Mountain anda where is. Andes Mountains

The Andes are a large interoceanic watershed. The rivers of the basin flow east of the Andes Atlantic Ocean... In the Andes, the Amazon itself and many of its large tributaries originate, as well as the tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, the Magdalena River and the Patagonia River. To the west of the Andes flow mainly short rivers belonging to the pool The Pacific.

The Andes also serve as the most important climatic barrier in South America, isolating the territories west of the Main Cordillera from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, to the east from the influence of the Pacific Ocean.

The mountains lie in 5 climatic zones:

  • equatorial,
  • subequatorial,
  • tropical,
  • subtropical,
  • moderate.

They are distinguished 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 from each other. By the nature of the relief and other natural differences, as a rule, three main regions are distinguished - the Northern, Central and Southern Andes.

The Andes stretched across the territory of 7 states South America:

  • Venezuela,
  • Colombia,
  • Ecuador,
  • Peru,
  • Bolivia,
  • Chile,
  • Argentina.

Vegetation and soil

The land cover of the Andes is very diverse. This is due to the high altitudes of the mountains, a significant difference in the moisture content of the western and eastern slopes. Altitudinal zonation in the Andes is clearly expressed. Allocate three high-altitude belts- tierra caliente, tierra fria and tierra elada.

In the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous 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 mountain humid equatorial and tropical forests on lateritic soils (mountain gilea), as well as mixed forests of evergreen and deciduous species. The external appearance of the equatorial forests differs little from the external appearance of these forests in the flat part of the continent; various palms, ficuses, bananas, cocoa trees, etc. are characteristic.

Above (up to heights of 2500-3000 m), the nature of the vegetation changes; typical bamboos, tree ferns, coca bush (which is the source of cocaine), cinchona.

Between 3000 m and 3800 m - alpine gilea with low-growing trees and shrubs; epiphytes and lianas are widespread, bamboos, tree ferns, evergreen oaks, myrtle, and heather are characteristic.

Above - predominantly xerophytic vegetation, paramos, with numerous Asteraceae; moss bogs in flat areas and lifeless rocky areas on steep slopes.

Above 4500 m there is a belt of eternal snow and ice.

Further south, in the subtropical Chilean Andes, there are evergreen shrubs on brown soils.

In the Longitudinal Valley there are soils that are similar in composition to chernozems.

The vegetation of the alpine plateaus: in the north - mountain equatorial meadows of paramos, in the Peruvian Andes and in the east of Pune - dry alpine-tropical steppes of the Chalka, in the west of Pune and in the entire Pacific west between 5-28 ° S latitude - desert types of vegetation (in the Atacama Desert - succulent vegetation and cacti). Many surfaces are saline, which hinders the development of vegetation; in such areas, wormwood and ephedra are mainly found.

Above 3000 m (up to about 4500 m) - semi-desert vegetation called dry puna; dwarf shrubs (toloi), grasses (feather grass, reed grass), lichens, and cacti grow.

To the east of the Main Cordillera, where there is more rainfall, there is steppe vegetation (pune) with numerous grasses (fescue, feather grass, reed grass) and pillow-like shrubs.

On the humid slopes of the Eastern Cordillera, tropical forests (palms, cinchona) rise up to 1500 m, undersized evergreen forests with a predominance of bamboo, ferns, and lianas reach up to 3000 m; at higher altitudes - alpine 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, forests have been largely deforested; once the forests rose along the Main Cordillera to heights of 2500-3000 m (higher mountain meadows began with alpine grasses and shrubs, as well as rare peat bogs), but now the slopes of the mountains are practically bare. Today forests are found only in the form of individual groves (pines, araucaria, eucalyptus, beeches and plane trees, in the underbrush - gorse and geranium).

On the slopes of the Patagonian Andes south of 38 ° S lat. - subarctic multi-tiered forests of tall trees and shrubs, mainly evergreen, on brown forest (podzolized to the south) soils; there are many 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). There are beeches, magnolias, tree ferns, tall conifers, bamboos. 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, on Tierra del Fuego, forests (of deciduous and evergreen trees - for example, southern beeches and canelo) occupy only a narrow coastal strip in the west; above the border of the forest, the snow belt begins almost immediately. In the east and in some places in the west, subantarctic mountain meadows and peat bogs are widespread.

