THE SIERRA

The Andes straddle Peru from North to South and are split into three mountain ranges: the Western, Central and Eastern ranges each taking a different local name according to the territory into which they branch out. They determine particular characteristics of the landscape, climate, relief, fauna and flora, mineral resources, etc. in that territory. Considering only the Western Range, the Andes stretch along 1880 km from the frontier with Ecuador to the frontier with Chile.

The Andes separate the coastal desert to the West, from the jungle forests to the East forming an immense barrier of varying altitudes. In the southern Highlands, in the Valley of the Volcanoes, the thick layers of petrified lava are vestiges of the intense volcanic activity registered in the past in the western range. The Misti, an extinct volcano (5 821m) in the shape of a beautiful snow copped cone dominates the City of Arequipa. Not far away in the Colca Valley the river of the same name, has cut a deep canyon whose walls are more than 3 100 m high.

The highest mountains are in the central area with an approximate mean height of 5 300 m with those of less altitude to the North (mean altitude of 3 880 m). However in the Cordillera Blanca (Ancash) alone, more than thirty snow – capped peaks have more then 6 thousand meters altitude. Here is the highest peal in Peru, the majestic snow covered Huascaran, 6 768 m.a.s.l., with other glaciers of awesome beauty. The overflowing of some lakes at their foot as a result of heavy rains or landslides may bring about such huge disasters as that which caused the destruction of Yungay during the 1970 earthquake.

There are great differences resulting from the different altitudes of the mountains. In the highest, temperature falls by 30ºC, and above 4 800 m.a.s.l. there are no permanently populated areas, except for a few mining operations in temporary stations.

• BACK TO PERU INFO