Oceanus peruvianus: when the Pacific was Peruvian

PERU
Monday, October 05, 2026, 01:40 (GMT + 9)

A historical journey through the maritime prominence of Peru, from ancient indigenous navigation and the colonial viceroyalty era to the 200-mile declaration and the modern challenge of rebuilding a long-term ocean strategy. In various European maps of the Early Modern era, a designation now in disuse appeared: Oceanus Peruvianus. This nomenclature reflected the importance reached by the Viceroyalty of Peru, part of the Hispanic Monarchy, and the central role that the today called Pacific played in its trade, communications, and defense. The Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius designated South America as Peruvian America in his famous world map of 1594. Photo: AME / Facebook From Lima and Callao, a vast territory was articulated, and through transpacific routes, Peru projected itself towards the Philippines and the rest of Asia. Our capital and its primary port occupie... FULL STORY