Central tropical Andes. Where are the Andes

Many people are interested in where the Andes are located: on what continent, in what climatic zones, on the territory of which states. Also, some readers would like to know about the time of origin of these great mountains, their nature and population. All this will be discussed in this article.

Geographical position

The Andes are the longest mountain system in the world. It borders the north and west of South America and extends for 9000 km. The width of the mountains is no less impressive: on average about 500, and a maximum of 750 km.

The Andean Cordillera, as this mountain system is also called, is a natural barrier separating the territory of South America from the Atlantic. This is also a large watershed: the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean flow on the eastern side, and the Pacific on the western side. High in the mountains, the tributaries of the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, as well as many waterways of Patagonia originate.

The Andes territory covers seven countries South America: Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador.

Weather

Due to their enormous extent, the ridges and spurs of these great mountains spread across several climatic zones.

The Northern Andes are dominated by subequatorial latitudes with a clear alternation of rainy and dry seasons.

The tropical zone is characterized by constant values ​​of both temperature and humidity: there are no sharp changes here. These are the conditions in the Caribbean Andes. There is also no seasonality at the equator, but there are pronounced differences in climate by altitude: at the foot it is humid and hot, at the peaks there is snow.

The central part is characterized by separation along the slopes: from the west, precipitation falls an order of magnitude less than from the east. Here lies a zone of tropical deserts with frequent fog and dew. Average annual temperature on the Puna and Altiplano plateaus the temperature does not exceed 10°C, and the conditions here are harsh: sudden changes in weather and strong gusty winds are the norm.

In the south, in the Tierra del Fuego region, a humid oceanic climate prevails. The annual precipitation rate exceeds 3,000 mm. They fall mainly in the form of a nasty drizzle that does not stop most days of the year.

How were they formed?

Where are the Andes located? physical map Any schoolchild can show the world. The complex chain of parallel ridges took millions of years to form. According to scientists, the Andes mountain system, where the subduction zone is located, is being transformed and is still being transformed. The Antarctic tectonic plate and Nazca are gradually moving under the South American plate.

Geologists at the University of Bristol have established the approximate time when the mountains began to rise. They used a new modern method, which is based on the study of cosmogenic helium-3, which is formed in mineral layers under the influence of cosmic radiation.

English scientists analyzed stones at an altitude of about 2 km in the western part mountain range. After numerous studies, they came to the conclusion that the Andes, where these boulders are located, 15 million years ago were at approximately the same level as now. The slopes gradually rise due to the thickening of the earth's crust at the point of contact of lithospheric plates.

The continent, where the Andes mountains are located, is still in constant motion. This is invisible to us, however, when powerful earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur, the planet reminds us of the processes occurring in its womb.

Vegetable world

The flora of these places directly depends on the altitudinal zone. The Caribbean Andes are characterized by deciduous forests and shrubs. The eastern slopes are covered with impenetrable tropical jungle, while on the west there are deserts and dry cereal steppe areas. In the highlands of equatorial latitudes, meadows predominate.

The Andes, where the land is so varied in moisture and temperature, is considered the birthplace of many cultivated plants, including potatoes, coca and cinchona, which has served as a powerful treatment for malaria since time immemorial.

Animal world

The fauna of mountainous areas is similar to the adjacent plains. Among the endemics, it is necessary to cancel the vicuña and guanaco, the spectacled bear, chinchillas, the Chilean opossum, Azar's fox, and Magellan's dog.

The Andes, where 88 are located national parks, is a home for many birds. IN mountainous areas You can find condors, partridges, hummingbirds, several species of geese and ducks, flamingos and parrots.

Highest point

Aconcagua is the tallest extinct volcano in the world. This Mountain peak, located in the central part of the Andes in the territory of modern Argentina, is the highest not only in its system, but also on the entire continent, as well as in the Southern and Western Hemispheres.

The name of the peak, according to one version, comes from the ancient Quechua language and is translated as “stone guardian.”

From a mountaineering point of view, Aconcagua is a fairly easy peak to climb, especially its northern slope. The most a short time the time required to climb to the top (6962 m) was recorded in 1991 and amounted to 5 hours and 45 minutes.

The first person to climb aboard the Stone Guardian was the Swiss Matthias Zurbriggen. This happened on January 14, 1897 as part of the expedition of the Englishman Edward Fitzgerald.

