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Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total:
1,285,220 km˛
land:
1.28 million km˛
water:
5,220 km˛
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total:
5,536 km
border countries:
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nautical miles (370 km)
territorial sea:
200 nautical miles (370 km)
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center ( sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Bayovar Depression -34 m
highest point:
Natural resources:
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timberTimber is a term used to describe clusters of trees. It is also used to describe wood throughout its processing from the time it is cut down to the time it is used as a structural material. The word timber is also used as an exclamation when a tree falls., fishAtlantic herring, Clupea harengus one of the most abundant species in the world Photo A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) water-dwelling vertebrate with gills. There are over 27,000 species of fish, making them the most diverse group of vertebrates., ironThis article is about metallic iron. For the ironing device, see ironing manganese iron cobalt Fe Ru Full table General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metal Group, Period, Block 8 (VIIIB), 4 , d Density, Hardness 7874 kg/m3, ore, coalCoal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by mining. It is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. It is composed primarily of carbon and hydrocarbons, along with assorted other elements, including sulfur. Often associated wi, phosphateIn chemistry, a phosphate is a polyatomic ion or radical consisting of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen. In the ionic form, it carries a -3 formal charge, and is denoted PO3-. In a biochemical setting, a free phosphate ion in solution is called inorgan, potashPotash is the common name of potassium hydroxide ( K OH), a substance that has been used since antiquity in the manufacture of glass and soap, and as a fertilizer. The name comes from the English words pot and ash referring to its discovery in the water-, hydropowerHydropower (or waterpower harnesses the energy of moving or falling water. This is usually in the form of hydroelectricity from a dam, but it can be used directly as a mechanical force. The term refers to a number of systems in which flowing water drivesLand use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
21%
forests and woodland:
66%
other:
10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,800 km˛ (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
earthquakeAn earthquake is a trembling or shaking movement of the Earth's surface. Earthquakes typically result from the movement of faults, quasi-planar zones of deformation within its uppermost layers. The word earthquake is also widely used to indicate the sourcs, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activityEnvironment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa 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:
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: shares control of Lake Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
Peru is divided into 26 regions (capitals in parentheses):
See also: Peru
Peru Peru