Editing Geography of Peru (section)

=== Coast ===
The Peruvian coast is a microclimatic region. The region is affected by the cold [[Humboldt Current]], the [[El Niño Southern Oscillation]], [[tropical]] [[latitude]], and the [[Andes]] mountain range.

The central and southern coast consists mainly of a subtropical desert climate composed of sandy or rocky shores and inland cutting valleys. Days alternate between overcast skies with occasional fog in the winter and sunny skies with occasional haze in the summer, with the only precipitation being an occasional light-to-moderate [[drizzle]] that is known locally as ''[[garúa]]''.  These regions are usually characterized by mildly cold lows ({{convert|14|°C|1|disp=or}}) and also mild highs ({{convert|29|°C|disp=or}}). Temperatures rarely fall below {{convert|12|°C|1}} and do not go over {{convert|29|°C}}. An exception is the southern coast, where it does get a bit warmer and drier for most of the year during daytime, and where it can also get much colder during winter nights ({{convert|8|to|9|°C|°F|1|disp=or}}).

The northern coast, on the contrary, has a curious tropical-dry climate, generally referred to as [[Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands|tropical savanna]]. This region is a lot warmer and can be unbearable during summer months, where rainfall is also present. The region differs from the southern coast by the presence of shrubs, equatorial dry forests ([[Tumbes–Piura dry forests]] ecoregion), [[mangrove]] forests, tropical valleys near rivers such as the [[Chira River|Chira]] and the [[Rio Tumbes|Tumbes]]. The average temperature is {{convert|25|°C}}.

==== Central and southern coast ====
The central and southern coast have a [[subtropical]] desert climate, despite this region being located in the tropics. The [[Humboldt Current]], serving as one cause of climatic differentiation, is {{convert|7|to|8|C-change|F-change}} colder than normal tropical seas at {{convert|14|to|19|°C|°F}}, thus preventing high tropical temperatures from appearing. Additionally, due to the height of the Andes cordillera, there is no passage of hot clouds from the Amazon to the coast, the climate is cooler than that of similar tropical latitudes. This can create a great deal of humidity and fog during winter months.

Moreover, the Andes mountains are very close to the coast, a geographic factor that prevents [[cumulus]] or [[cumulonimbus]] clouds from appearing. Therefore, a shade effect is created, causing very low annual rainfall in this region.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moseley| first1= M. E.| year=1992| title= The Incas and their ancestors: the archaeology of Peru|url=https://archive.org/details/incastheirancest0000mose|url-access=registration| location= London| publisher= Thames and Hudson| isbn= 9780500050637}}</ref>

Rainfall averages {{convert|5|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} per year near the Chilean border to {{convert|200|mm|in|abbr=on}} per year on the northern coast and nearer the Andes.

The central coast is composed of regions including [[La Libertad Region|La Libertad]], [[Ancash]] and [[Lima]], which have a spring-like climate for most of the year. Foggy and sunny days intermingle around the humid sand dunes during most of the year.

Most summers (February–April) have pleasant temperatures ranging from {{convert|19|to|21|°C|°F}} during the night to about {{convert|28|to|29|°C|°F}} during the daytime. Winters (August–October) are very humid, and range from {{convert|12|to|15|°C|°F}} during the nights to around the {{convert|17|to|18|°C|°F}} during the day. The spring (November–January) and autumn (May–July) months have a pleasant climate that ranges from {{convert|23|°C}} during the day to around {{convert|17|°C}} during the night. Moving inland into the ''Yunga'' valleys, the climate tends to be ~{{convert|3|C-change}} drier and warmer during any given month.

The ''southern coast'', composed of the [[Ica region|Ica]], [[Arequipa]], [[Moquegua]] and [[Tacna]] regions, has a drier and warmer climate during the day for all seasons, although colder in winter. There are regions famous for their sand dunes and impressive deserts that are, in part, caused by the drier and hotter climate. Temperatures in this region can reach up to {{convert|36|°C}} in the [[Nazca]] region while inland regions can fall to {{convert|8|or|9|°C|°F}} during the winter months. During the day, temperatures rarely go below the {{convert|22|or|23|°C|°F}} for all months of the year. This purports the idea that the southern coast has a more desert-like climate, although daily temperature variations exist as they do in other regions within tropical latitudes. Clear skies are often present in desert areas and, although less common, near the coastal cliffs as well, which are home to a variety of fish and marine mammals.