Incas - ancient inhabitants of the mountains

The extinct Inca civilization lived in these mountainous areas many millennia ago. They gave the name to the Andes. Translated from their ancient language, “anta” means “copper mountains.” And this name is not accidental: the largest belt with the richest deposits of this metal is located here.

Numerous tourists climb high into the Andes, where there are preserved to this day cultural monuments this mysterious civilization.

The most famous cult place is a complex of buildings called Machu Picchu, lost among endless canyons and rocks. sacred monastery ancient people was erected on top of a ridge located at an altitude of 2.5 km above sea level. And although in translation its name sounds like “old peak,” the Incas called Machu Picchu “the city in the clouds.”

In 1532, when the Spaniards came to the lands belonging to the Incas, the city was mysteriously deserted. Where the inhabitants of Machu Picchu went is still unknown. According to one legend, the city was covered by a huge cloud, taking the Indians with it.

The Andes Mountains are a unique mountain system stretching across almost the entire territory of South America. The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain system, its length is 9 thousand km. and also one of the highest, but still not the highest, but this is for now, because the mountains still continue to grow. Let's look at famous mountains Andes. ( 11 photos)

The Andes mountains completely, from the north and from the west, circled South America, located both along the coastline Atlantic Ocean. The Andes Mountains are relatively young; the history of their origin dates back to the Jurassic period. The Andes Mountains are one of the largest mountain systems formed during the last major era of the Earth's geological history.

As a result of the collision of three lithospheric plates, the Nazca, Antarctic and South American, the first two sank under the larger South American, even in the history of the formation of mountains we see a distinctive feature, usually the origin is the collision of no more than two plates. Surprisingly, seismic activity in the Andean pores continues to be traced to this day, that is, the mountains are actively growing. And their growth is more intense than all other mountain systems, which one way or another are increasing in size.

Thus, in a year the Andes grow by more than 10 cm, who knows, perhaps soon they will become the highest mountains in the world, but for now the leading position is occupied by. A height of the Andes mountains is 6962 meters, the peak of the Andes mountains is a peak called Aconcagua. The average width of the mountains is 400 km, the widest point reaches 750 km. The Andes Mountains are conventionally divided into three zones: Northern, Central and Southern Andes.

Among all the other advantages of such impressive mountains, one more thing can be attributed: the Andes mountains are a line of conventional division; they separate water collections. The Andes are also the source of many large rivers and lakes, it is here that the famous river takes its source, which then spreads over hundreds of kilometers. The Andes mountains have their small lakes located right between the slopes, which either dry up or refill, depending on the time of year and precipitation. Andes Mountains coordinates 32°39′10″ S w. 70°00′40″ W. d. (G) (O) (I)32°39′10″ S w. 70°00′40″ W. d.

Due to different climatic conditions in which the Andes are located, the mountains have unequal and dissimilar structures. Thus, in the northern part of the Andes there are a large number of volcanoes, some of them are considered to be still active, and the central part is characterized by the sources of many rivers, the southern part of the Andes is characterized by low peaks and large glacial massifs, spread over almost most of this mountain system, the ice begins here already from a height of 1,400 meters.

Due to its impressive size, the Andes are located in 5 climatic zones simultaneously: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate. The Andes also penetrate 7 countries of South America; the Andes are located on the territory of: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Moreover, each country is proud of the location of one or another section of mountains on its territory.

Moreover, the Andes Mountains are also a rich reserve of various natural resources; in the Andes there are large deposits of non-ferrous metals: tin, lead, copper, zinc, etc. Active mining of iron and sodium nitrate is also carried out here, but gold deposits are of particular importance , silver, platinum and in some places precious stones (emeralds). The Andes also store oil and gas reserves. In general, the Andes are a real natural treasure trove for.

Today, in times active tourism When everyone can visit any corner of the planet if they wish, climbing the Andes is becoming widely popular. In some countries where the Andes are located, there are specialized centers that will prepare and guide you to admire the majestic slopes of the mountains. Of course, you won’t rise to a height of 6 km, but I think you don’t need such an unearthly height. To enjoy all the delights of the picturesque view, 1.5 km will be enough. It cannot be said that the Andes are particularly difficult to climb; some areas can be climbed without special climbing equipment.

Who would have thought that ingredients could be grown in the mountains? Agriculture. Today on low altitudes mountains, up to 3.8 km. The following crops are actively grown and produced: coffee, tobacco, cotton, corn, wheat, potatoes, etc. Practice shows that on the moist and nutritious lands of the Andes, plants feel no worse than on the dry soil of the plains.

