The Land

Situated on the west coast of South America, Peru is bounded by Ecuador and Colombia on the north, Brazil and Bolivia on the east, Chile on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The three main geographic subdivisions of Peru are the coast and coastal plains, the Andean highlands (known as the Sierra), and the eastern foothills and plains (known as the Montaqa). In addition to these classical subdivisions, one might add the adjacent ocean, where important oil fields have been discovered and where there is a rich supply of fish.

The Coast

The coast and coastal plains occupy a narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the western slopes of the Andes Mountains. This area extends the length of the country from the border of Ecuador to the border of Chile. This band of land, varying considerably in width, is the country's principal wealth-producing area. It contains the ocean ports, the capital city, important petroleum fields, the site of the fishing industry, and the center of the country's cultural activities. Although the region represents only about 11 percent of the total area of Peru, it contains perhaps one-third of the total population.
This coastal belt is a northward extension of the Atacama, the world's driest desert. Although this region may see no rain for years, a system of irrigation has made it the country's most productive agricultural area. Cotton, sugarcane, rice, vegetables, and grapes and other fruits are grown. In spite of Peru's proximity to the equator, the climate of the coastal desert is generally cool and damp. This is due in part to the cold Peru Current (originally called the Humboldt Current for the German scientist who studied it), which chills the prevailing southwest wind as it blows toward the land. During the winter months, from June to October, a cloud formation that obscures the Sun each day causes a fine mist called garza or llovizna.

The Sierra

Peru's mountainous region, the Sierra, contains three great ranges of the Andes, which form a massive barrier between Peru's coastal desert and the western plains of the Amazon. The mountains are customarily divided into Cordilleras Oriental, Central, and Occidental (eastern, central, and western). These mountains are perhaps best described as a complex mass of disconnected ridges, rather than a continuous range. The Sierra occupies more than one-third of the area of the country and holds approximately three-fifths of the population, most of whom are farmers and herders. It is a region of high, level plateaus, steep canyons, and soaring mountain peaks, the highest of which is the perennially snow-covered Huascaran. Volcanic forms are to be found along the southwestern part of the highlands.
The climate of the Sierra ranges from temperate to frigid, depending upon the elevation. At the higher altitudes, the temperature range between night and day can be quite great, varying as much as 50 F. (30 C.). The rainy season extends from October until April, causing the rivers in the area to swell. Sometimes the riverbeds overflow with great masses of stone and mud, called huaycos, which have destroyed entire villages.
The types of crops raised also depend to a large extent upon the altitude. At the lower levels, crops include sugarcane, cotton, cacao, rice, corn, and coca. This agricultural area is the most densely populated. Above 8,000 ft. (2,400 m.), corn, wheat, barley, quinoa (a native grain), and potatoes are cultivated. In the lower valleys, cows, sheep, and goats are grazed; but the poor pastureland of the high mountains and plateaus provides almost exclusively for the American camel family the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and vicuqa. The Andean regions also contain the major deposits of Peru's mineral wealth.

The Montaqa

The Montaqa comprises the lower eastern slopes of the Andes and the plains east of the Andes, a largely undeveloped region of immense jungle and numerous rivers known as the selva, or rain forest. There are few roads, and the rivers provide virtually the only means of transportation through the jungle. The Montaqa covers more than half the total area of Peru, but is thinly populated. The rich, well-watered soil of the western sector of the Montaqa provides excellent growing conditions for rice, tobacco, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. However, the difficulty of transporting these products to Peru's large cities has limited the development of the area. The chief sources of wealth at present are the forests of the Montaqa, which yield mainly mahogany and cedar trees, grown for commercial purposes.
The climate in the Montaqa is hot and humid. There is considerable rain, with the heaviest downpours from December to April. The heat, rainfall, and heavy jungle growth of the selva make it an unattractive area for settlement. It is inhabited mainly by indigenous peoples.

Rivers and Lakes

Peru's principal rivers are all tributaries of the Amazon. The Maraqsn is one of the Amazon's chief headstreams and is sometimes considered its upper extension. Rising about 85 mi. (136 km.) from the Pacific Ocean, the Maraqsn is joined with the Ucayali (another headstream of the Amazon) and Huallaga Rivers, in the course of the more than 3,000-mi. (4,800-km.) eastward flow across the continent, to eventually form the Amazon Basin and empty into the Atlantic Ocean.
Of the approximately 50 rivers and streams that flow from the Sierra westward toward the Pacific, very few contain water all year round. The mouths of the largest rivers form oases in the desert sands along the coast where a city, town, or port flourishes.
Lake Titicaca, located in Peru's southeast corner on the border of Bolivia, is the largest lake in South America and, at over 12,500 ft. (3,800 m.), the highest navigable lake in the world. Steamship service makes it a major transportation artery between Peru and Bolivia.

Peru's location on the earthquake belt that borders the entire west coast of South America has, over the years, given the country a record number of catastrophes that have left a trail of death and destruction. One of the worst earthquakes in Peru's history took place on May 31, 1970. Tens of thousands of people were killed, and many large cities, from inland Iquitos to cities on or near the coast, suffered varying degrees of damage. Burst dams turned whole valleys into raging rivers, washing out hundreds of homes, and landslides buried roads under tons of soil and rocks.

Peter, Brian, and Max - 2002