Geography of Peru
Encyclopedia
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
is a country on the central western coast of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
facing the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Statistics
Area:land:
1,
water:
5,220 km²
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
territorial sea:
200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0.5%
permanent pastures:
21%
forests and woodland:
66%
other:
9.5% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
12,800 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s, tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
s, flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing, landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s, mild volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the coast and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Antarctic Treaty, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, Climate Change
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to 14, 1992...
, Desertification
Desertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
, Endangered Species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
Geography - note:
shares control of Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
Climate
The combination of tropical latitude, mountain ranges, topography variations and two ocean currents (Humboldt and El Niño) gives Peru a large diversity of climates.Amazon Basin or Low Amazon
The eastern portions of Peru include the Amazon BasinAmazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
or selva baja, a region that is larger in the north than in the south. Representing roughly 60% of Peru's national territory, this area includes the Amazon
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, Marañón
Marañón River
The Marañón River rises about 160 km to the northeast of Lima, Peru, flows through a deeply-eroded Andean valley in a northwesterly direction, along the eastern base of the Cordillera of the Andes, as far as 5 degrees 36' southern latitude; then it makes a great bend to the northeast, and...
, Huallaga
Huallaga River
The Huallaga River is a tributary of the Marañón River, part of the Amazon Basin. Old names for this river include Guallaga and Rio de los Motilones. The Huallaga is born on the slopes of the Andes in central Peru and joins the Marañón before the latter reaches the Ucayali River to form the Amazon....
and Ucayali
Ucayali
The Ucayali River arises about north of Lake Titicaca, in the Arequipa region of South America. The Amazon River takes its name close to Nauta city , in the confluence among Ucayali and Marañón rivers....
Rivers. It is a vast tropical forest with countless rivers and streams. Rainfall varies from 2000 to 4000 mm (78.7 to 157.5 in) per year.
Almost 60% of the country's area is located within this region, (70000000 hectares (172,973,614 acre) or 700000 km² (270,272 sq mi)) giving Peru the fourth largest area of tropical forest in the world after Brazil, Congo and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Andean Mountain Ranges
The Andes shelter the largest variety of climates in the country. The climate is semi-arid in the valleys and moist in higher elevations and towards the eastern flanks. Rainfall varies from 200 to 1500 mm (7.9 to 59.1 in) per year. The rainy season starts in October and ends in April. The rainiest months are January through March where travel can be sometimes affected.The western slopes are arid to semi-arid and receive rainfall only between January and March. Below the 2500 m (8,202 ft) mark, the temperatures vary between 5 and 15 °C (41 and 59 °F) in the night versus 18 to 25 °C (64.4 to 77 °F) in the day.
Between 2500 and 3500 m (8,202.1 and 11,482.9 ft) the temperatures vary from 0 to 12 °C (32 to 53.6 °F) in the night and from 15 to 25 °C (59 to 77 °F) during the day. At higher elevations from 3500 to 4500 m (11,482.9 to 14,763.8 ft), the Puna
Puna
Puna may refer to:* Puna grassland, a type of grassland in the central part of the high Andes* Puna , the king of Hiti-marama or of Vavau in the Tuamotu legend of Rata* Puna , a type of wind in the Andes...
ecoregion, the temperature varies from −10 °C during the night versus 15 °C (59 °F) during the day.
The northernmost regions of the Andes around Cajamarca
Cajamarca
Cajamarca may refer to:Colombia*Cajamarca, Tolima a town and municipality in Tolima DepartmentPeru* Cajamarca, city in Peru.* Cajamarca District, district in the Cajamarca province.* Cajamarca Province, province in the Cajamarca region....
and Piura
Piura
Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532...
regions have Paramo
Páramo
The term páramo can refer to a variety of ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as “all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline”. A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement - specifically located in “the northern Andes...
climates.
Coast
The Peruvian coast is a microclimatic region. The region is affected by the cold Humboldt CurrentHumboldt Current
The Humboldt Current , also known as the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north-westward along the west coast of South America from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru. It is an eastern boundary current flowing in the direction of the equator, and can extend...
