What is the name of the cold ocean current off the west coast of South America?

The cold ocean current off the west coast of South America is the Humboldt Current, also called the Peru Current. It flows northward along the coasts of Chile and Peru in the southeastern Pacific Ocean.

The current is an eastern boundary current driven largely by prevailing winds and the Earth's rotation. As surface water moves away from the coast, cold, nutrient-rich water rises from deeper layers in a process called coastal upwelling. This makes the waters unusually productive and supports major fisheries, especially for anchoveta.

The Humboldt Current is named after German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who reported measurements of it in his 1846 work Cosmos. However, the current had been observed much earlier by the Spanish chronicler José de Acosta.

It is commonly confused with other named eastern boundary currents. The California Current runs along western North America, the Canary Current off northwest Africa, and the Benguela Current along southwestern Africa. El Niño can temporarily weaken the Humboldt Current's upwelling and disrupt its marine ecosystem.