Throughout human history, people have associated mountains with something supernatural and powerful. Many writers have used mountains as inspiration. The Andes Mountains are a unique creation of nature, which is already known throughout the world, and to which thousands of tourists flock. We advise you to look at this miracle of nature. Stay tuned and enjoy your travels.


In western South America, along the coast Pacific Ocean, stretches for 9 thousand km long mountain system - the Andes. Almost along their entire length they consist of a system of parallel ridges and intermountain basins. The mountains have gone through a long geological path of development, and in accordance with the differences in development and structure in the Andes, the following zones can be distinguished:

The Eastern Andes are ridges that arose in the Cenozoic era due to blocky uplifts of Paleozoic folded structures that formed earlier. The steep slopes of the Andes mountains were created due to faults in the earth's crust. The Andes are confined to the boundary of lithospheric plates, so earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur here - Llullaillaco, San Pedro, Cotopaxi. This indicates that the Andes are young mountains and their growth continues. A catastrophic earthquake occurred in the Andes in 1960 (Chile). Tremors of enormous force continued for seven days. During this time, 35 cities were destroyed, hundreds settlements wiped off the face of the earth. At least 10 thousand people died. More than 2 million people were left homeless, the tsunami washed away and destroyed port facilities and fishing villages.

The Western Andes are high and medium-height folded block mountains that arose in the middle or at the end of the Alpine orogeny.

The highest peak of the Andes is Mount Aconcagua (6960 m).

The subsoil of the Andes is very rich in minerals, especially ores of non-ferrous and rare metals. Intermountain and foothill troughs are rich in oil.

The large extent of the mountains from north to south determined the diversity of the climate of the northern and southern territories, western and eastern slopes. Temperatures at the surface of the Andes vary in January from +16°C (in the north) to +8° (in the south). At the equator, the January temperature is usually 4-24°C. In July in the north near the surface of the mountains +24°C, in the south 0°C. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in equatorial latitudes. There, on the Pacific coast, up to 7660 mm falls, and the mountain tops are covered with glaciers. Pacific coast between 5° and 30° S. w. lies in the area of ​​coastal deserts. This climate is most pronounced in tropical zone on the central plateaus of the Andes, where the air is extremely dry. A lot of precipitation falls in the southwest of the Andes, since these territories lie on the paths of westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean. Within the temperate zone, precipitation on the slopes of the Andes falls mainly in winter time In summer there is less rain and cloudy weather prevails.

Most of the rivers originating in the Andes flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Only relatively small streams originating in the western part of the Andes flow into the Pacific Ocean. The Andes are home to the most large lake- Titicaca, located on the Andean plateau at an altitude of 3812 m. Its maximum depth is 304 m, the water is fresh. On the interior plateaus of the Andes there are many lakes of tectonic origin, shallow, drainless, and saline.

Mountainous terrain The Andes determines the development of altitudinal zones here. Vegetable world formed gradually, as the mountain system. The large extent of the Andes is the reason that different areas differ in the composition of the belts, as well as their number.

Or the South American Cordillera, a mountain system stretching in a narrow strip on the western edge. The Andes ridges, when crossing each other, form peculiar nodes with the highest peaks. There are many active and extinct ones here.

Andes

The Andes consist of meridionally extending ridges. Due to the enormous extent from north to south, the Andes are located in several. Altitudinal zonation is clearly visible in the mountains. The sequence of changes in altitudinal zones depends on the position of the foothills of the Andes in one or another natural area, as well as on the height, width and direction of the slopes of the ridges. Many intermountain valleys and slopes have long been inhabited and developed by humans. The highest mountain cities in the world are located here - (3690 m), Sucre (2694 m).

Northern Andes

They consist of several ridges separated by deep troughs. There are more than 30 active and many extinct volcanoes, among which the most famous are Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.

Most of the population of the Northern Andes lives in the altitudinal zone of tropical moist mountain forests at an altitude of 1 to 3 km, where average monthly temperatures (+16 - +22°C) are lower than on the neighboring plains. Here, at an altitude of more than 2500 m, are the cities of Santa Fe de Bogota and. On flat mountain slopes They grow coffee, corn, and tobacco.

Central tropical Andes

The widest part of the mountain system. There are internal high plateaus bordered on the east and west by mountain ranges.