, the El Niño Southern Oscillation, tropical latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, and the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountain range.
The central and southern coast consists mainly of a subtropical desert climate composed of sandy or rocky shores and inland cutting valleys. Days alternate between overcast skies with occasional fog in the winter and sunny skies with occasional haze in the summer, with the only precipitation being an occasional light-to-moderate drizzle
Drizzle
Drizzle is a light rain precipitation consisting of liquid water drops smaller than those of rain, and generally smaller than 0.5 mm in diameter. Drizzle is normally produced by low stratiform clouds and stratocumulus clouds. Precipitation rates due to drizzle are on the order of a millimetre...
that is known locally as garúa. These regions are usually characterized by having mildy cold lows (14 °C (57.2 °F)) and also mild highs (29 °C (84.2 °F)). Temperatures rarely fall below 12 °C (53.6 °F) and do not go over 29 °C (84.2 °F). An exception is the southern coast, where it does get a bit warmer and drier for most of the year during daytime, and where it can also get much colder during winter nights (8 to 9 °C (46.4 to 48.2 °F)). The occasional drizzle or fog of the central and southern coast is common during winter months, but even during summer days there are some foggy days. One must not forget that although it may not be as warm as typical tropical latitudes, the sun will hit and strike as if you were in any other tropical place.
The northern coast, on the contrary, has a curious tropical-dry climate, generally referred to as tropical savanna
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are a grassland terrestrial biome located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Grasslands are dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants. Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees...
. This region is a lot warmer and can be unbearable during summer months, where rainfall is also present. The region differs from the southern coast by the presence of shrubs, equotorial dry forests , mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
forests, tropical valleys near rivers such as the Chira
Chira River
Río Chira is the name of a river in northern Peru whose mouth is 20 km north of the provincial capital of Piura.Its source is in the Ecuadorian Andes near the town of Papaca in the province Loja from where it flows for ca 250 km in easterly directions...
and the Tumbes, and is blessed with clear, sunny skies for most of the year. The average temperature
is 25 °C (77 °F).
Central & Southern Coast
The central and southern coast has a subtropical desert climate, although this region is located in the tropics. The Humboldt CurrentHumboldt Current
The Humboldt Current , also known as the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north-westward along the west coast of South America from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru. It is an eastern boundary current flowing in the direction of the equator, and can extend...
is 7 C-change to 8 C-change colder than normal tropical seas at 14 to 19 °C (57.2 to 66.2 °F), so this prevents high tropical temperatures from appearing.
Moreover, the Andes mountains are very close to the coast, so this prevents cumulus
Cumulus
Cumulus is a type of cloud with the appearance of a lump of cotton wool.Cumulus may also refer to:*Cumulus Media, a radio broadcasting company*Cumulus , digital asset management software developed by Canto Software*Reinhard Cumulus, glider...
clouds or cumulonimbus clouds from appearing. Therefore, a shade effect is created, and there are only few annual rainfalls in this region.
Rainfall averages 5 mm (0.196850393700787 in)/yr near the Chilean border to 200 mm (7.9 in)/yr in the northern coast and near the Andes.
The central coast is composed of regions like La Libertad
La Libertad Region
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the 'Department of La Libertad" , a political division that generally corresponds to a state in the United States of America...
, Ancash and Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, having a spring-like climate for most of the year. Foggy and sunny days intermingle around the humid sand dunes most of the year.
Most summers (January–April) have pleasant temperatures from
19 to 21 °C (66.2 to 69.8 °F) during the nights to about 28 to 29 °C (82.4 to 84.2 °F) during daytime. Winters (June–October) are very humid, and range from 12 to 15 °C (53.6 to 59 °F) during the nights to around the 17 to 18 °C (62.6 to 64.4 °F) during the day.
The spring and autumn months have a pleasant climate that ranges from 23 °C (73.4 °F) during the day to around 17 °C (62.6 °F) during the night. As you go inland, away from the coast and on to the yunga valleys the climate is drier and warmer during all seasons: around 3 C-change warmer in any given month.
