Peru is a country located in western South America, along the central and western part of the continent's Pacific coast. It is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west

. Geographically, Peru covers an area of about 1,285,216 square kilometers (496,225 square miles), making it the third largest country in South America and the 19th largest in the world

. The country features diverse landscapes, including the arid coastal plains along the Pacific, the Andes mountain range running north to southeast, and the tropical Amazon rainforest in the east

. Its capital and largest city is Lima, located on the coast. Peru's location just south of the Equator places it fully in the Southern Hemisphere, with a rich variety of climates and ecosystems due to its elevation changes and proximity to the Pacific Ocean

. In summary, Peru lies on the western side of South America, bordered by five countries and the Pacific Ocean, with a geographic makeup that includes coastal, highland, and jungle regions