Physiographic regions of Peru
Encyclopedia
When the Spanish arrived, they divided Peru
(very simplistic) in three main regions: the Coastal region (11.6% of Peru), that is bounded by the Pacific Ocean
; the Highlands
(28.1% of Peru), that is located on the Andean Heights
, and the Jungle
, that is located on the Amazonian Jungle
(Climate of Peru
). But Javier Pulgar Vidal, a geographer who studied the biogeographic reality of the Peruvian territory for a long time, proposed the creation of eight Natural Regions. In 1941, he presented his thesis “Las Ocho Regiones Naturales del Perú” at the III General Assembly of the Pan-American Institute of Geography and History
.
These eight Peruvian regions are:
Crops: Cacao, Banana
, Sugarcane
, Manioc, Sweet Potato
es, Yams
.
(the warmest month has an average temperature of below 22°C or 72°F).
Crops: Coffee
, Tobacco
, Maize
, Coca
, Peruvian Pepper (Schinus molle
), Avocado
, Guave (Psidium guajava
), Cherimoya
, Plum
, Citrus
fruits.
(the warmest month has an average temperature of below 18°C or 64°F).
Crops: Potato
, Maize
, Squash
, Passionfruit, Papaya
, Peach
, Wheat
, Rye
, and Barley
. Farming of cattle
.
(the definition of Treeline of Coniferae: the warmest month has an average temperature of below 10°C or 50°F ).
Crops above Tree line: Quinoa
, Cañigua
, Mashua
, Oca
, Tarhui, Broad beans
and Ulluco
. Farming of Sheep, Lama
s and Alpaca
s.
Terrestrial Biome Type 10: Montane grasslands and shrublands
(just warmer than -1°C over rocks or just warmer than -3°C over snow, annual mean temperature).
Map from República del Perú - Instituto Geográfico Nacional
, Bolivia (border to Peru).
Image:Peru_veg_1970.jpg|Vegetation of Peru
Image:Amazonriverbasin basemap.png|Amazon basin
Image:Lake-Titicaca-Jacques-Nicolas-Bellin-1758.jpg|Watershed around Lake Titicaca
, Arequipa
, Puno
and Cuzco
Image:Peru Provinces Costa Sierra Selva.png|Costa - Sierra - Selva
Image:Plaza de Armas en el Día.jpg|Iquitos
- 126 m
Image:Peru - HotSprings.jpg|Rupa-Rupa - High Rain forest
Image:Yungas03.jpg|Mist forest (2,500 m)
Image:ValleColca lou.jpg|Quechua
Image:Urubamba_valley1.jpg|The Sacred Valley
of the Incas between Písac
and Ollantaytambo
(2002)
Image:Yungas01.jpg|Mountain slope (4,000 m)
Image:Laguna Conococha.jpg|Laguna Conococha
- 4,050 m
Image:Guanako.jpg|Puna with shrubs
Image:Parinacota volcano.jpgLauca National Park
- Parinacota volcano
Image:Peru - Altiplano1.jpg|Region of Ayacucho, Peru, 1986 - Puna
Image:Peru - Altiplano2.jpg|Region of Ayacucho, Peru, 1986 - Puna
Image:Qoyllur Rit'i dancers.jpg|Qoyllur Rit'i
, glacier and alpine desert - 2007
Image:Taulliraju.JPG|Huascarán National Park
; Cordillera Blanca
; Taulliraju (5,830 m); North of Lima
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....
(very simplistic) in three main regions: the Coastal region (11.6% of Peru), that is bounded by 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...
; the Highlands
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
(28.1% of Peru), that is located on the Andean Heights
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...
, and the Jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
, that is located on the Amazonian Jungle
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...
(Climate of Peru
Climate of Peru
The climate of Peru is very diverse, with a large variety of climates and microclimates, including Such a diversity is chiefly conditioned by the presence of the Andes mountains and the cold Humboldt Current....