The Andes are home to cinchona, coca, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes and other valuable plants.

Animal world

The fauna of 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 ° S latitude belongs to the Chilean-Patagonian subregion. The fauna of the Andes as a whole 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, as well as pack animals), chain-tailed monkeys, relic spectacled bear, deer pudu and gaemal (which are endemic to the Andes), vicuña, guanaco, azar fox , sloths, chinchillas, marsupial possums, anteaters, degu rodents.

In the south - the blue fox, the Magellanic dog, the endemic rodent tuko-tuco, etc. There are many birds, among them hummingbirds, which are also found at altitudes of more than 4000 m, but are especially numerous and diverse in the "foggy forests" (rainforests of Colombia, Ecuador , Peru, Bolivia and the extreme northwest of Argentina, located in the fog condensation belt); endemic condor, rising to a height of 7 thousand m; etc. Some species (like, for example, chinchillas, in the 19th - early 20th centuries, were intensively exterminated for the sake of skins; wingless Great Crested Grebes and Titicacus Whistler, found only near Lake Titicaca; and others) are under threat of extinction.

A feature of the Andes is a 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 bird species (of which 33.6% are endemic) and about 400 species of freshwater fish (34.5% are endemic).

Ecology

One of the main environmental issues The Andes is the clearing of forests that are no longer renewable; The rainforests of Colombia, which are intensively reduced to plantations of cinchona and coffee trees, and rubber plants, have been particularly badly affected.

With developed agriculture, the Andean countries are faced with the problems of soil degradation, soil pollution with chemicals, erosion, as well as desertification due to overgrazing (especially in Argentina).

Environmental problems of coastal zones - pollution sea ​​water near ports and major cities(caused not least by the release of sewage and industrial waste into the ocean), uncontrolled fishing in large volumes.

As in the rest of the world, in the Andes there is an acute problem of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere (mainly in the production of electricity, as well as at the enterprises of the ferrous metallurgy). Significant contributor to pollution the environment are also brought in by oil refineries, oil wells and mines (their activity leads to soil erosion, groundwater pollution; the activities of mines in Patagonia have adversely affected the biota of the area).

Due to a number of environmental problems, many species of animals and plants in the Andes are endangered.

sights

  • Lake Titicaca;
  • Lauca National Park;
  • Chiloe National Park; Cape Horn National Park;
  • Santa Fe de Bogota: catholic churches XVI-XVIII centuries., National Museum Colombia;
  • Quito: Cathedral, Museum musical instruments, Museum Del Banco Central;
  • Cusco: Cusco Cathedral, La Campa Nha Church, Haitun Rumiyok Street (remains of Inca buildings);
  • Lima: archaeological sites of Huaca Huallamarca and Huaca Pucllana, Archbishop's Palace, Church and Convent of San Francisco;
  • Archaeological complexes: Machu Picchu, Pachakamak, the ruins of the city of Karal, Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachai, Pukapukara, Kenko, Pisak, Ollantaytambo, Moray, the ruins of Piquillakta.
  • The capital of Bolivia, La Paz, is the highest capital in the world. It is located at an altitude of 3600 m above sea level.
  • 200 km north of the city of Lima (Peru) are the ruins of the city of Caral - temples, amphitheaters, houses and pyramids. Caral is believed to have belonged to the most ancient civilization America and was built about 4000-4500 years ago. Archaeological excavations have shown that the city traded with vast areas of the continent of South America. It is especially interesting that archaeologists have not found a single evidence of military conflicts for about a thousand years in the history of Karal.
  • One of the most mysterious historical monuments in the world - monumental archaeological complex Sacsayhuaman, located northwest of Cusco, at an altitude of approximately 3700 meters above sea level. The eponymous fortress of this complex is attributed to the Inca civilization. However, until now it has not been possible to establish how the stones of these walls, weighing up to 200 tons and fitted to each other with pinpoint accuracy, were processed. Also, the ancient system of underground passages has not yet been fully explored.
  • The archaeological complex of Moray, located 74 kilometers from Cusco at an altitude of 3500 meters, is still admired not only by archaeologists. Here, huge terraces, going down, form a kind of amphitheater. Studies have shown that this structure was used by the Incas as an agricultural laboratory, since the different heights of the terraces made it possible to observe plants in different climatic conditions and experiment with them. Different soils and a complex irrigation system were used here, with a total of 250 species of plants grown by the Incas.