The plateaus have long been inhabited by Indian tribes. On one of them is ancient city- capital of the Inca state. The Western Cordillera contains large active volcanoes, including Llullallaco, with an altitude of 6723 m.

In the southern part of the Central Andes, the Coastal Cordillera is separated from the Western Cordillera by a narrow depression. It stretches for 1000 km. One of the driest depressions, the Atacama, is located in this depression. Here less than 100 mm of precipitation falls per year, and heavy rains occur 2-4 times every 100 years. Atacama is much colder than other areas located at the same latitude: average annual temperatures are well below +20°C.

Southern Andes

Two ridges are well defined in the relief: the Main Cordillera with the peak of Aconcagua and the Coastal Cordillera. Between 33 and 55 °S. The third volcanic region of the Andes is located.

The slopes of mountain ranges in the subtropical zone up to an altitude of 2.5 km were once covered with heat-loving forests. Currently, almost all of them have been cut down and wherever the steepness of the slopes allows, subtropical crops are grown: olive trees, grapes, citrus fruits. The western slopes of the Andes in the temperate zone are covered with moisture-loving forests of beeches, magnolias, conifers, bamboo, ferns and vines.

The Andes are the longest (9000 km) and one of the highest (Mount Aconcagua, 6962 m) mountain systems on Earth, bordering all of South America from the north and west; South part Cordillera. In some places, the Andes reach a width of over 500 km (the greatest width - up to 750 km - in the Central Andes, between 18° and 20° S). The average height is about 4000 m. The Andes are a large interoceanic watershed; to the east of the Andes flow the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin (the Amazon itself and many of its large tributaries, as well as the tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, the Magdalena River and the rivers of Patagonia originate in the Andes), to the west - the rivers of the Pacific Ocean basin (mostly short). The Andes serve as the most important climatic barrier in South America, isolating the territories to the west of the Main Cordillera from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east from the influence of the Pacific Ocean. The mountains lie in 5 climatic zones (equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate) and are distinguished (especially in the central part) by sharp contrasts in the moisture content of the eastern (leeward) and western (windward) slopes.

Due to the considerable extent of the Andes, their individual landscape parts differ significantly from each other. Based on the nature of the relief and other natural differences, as a rule, three main regions are distinguished - Northern, Central and Southern Andes.
The Andes stretch across the territories of seven South American countries - Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
According to the Italian historian Giovanni Anello Oliva (1631), the eastern ridge was originally called “Andes, o cordilleras” by European conquerors, while the western ridge was called “sierra”. Currently, most scientists believe that the name comes from the Quechuan word anti (high ridge, ridge), although there are other opinions.

Geological structure and relief

The Andes are revived mountains, erected by new uplifts on the site of the so-called Andean (Cordilleran) folded geosynclinal belt; The Andes are one of the largest systems of alpine folding on the planet (on the Paleozoic and partly Baikal folded basement). The beginning of the formation of the Andes dates back to Jurassic time. The Andean mountain system is characterized by troughs formed in the Triassic, subsequently filled with layers of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of considerable thickness. Large massifs of the Main Cordillera and the coast of Chile, the Coastal Cordillera of Peru are granitoid intrusions of Cretaceous age. Intermountain and marginal troughs (Altiplano, Maracaibo, etc.) were formed in Paleogene and Neogene times. Tectonic movements accompanied by seismic and volcanic activity, continue to this day. This is due to the fact that a subduction zone runs along the Pacific coast of South America: the Nazca and Antarctic plates go under the South American plate, which contributes to the development of mountain building processes. Extreme southern part of South America, Tierra del Fuego, separated by a transform fault from the small Scotia plate. Beyond the Drake Passage, the Andes continue the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Andes are rich in ores of mainly non-ferrous metals (vanadium, tungsten, bismuth, tin, lead, molybdenum, zinc, arsenic, antimony, etc.); the deposits are confined mainly to the Paleozoic structures of the eastern Andes and the vents of ancient volcanoes; There are large copper deposits on the territory of Chile. There is oil and gas in the foredeep and foothill troughs (in the foothills of the Andes within Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina), and bauxite in the weathering crusts. The Andes also contain deposits of iron (in Bolivia), sodium nitrate (in Chile), gold, platinum and emeralds (in Colombia).
The Andes consist primarily of meridional parallel ridges: the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, the Central Cordillera of the Andes, the Western Cordillera of the Andes, the Coastal Cordillera of the Andes, between which lie internal plateaus and plateaus (Puna, Altiplano - in Bolivia and Peru) or depressions. The width of the mountain system is generally 200-300 km.



