Peru was heavily indebted, and political in-fighting was again on the rise. Peru embarked on a railroad-building program that helped but also bankrupted the country. In 1879, Peru entered the War of the Pacific which lasted until 1884. Bolivia invoked its alliance with Peru against Chile. The Peruvian Government tried to mediate the dispute by sending a diplomatic team to negotiate with the Chilean government, but the committee concluded that war was inevitable. Chile declared war on 5 April 1879. Almost five years of war ended with the loss of the department of Tarapacá and the provinces of Tacna and Arica,
Geography of Peru Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Pacific Alliance. The most populated city in the country is Lima the capital of Peru. Lima a metropolitan area has a population a little over 10 million. The second largest city in Peru Arequipa has a population of 989,919, and Trujillo is a growing city in the northern area of the country holds a population of 935,147. Peru's developed urban cities are found in coastal regions and to the north. There are 32.1 million people who live in Peru. The percentage of urbanization in Peru is 79.2%, and holds a yearly increase