). But Javier Pulgar Vidal, a geographer who studied the biogeographic reality of the Peruvian territory for a long time, proposed the creation of eight Natural Regions. In 1941, he presented his thesis “Las Ocho Regiones Naturales del Perú” at the III General Assembly of the Pan-American Institute of Geography and History
Pan-American Institute of Geography and History
The Pan American Institute of Geography and History is an international organisation dedicated to the generation and transference of knowledge specialized in the fields of cartography, geography, history and geophysics....
.
These eight Peruvian regions are:
- Chala or CoastChalaThe Chala or "Coast" is one of the eight natural regions in Peru. It is formed by all the western lands that arise from sea level up to the height of 500 meters....
(subtropical dry and tropical savanna) - YungasYungasThe Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
- Fluvial Yunga
- Loma-Vegetation
- QuechuaQuechua (Geography)Quechua is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru and is between 2,300 and 3,500 m above sea level. It is composed of big valleys divided by rivers fed by estival rains.Its flora includes Andean alder, gongapa, and arracacha...
- Suni or JalcaSuni (Geography)Suni or Jalca is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru. It is located in the Andes at an altitude between 3,500 and 4,100 metres above sea level...
- PunaPuna grasslandThe Puna grassland ecoregion, of the montane grasslands and shrublands biome, is found in the central Andes Mountains of South America. It is considered one of the eight Natural Regions in Peru, but extends south as far as northern Argentina and Chile....
- JancaJancaJanca is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru . It is located in the frozen heights where the condor lives.The fauna in this region is limited because of the very cold weather...
- Rupa - Rupa or Highland JungleRupa-RupaRupa-Rupa or High Jungle is one of the eight natural regions of Peru. It is located between 400 and 1,000 m above the sea level. This region has lots of narrow and long valleys and fluvial mountain trails...
- Omagua or Lowland JungleOmaguaOmagua or Low Jungle is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru. It is located between 80 and 400 m above sea level in the Amazon rainforest. In this region, there are a lot of rivers that create meanders, swamps and lagoons....
Classic Version, Amazonic side
- Sea level, estimated 22 - 24°C (75°F, but the cold Humboldt Current generates fog on the Coast side);
- Tierra CalienteTierra calienteTierra caliente is a pseudo-climatalogical term used in Latin America to refer to those places within that realm which have a distinctly tropical climate...
(Hot land, Tropical) up to 2,500 ft (about 750 m - 1,000 m).
Crops: Cacao, Banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, Sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, Manioc, Sweet Potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
es, Yams
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
.
- Tierra Templada Tierra templadaTierra templada is a pseudoclimatological term used in Latin America to refer to places within that realm which are either located in the tropics at a moderately high elevation, or are marginally outside the astronomical tropics, producing a somewhat cooler overall climate than that found in the...
(Temperate land, Subtropical) up to 6,000 ft (about 1,850 m – 2,000 m)
(the warmest month has an average temperature of below 22°C or 72°F).
Crops: Coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, Tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, Maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, Coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
, Peruvian Pepper (Schinus molle
Schinus molle
Peruvian Pepper is an evergreen tree that grows to 15 meters . It is native to the Peruvian Andes...
), Avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
, Guave (Psidium guajava
Psidium guajava
The apple guava or common guava is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America...
), Cherimoya
Cherimoya
The Cherimoya is the fruit of the species Annona cherimola, which is native to the Andes. Today they are grown throughout South and Central America.-Description:...
, Plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
, Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
fruits.
- Tierra FriaTierra fríaTierra fría is a pseudoclimatological term used in parts of Latin America to refer to mountain locations within that cultural realm, where high elevation results in a markedly cooler climate than that encountered in the lowlands at a comparable latitude.To a climatologist, the term is inaccurate,...
(Cool land, Temperate) below 12,000 ft (about 3,600 m, Treeline)
(the warmest month has an average temperature of below 18°C or 64°F).
Crops: Potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
, Maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, Squash
Squash (fruit)
Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita, also called marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker...
, Passionfruit, Papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
, Peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
, Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, Rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
, and Barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
. Farming of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
.