==== Northern coast ====
The northern coast consists of the eastern region of [[Lambayeque Region|Lambayeque]], the [[Piura Region]] and the [[Tumbes Region]].
They are characterized by having different climate and geography from the rest of the coast. Right between the 3-hour drive on the [[Sechura Desert]], which is located north of the [[Lambayeque Region]] and south of the [[Piura Region]], is the evidence of [[climate change]] from the common subtropical desert found on the south to visible tropicalization effects of the tropical dry climate or [[tropical savanna]]. Examples of this are the tropical dry forests that begin to appear. They are composed of shrubs, thorny trees, carob trees, faique trees, guayacan{{typo help inline|reason=similar to guayacan|date=March 2022}} trees, hualtaco trees, palo santo trees, ceibo trees and on the coast
mangrove forests. It is also a biodiverse area where typical wildlife can be observed such as crocodiles, reptiles, iguanas, boas, pava aliblanca, anteater, bear, sloth (bearh) and many more.

This climatic change is caused by the presence of the warm [[El Niño–Southern Oscillation|El Niño Current]] during the summer months (December to April), the eventual [[El Niño]] Phenomenon and the passing of Amazon Jungles clouds due to mountain openings and lower altitudes of the Andes Chain. These are the causes for a climate change in a short two- or three-hour trajectory that is visible between the [[Lambayeque Region]] and the [[Sechura Province]], where not only geography changes but a temperature rise of {{convert|6|C-change|1}} or more depending on the month. It is directly off the shores of the [[Sechura Province|Sechura Region]] where the cold Humboldt current and warm El Niño current meet, at about 5° to 6° south of the equator. From this point, warm temperatures are most common, and there are no true winters. Average temperatures range between {{convert|24.5|-|27|°C|°F|1}}.

Summer (December through March) is more humid and very hot, with average temperatures that vary from {{convert|25|°C}} during the night to around {{convert|34|°C|1}} during the day, although north of Lambayeque it can reach the {{convert|40|°C}}. Winters (June–September) are cooler during the nights; around {{convert|16|°C|1}} during the night, to around {{convert|27|°C|1}} during the daytime.

There are protected areas in [[Tumbes, Peru|Tumbes]] and [[Department of Piura|Piura]] such as the [[El Angolo Game Reserve|Coto de Caza El Angolo]] and the [[Cerros de Amotape National Park]], with [[Tumbes–Piura dry forests|tropical dry forests]] that extend to the south of Ecuador. The eastern areas of [[Department of Lambayeque|Lambayeque]] also have tropical dry forests, where the Chaparrí Private Conservation Area is located in Chongoyape. These forests have the particularity of connecting with the [[Amazon basin]] through the [[Marañón River|Marañón]] pass (an area where there are also tropical dry forests). 

[[Mangrove forest|Mangrove forests]] are located in four specific areas from [[Sechura Province|Sechura]] to [[Tumbes, Peru|Tumbes]]. In these regions, the mangrove forests are at the ending strips of the Piura River in the [[Sechura Province]] (the southernmost mangroves in the Pacific Ocean). To the north, the ending strips of the [[Chira River]], [[Tumbes River]], and [[Zarumilla River]] also have mangrove forests that flow into the ocean.

'''Terrain:'''
western [[coastal plain]] (costa), high and rugged Andes in center ([[Geography of Peru#Andean Mountain Ranges|sierra]]), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva).

'''Natural resources:'''
[[copper]], [[silver]], [[gold]], [[petroleum]], [[timber]], [[fish]], [[iron]] ore, [[coal]], [[phosphate]], [[potash]], [[hydropower]].