The dramatic Peruvian landscape draws adventurers from the world over. Bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil and Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean, Peru's land raises from the sea to some of the world's highest peaks.
Peru's principal natural features are its desert coast; the 40 great snow-covered peaks over 6,000 meters in altitude, and the mountain ranges they anchor. Renown and perhaps most spectacular is Lake Titicaca, which is shared with Bolivia, and at 3,809 meters above sea level, is the world's highest navigable lake.
Approximately 36 percent of the population lives in thousands of small villages and hamlets that constitute the rural hinterland for the regional capitals and trading centers. Over 15 percent of Peruvians live at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 meters, 20 percent live between 3,000 and 4,000 meters, and one percent regularly reside at altitudes over 4,000 meters.
The climate of Peru varies widely, ranging from tropical in the montaña to arctic in the highest mountains of the Andes. The montaña region is extremely hot and humid, although at higher altitudes it is less so. For the Peruvians, there are two basic Andean seasons, the rainy winter from October through April and the dry summer in the remaining months.
