Punta Pariñas
Punta Pariñas is a headland in Peru’s Piura Region that marks the westernmost point of mainland South America.
Cape of Good Hope: A headland in South Africa near the southwestern tip of the African continent. Like Punta Pariñas, it is a prominent headland associated with a continental coastal extreme.
Cabo Blanco, Peru: A headland and fishing locality on Peru’s northern Pacific coast. It is another notable headland along the Piura coast.
Extreme points of South America: The geographic locations marking the northern, southern, eastern, and western limits of South America. Punta Pariñas is identified as the mainland continent’s western extreme.
Mainland South America: The continental landmass of South America, excluding its surrounding islands. Punta Pariñas marks the westernmost point of this landmass.
Cape Horn: A headland on Hornos Island, Chile, at the southern end of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. It is another famous South American headland, but lies far to the continent’s south.
Máncora: A beach town on Peru’s northern coast, in Piura Region. Its beaches lie north of Punta Pariñas along the same coastal corridor.
Geographic coordinate system: A system that locates positions on Earth using latitude and longitude. Coordinates establish the precise position of this coastal point.
Continental extreme: A location at the greatest extent of a continent in a specified direction. The headland’s significance comes from its status as a western continental extreme.
Tumbes Region: A coastal region in northwestern Peru, bordering Ecuador. It lies north of Piura along Peru’s Pacific coast.
Los Órganos: A coastal town in Piura Region, Peru, known for beaches and marine tourism. It provides a nearby coastal settlement north of the headland.