Quelccaya Ice Cap

The Quelccaya Ice Cap is the largest glaciated area in the tropics. Located in the Cordillera Oriental section of the Andes mountains of Peru, the ice cap is at an average altitude of 5,470 meters (17,950 feet) and spans an area of 44 square kilometers (17 square miles). As with the majority of the Earth's glaciers, the Quelccaya Ice cap has retreated significantly since it was first studied. Since 1978 the icecap has lost approximately 20% of its area, and the rate of retreat is increasing.