargaining with the driver in advance of the ride. There are no metered cabs. Ask the fare before you get in, and offer 10%-25% less. By road - The Pan American highway runs through the city linking it with all major coastal cities and bordering countries from Ecuador in the North, to Chile in the South.

By air Lima's international airport, Jorge Chavez, is the main hub for flights to the Andean countries from North America and Europe, and has connections to neighboring countries. It is located only 8 Km. 5 miles from downtown. The airport is a 30-minute ride from downtown Lima or the residential and hotel district of Miraflores. Cab fare to either area should be approximately $15, although hard bargaining can bring it down to $10. Sharing a taxi is common and will lower the fare. There are no meters, so make sure you fix the price before you get in. Transhotel Ricardo Palma 280, 01/446-9872 operates a shuttle to and from the airport, charging $10 for the first passenger and $2 for each additional passenger. The shuttle's hours of operation vary; it is most dependable as a means of transportation from town to the airport. Call for information..

By train - After climbing a steep cliff that is the world's highest, the Central Railway links Lima with cities in the Central Highlands Lima's main railway station, located downtown at 231 Ancosh Street, is the departure point of all local train services. The recently privatized PeruRail has timetables and ticket costs at: www.perurail.com

Typical Food and Drink in Lima, Peru

Aji de Galina - Shredded chicken in a spicy cheese sauce.

Antichuchos - Beef heart brochettes marinated in a spicy sauce.

Carapulcra Limena - A chicken and pork stew in a dry potato and ground peanut sauce.

Cau-Cau - Tripe stewed with cardamom.

Cebiche - Fish marinated in lemon juice, and served with corn-on-the-cob, sweet potato and finely sliced onions.

Conchitas a la Parmesana - Baked shellfish with Parmesan cheese and butter.

Coctel de Camarones - A shrimp and avocado entree.

Escabeche - Fried fish and pickled onions served with corn-on-the-cob, olives and hard-boiled eggs.

lomo Saltado - Beef sautee with onions and french fries. Served with rice.

Pachamanca - Meats and vegetables, baked over heated stone inside a hole in the ground.

Papa a la Huancaina - Boiled potatoes with a hot chili, cheese and milk dressing.

Seco de Ternera - Veal stew with fresh coriander.

Tropical Fruits - Mango, coconut, papaya, banana, pineapple, "chirimoya" custard apple, orange, apple, passion fruit, and guanabana.

Mazamorra Morada - A fruit custard dessert made with purple corn starch.

Picarones - Flour fritter served with molasses.

Suspiro de Limena - A sweet milk and eggs custard typical of Lima.

Turron de Dona Pepa - Cake-like dessert sweetened with honey, traditionally prepared during October.

Pisco Sour - Cocktail prepared with "pisco", a pure grape brandy-like Peruvian liquor, lemon and egg.

Drink chica de Jora - drink made from white corn.