Orography

Northern Andes

The main system of the Andes mountains (Andean Cordillera) consists of parallel ridges stretching in the meridional direction, separated by internal plateaus or depressions. Only the Caribbean Andes, located within Venezuela and belonging to the Northern Andes, stretch sublatitudinally along the coast Caribbean Sea. The northern Andes also include the Ecuadorian Andes (in Ecuador) and the Northwestern Andes (in western Venezuela and Colombia). The highest ridges of the Northern Andes have small modern glaciers, and eternal snow on the volcanic cones. The islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao in the Caribbean Sea represent the peaks of the extension of the Northern Andes that descend into the sea.
In the Northwestern Andes, fan-shaped diverging north of 12° N. sh., there are three main Cordilleras - Eastern, Central and Western. All of them are high, steeply sloped and have a folded blocky structure. They are characterized by faults, uplifts and subsidences of modern times. The main Cordilleras are separated by large depressions - the valleys of the Magdalena and Cauca-Patia rivers.
The Eastern Cordillera has greatest height in its northeastern part (Mount Ritakuwa, 5493 m); in the center of the Eastern Cordillera - an ancient lake plateau (predominant heights - 2.5 - 2.7 thousand m); The Eastern Cordillera is generally characterized by large planation surfaces. In the highlands there are glaciers. In the north, the Eastern Cordillera is continued by the Cordillera de Merida ranges ( highest point- Mount Bolivar, 5007 m) and Sierra de Perija (reaches a height of 3,540 m); Between these ranges in a vast low-lying depression lies Lake Maracaibo. On far north- horst massif of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with altitudes up to 5800 m (Mount Cristobal Colon)
The Magdalena River Valley separates the Eastern Cordillera from the Central Cordillera, which is relatively narrow and high; in the Central Cordillera (especially in its southern part) there are many volcanoes (Hila, 5750 m; Ruiz, 5400 m; etc.), some of them active (Kumbal, 4890 m). To the north, the Central Cordillera decreases somewhat and forms the Antioquia massif, strongly dissected by river valleys. The Western Cordillera, separated from the Central Valley by the Cauca River, has lower altitudes (up to 4200 m); in the south of the Western Cordillera - volcanism. Further to the west is the low (up to 1810 m) Serrania de Baudo ridge, which turns into the mountains of Panama in the north. To the north and west of the Northwestern Andes are the Caribbean and Pacific alluvial lowlands.
As part of the Equatorial (Ecuadorian) Andes, reaching up to 4° S, there are two Cordilleras (Western and Eastern), separated by depressions 2500-2700 m high. Along the faults that limit these depressions (depressions) there is one of the highest volcanic volcanoes in the world chains (the highest volcanoes are Chimborazo, 6267 m, Cotopaxi, 5897 m). These volcanoes, as well as those of Colombia, form the first volcanic region of the Andes.

Central Andes

In the Central Andes (up to 28° S) the Peruvian Andes (extending south to 14°30 S) and the Central Andes proper are distinguished. In the Peruvian Andes, as a result of recent uplifts and intensive incision of rivers (the largest of which - Marañon, Ucayali and Huallaga - belong to the upper Amazon system), parallel ridges (Eastern, Central and Western Cordillera) and a system of deep longitudinal and transverse canyons were formed, dismembering the ancient alignment surface . The peaks of the Cordillera of the Peruvian Andes exceed 6000 m (the highest point is Mount Huascaran, 6768 m); in the Cordillera Blanca - modern glaciation. Alpine landforms are also developed on the blocky ridges of the Cordillera Vilcanota, Cordillera de Vilcabamba, and Cordillera de Carabaya. To the south is the widest part of the Andes - the Central Andean Highlands (width up to 750 km), where arid geomorphological processes predominate; A significant part of the highland is occupied by the Puna plateau with altitudes of 3.7 - 4.1 thousand m. Puna is characterized by drainage basins (“bolsons”) occupied by lakes (Titicaca, Poopo, etc.) and salt marshes (Atacama, Coipasa, Uyuni, etc. .). East of Puna is the Cordillera Real (Ankouma Peak, 6550 m) with thick modern glaciation; between the Altiplano plateau and the Cordillera Real, at an altitude of 3700 m, is the city of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, the highest in the world. To the east of the Cordillera Real are the sub-Andean folded ridges of the Eastern Cordillera, reaching up to 23° S. latitude. The southern continuation of the Cordillera Real is the Cordillera Central, as well as several blocky massifs (the highest point is Mount El Libertador, 6720 m). From the west, Puna is framed by the Western Cordillera with intrusive peaks and numerous volcanic peaks (Sajama, 6780 m; Llullaillaco, 6739 m; San Pedro, 6145 m; Misti, 5821 m; etc.), included in the second volcanic region of the Andes. South of 19° S. The western slopes of the Western Cordillera face the tectonic depression of the Longitudinal Valley, occupied in the south by the Atacama Desert. Behind the Longitudinal Valley is the low (up to 1500 m) intrusive Coastal Cordillera, which is characterized by arid sculptural landforms.
In Puna and in the western part of the Central Andes there is a very high snow line (in places above 6,500 m), so snow is recorded only on the highest volcanic cones, and glaciers are found only in the Ojos del Salado massif (up to 6,880 m in height).

