Mountain peaks soaring heavenwards and the Pacific surf, tropical rain forests and deserts drier than the Sahara have created in Peru a series of unique landscapes full of contrasts. In 1558, the historian Pedro Cieza de Leon sent an enthusiastic report to King Philip II of Spain: “It is time to take up my pen and let the whole world know what I have to report about Peru.”
With an area of 1’285,215 square km (496,225 sq mi), Peru is bigger than France, Germany, Italy, Netherland and Switzerland combined. It is the third largest country in South America and bordered to the north by Ecuador and Colombia, to the east by Brazil and Bolivia, to the south by Chile and to the west by the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Peru is characterized by three geographical regions distinctly separate from one another: the coastal plain, the highlands and the plains is the east, which are mainly covered in rain forest.
COAST (12% of the territory)
A warm climate along the coastline that includes superb natural beaches, mysterious deserts, fertile river valleys and exotic dry woods.
HIGHLADS (28% of the territory)
A region of varied terrain and temperate climate, dominated by the snow-capped peaks of the Andes rising above 6,000 meters, the highest of which is Mount Huascaran, at 6,768 meters (22,206 feet). It includes deep canyons such as the Colca and Cotahuasi, the two deepest on the planet; and high plains like the plateau of Collao, on the shores of the world's highest navigable lake, Titicaca, at 3,810 masl (12,500 feet).
JUNGLE OR AMAZONIA (60% of the territory) A region of tropical climate, lush vegetation and abundant fauna that is part of one of the planet's largest natural reserves. Peruvian Amazonia is the source of the Amazon River, the largest in the world.
CLIMATE
Temperatures and atmospheric cycles vary from one region to another.
Coast: There are two clearly-defined seasons on the coast: summer (December-March), when temperatures can reach 27ºC (80ºF); and winter (May-October), which is damp and chilly, with temperatures falling to 12ºC (53ºF). Although it rarely rains on the coast, mist and drizzle are common during the winter. The far north coast enjoys sunshine all year round, with temperatures reaching 35ºC (95ºF) in the summer.
Highlands: The climate is dry and temperate, with two clearly-defined seasons: the dry season (May-October), with sunny days, very cold nights and scant rainfall -the ideal time to visit the Andes; and the rain season (December-March). There is a sharp contrast in temperature between sun and shade, and temperatures can often vary widely during the same day, from 20ºC (68ºF) to 2ºC (35ºF).
Jungle: The area has a tropical and humid climate. There are two well-defined seasons: the summer or dry season (April to October) with sunny days and temperatures above 30ºC (86ºF), and the rain season (November to March), with frequent showers and high river levels.
Peru is one of the great originating centers of ancient culture, along with Mexico, Mesopotamia, India, and China. Paleolithic man left his first traces here and began to develop villages of hunters-collectors around 6,000 BC (as seen in Lauricocha, Huanuco). Farming settlements began to form around 2,500 BC, growing manioc, lima beans, quinoa, potatoes, cotton and maize.
Despite its rugged and inhospitable territory, this country is the cradle of highly developed cultures - the most famous being, the Inca civilization.These cultures thrived thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. As time has passed, the archeological remains of these cultures form the main tourists attractions of the country and they are the reason that millons visit.
Because Cuzco was the capital of the Incan Empire, the main archeological remains are located in and around this city. The highlight of many travelers is Machu Picchu, which was declared in 2007 as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Peru is also home of the Nazca lines etched on its coastal desert, as well as the funerary towers called chullpas near Lake Titicaca.
Near Trujillo is Chan Chan, the largest pre-columbian mud city in the world and north of Chiclayo is the burial site of the Lord of Sipan, whose finding in 1987, constituted the archeological discovery of the century in Peru.
