| Highlights |
Peru is one of the most diverse countries in the world, from its geographical extremes to the variety of its cultures and cuisine. Like Ecuador, it is divided into three main geographical areas; Costa (coast), Sierra (mountains), Selva (jungle) each with their own cultures and traditions. The Pacific coast is an extension of the Atacama Desert which is dotted with the remains of numerous pre-Inca civilisations. Tucume, Sipan, Chan Chan and the Nazca Lines are just some of the main sites to the north and south of Lima. The Amazon region to the east has several areas rich in biodiversity, the jewel being Manu National Park, declared a World Natural Heritage Site in 1987. Other more accessible areas of the jungle can be explored from Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos. But it is in the Andes where the real gems of Peru are found - spectacular mountain scenery, colourful indigenous communities with their traditions and languages dating back to Inca times, local cuisine, Inca sites and historical buildings. Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, Cajamarca, Ayacucho with its huge number of churches and Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas and the base from which visitors explore the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, recently voted one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world lies on the border of Peru and Bolivia. The wonders of Peru are still emerging with new discoveries every year in different parts of the country.
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| Country Facts |
Peru is a large, mountainous country straddling the equator on the Pacific coast of South America. It borders with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. There are three natural zones running roughly north to south: Costa, Sierra and Selva, each with their own climate. In summer the weather is hot on the coast and rainy in the mountains whilst in winter, it is sunny but cold at night in the mountains and cool on the coast. It rains all year round in the jungle where it is hot and humid. |