Southern Andes

In the Southern Andes, extending south of 28° S, there are two parts - northern (Chilean-Argentine, or Subtropical Andes) and southern (Patagonian Andes). In the Chilean-Argentine Andes, narrowing to the south and reaching 39°41 S, a three-member structure is clearly expressed - the Coastal Cordillera, the Longitudinal Valley and the Main Cordillera; within the latter, in the Cordillera Frontal, - highest peak Andes, Mount Aconcagua (6960 m), as well as the large peaks of Tupungato (6800 m), Mercedario (6770 m). The snow line here is very high (at 32°40 S - 6000 m). To the east of the Cordillera Frontal are the ancient Precordilleras.
South of 33° S. (and up to 52° S) is the third volcanic region of the Andes, where there are many active (mainly in the Main Cordillera and to the west of it) and extinct volcanoes (Tupungato, Maipa, Llymo, etc.)
When moving south, the snow line gradually decreases and at 51° S. reaches 1460 m. High ridges acquire features of the Alpine type, the area of ​​modern glaciation increases, and numerous glacial lakes appear. South of 40° S. The Patagonian Andes begin with lower ridges than in the Chilean-Argentine Andes (the highest point is Mount San Valentin - 4058 m) and active volcanism in the north. About 52° S the strongly dissected Coastal Cordillera plunges into the ocean, and its peaks form a chain of rocky islands and archipelagos; The longitudinal valley turns into a system of straits reaching the western part of the Strait of Magellan. In the area of ​​the Strait of Magellan, the Andes (called the Andes of Tierra del Fuego) sharply deviate to the east. In the Patagonian Andes, the height of the snow line barely exceeds 1500 m (in the extreme south it is 300-700 m, and from 46°30 S latitude glaciers descend to ocean level), glacial landforms predominate (at 48° S latitude - powerful Patagonian ice sheet) with an area of ​​over 20 thousand km², from where many kilometers of glacial tongues descend to the west and east); some of the valley glaciers on the eastern slopes end in big lakes. Along the coasts, heavily indented by fjords, young volcanic cones rise (Corcovado and others). The Andes of Tierra del Fuego are relatively low (up to 2469 m).



