PUNA REGION: CHARACTERISTICS, RELIEF, CITIES, FLORA, FAUNA - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The Puna region, also known as the Altiplano, stretches from southeastern Peru to western Bolivia. This region originates northwest of Lake Titicaca in southern Peru, comprising almost 1,000 km. Its altitude ranges from 4,000 meters to 4,800 meters above sea level. Living conditions at this point are difficult and require adaptation.

In general, it is a series of intermountain basins. Lake Titicaca occupies the northernmost basin. Lake Poopó and the Coipasa and Uyuni salt flats are to the south.

The basins are separated by spurs that extend eastward from the Western Cordillera of the Andes. On the eastern side of the Altiplano, there is a continuous smooth gradient passage that runs south through Bolivia. The Eastern Cordillera of the Andes forms the eastern limit of the Puna region.

On the other hand, the term P una means "soroche" or "altitude sickness" in Quechua language. This disease affects people who are not used to such high altitudes. Some of the symptoms include: headache, thirst, dizziness, weakness, palpitations, and shortness of breath.

Main characteristics of the Puna region

The Puna region is one of the natural regions of Peru and belongs to a vast extension known as the Altiplano. It is a high-altitude plateau in the Central Andes of South America. Most of the Altiplano is found in southern Peru and western Bolivia, with the southernmost parts in northern Chile and northern Argentina.

To date, researchers are still not very clear about its origin. However, it is thought that about 60 million years ago this area was at sea level and that subsequent tectonic movements raised it to the heights known today. Some of the first Andean civilizations, precursors of the Incas, arose in this region.

At present, in the Puna region you can find several lakes that are used as stops by migratory birds. There are also areas of salt flats (Salares) and stone deserts (Hamadas).

Relief

The Puna region is a large structural basin located between the Cordillera Real and the Western Cordillera of the Andes. Rather than being a continuous surface, it is made up of a series of high, flat intermountain basins with elevations of approximately 4,000 m to 4,800 m asl.

The snowcapped, active and extinct volcanoes in both ranges commonly reach heights close to or greater than 6,000 m.

In addition, it has an interior zone of accumulation of waters from the melting of mountain glaciers and accumulation of intense rain waters, which occurred especially during the Pleistocene era. This is where the lakes in the region come from.

Main cities

Below is a brief description of the main cities in the Puna region:

Hill of Pasco

Junín is the capital of the homonymous province. It is located 4,105 m above sea level. It is a tourist center where shopping centers, squares and parks predominate. In addition, it stands out for the number of avenues and monuments for recreation.

It also has a historical and architectural heritage that represents the glorious past of the city. The famous Battle of Junín was held nearby.

Caylloma Province

Regarding the flora of the Puna region, shrub species such as the reeds of the lagoons are very common. These grow in large proportions to become bird shelters. Another common shrub is the ichu (Stipa ichu), used for forage purposes.

However, one of the most famous and celebrated species in the region is the raimondi titanca (Puya raimondii). This plant, family of the bromeliaceae, can reach heights of up to 4 m. After 100 years, it blooms and then dies.

Similarly, in the Puna region you can get fruit trees. One of them is the champa (Campomanesia lineatifolia). Its fruit is a small berry with a sweet acidic flavor. This berry has potential applications in the production of industrial juices.

As for the tubers, cultivated since pre-Columbian times, the goose (Oxalis tuberosa) can be mentioned as an example. Its name comes from the Quechua oka.

Due to its characteristics of high amounts of protein and low amount of fat, it is appreciated as a food source. It is also known by the name of timbo, foreign potato or red potato.

Fauna

In the Puna region, the most representative specimens of the fauna are four species of the camelid family. These Andean camelids include the llama (Lama glama), the alpaca (Lama pacos), the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), and the guanaco (Lama guanicoe).

The first two were domesticated thousands of years ago. For their part, the vicuña and the guanaco are protected species as they present a risk of extinction. Both live in the wild.

In addition, the fauna of the region includes chinchillas and vizcachas (rodents), hummingbirds and Andean condors (birds), pumas and Andean foxes (predators and scavengers), among others.

Weather

The climate of the Puna region is characterized by a long dry season, lasting from April to November, and a short wet season. During the wet season 95% of the rain occurs. The amount of rain decreases from northeast to southwest.

The Eastern Cordillera, for example, receives approximately 130 cm of water annually, while the southern Altiplano receives only 15 cm.

With regard to temperatures, the highest occur during the summer, at the end of November. These reach 20 ° C during the day and close to -15 ° C at night.

In the winter, from June to August, average temperatures reach 13 ° C and drop to -11 ° C at night. Strong winds are common in the Altiplano, reaching 97 km per hour. They are present almost every day and are usually strongest in the afternoon.

References

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