Formerly the viceregal capital of Spain's vast South American empire, Lima is
today a sprawling metropolis struggling to cope with a population of eight
million. Located on the coast between the Andean foothills and the Pacific
Ocean, it is many cities in one, with an indigenous past, an old colonial heart,
and turn-of-the-century quarters modeled on Paris. Leafy suburbs like San Isidro
and tranquil seaside communities such as Barranco contrast with ever-expanding
shantytowns. Lima has always dominated national life, as the center of political
and economic power. Long a stronghold of the European elite, the city is now
home to millions of Peruvians from the Andean region