Inca empire

The Inca Empire in the Andes is one of the most mysterious disappeared states. Tragic fate highly developed civilization, which appeared in far from the most favorable natural conditions and died at the hands of illiterate aliens, still worries mankind.

The era of the greats geographical discoveries(XV-XVII centuries) made it possible for European adventurers to quickly and fabulously get rich in new lands. Most often cruel and unprincipled, the conquistadors rushed to America not for the sake of scientific discoveries and cultural exchange between civilizations.

The fact that the papal throne in 1537 recognized the Indians as spiritualized beings did not change anything in the methods of the conquistadors - they were not interested in theological disputes. By the time of the "humane" papal decision, the conquistador Francisco Pizarro had already executed the Inca emperor Atahualpa (1533), defeated the Inca army and seized the capital of the empire, the city of Cuzco (1536).

There is a version that at first the Indians mistook the Spaniards for gods. And it is quite possible that the main reason for this delusion was not the white skin of the aliens, not that they were riding on unseen animals, and not even that they possessed firearms. The Incas were struck by the incredible cruelty of the conquistadors.

At the first meeting of Pizarro and Atahualpa, the Spaniards who ambushed them killed thousands of Indians and captured the emperor, who did not expect anything like this at all. After all, the Indians, whom the Spaniards condemned for human sacrifice, believed that human life is the highest gift, and that is why human sacrifice to the gods was the highest form of worship. But in order to simply destroy thousands of people who did not come to war at all?

There is no doubt that the Incas could have put up serious resistance to the Spaniards. After the murder of the captive Atahualpa, for whom the Indians paid a monstrous ransom - almost 6 tons of gold, the conquistadors began to plunder the country, mercilessly melting the Inca jewelry into ingots. But the brother of Atahualpa Manco, appointed by them as the new emperor, instead of collecting gold for the invaders, fled and led the fight against the Spaniards. The last emperor, Tupac Amaru, viceroy of Peru, Francisco de Toledo, was able to execute only in 1572, and even after that, the leaders of new uprisings were called after him.

Little has survived from the Inca civilization to the present day - after the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Indians, both at the hands of the Spaniards and from work in mines, hunger, European epidemics, there was no one to maintain irrigation systems, high-altitude roads, beautiful buildings in order. The Spaniards destroyed a lot in order to get building material.

The country, whose inhabitants were accustomed to supply from public warehouses, in which there were no beggars and vagabonds, for many years after the arrival of the conquistadors became a zone of human disaster.

Different theories determine age mountain system The Andes are from 18 million years old to several hundred million years old. But, more importantly for the people living in the Andes, the process of the formation of these mountains is still ongoing.

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, glaciers in the Andes do not stop. In 1835, Charles Darwin observed the eruption of the Osorno volcano from the island of Chiloe. The earthquake described by Darwin destroyed the cities of Concepcion and Talcahuano and claimed numerous casualties. Such events are not uncommon in the Andes.

For example, in 1970 a glacier in Peru buried the city of Yungai with almost all its inhabitants literally in seconds, killing about 20,000 people. In 2010, an earthquake in Chile claimed hundreds of lives, left millions homeless and caused colossal material damage. In general, serious disasters occur in the Andes with a frightening cyclicality - once every 10-15 years.

ANDES (Andes, from Anta, in the language of the Incas copper, copper mountains), Andean Cordillera (Cordillera de los Andes), the longest (estimated from 8 to 12 thousand km) and one of the highest (6959 m, Mount Aconcagua) mountain systems of the globe; frames from the north and west South America. In the north, bounded by a hollow Caribbean, in the west facing the Pacific Ocean, in the south they are washed by the Drake Passage. The Andes are the main climatic barrier of the mainland, insulating eastern part from the influence of the Pacific Ocean, west of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Relief... The Andes consist mainly of the submeridional ridges of the Western Cordillera of the Andes, the Central Cordillera of the Andes, the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, the Coastal Cordillera of the Andes, separated by inland plateaus and depressions (see map).

