To compound these enviro-political problems, the severe effects of the El Nino weather system have destroyed a great deal of existing transportation infrastructure.

The infrastructure of highways and roads was directly and negatively impacted during the last El Ni±o. This network extends for 75,000 km in Peru. A great majority, 50,000 km, are little more than dirt roads and trails. Only a third of Peruvian highways are either gravel or asphalt. Most of the 10,000 km of asphalt roads are in the Pan-American Highway that runs along the coast. Seen as a group, this network is very inadequate because its extension is limited compared to the size of the country.

(www.unu.edu/env/govern/ElNIno/CountryReports/inside/peru/Social_impacts/ Social_impacts_txt.html)

Additional problems exist for engineers of Peruvian transportation systems in the form of natural disasters. Peru is located in an earthquake-prone area, and has experienced mild volcanic activity, landslides, flooding and tsunamis in past years (www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pe.html, 2004). As the nation's economy largely depends upon the transportation of marke

Additionally, the United States is providing financial resources for the linking of remote communities with major highways, to the great delight of the inhabitants of those isolated areas.

Enrique Bello, a specialist with the Department of Regional Development and Environment of the Organization of American States, described his journey across the Colombian-Peruvian border. He was on an asphalt road, overgrown with dense foliage which draped the surroundings in emerald greens and deep browns. Following him were virtually all of the 60 residents of the border community, excited about Bello's inspection of the future highway site. In an area practically cut off from civilization, "This road is their dream," recalled Bello (Mayer).