What are the Nazca Lines?

Huge drawings in the desert seen best from the air

Ancient stone roads leading east into the Amazon rainforest

Peru Quiz: Incas, the Andes and the Amazon Rainforest

This Peru quiz travels from the coastal capital Lima to Cusco, the old Inca capital, with questions on Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the mysterious Nazca Lines, the Amazon rainforest, the Quechua language, alpacas, potatoes and Peru's famous dish, ceviche. Ten questions, 90 seconds.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Capital
What is the capital of Peru?
History
Which city was the capital of the Inca Empire?
Lakes
Which lake, on the border between Peru and Bolivia, is one of the highest navigable lakes in the world?
Mysteries
What are the Nazca Lines?
Food
Which dish of raw fish cured in lime juice is Peru's national favorite?
Animals
Which woolly animal, related to the llama, is prized in Peru for its soft fiber?
Crops
Peru is the original home of which staple food, with thousands of local varieties?
Language
Besides Spanish, which Indigenous language, once spoken by the Incas, is official in Peru?
Rainforest
Roughly how much of Peru is covered by the Amazon rainforest?
Canyons
Colca Canyon in southern Peru is famous for spotting which giant bird?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What is the capital of Peru?
Answer: Lima
Lima was founded by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro in 1535. Today it is home to about a third of Peru's population.
Q2: Which city was the capital of the Inca Empire?
Answer: Cusco
Cusco's Spanish colonial buildings stand on Inca stone foundations. It is the main gateway to Machu Picchu.
Q3: Which lake, on the border between Peru and Bolivia, is one of the highest navigable lakes in the world?
Answer: Lake Titicaca
Titicaca lies at about 3,800 meters. The Uros people live on floating islands made of totora reeds.
Q4: What are the Nazca Lines?
Answer: Huge drawings in the desert seen best from the air
The lines show animals such as a hummingbird, monkey and spider. They were made more than 1,500 years ago.
Q5: Which dish of raw fish cured in lime juice is Peru's national favorite?
Answer: Ceviche
Ceviche is often served with sweet potato and corn. Peru celebrates National Ceviche Day each June 28.
Q6: Which woolly animal, related to the llama, is prized in Peru for its soft fiber?
Answer: The alpaca
Alpacas are raised high in the Andes. Their wool is warm, light and used for sweaters and blankets.
Q7: Peru is the original home of which staple food, with thousands of local varieties?
Answer: The potato
The potato was first domesticated in the Andes around Lake Titicaca. Peru has an International Potato Center in Lima.
Q8: Besides Spanish, which Indigenous language, once spoken by the Incas, is official in Peru?
Answer: Quechua
Millions of Peruvians speak Quechua, especially in the Andes. Aymara is also an official language, widely spoken around Lake Titicaca.
Q9: Roughly how much of Peru is covered by the Amazon rainforest?
Answer: About 60 percent
Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road.
Q10: Colca Canyon in southern Peru is famous for spotting which giant bird?
Answer: The Andean condor
Andean condors ride the warm air currents rising from the canyon. Colca is one of the deepest canyons in the world.

Peru Quiz – Land of the Incas

Peru, on the western coast of South America, is a country of extraordinary contrasts. Its narrow coastal desert gives way to the towering Andes Mountains and then to the vast Amazon rainforest, which covers more than half of the country. This variety of landscapes supports a rich mix of cultures, wildlife and food traditions.

Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire, the largest empire in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans. From their capital, Cusco, the Incas built roads, terraces and cities such as Machu Picchu. Earlier cultures left their own marks, including the giant Nazca Lines in the southern desert and the adobe city of Chan Chan near the northern coast.

In 1532, Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro arrived, and Peru became a center of Spanish rule in South America. Lima, founded in 1535, grew into a grand colonial capital. Peru declared independence in 1821. Today, Spanish, Quechua and Aymara are official languages, and Indigenous traditions remain strong, especially in the Andes.

Peru is known for some of the best food in the world. Ceviche, lomo saltado and dishes using potatoes, corn and chili peppers are national favorites, and Lima has many top-ranked restaurants. Visitors come to hike the Inca Trail, see Lake Titicaca's floating islands, watch condors at Colca Canyon and explore the Amazon from cities like Iquitos.

This quiz covers the history, landscapes, food and culture of Peru.

Festivals bring Peru's mixed heritage to life. Catholic celebrations blend with Andean traditions, as in the Virgen de la Candelaria festival in Puno, famous for its colorful masks and dances. Markets in Andean towns sell handwoven textiles in bright patterns, and music played on panpipes and the charango, a small stringed instrument, fills town squares during fiestas throughout the year.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for travelers, food lovers and anyone fascinated by ancient civilizations.

Peru's capital and the old Inca capital
Lake Titicaca and its floating islands
The mystery of the Nazca Lines
Peru's famous foods and crops
Languages spoken in Peru
Wildlife from alpacas to condors

Quick Facts About Peru

Peru's currency is the sol.
Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca, is famous for its striped colors.
Peru is one of the world's top producers of silver and copper.
The Amazon River begins in the Peruvian Andes.
Inti Raymi, the Inca Festival of the Sun, is celebrated in Cusco each June.
Paddington Bear is said to come from darkest Peru.