By aggregate natural features and orography distinguish the Northern, Peruvian, Central and Southern Andes. The Northern Andes include the Caribbean Andes, the Colombian-Venezuelan and Ecuadorian Andes. The Caribbean Andes are stretched latitudinally and reach a height of 2765 m (Mount Niguata). The Colombian-Venezuelan Andes have a northeastern strike and are formed by the Western, Central and Eastern (height up to 5493 m) Cordilleras. The ridges fan out to the north of latitude 1 ° N and are separated by the valleys of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. The northern branches of the Eastern Cordillera cover the intermontane Maracaibo depression. The isolated massif of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (height 5775 m, Mount Cristobal Colon) rises steeply over the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Along the coast of the Pacific Ocean there is a lowland with a width of up to 150 km, with low (up to 1810 m) ridges, separated from the Western Cordillera by the valley of the Atrato River. The Ecuadorian Andes (1 ° north latitude - 5 ° south latitude), less than 200 km wide (minimum width of the Andes), are elongated submeridionally and are formed by the Western (up to 6310 m, Chimborazo mountain) and the Eastern Cordillera, separated by a depression - the Quito graben. Along the coast there are lowlands and low mountains. The Peruvian Andes (5 ° -14 ° south latitude), up to 400 km wide, have a northwest strike. The coastal plain is almost absent. Western (height up to 6768 m, Mount Huascaran), Central and Eastern Cordillera are separated by the valleys of the Marañon and Huallaga rivers. In the Central Andes (Central Andes Highlands, 14 ° 28 ° South latitude), the strike changes from northwest to submeridional. The Western Cordillera (altitude up to 6900 m, Mount Ojos del Salado) is separated from the Central and Cordillera Real by the vast Altiplano basin. The eastern and central Cordillera are separated by a narrow depression with the headwaters of the Beni River. The Coastal Cordillera stretches along the coast, framed by the Longitudinal Valley from the east. The Southern Andes (Chilean-Argentine Andes and Patagonian Andes), 350-450 km wide, are located south of 28 ° S and are mainly submeridional. They are formed by the Coastal Cordillera, the Longitudinal Valley, the Main Cordillera (height up to 6959 m, Mount Aconcagua) and Precordillera. To the south, the heights decrease to 1000 m (on Tierra del Fuego). The Patagonian Andes are strongly dissected by modern and ancient (Quaternary) glaciers into numerous massifs and ridges. The coastal Cordillera becomes a chain of islands in the Chilean archipelago with deep valleys and fjords, and the Longitudinal Valley - into a system of straits. The Andes are part of the Pacific volcanic ring, and the appearance of the relief is largely determined by volcanic forms - plateaus, lava flows, volcanic cones. There are up to 50 large active, 30 extinct volcanoes and hundreds of small volcanic structures. In the Northern Andes - the volcanoes Cotopaxi (5897 m), Huila (5750 m), Ruiz (5400 m), Sangay (5230 m), etc .; in the Central Andes - Llullayako (6723 m), Misty (5822 m) and others; in the Southern Andes - Tupungato (6800 m), Llaima (3060 m), Osorno (2660 m), Corcovado (2300 m), Bernie (1750 m), etc.