- Tierra HeladaTierra heladaTierra helada is a term used in Latin America to refer to the highest places found within the Andes mountains.Tierra helada is for the Montane grasslands and shrublands, Sunis, Punas and Paramos between the Treeline and the Snow line...
(Cold land) above 12,000 ft (about 3,600 m)
(the definition of Treeline of Coniferae: the warmest month has an average temperature of below 10°C or 50°F ).
Crops above Tree line: Quinoa
Quinoa
Quinoa , a species of goosefoot , is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family...
, Cañigua
Kañiwa
Chenopodium pallidicaule, sometimes known as Cañihua, Canihua, Kañiwa, is a species of goosefoot, similar in character and uses to the closely related quinoa....
, Mashua
Mashua
The mashua is a perennial plant grown in the Andes for its edible tuber, which is eaten as a root vegetable. It is a major food source there. The tuber is rather peppery in flavor when raw, but this quality disappears when cooked...
, Oca
Oca
Oxalis tuberosa is an herbaceous perennial plant that overwinters as underground stem tubers. These tubers are known as oca, oka, or New Zealand Yam. The plant was brought into cultivation in the central and southern Andes for its tubers, which are used as a root vegetable...
, Tarhui, Broad beans
Vicia faba
This article refers to the Broad Bean plant. For Broadbean the company, see Broadbean, Inc.Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean, is a species of bean native to north Africa and southwest Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. A variety is provisionally...
and Ulluco
Ulluco
Ulluco is a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable.The ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato...
. Farming of Sheep, Lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s and Alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
s.
Terrestrial Biome Type 10: Montane grasslands and shrublands
Montane grasslands and shrublands
Montane grasslands and shrublands is a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high altitude grasslands and shrublands around the world....
- Tierra NevadaJancaJanca is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru . It is located in the frozen heights where the condor lives.The fauna in this region is limited because of the very cold weather...
, above the Snow lineSnow lineThe climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. The actual snow line may seasonally be significantly lower....
, 15,000 ft (about 4,500 m - 5,000 m)
(just warmer than -1°C over rocks or just warmer than -3°C over snow, annual mean temperature).
Javier Pulgar Vidal's Version
The Peruvian geographer Javier Pulgar Vidal divided Peru in 8 regions (traditionally, it was costa, sierra and selva):Map from República del Perú - Instituto Geográfico Nacional
- ChalaChalaThe Chala or "Coast" is one of the eight natural regions in Peru. It is formed by all the western lands that arise from sea level up to the height of 500 meters....
(West, Pacific Coast) 0– 500 m - OmaguaOmaguaOmagua or Low Jungle is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru. It is located between 80 and 400 m above sea level in the Amazon rainforest. In this region, there are a lot of rivers that create meanders, swamps and lagoons....
(Lowland jungle or Selva baja, Amazonic rainforest) 80– 400 m - Rupa-RupaRupa-RupaRupa-Rupa or High Jungle is one of the eight natural regions of Peru. It is located between 400 and 1,000 m above the sea level. This region has lots of narrow and long valleys and fluvial mountain trails...
(Highland jungle, Selva alta) 400– 1,000 m - Yunga (Aymaran for “Warm Lands”, Cloud forest)
- Loma-Vegetation (West, “Yunga costal” at the North of Peru) 450– 600 m
- Fluvial Yungas (East, “Yunga fluvial”) 1,000- 2,300 m
- QuechuaQuechua (Geography)Quechua is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru and is between 2,300 and 3,500 m above sea level. It is composed of big valleys divided by rivers fed by estival rains.Its flora includes Andean alder, gongapa, and arracacha...
(East, High valleys) 2,300– 3,500 m - SuniSuni (Geography)Suni or Jalca is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru. It is located in the Andes at an altitude between 3,500 and 4,100 metres above sea level...
(or Jalca or Sallqa too, high plateauPlateauIn geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
s and cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s) 3,500– 4,100 m - PunaPuna grasslandThe Puna grassland ecoregion, of the montane grasslands and shrublands biome, is found in the central Andes Mountains of South America. It is considered one of the eight Natural Regions in Peru, but extends south as far as northern Argentina and Chile....