Strangely enough, it also gets warmer if you go north of Lima into La Libertad or Ancash or south of Lima (Pisco, Chincha), at least during the day. The reason is probably since Lima is located where the Humboldt current prevails, yet there are tropical sun rays above the clouds that create fog and since there is no passage of hot clouds from the Amazon to the coast, the climate is cooler that similar tropical latitudes. This created a lot of humidity and fog in winter times.
The southern coast composed of Ica
Ica Region
Ica is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.- Geography :...
, Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
, Moquegua
Moquegua
Moquegua is a city in southern Peru, located in the Moquegua Region, of which it is the regional capital. It is also capital of Mariscal Nieto Province and Moquegua District. It is located 1144 kilometers south from the capital city of Lima.-History:...
and Tacna
Tacna
- Rail :Tacna is served by a cross-border standard gauge railway to Arica, Chile.It is also the location of the National Railway Museum of Peru.-Air:Tacna is served by the Crnl. FAP...
regions have a drier and warmer climate during the day-time for all months except for winters. There are regions famous for their sand dunes and impressive deserts since the climate is drier and hotter. The temperatures can go as high as 36 °C (96.8 °F) in the Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
and regions inland, yet can fall to 8 or during the winter months. During the daytime temperatures rarely go below the 22 or for all months. These fact determine that the southern coast have a semi Mediterranean desert like climate yet there is small variations between temperatures during night time or day time, as regions in tropical latitudes. Clear skies are for the most part attractive near the coastal cliffs, home to a variety of fish and marine mammals.
Northern Coast
The northern coast consists of the eastern region of LambayequeLambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
, the Piura Region
Piura Region
Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and Talara, are also among the most important in Peru...
and the Tumbes Region
Tumbes Region
Tumbes is a coastal region in northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. Due to the region's location near the Equator it has a warm climate, with beaches that are considered among the finest in Peru...
.
They are characterized by having different climate and geography
from the rest of the coast. Right between the 3 hour drive on the Sechura desert
Sechura Desert
The Sechura Desert is located south of the Piura Region of Peru along the Pacific Ocean coast and inland to the foothills of the Andes Mountains...
, which is located north of the Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
and south of the Piura Region
Piura Region
Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and Talara, are also among the most important in Peru...
, is the evidence of
climate change from the common subtropical desert found on the south to visible tropicalization effects of the tropical dry climate or tropical savanna. Examples of this are the
tropical dry forests that begin to appear. They are composed of
shrubs, thorny trees, carrob trees, faique trees, huayacan trees, hualtaco trees, palo santo trees, ceibo trees and on the coast
mangrove forests. It is also a biodiverse area where typical wildlife can be observed such as crocodiles, reptiles, iguanas, boas, pava aliblanca, anteater, bear, sloth (bearh) and many more.
This climatical reasons for change are the presence of the warm Niño Current during the summer months (December to April), the eventual
El Niño Phenomenon and the passing of Amazon Jungles clouds due to mountain openings and lower altitudes of the Andes Chain. These
are the causes for a climate change in a short two or three hour trajectory that is visible between the Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
and the Sechura Province
Sechura Province
The Sechura Province is the largest of eight provinces of the Piura Region in Peru.-Location:The province is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in the extreme north of Peru, just below the upper most Tumbes Region which is on the border with Ecuador.- Boundaries :*North Paita Province*East...
, where not only geography changes but a temperature rise of 6 C-change or more depending on the month. It is directly off the shores of the Sechura Region
Sechura Province
The Sechura Province is the largest of eight provinces of the Piura Region in Peru.-Location:The province is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in the extreme north of Peru, just below the upper most Tumbes Region which is on the border with Ecuador.- Boundaries :*North Paita Province*East...
where the cold Humboldt current and warm el Niño current meet, at about 5° to 6° south of the equator. From this point warm temperatures are most common, and there are no true winters. Average temperatures range between 24.5–27 °C (76.1–80.6 °F). Clear skies, beautiful warm valleys, eroded terrains with reddish colored sands, rice fields, palm trees, savannas, bushy forests, dense rivers, beautiful warm turquoise beaches, orangey or yellowish terrains, clearer sands and a sun that hits like the African plateau,
where shade is almost impossible.
