<P> Because of its varied geography and climate, Peru has a high biodiversity with 21,462 species of plants and animals reported as of 2003, 5,855 of them endemic . Peru has over 1,800 species of birds (120 endemic), and 500 species of mammals and over 300 species of reptiles . The hundreds of mammals include rare species like the puma, jaguar and spectacled bear . The Birds of Peru produce large amounts of guano, an economically important export . The Pacific holds large quantities of sea bass, flounder, anchovies, tuna, crustaceans, and shellfish, and is home to many sharks, sperm whales, and whales . </P> <P> Peru also has an equally diverse flora . The coastal deserts produce little more than cacti, apart from hilly fog oases and river valleys that contain unique plant life . The Highlands above the tree - line known as puna is home to bushes, cactus, drought - resistant plants such as ichu, and the largest species of bromeliad - the spectacular Puya raimondii . </P> <P> The cloud - forest slopes of the Andes sustain moss, orchids, and bromeliads, and the Amazon rainforest is known for its variety of trees and canopy plants . </P> <P> The economy of Peru is classified as upper middle income by the World Bank and is the 39th largest in the world . Peru is, as of 2011, one of the world's fastest - growing economies owing to the economic boom experienced during the 2000s . It has a high Human Development Index of . 752 based on 2011 data . Historically, the country's economic performance has been tied to exports, which provide hard currency to finance imports and external debt payments . Although they have provided substantial revenue, self - sustained growth and a more egalitarian distribution of income have proven elusive . According to 2010 data, 31.3% of its total population is poor, including 9.8% that lives in extreme poverty . Inflation in 2012 was the lowest in Latin America at only 1.8%, but increased in 2013 as oil and commodity prices rose; as of 2014 it stands at 2.5% . The unemployment rate has fallen steadily in recent years, and as of 2012 stands at 3.6% . </P>

Where is peru located in the world map