Where in the World?
Peru is one of the most ecologically and culturally fascinating countries in South America. Situated just south of the equator on the Pacific side of the continent, you might guess that the country would have a tropical climate. However, the interplay of Pacific ocean currents and the Andes mountains has resulted in three broad environmental categories that Peruvians describe their homeland with: costa, sierra, y selva, or coast, highlands, and jungle. The distinctions run longitudinally through the country, but the diversity of ecological niches that are present in each of the three zones makes it difficult to simply describe the climate and terrain of Peru.
Life in South America is inevitably shaped by the topography of the Andes mountains, as it is the source of all major waterways and acts as a connector between different ecological niches. Despite the resulting diversity of habitats and settlements established, the mountains have created a social and cultural identity labeled “Andean-ness” by Latin American studies scholars, a term that seeks to unify the multitudinous people of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Chile.
Life in South America is inevitably shaped by the topography of the Andes mountains, as it is the source of all major waterways and acts as a connector between different ecological niches. Despite the resulting diversity of habitats and settlements established, the mountains have created a social and cultural identity labeled “Andean-ness” by Latin American studies scholars, a term that seeks to unify the multitudinous people of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Chile.
As you might have noticed based on the title of this site, I lived in the sierra of northern Peru, in a small city called Otuzco. Otuzco is the seat of the province of the same name in the department of La Libertad, located 73 km from the nearest large city, Trujillo. The city of Otuzco is located at just under 9,000 ft in altitude, and is surrounded by green and brown peaks of steep incline, as in the image above. The seasons in this region occur in reverse of what the seasons follow on an American calendar--it was winter , or better termed the dry season since it rained only one day while I was there during my "summer" break from school. Most of the prevalent illnesses associated with cooler temperatures--the common cold, upper respiratory tract infections, influenza, and pneumonia--were common among hospital patients, and a lack of access to medical resources perpetuated sickness among entire families. Geographic variety creates obstacles for access to health care infrastructure.
Agriculture and mining make up the majority of employment opportunities in Otuzco and surrounding areas, although agriculture makes up only 6.4% of the country's GDP and industry, significantly more at 36.3%. These sectors are among the most physically demanding of employment In a country of almost 30 million, on average 27% of the population falls below the poverty line economically, reaching up to 55% in rural areas. These statistics are informative on which socioeconomic factors, and well as environmental characteristics, influence the well-being of Peruvians in the rural highland region.
The next page will briefly explain the system of healthcare delivery in Peru and particularly what was established in Otuzco.
Agriculture and mining make up the majority of employment opportunities in Otuzco and surrounding areas, although agriculture makes up only 6.4% of the country's GDP and industry, significantly more at 36.3%. These sectors are among the most physically demanding of employment In a country of almost 30 million, on average 27% of the population falls below the poverty line economically, reaching up to 55% in rural areas. These statistics are informative on which socioeconomic factors, and well as environmental characteristics, influence the well-being of Peruvians in the rural highland region.
The next page will briefly explain the system of healthcare delivery in Peru and particularly what was established in Otuzco.