Let= {0,1, +,·,<} be the usual first-order language of arithmetic. We show that Peano arithmetic is the least first-order-theory containingIΔ0+ exp such that every complete extensionTof it has a countable modelKsatisfying(i)Khas no proper elementary substructures, and(ii) wheneverL≻Kis a countable elementary extension there isandsuch that.Other model-theoretic conditions similar to (i) and (ii) are also discussed and shown to characterize Peano arithmetic.