(means "mountain top") 4,100– 4,800 m - JancaJancaJanca is one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru . It is located in the frozen heights where the condor lives.The fauna in this region is limited because of the very cold weather...
(means white) above 4,800 m, permafrost, rocks, snow and ice
Overview - Amazonic side
- Mouth of the Amazon River, Atlantic Ocean
- BelémBelémBelém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
, Brazil, 24 m, annual mean temperature 26.0°C - Gurupa varzea (NT0126)
- ManausManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Brazil, 72 m, annual mean temperature 26.6°C - Monte Alegre varzea (NT0141)
- Purus varzea (NT0156)
- Belém
- Colombia - Peru - Brazil border
- Leticia, Colombia, 84 m, annual mean temperature 25.8°C
- Tierra Caliente or Tropical Rainforest
- Omagua or Selva baja (Southwest Amazon moist forests - NT0166)
- IquitosIquitosIquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
, Peru, 126 m, annual mean temperature 26.2°C - Rupa-Rupa or Selva alta (Iquitos varzea - NT0128)
- Yunga fluvial (more than 5°C colder than the Peruan Tropics)
- Peruvian Yungas (NT0153)
- Quechua (High valleys, more than 10°C colder than the Peruan Tropics)
- Treeline
- Tierra Helada
- Suni (plateau)
- Tierra Helada
- Mountain passMountain passA mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
- Puna (mountain slope)
- Central Andean wet puna (NT1003)
- Central Andean puna (NT1002)
- "Andean-Alpine desert"
- Puna (mountain slope)
- Snow lineSnow lineThe climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. The actual snow line may seasonally be significantly lower....
- Tierra Nevada or Janca
- Peak
Estimated Temperatures - Continental Divide
Explanations:- Region, altitude (m); avg annual precipitation (mm); avg annual temperature (°C);
- Peruvian Highland Rainforest (Tropical climate), Cloud forest (Subtropical climate) and Temperate forest (Temperate climate);
- Cusco reference, estimated avg annual temperature (°C, Lowland Rainforest or Selva baja gets more rain, so it is more cloudy, so it is cooler);
- Snow line reference, Humboldt cold current/ Pacific climate influence, estimated avg annual temperature (°C).
- CuzcoCuscoCusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, Peru; 3,249 m; avg annual temperature 12.5 °C; avg annual precipitation 736 mm. - LimaLimaLima 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...
, Peru; 30 m; avg annual temperature 19.2 °C (fog influence); avg annual precipitation 15 mm.
- Cuzco
| Altitude | West - Pacific side | East - Amazonian side | |
| Highland Rainforest Rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm... or Selva alta |
400 m | - | 26.5 °C |
| Loma-Vegetation | 500 m | about 21.1 °C | - |
| Cloud forest Cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and... or Fluvial Yunga |
1,000 m | - | 23.5 °C |
| Quechua - Montane Valleys | 2,300 m | - | 17.2 °C |
| Amazonian Tree line of Coniferae: 10 °C | about 3,500 m | - | about 10 °C |
| Mountain pass influence | 4,100 m | about 3.4 °C | (about 7.1 °C) |
| Vegetation end | about 4,800 m | about 0.0 °C | - |
| Snow line Snow line The climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. The actual snow line may seasonally be significantly lower.... |
about 5,000 m | about -1.0 °C | - |
Example: Kallawaya Region, Bolivia
Altitudinal Zonation: Kallawaya Region, around CharazaniCharazani
- Location :Charazani is the capital of Bautista Saavedra Province and central town of the Charazani Municipality. It is situated on a spur at an elevation of 3,200 m amsl between Cordillera Muñecas in the south and Cordillera Apolabamba in the north, on a Mapiri River tributary which itself flows...
, Bolivia (border to Peru).
