Macchu Picchu and Peru

The geography of Peru is as beautiful and diverse as the country itself is. Peru borders Brazil and Bolivia to the east, Ecuador and Colombia in the north, Chile in the east and south, and the South Pacific Ocean in the west. It has a total geographical area of 1,285,216 sq km, and is the 18th largest nation in the world.

Though Peru is a predominantly mountainous, the country can be divided into three main geographical zones - the coast, the mountains, and the Amazon rainforest. The coastal region in the west is a narrow plain consisting of large tracts of deserts dotted with fertile valleys, while the Andes dominate the Peruvian topography. The Amazon rainforest area lies between the Andes and the eastern border with Brazil.

The Peruvian coastline features amazing deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys. The popular topographic features of Peruvian coast include Sechura Desert, the Atacama Desert and the Nazca Plains. The mountainous area of Peru is dominated by the Andes, where Mt Huascaran rises up to 6,768 meters. You'll find hundreds of permanently glaciated snow-covered peaks and valleys; many beautiful lakes, including Lake Titicaca (3,809 m); as well as a unique and diverse flora and fauna in the Peruvian Andes. The vast tropical forest in the Amazon River Basin is other major geographical feature of Peru, covering approximately 63 percent area of the country.

Peru enjoys a varied climate, and the Andes and the cold Humboldt Current are the major determining factors of Peruvian climate. On visit to Peru, you'll find hot and humid tropical climate in Amazon area, mild and pleasant temperate climate in the coastal region, hot and dry desert climate in western Peru, as well as temperate to frigid climate in the Andes Mountains.

People

Most Peruvians are "mestizo," a term that usually refers to a mixture of Amerindians and Peruvians of European descent. Peruvians of European descent make up about 15% of the population; there also are smaller numbers of persons of African, Japanese, and Chinese descent. In the past decade, Peruvians of Asian heritage have made significant advancements in business and political fields; a past president, several past cabinet members, and several members of the Peruvian congress are of Japanese or Chinese descent. Socioeconomic and cultural indicators are increasingly important as identifiers. For example, Peruvians of Amerindian descent who have adopted aspects of Hispanic culture also are considered "mestizo." With economic development, access to education, intermarriage, and largescale migration from rural to urban areas, a more homogeneous national culture is developing, mainly along the relatively more prosperous coast.

Peru has two official languages--Spanish and the foremost indigenous language, Quechua. Spanish is used by the government and the media and in education and commerce. Amerindians who live in the Andean highlands speak Quechua and Aymara and are ethnically distinct from the diverse indigenous groups who live on the eastern side of the Andes and in the tropical lowlands adjacent to the Amazon basin.

Peru's distinct geographical regions are mirrored in a socioeconomic divide between the coast's mestizo-Hispanic culture and the more diverse, traditional Andean cultures of the mountains and highlands. The indigenous populations east of the Andes speak various languages and dialects. Some of these groups still adhere to traditional customs, while others have been almost completely assimilated into the mestizo-Hispanic culture.