Coastline:
2,414 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources:
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005)
Irrigated land:
12,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
Environment - 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