- Glacier
- Altitude: 5,900- 5,200 m, Annual mean temperature: below 0 °C, Agriculture: none
- High Mountain Desert, WerneriaWerneriaWerneria is a genus of true toads endemic to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.-Species:-References:, 2004 Revision of the genus Werneria Poche, 1903, including the descriptions of two new species from Cameroon and Gabon Zootaxa 720: 1–28 -External links:. 2007. Amphibian Species of the World: an...
ciliolata on screeScreeScree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
- Altitude: 5,200- 5,000 m, Annual mean temperature: below 0 °C - 0 °C, Agriculture: none.
- Grass Zone
- CalamagrostisCalamagrostisCalamagrostis, or Small-reed or Reedgrass, is a genus in the Grass family Poaceae with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of Calamagrostis generally occur at higher elevations in...
minima Steppe,- Altitude: 5,000- 4,600 m, Annual mean temperature: 0- 3.5 °C, Farming: alpacas, lamas.
- Pycnophyllum Steppe,
- Altitude: 4,600- 4,300 m, Annual mean temperature: 3.5- 7.5 °C, Farming: alpacas, lamas.
- Aciachne Humid Grassland,
- Altitude: 4,300- 3,900 m, Annual mean temperature: 7.5- 10.0 °C, Farming: alpacas, lamas, pigs; Agriculture: bitter potatoes, (ocaOcaOxalis tuberosa is an herbaceous perennial plant that overwinters as underground stem tubers. These tubers are known as oca, oka, or New Zealand Yam. The plant was brought into cultivation in the central and southern Andes for its tubers, which are used as a root vegetable...
), (oatOatThe common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name . While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed...
); Fallow land: more than 8 years.
- Altitude: 4,300- 3,900 m, Annual mean temperature: 7.5- 10.0 °C, Farming: alpacas, lamas, pigs; Agriculture: bitter potatoes, (oca
- Calamagrostis
- Shrub Zone
BaccharisBaccharis is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family . They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely...
pentandii Shrub, with BerberisBerberisBerberis , the barberries or pepperidge bushes, is a genus of about 450-500 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1-5 m tall with thorny shoots, native to the temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. They are closely related to the genus...
(eastslope),- Altitude: 3,900- 3,600 m, Annual mean temperature: 10.0- 11.5 °C, Farming: sheep; Agriculture: potatoPotatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, ocaOcaOxalis tuberosa is an herbaceous perennial plant that overwinters as underground stem tubers. These tubers are known as oca, oka, or New Zealand Yam. The plant was brought into cultivation in the central and southern Andes for its tubers, which are used as a root vegetable...
, ullucoUllucoUlluco is a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable.The ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato...
, barleyBarleyBarley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
; Fallow land: 3 to 4 years.
- MutisiaMutisiaMutisia is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.- Selected species :* Mutisia acerosa Poepp. ex Less. * Mutisia acuminata Ruiz & Pav. * Mutisia alata Hieron. * Mutisia andersonii Sodiro ex Hieron....
Shrub (westslope), BaccharisBaccharisBaccharis is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family . They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely...
pentlandii Shrub, with SiphocampylusSiphocampylusSiphocampylus is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Siphocampylus affinis, McVaugh* Siphocampylus asplundii, Jeppesen* Siphocampylus ecuadoriensis, E.Wimm....
(eastslope),- Altitude: 3,600- 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: 11.5- 16.5 °C, Farming: sheep, cattle; Agriculture: wheatWheatWheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, (barleyBarleyBarley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
), peaPeaA pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking...
s, beanBeanBean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....
s, maizeMaizeMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
up to 3,500 m with crop rotation.
- Altitude: 3,600- 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: 11.5- 16.5 °C, Farming: sheep, cattle; Agriculture: wheat
- KauniaKauniaKaunia is a genus of 14 species of South American shrubs or small trees. Its range is centered in Bolivia but it is also found in Argentina, southern Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.- Selected species :...
longipetiolata Shrub,- Altitude: 3,200- 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: 13.5- 16.5 °C, Farming: cattle; Agriculture: maizeMaizeMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, wheatWheatWheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, beanBeanBean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....
s, spring potatoPotatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, use of fertilizers, no crop rotationCrop rotationCrop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.Crop rotation confers various benefits to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals...