Geological structure and minerals. The Andes, as the newest mountain structure, was formed at the Alpine stage (in the Cenozoic) in connection with the evolution of the active outskirts of South America. In their position, the Andes inherit the Andean fold system that developed throughout the Phanerozoic, the largest of the systems of the eastern part of the Pacific mobile belt. The modern Andes are a typical continental-marginal volcano-plutonic belt. At earlier stages of development (late Triassic - Cretaceous), island arc systems of the West Pacific type existed here. In terms of geological structure, the Andes have transverse and longitudinal zoning. Three segments are distinguished from north to south: Northern (Colombian-Ecuadorian), Central (with Peruvian-Bolivian and Northern Chilean-Argentine subsegments), and Southern (Southern Chilean-Argentinean). The most eastern element of the Andes is the band of the Subandian foredeeps, gradually narrowing to the south and consisting of individual links separated by transverse uplifts. The deflections are made by slightly deformed Eocene-Quaternary molasses. The Andes Orogen, thrust to the east, consists of several large uplifts with a fold-nappe structure (expressed in the relief mountain ranges Cordilleras) and dividing them by narrower intermontane troughs or plateaus (Altiplano), filled with powerful Neogene-Quaternary molasses. The eastern (outer), partly central zones of the orogen are composed of fragments of the Early Precambrian metamorphic basement of the platform, its Paleozoic cover, and Late Precambrian (Brasilids) and Hercynian metamorphic fold complexes. The structure of the western (internal) zones is attended by Mesozoic (partly Paleozoic) sedimentary, volcanogenic-sedimentary, volcanic complexes formed in volcanic island arcs, back-arc basins on the ancient active outskirts of South America, as well as ophiolites of various origins. These formations were attached (accreted) to the outskirts of South America in the Late Cretaceous. At the same time, the introduction of giant multiphase granite batholiths (Coastal Cordillera of Peru, Main Cordillera of Chile, Patagonian) took place. In the Cenozoic, chains of large terrestrial stratovolcanoes were formed along the active continental margin. Three volcanic groups are currently active: northern (South Colombia and Ecuador), central (southern Peru - northern Chile) and southern (southern Chile). The Andes retain high tectonic mobility, are characterized by intense seismicity associated with the subduction (subduction) of the Nazca plate under the South American plate.

The bowels of the Andes are extremely rich in minerals. Deposits of the Copper Belt of South America are associated with granite batholiths. Deposits of ores of silver, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, gold, platinum and other rare and non-ferrous metals (deposits in Peru and Bolivia) are confined to Cenozoic volcanic and subvolcanic formations. Oil and natural combustible gas deposits are associated with the belt of forward troughs made by Cenozoic molasses, especially in the north (Venezuela, Ecuador, Northern Peru) and the extreme south of the Andes (Southern Chile, Argentina). Large deposits of saltpeter, iron ores in Chile, emeralds in Colombia.

Climate... The Andes are crossed by 6 climatic zones (equatorial, northern and southern subequatorial, southern tropical and subtropical, temperate), characterized by sharp contrasts in the moisture content of the western (windward) and eastern (leeward) slopes. In the Caribbean Andes, 500-1000 mm of precipitation falls per year (mainly in summer), in the equatorial Andes (Ecuador and Colombia) on the western slopes - up to 10,000 mm, on the eastern - up to 5000 mm. The western slopes of the Peruvian and Central Andes and the inner regions of the Central Andes are characterized by a tropical desert climate, the eastern slopes receive up to 3000 mm of precipitation per year. South of 20 ° S latitude, precipitation increases on the western slopes and decreases on the eastern slopes. The western slopes south of 35 ° south latitude receive 5,000-10,000 mm of precipitation per year, and the eastern slopes 100-200 mm. Only in the very south, with decreasing heights, there is some leveling in the wetting of the slopes. The snow line is located in Colombia at an altitude of 4700-4900 m, in Ecuador - 4250 m, in the Central Andes 5600-6100 (in Pune 6500 m - the highest on Earth). It drops to 3100 m to 35 ° south latitude, 1000-1200 m - in the Patagonian Andes, 500-600 m - on Tierra del Fuego. South of 46 ° 30'S latitude, glaciers descend to ocean level. Large centers of glaciers are located in the Cordillera de Santa Marta and in the Cordillera de Merida ( overall volume ice about 0.5 km 3), in the Ecuadorian Andes (1.1 km 3), the Peruvian Andes (24.7 km 3), in the Western Cordillera of the Central Andes (12.1 km km 3), in the Chilean-Argentine Andes (38.9 km 3), Patagonian Andes (12.6 thousand km 3, including the Uppsala glacier). The Patagonian ice sheet is formed by two vast fields with a total length of 700 km, a width of 30-70 km, and a total area of ​​13 thousand km 2.

Rivers and lakes... The interoceanic watershed runs along the Andes, where the components and tributaries of the Amazon originate, as well as the tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana and the Patagonia rivers. In the Northern and Peruvian Andes, in narrow depressions located between the ridges, flow large rivers: Cauca, Magdalena, Marañon (source of the Amazon), Uallaga, Mantaro, etc. Most of their tributaries and rivers of the Central and Southern Andes are relatively short. The rivers of the Western and Coastal Cordilleras between 20 ° and 28 ° South latitude have almost no permanent streams, the river network is sparse. In the Central Andes, there are extensive areas of internal flow. The rivers flow into lakes Titicaca, Poopo and salt marshes (Koipasa, Uyuni, etc.). In the South, especially the Patagonian, Andes, there are many large lakes of glacial origin (Buenos Aires, San Martin, Viedma, Lago Argentino, etc.) and hundreds of small (finite moraine and tar).

Soil, vegetable and animal world. The location in several climatic zones, contrasts in the moisture content of the western and eastern slopes, significant heights of the Andes cause a wide variety of soil and vegetation cover and a pronounced altitudinal zonation. In the Caribbean Andes - deciduous (during winter drought) forests and shrubs on mountain red soils. On the eastern slopes of the Colombian-Venezuelan, Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Central Andes - mountain rainforests (mountain gilea) on laterite soils, including natural area Yungas. On the western slopes of the Peruvian and Central Andes - the Tamarugal and Atacama deserts, in the inner highlands - Pune. In the subtropical Andes of Chile - evergreen dry forests and shrubs on brown soils, south of 38 ° S latitude - moist evergreen and mixed forests on brown forest, in the south - podzolized soils. The high plateaus are characterized by special alpine types of vegetation: in the north - equatorial meadows (paramos), in the Peruvian Andes and in the northeast of Pune - dry cereal steppes (chalka). The Andes are home to potatoes, cinchona, coca and other valuable plants.

The fauna of the Andes is similar to that of the adjacent plains; endemic species include relic spectacled bear, llamas (vicuña and guanaco), Magellanic dog (culpeo), azar fox, deer pudu and uemul, chinchilla, Chilean possum. Birds are numerous (especially in the Coastal Cordillera): condor, mountain partridge, geese, ducks, parrots, flamingos, hummingbirds, etc. It is possible that the horse, sheep and goat brought to South America contributed to the desertification of the Andes landscapes.

In the Andes 88 national parks total area of ​​19.2 million hectares, including: Sierra Nevada (Venezuela), Paramillo, Cordillera de los Pikachos, Sierra de la Macarena (Colombia), Sangay (Ecuador), Huascaran, Manu (Peru ), Ishiboro Secure (Bolivia), Alberto Agostini, Bernardo O'Higties, Laguna San Rafael (Chile), Nahuel Huapi (Argentina), as well as numerous reserves and other protected areas.

Lit .: Lukashova E. N. South America. physical geography... M., 1958; Cordillera of America. M., 1967.

M.P. Zhidkov; A. A. Zarshchikov ( geological structure and minerals).

Of course, there is only one correct answer to the question of where the Andes are located. South America is the country where such unique mountains are presented, which are the only ones in the world. The peculiarity of their structure has been an object of study for all scientists and researchers since ancient times. They are unique and have not yet been fully solved. An ordinary person perceives this mountain system as a natural phenomenon, as a symbol of the power of nature.

They stretch along the outskirts of the whole of South America and have a length of thousands of kilometers. It has been established that the length of the entire relief transformation is more than 9000 km. For our country, such figures seem incredible, and therefore the Andes are the real dream of our compatriots. It should be noted that not only the length becomes amazing, the width of some sections reaches from 500 km to 700 km, which is a unique natural transformation.

Fragments of history to be told

The Andes are sometimes called the "natural barrier" that protects America's climatic space. As a single mountain complex, each site has its own characteristics, features, differences. It is conditionally possible to divide three clearly delineated areas, which, according to their location, have the same names:

  • Northern Andes;
  • Central;
  • Southern.

When a person hears the question - where are the Andes mountains, then the correct answer is very inaccurate. They are located on the territory of seven different states, and therefore you should always indicate the exact coordinates or the area of ​​interest.

It is necessary and useful to know ...

The name of the mountains has a hundred-year history. Even experienced researchers cannot say and answer exactly, but there are many legends and facts. To travel to this continent, it is very useful to know the most interesting moments. So, there are opinions that the name "Andes" take their name from the first settlements, but according to the theory of an Italian scientist, the history of creation of a different type is more likely. The name came from appearance These transformations, initially "Andes, o cordilleras" was called the eastern ridge, and after - the name spread to the entire territory of these magnificent mountains.

In addition to the name, these transformations are unique in everything. They are unique and call them "reborn". The flora and fauna are especially interesting here, which are diverse and unique. The main value of this natural wealth is minerals.

It is very interesting that according to the location, each state is rich in its natural resources and minerals, which leads to unique market relations. The main activity, within the limits of the location of the mountains, is the mining industry.

If you are wondering where the Andes are located on the map, then you can see them, even without certain knowledge of geography. They are defined in a special white-green color, and the exact coordinates are always fixed.

The peculiarity of the mountains is that each separate section of the mountain connection of one line was formed in the so-called different geological periods, therefore, you can observe here completely dissimilar natural zones, landscapes, of course, mountainous reliefs.

There are indeed many places worth seeing in the Andes - snow-capped peaks and glaciers, rocky low and high gorges, plateaus.

The mountain range is the largest watershed between the rivers of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

What do we know about earthquakes?

Here and now, earthquakes of all kinds and forces are taking place, which are the most important difficulty for tourists. Also within the mountains is the most famous, the greatest active volcano, which residents call the "God of volcanoes", its height varies within 6722 meters.

Why is the Andes considered an important asset of the world?

In an era when people choose an active lifestyle for themselves, the Andes become a goal to be achieved. This is a real paradise for those tourists who love mountains and rock climbing, who are ready to risk their lives for adrenaline and get real pleasure.

There are always many lovers here active rest for which mountains are the best place for a pastime. That is why, each extreme knows exactly on which continent the Andes are located and which point of these transformations is especially interesting. People come here from different parts of the world and enjoy an unforgettable experience. One such trip is equated to a real event, it is an invaluable experience and a lot of impressions.

But main point yet - it is that a single mountain system is diverse. Each state has its own property, which was presented by nature. Different climatic conditions, different designs of mountains - they are so contrasting and original. It is not surprising that it is impossible to describe them in one word, these mountains are a complex of diversity and different facets. Even at school, children learn where the Andes are, and over time they begin to dream of seeing them in reality. In fact, it is worth visiting South America, because it is a completely different world, here you will never see something ordinary and understandable.

A few words about the route

If you decide to make an entertaining trip to the beautiful and charming South America, remember that you will not be able to see everything, it will not be possible to visit all the places. Since even on the map these mountains are quite long, and the variety architectural monuments, natural areas and landscapes, unique routes and cultural treasures makes them absolutely immense.

The Andes mountain system, in fact, cannot be described using words and sentences, because they are not only "very, very long" or "the oldest", any terms and concepts will not describe all the beauty and uniqueness.

One of the highest and longest mountain systems in the world are Andes(the Andes), consisting of ridges, between which are plateaus, depressions and plateaus. The Andes are often compared to a Dragon lying on west coast... The head of the Dragon rests at, the tail is immersed in the ocean at, the back is strewn with thorns.

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Description and characteristics

The worlds of the Andes are amazing, inaccessible and little explored. The length of the mountain range is more than 8000 km, the average width of the Andes is 250 km (maximum - 700 km). Average height Andes - 4000 meters above sea level. In the extreme south of the continent, where the Andes descend to the ocean, giant icebergs break off the glaciers and is considered the most treacherous strait on the planet. In the south of the Andes lies the San Rafael Glacier, which moves, cutting off the slopes of the mountains.

Until today, the growth of the Andes continues, over the past 100 years they have "grown" by more than a dozen meters. Here, the air currents from the Pacific Ocean are cooled, falling in the form of precipitation, and the already dry air moves to the east. Active educational processes are underway in these young mountains, from this there are many active volcanoes, earthquakes often occur.

Mountain ranges run across the territories of seven South American countries:

  • Northern Andes -, and;
  • Central Andes - and;
  • Southern Andes - and.

It is in the Andes that the greatest river begins.

The most highest point Andes and highest peak The southern hemisphere is 6962 m above sea level.

The highest mountain lake on the planet

Lying in the Andes at an altitude of 3820 m (on the border of Bolivia and Peru), it contains the richest reserves of fresh water in South America.

Since the shape of the lake resembles a puma, its name consists of the words "rock" and "puma". The lake and its surroundings remember the Inca civilization, they built their temples on the islands and along the shores. This lake is often mentioned in Native American myths about the origin of the world and the birth of the gods.

Lake Titicaca

The most "desert" desert

The desert lying in the Andes is the driest place on the globe. For centuries, not a single rain has spilled here.

Here the height of the Andes is about 7000 m, but there are no glaciers on the peaks, and the rivers dried up many centuries ago. Water locals collected with the help of special mist eliminators made of nylon threads, the condensate flowing down them is collected up to 18 liters per day!

There is a place in the Atacama called By the moonlit valley where salt hills create an unearthly landscape that is constantly changing under the influence of the winds. Many fantastic films about alien civilizations have been filmed on this huge set, created by nature.

Alpine Geyser Field

El Tatio, stretching in the Andes at an altitude of 4200 m (the border of Bolivia and Chile), is the highest mountain field of geysers in the world and the most extensive in the Southern Hemisphere.

There are about 80 geysers here, which in the morning shoot hot water and steam to a height of about a meter, although sometimes hot water fountains reach 5-6 m. paintings. Near the geysers there are thermal wells, the water of which has a temperature of 49 ° C and a rich mineral composition; swimming in it is good for your health.

The Andes Mountains 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, to the east from the influence of the Pacific Ocean. The mountains lie in 6 climatic zones (equatorial, northern and southern subequatorial, southern tropical, subtropical and temperate) and are distinguished by sharp contrasts in the moisture content of the eastern and western slopes.

Due to the considerable extent of the Andes, their individual landscape parts differ significantly from each other. By the nature of the relief and other natural differences, as a rule, three main regions are distinguished - the Northern, Central and Southern Andes. The Andes stretched through the territories of seven states of South America - Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Highest point: Aconcagua (6962 m)

Length: 9000 km

Width: 500 km

Rocks: igneous and metamorphic

The Andes - revived mountains, erected by the latest uplifts on the site of the so-called Andean (Cordillera) folded geosynclinal belt; The Andes are one of the planet's largest systems of alpine folding (on the Paleozoic and partly Baikal folded basement). The beginning of the formation of the Andes dates back to the Jurassic time. The Andean mountain system is characterized by troughs formed in the Triassic, subsequently filled with layers of sedimentary and volcanogenic rocks of considerable thickness. Large massifs of the Main Cordillera and the coast of Chile, the Coastal Cordillera of Peru are granitoid intrusions of the Cretaceous age. Intermontane and marginal troughs (Altiplano, Maracaibo, etc.) were formed in the Paleogene and Neogene time. Tectonic movements accompanied by seismic and volcanic activity continue in our time. This is due to the fact that along pacific coast South America passes a subduction zone: the Nazca and Antarctic plates go under the South American, which contributes to the development of mountain building processes. The 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, mainly of non-ferrous metals (vanadium, tungsten, bismuth, tin, lead, molybdenum, zinc, arsenic, antimony, etc.); deposits are confined mainly to the Paleozoic structures of the eastern Andes and the vents of ancient volcanoes; in Chile there are large copper deposits. In the foredeep and foothill troughs, there is oil and gas (in the foothills of the Andes within Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina), in the weathering crusts there are bauxites. There are also deposits of iron (in Bolivia), sodium nitrate (in Chile), gold, platinum and emeralds (in Colombia) in the Andes.

The Andes consist mainly 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 the inner plateaus and plateaus (Puna, Altipano - in Bolivia and Peru) or depressions. The width of the mountain system is mainly 200-300 km.

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