Economy of Lima

Almost all of Peru’s heavy industry is located in the Lima area.

To satisfy national demand for consumer goods, Lima’s industries produce textiles, clothing, and processed foods, as well as some machinery and vehicles.

Lima also dominates the nation’s service sectors, including trade, finance, and retail and wholesale business. The national government has traditionally been a major employer, but has cut jobs drastically in the 1990s.

The vast majority of the nation’s imports and exports move through the city’s port of Callao, possibly the best natural harbor on South America’s west coast.

National and international air carriers provide daily passenger connections through the Jorge Chavez International Airport, on the northern end of the city.

Both the Pan-American Highway, which runs along the Pacific coast, and the Central Highway into the Andes connect Lima with the rest of the country.

One railroad serves Lima, running from the Desamparados train station in the downtown area to the cities of Huancayo and La Oroya in the central Andes.