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With the Andes cutting its territory from north to south, Peru comprises three distinct zones. The Coast, a narrow desertlike strip, is transected by 40 rivers flowing west to the Pacific Ocean . Most cities including Lima , the capital, are located in this region. In the central part of the country, the main Andean ranges and interconnecting valleys make up the Sierra or highlands, whose loftiest peak, the Huascaran , rises to an altitude of 6721 metres. Cuzco , the ancient capital, is situated in the south-central highlands. Lying further south on a high plateau (the Altiplano) are Puno and Lake Titicaca . Interposed between Peru and Bolivia at a 3830 m-elevation, the Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake. Finally, the vast, humid lowlands to the east of the Andes are known as the Selva. This region is indeed covered by thick jungle and contains the headwaters of the Amazon river ".
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