LIMA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Peru's inflation rate rose 0.79% in December and reached 8.46% for 2022, the highest annual measurement in the past 26 years, the country's official statistics agency said on Sunday.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase was mainly driven by food and non-alcoholic beverages and transportation, the INEI said in a statement.

Peru's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.5% in early December - as part of an extended cycle of monetary adjustments to try to curb high inflation in the mining country.

The monetary entity estimated inflation would be 3% for this year, at the top end of its target range of between 1% and 3%. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)