Vegetation and soils

The soil and vegetation cover of the Andes is very diverse. This is due to the high altitudes of the mountains and the significant difference in moisture content between the western and eastern slopes. Altitudinal zonation in the Andes is clearly expressed. There are three altitudinal zones - Tierra Caliente, Tierra Fria and Tierra Elada.
In the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous (during winter drought) forests and shrubs grow on mountain red soils. The lower parts of the windward slopes from the Northwestern Andes to the Central Andes are covered with montane moist equatorial and tropical forests on lateritic soils, as well as mixed forests of evergreen and deciduous species. The appearance of equatorial forests differs little from the appearance of these forests in the flat part of the continent; Characteristic are various palm trees, ficus trees, bananas, cocoa trees, etc. Higher (up to altitudes of 2500-3000 m) the nature of the vegetation changes; typical are bamboos, tree ferns, coca bush (which is a source of cocaine), and cinchona. Between 3000 m and 3800 m - high-mountain hylea with low-growing trees and shrubs; Epiphytes and lianas are widespread, bamboos, tree ferns, evergreen oaks, myrtaceae, and heathers are typical. Higher up there is predominantly xerophytic vegetation, paramos, with numerous Asteraceae; moss swamps on flat areas and lifeless rocky areas on steep slopes. Above 4500 m there is a belt of eternal snow and ice.
To the south, in the subtropical Chilean Andes - evergreen shrubs on brown soils. In the Longitudinal Valley there are soils whose composition resembles chernozems. Vegetation of the high mountain plateaus: in the north - mountain equatorial meadows of paramos, in the Peruvian Andes and in the east of Puna - dry high-mountain tropical steppes of the halka, in the west of Puna and throughout the Pacific west between 5-28 ° south latitude - desert types of vegetation (in the Atacama Desert - succulent vegetation and cacti). Many surfaces are saline, which prevents the development of vegetation; In such areas, mainly wormwood and ephedra are found. Above 3000 m (up to about 4500 m) there is semi-desert vegetation called dry puna; Dwarf shrubs (tholoi), grasses (feather grass, reed grass), lichens, and cacti grow. To the east of the Main Cordillera, where there is more precipitation, there is steppe vegetation (puna) with numerous grasses (fescue, feather grass, reed grass) and cushion-shaped shrubs. On the humid slopes of the Eastern Cordillera, tropical forests (palm trees, cinchona) rise to 1500 m, low-growing evergreen forests with a predominance of bamboo, ferns, and lianas reach 3000 m; at higher altitudes there are high-mountain steppes. A typical inhabitant of the Andean highlands is polylepis, a plant of the Rosaceae family, common in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Chile; these trees are also found at an altitude of 4500 m.
In central Chile the forests have been largely cleared; Once upon a time, forests rose along the Main Cordillera to heights of 2500-3000 m (higher up mountain meadows with alpine grasses and shrubs, as well as rare peat bogs began), but now the mountain slopes are practically bare. Nowadays, forests are found only in the form of individual groves (pines, araucarias, eucalyptus, beeches and plane trees, with gorse and geranium in the undergrowth). On the slopes of the Patagonian Andes south of 38° S. - subarctic multi-tiered forests of tall trees and shrubs, mostly evergreen, on brown forest (podzolized to the south) soils; there are a lot of mosses, lichens and lianas in the forests; south of 42° S - mixed forests (in the area of ​​42° S there is an array of araucaria forests). Beeches, magnolias, tree ferns, tall conifers, and bamboos grow. On the eastern slopes of the Patagonian Andes there are mainly beech forests. In the extreme south of the Patagonian Andes there is tundra vegetation.
In the extreme southern part of the Andes, Tierra del Fuego, forests (of deciduous and evergreen trees - such as southern beech and canelo) occupy only a narrow coastal strip in the west; Above the forest line, the snow belt begins almost immediately. In the east and in some places in the west, subantarctic mountain meadows and peatlands are common.
The Andes are the birthplace of cinchona, coca, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes and other valuable plants.

Zhifotny world

Animal world The northern part of the Andes is part of the Brazilian zoogeographic region and is similar to the fauna of the adjacent plains. The fauna of the Andes south of 5° south latitude belongs to the Chilean-Patagonian subregion. The Andean fauna in general is characterized by an abundance of endemic genera and species. The Andes are inhabited by llamas and alpacas (representatives of these two species are used by the local population for wool and meat, and also as pack animals), prehensile-tailed monkeys, relict spectacled bear, pudú and gaemal deer (which are endemic to the Andes), vicuña, guanaco, Azar's fox , sloths, chinchillas, opossums, anteaters, degu rodents. In the south - the blue fox, the Magellanic dog, the endemic rodent tuco-tuco, etc. There are many birds, among them hummingbirds, which are also found at altitudes above 4000 m, but are especially numerous and diverse in the “foggy forests” (humid tropical forests Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and the extreme north-west of Argentina, located in the fog condensation zone); endemic condor, rising to a height of up to 7 thousand m; and others. Some species (such as chinchillas, which were intensively exterminated in the 19th - early 20th centuries for the sake of their skins; wingless grebes and the Titicaca whistler, found only near Lake Titicaca; etc.) are under threat of extinction.
A special feature of the Andes is the large species diversity of amphibians (over 900 species). Also in the Andes there are about 600 species of mammals (13% are endemic), over 1,700 species of birds (of which 33.6% are endemic) and about 400 species of freshwater fish (34.5% are endemic)

Information

  • Countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
  • Length: 9000 km
  • Width: 500 km
  • highest peak: Aconcagua

Source. wikipedia.org

 

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