From which fictional region does Paddington Bear say he comes?

Paddington Bear says that he comes from Darkest Peru.

In Michael Bond's stories, Paddington is a spectacled bear who travels to Britain from Peru. His origins are presented through the label attached to his coat when the Brown family discovers him at Paddington Station. The phrase “Please look after this bear. Thank you” helps explain why the Browns take responsibility for him.

“Darkest Peru” is a fictionalized expression rather than the name of a modern Peruvian administrative region. It gives the stories an adventurous, distant setting while keeping Paddington connected to a real country. Later adaptations preserve Peru as an important part of his backstory.

The character's species is also a recurring source of discussion. Paddington is generally described as a spectacled bear, a real South American bear species, though the stories give him human speech, clothing and manners. His fictional birthplace should therefore not be confused with a precise real-world town.