Summer (December through March) is more humid and very hot, with average temperatures that vary from 25 °C (77 °F) during the night to around 34 °C (93.2 °F) during the day, although north of Lambayeque it can reach the 40 °C (104 °F). Winters (June–September) are cooler during the nights; around 16 °C (60.8 °F) during the night, to around 27 °C (80.6 °F) during the daytime.
There are protected areas in Tumbes and Piura
Piura
Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532...
filled with tropical canelo forests and tropical dry forests such as Caza de Coto and Cerros de Amotape, both extending into southern Ecuador. The areas of Eastern Lambayeque
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
also have tropical dry forests which are found in the Chaparri and Chongoyape provinces. These forests have the particularity of connecting to the Amazon basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
through the Marañon passage (an area where there are also tropical dry forests). Mangrove forests are located in four specific areas from Sechura
Sechura
Sechura is a town in northwestern Peru, 50 km south of Piura. It is the capital of Sechura Province in the Piura Region. The town gives its name to the Sechura Desert, which extends south along most of coastal Peru...
to Tumbes.
In these regions there are mangroove forests at the ending strips of the Piura River in the Sechura Province
Sechura Province
The Sechura Province is the largest of eight provinces of the Piura Region in Peru.-Location:The province is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in the extreme north of Peru, just below the upper most Tumbes Region which is on the border with Ecuador.- Boundaries :*North Paita Province*East...
Vice
Vice
Vice is a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit. Synonyms for vice include fault, depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, and corruption...
(the southernmost mangroves in the Pacific Ocean). To the north the ending strips of the Chira River
Chira River
Río Chira is the name of a river in northern Peru whose mouth is 20 km north of the provincial capital of Piura.Its source is in the Ecuadorian Andes near the town of Papaca in the province Loja from where it flows for ca 250 km in easterly directions...
, Tumbes River
Tumbes River
The Tumbes River , is a river in South America.The river's sources are located between Ecuadorian El Oro and Loja provinces. It is the border between El Oro and Loja, and afterwards the border between Loja and the Tumbes Region in Peru...
, and Zarumilla River
Zarumilla River
The Zarumilla River is a river in South America that marks the border between Peru and Ecuador. It is named after the Peruvian town of Zarumilla....
also have mangrove forests that flow into the ocean.
Terrain:
western coastal plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
(costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva).
Natural resources:
copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
ore, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
, potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
, hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
.
Extreme points
This is a list of the extreme points of PeruPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, the points that are farther north
North
North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.North is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the top side of a map is north....
, south
South
South is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.South is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the bottom side of a map is south....
, east
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....
or west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
than any other location.
- Northernmost point: Putumayo RiverPutumayo RiverThe Içá or Putumayo River is one of the tributaries of the Amazon River, west of and parallel to the Yapura. It forms part of Colombia's border with Ecuador, as well as most of the frontier with Peru...
(00°01′48"S 75°10′29"W) in the Putumayo DistrictPutumayo DistrictPutumayo District is one of thirteen districts of the Maynas Province in Peru.-References:...
, Maynas ProvinceMaynas ProvinceMaynas is a province in the Loreto Region in northeastern Peru. Its capital, Iquitos, is also Loreto's regional capital and the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.-Boundaries:...
, Loreto RegionLoreto RegionLoreto is Peru's northernmost region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest region and also one of the most sparsely populated ones, due to its remote location in the Amazon Rainforest... - Southernmost point: Pacific shorePacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
(18°20′51"S 70°22′32"W) in the Tacna DistrictTacna DistrictTacna District is one of ten districts of the province Tacna in Peru.-References:...
, Tacna ProvinceTacna ProvinceTacna is the largest of four provinces in the Tacna Region in southern Peru. Its capital is Tacna.-Boundaries:*North: Jorge Basadre Province and Tarata Province*East: Chile and Bolivia*South: Chile*West: Pacific Ocean...
