Peru, located in the center of South America, shares borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. It has a total area of 1,285,216 square kilometers (sq km). The country’s latitude, its mountain ranges, sharp variations in topography, and the Humboldt (ocean) Current create dramatically different climatic zones. Its geographic diversity makes the country vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, flash flooding, landslides, and volcanic activity, among others, especially with the majority of its population residing along the coast.