a nation in Peru, composed chiefly of mestizos of Spanish and Indian origin. Peruvians, who make up about half of the country’s population, numbered about 7 million persons in 1972. Most of them live along the coast or in the Andean highlands. They are Roman Catholics. The Spanish spoken by Peruvians has borrowed a great many words from Indian languages, especially Quechua. Indian influences may also be seen in the Peruvians’ material and intellectual culture. The term “Peruvians” is also applied to all the people of Peru, approximately half of whom are Indians. (See.)