, Tacna RegionTacna RegionTacna is the southernmost region in Peru. Its name originates from the Quechua words taka and na , which would mean "a place to hit". This expression is thought to be related to the Quechua conquest of the Aymara people... - Westernmost point: Punta PariñasPunta PariñasPunta Pariñas is the westernmost point in mainland South America, located at .Punta Pariñas is in Peru, in the La Brea District, Talara Province, Piura Region.An active lighthouse is located in Punta Pariñas...
(04°40′45"S 81°19′35"W) in the La Brea DistrictLa Brea DistrictLa Brea District is one of six districts of the province Talara in Peru.-References:...
, Talara ProvinceTalara ProvinceTalara is a province in the Piura Region, Peru. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Paita Province on the south, the Sullana Province on the east and the Tumbes Region's Contralmirante Villar Province on the north. Its capital is the major port city of Talara...
, Piura RegionPiura RegionPiura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and Talara, are also among the most important in Peru... - Easternmost point: Mouth of the Heath RiverHeath RiverThe Heath River, which runs from the Andes surrounding Lake Titicaca northwards to the Madre de Dios River, marks the natural border between Peru and Bolivia.The Eja Sonene indigenous community lives in the area...
(12°30′11"S 68°39′27"W) in the Tambopata DistrictTambopata DistrictTambopata District is one of four districts of the province Tambopata in Peru.TAMBOPATA RIVERThe river is an attraction by itself, with its crystal-clear water and its bank of rocks and sand permit to see the surroundings of flora and fauna.Lakes...
, Tambopata ProvinceTambopata ProvinceTambopata Province is the largest of three provinces in the Madre de Dios Region of Peru.-Political division:The province is divided into four districts, which are:* Inambari* Laberinto* Las Piedras* Tambopata...
, Madre de Dios RegionMadre de Dios RegionMadre de Dios is a region in southeastern Peru, bordering Brazil, Bolivia and the Peruvian regions of Puno, Cusco and Ucayali. Its capital is the city of Puerto Maldonado. The name of the region is a very common Spanish language designation for the Virgin Mary, literally meaning Mother of...
Antipodes
Parts of northern and southern Peru are antipodalAntipodes
In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth....
to Southeast Asia. The north near the border with Ecuador is opposite much of Malaya
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, including the east coast and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, and the adjacent part of the Kra Peninsula in Thailand; whereas many of the Riau Islands of Indonesia are antipodal to the northern Peruvian Amazon. Southern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
up to just north of Hue is antipodal to the southern Peruvian Amazon and Andes, with Saigon close to Atalaya, Peru, and Cuzco close to Pleiku, Vietnam. Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
apart from the westernmost part is antipodal to the Andes and the coast, including Lima, with Ayacucho
Ayacucho
Ayacucho is the capital city of Huamanga Province, Ayacucho Region, Peru.Ayacucho is famous for its 33 churches, which represent one for each year of Jesus's life. Ayacucho has large religious celebrations, especially during the Holy Week of Easter...
not far from Stung Treng
Stung Treng
Stung Treng is the capital of Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. It is located in the western part of the Virachey National Park.It is the major city of both the district and province and has a population of 29,665 ....
, and Huancayo
Huancayo
Huancayo with a rock') is the capital of the Junín Region, in the central highlands of Peru. It is located in Junín Province, of which it is also capital. Situated near the Mantaro Valley at an altitude of 3,271 meters, it has a population of 377,000 and is the fifth most populous city of the...
not far from the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
. The famous Cambodian ruins of Ankor Wat are directly antipodal to the Peruvian city of Chincha Alta
Chincha Alta
Chincha Alta is a Peruvian city located in the Ica Region. It is the capital of Chincha Province.-Location:The City of Chincha Alta is located 200 kilometers south of Lima, in the Chincha Province of the Ica Region of Peru...
. The eastern corner of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
corresponds to coastal Peru around Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
, and the south of Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
is antipodal to the coastal area just south of that. The southern cape of Hainan Island in China just overlaps the southern point of Peru.