.
- Altitude: 3,200- 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: 13.5- 16.5 °C, Farming: cattle; Agriculture: maize
- Highland Rainforest,
- Altitude: below 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: over 17.0 °C, Farming: cattle; Agriculture: tropical fruits, orangesOrange (fruit)An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, cocaCocaCoca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
at around 2,000 m.
- Altitude: below 2,700 m, Annual mean temperature: over 17.0 °C, Farming: cattle; Agriculture: tropical fruits, oranges
Gallery
Image:Peru_veg_1970.jpg|Vegetation of Peru
Image:Amazonriverbasin basemap.png|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...
Image:Lake-Titicaca-Jacques-Nicolas-Bellin-1758.jpg|Watershed around 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...
, 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...
, Puno
Puno
Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
and Cuzco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
Image:Peru Provinces Costa Sierra Selva.png|Costa - Sierra - Selva
Image:Plaza de Armas en el Día.jpg|Iquitos
Iquitos
Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
- 126 m
Image:Peru - HotSprings.jpg|Rupa-Rupa - High Rain forest
Image:Yungas03.jpg|Mist forest (2,500 m)
Image:ValleColca lou.jpg|Quechua
Image:Urubamba_valley1.jpg|The Sacred Valley
Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley of the Incas or Urubamba Valley is a valley in the Andes of Peru, close to the Inca capital of Cusco and below the ancient sacred city of Machu Picchu...
of the Incas between Písac
Písac
]Písac is a Peruvian village in the Sacred Valley on the Urubamba River. The village is well-known for its market every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, an event which attracts heavy tourist traffic from nearby Cusco....
and Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is a town and an Inca archaeological site in southern Peru some 60 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters above sea level in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba, Cusco region...
(2002)
Image:Yungas01.jpg|Mountain slope (4,000 m)
Image:Laguna Conococha.jpg|Laguna Conococha
Laguna Conococha
Laguna Conococha is a lake in the Andes-Cordillera of South America in north-western Peru.Laguna Conococha is situated in the Ancash Region at an altitude of 4,050 m above sea level and at on the road from Callejón de Huaylas to Chiquián.The lake is seen as the headwaters of Río Santa which from...
- 4,050 m
Image:Guanako.jpg|Puna with shrubs
Image:Parinacota volcano.jpgLauca National Park
Lauca National Park
Lauca National Park is located in Chile's far north, in the Andean range. It encompasses an area of 1,379 km² of altiplano and mountains, the latter consisting mainly of enormous volcanoes. Las Vicuñas National Reserve is its neighbour to the south. Both protected areas, along with Salar de Surire...
- Parinacota volcano
Image:Peru - Altiplano1.jpg|Region of Ayacucho, Peru, 1986 - Puna
Image:Peru - Altiplano2.jpg|Region of Ayacucho, Peru, 1986 - Puna
Image:Qoyllur Rit'i dancers.jpg|Qoyllur Rit'i
Qoyllur Rit'i
Qoyllur Rit'i is a religious festival held annually in honor of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i at the Sinakara Valley in the Cusco Region of Peru. According to local traditions, the celebration originated in 1780, when a young native herder called Mariano Mayta befriended a mestizo boy, called Manuel...
, glacier and alpine desert - 2007
Image:Taulliraju.JPG|Huascarán National Park
Huascarán National Park
Huascarán National Park is a national park in the Cordillera Blanca, a range of the Andes, in Ancash of central Peru. It was also pronounced as Natural Heritage of Humanity and recognized as Reserve of Biosphere Core. The highest mountain in Peru is located in the park...
; Cordillera Blanca
Cordillera Blanca
The Cordillera Blanca is a mountain range in the Ancash Region of Peru. Part of the larger Andes range, it includes 33 major peaks over high in an area wide and long.-Overview:...
; Taulliraju (5,830 m); North of Lima