RELIEF OF THE PERUVIAN SIERRA: MOST OUTSTANDING CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The relief of the Peruvian highlands is made up of hills, mountains, plateaus, plateaus, deep inter-Andean valleys, Andean buttresses, and other similar formations.

In the Peruvian highlands is Mount Huascarán which, at 6,768 meters above sea level, is the highest point in Peru.

The Peruvian sierra, also known as the Andes, extends through four of the eight natural regions of Peru: Quechua (between 2,300 and 3,500 meters above sea level), Suni (between 3,500 and 4,100 meters above sea level), Puna (between 4,100 and 4,800 meters above sea level) and Janca (from 4,800 to 6,768 meters above sea level).

Although it is true that one can speak of general characteristics of the Peruvian highlands, each of these regions presents a specific relief. The mountain formations in each area are related to the altitude at which they are found.

One of the best known landforms of the Peruvian highlands is the Andes Mountains, a formation that begins in Venezuela and crosses the entire South American continent to Argentina. For this reason, it is the largest mountain range in the world.

General characteristics

In general terms, the relief of the Peruvian highlands is characterized by the presence of high peaks, steep formations, inter-Andean valleys and plateaus.

In this area there are mountains with perpetual snow and glaciers. This is because the Peruvian sierra is at a higher altitude than the other regions of Peru and, therefore, the temperatures are very low.

Relief in the four natural regions of the mountains of Peru

The mountains of Peru occupy four of the natural regions of the country. These are Quechua, Suni, Puna and Janca. Each of these geographical areas differs from the others by its relief.

1- Quechua Region

The Quechua region is between 2,300 and 3,500 meters above sea level, this being the lowest point in the Peruvian highlands.

The relief of this region is characterized by the presence of inter-Andean valleys; that is to say, valleys that are found between the mountain ranges of the Cordillera de los Andes.

At the junction between the inter-Andean valleys and the foothills of the Andean Cordillera, low-lying hills and slopes are formed.

These formations have fertile lands, suitable for agriculture. Finally, there are few plains in the Quechua region.

2- Suni Region

The Suni region is located between 3,500 and 4,100 meters above sea level. The area is covered by gentle mountains, plains and undulations.

3- Puna Region

The Puna region is between 4,100 and 4,800 meters above sea level.

The relief of the region is varied. On the one hand, there are steep and steep rock formations, such as those that could be found in the Janca region.

On the other hand, the relief is made up of plateaus and mountains, like those that characterize the Suni region.

Some formations of the Puna region are:

- Plateau of the Collao.

- The Meseta de Castrovirreyna.

- Junín Plateau.

- The Parinacochas Plateau.

4- Janca Region

The Janca region, also called the Cordillera region, is located between 4,800 and 6,768 meters above sea level. This is the highest point in Peru. The relief of the Janca region is formed by steep mountains and high peaks with perpetual snow.

Due to the abrupt relief of this area and the low temperatures, the region does not have populated areas. However, it represents a tourist attraction due to its snowy peaks.

The Peruvian Andes

The Peruvian Andes are a mountain range found in the west of the country, shaping the Peruvian highlands.

This formation crosses Peru from north to south and is part of a much larger formation, called the Cordillera de los Andes (which runs from Venezuela to Argentina).

Peru is divided into two factions due to this mountainous formation. To the west is the coastal area, while to the east is the jungle area.

The Peruvian Andes are divided into three sections: north, center, and south.

- North section

The northern section of the Andes has the narrowest and lowest mountains.

- Central section

The central section is made up of snowy peaks. In this faction of the mountains is Mount Huascarán, which is the highest peak in Peru (at 6,768 meters above sea level).

In addition to Mount Huascarán, in this area there are more than 70 peaks that exceed 5,500 meters above sea level. This is one of the reasons why the sierra attracts so many tourists.

The west of the central section is also known as the Cordillera Blanca. This is because perennial glaciers are found in this area.

Likewise, you can see inter-Andean valleys, whose lands are very fertile and used for agriculture.

- South section

The southern section is the largest of the three sections of the Peruvian Andes. It measures about 640 km from east to west.

To the west, the southern section is composed of groups of volcanoes that make up the Western Cordillera. Among these volcanoes, the Misti, the Sabancava and the Ubinas stand out. The latter is the most active of the three.

To the east, there are older mountains which make up the Eastern Cordillera. There you can see high-rise formations that exceed 5,700 meters above sea level.

As you descend in the Eastern Cordillera, the relief changes and cliffs begin to appear that give way to the Amazon jungles.

In the southern section, there is also the Altiplano. This plateau extends to the south of the continent, crossing Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

The plateau is characterized by the presence of meadows, soft mountains and plateaus (belonging to the Puna region), active volcanoes and lakes, such as Titicaca, which is the largest navigable lake in the world.

References

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2. Geography of Peru. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from peruinformation.org
3. Geography of Peru. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from wikipedia.org
4. Geography of Peru's Coast, Mountains, and Jungle. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from tripsavvy.com
5. Life zones of Peru. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from wikipedia.org
6. Peru Info. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from perudiscovery.com
7. Quechua (geography). Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from wikipedia.org
8. The Andean Mountain Range or Sierra. Retrieved on September 29, 2017, from discover-peru.org