Peru stretches over 3,000 kilometers along the Pacific Ocean. To the west, there is the coastal region consisting of a narrow arid strip of land; in the centre, the Cordillera des Andes is an imposing sierra with high plateaus, glaciers and peaks culminating at more than 6,500 meters; on the flanks of the lower mountains, the dry forest suffers from reduced vegetation due to deforestation. Today, recognised for its wealth of flora and fauna, Peru has aroused a growing interest and the last fragments of the dry forest are being preciously preserved.