Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador! Geographic coordinates: 10° 0' S, 76° 0' W Coastline: 2,414 km km 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: Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity. 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 Currency: nuevo sol (PEN) Population: Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages Capital: Divisions: