The longest mountain range in the world is the Andean Cordillera or simply the Andes. From the Inca language this short word is translated as Copper Mountains. The length of the Andes is incomparable to any other mountains on the planet. They stretched for a record 9,000 kilometers. In addition to its incredible scale, the Andes are famous as the birthplace of plants that have radically changed the lives of people on the planet. After all, it was the Andes that became the birthplace of coca, cinchona, tobacco, tomatoes and potatoes.

The Andes start around Caribbean Sea and reach Tierra del Fuego. Highest peak mountain range- Mount Aconcagua (6962 meters). In the Andean Cordillera there are places where the width mountain range stretches for 500 kilometers, and the maximum width of the mountain system is 750 kilometers. The longest mountains in the world act as the largest interoceanic watershed.

The Andes are incredibly diverse and picturesque. And in every country it crosses mountain system, has its own zest. For example, in the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous forests and shrubs grow on red soils. The lower slopes of the Central to Northwestern Andes are covered by tropical and equatorial rainforests. Here you can find ficus trees, bananas, palm trees, cocoa trees, bamboos, and vines. However, there are also numerous moss swamps and lifeless rocky spaces. Well, everything above 4500 meters is already eternal ice and snow.

The top of the Andes is Mount Aconcagua (6962 meters)

No less interesting animal world Andes. Here you can find exotic alpacas, llamas, prehensile-tailed monkeys, as well as pudu deer, relict spectacled bears, vicunas, sloths, blue foxes, chinchillas and hummingbirds.

In fact we'll talk not about one mountain at all, but about an entire mountain system called the Andes (Andean Cordillera). The length of this system is as much as 9000 km, width - 750 km, and height at the highest point - 6962 m. It is located in South America, penetrating almost the entire continent from north to west through seven states.

According to the data obtained by scientists, the formation of the Andes dates back to the Jurassic period, which began approximately 200 million years ago. Moreover we're talking about exclusively about the beginning of formation, since many troughs, massifs, etc. were formed much later. Moreover, the process of mountain building in the Andes is still ongoing.

The mountain system is rich in non-ferrous metals such as lead, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, etc. In the region of Chile there are large deposits of copper, gas and oil are hidden in troughs near Argentina and Venezuela, and Bolivia is rich in iron.

Since the Andes stretch over almost the entire continent, both soil and plant covers are extremely diverse. So, here you can find plants such as palm trees, ficus, bananas, evergreen shrubs, cacti, lichens, etc. In short, we are talking about almost any plant that grows in South America.

As for the animal world, there are about 600 species of mammals in the mountain system, just over 1,500 species of birds, 400 fish and almost a thousand species of amphibians, which is an incredibly large number (in our country, for example, there are only 28 species of amphibians). Some of the birds and animals are on the verge of extinction, including due to poaching, some are already extinct. However, there is another problem - air pollution. But more on that below.

Of course, the mountain system has a number of environmental problems. So, since agriculture is well developed near the passing Andes, various chemicals are constantly entering the soil, and desertification occurs somewhere due to overgrazing. Fortunately, such situations occur infrequently. Environment is also polluted due to various factories located in close proximity to the Andes. Another important problem is that there is cutting down of wet tropical forests for planting rubber and coffee trees on the vacated areas, which support the economies of states.

Speaking of agriculture. The cultivation of coffee, barley, bananas and potatoes is most developed here. At high altitudes, corn, wheat and quinoa (an annual grain crop consumed by the local Indian community) are grown; cocoa, sugar cane, and tropical fruits grow well on moist slopes. Plants brought from European countries, including some citrus fruits, olives and grapes.

Livestock farming is well developed, but its main direction is sheep breeding. Indians breed llamas. Fishing is poorly developed.

Copper Mountains. This is the name of the longest mountains in the world in the Inca language. These are the Andean Cordillera or simply the Andes.

The length of this mountain range is incomparable to any other on the planet. The Andes stretch for a record 9 thousand kilometers. They begin at the Caribbean Sea and reach Tierra del Fuego.

The highest peak of the Andean cordillera is Mount Aconcagau. It rises exactly 6962 meters. By the way, there are places where the Andes are 500 kilometers wide, but the maximum width of the mountain system is 750 kilometers. This value was recorded in the Central Andes, in the Andean Highlands.

However, most of the Andean cordillera is occupied by a plateau called Puna. It has a very high snow line. It reaches 6500 meters, but average height The mountains are about 4000 meters.

As experts say, the Andes are relatively young mountains. Here the process of mountain building was completed several million years ago. The origin of fossils began in the Precambrian and Paleozoic periods. Then areas of land began to appear in place of the vast ocean. For a long time, the area where today's Andes are located was either land or sea.

The mountain range has finished forming by uplift rocks, as a result of this, huge folds of stone extended to an impressive height. By the way, this process continues today. Sometimes there are earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Andes.

The longest mountains in the world are also the largest interoceanic divide. Originates in the Andean Cordillera famous river The Amazon, as well as its tributaries. In addition, tributaries of other major rivers of the countries begin here. South America– Parana, Orinoco and Paraguay. The mountains for the mainland serve as a climatic barrier, in other words, the Andes isolate the land from the west from any influence Atlantic Ocean, on the other hand, from the east, protect from Pacific Ocean.

It is not surprising, given the extent of the mountains, that the Andes are located six climatic zones. Subtropical temperate, equatorial, southern tropical, northern and southern subequatorial. On the western slopes, unlike the southern ones, up to ten thousand millimeters of precipitation falls per year. Consequently, the landscape in different parts is radically different.

Based on their topography, the longest mountains in the world are divided into three regions. These are the southern, northern and central Andes. The Northern Andes include the Ecuadorian Andes, the Caribbean Andes and the Northwestern Andes. The main Cordilleras are divided by the depressions of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. And there are many volcanoes here. For example, Huila rose to 5750 meters, Ruiz to 5400 meters, and the current Kumbal rises to 4890 meters.

The longest mountains in the world are the Andes Mountains (Very beautiful)

A volcanic target hit the Ecuadorian Andes with the most high volcanoes. Just look at Chimborazo alone, with a height of 6267 meters. The no less giant Cotopaxi breathes in his back - its height is 5896 meters. The chain crosses seven South American countries at once. These are Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Argentina. And the highest point of the Ecuadorian Andes is Mount Huascaran with a height of 6769 meters.

And as for Southern Andes, then they are divided into Patagonian and Chilean-Argentinean. In this part the most high peaks Tupungato with an altitude of 6800 meters and Medcedario with an altitude of 6770 meters. The snow line in this part reaches 6 thousand meters.

Varied and beautiful

The Andes are unique natural place. The longest mountains on the planet are extremely picturesque. And each country that the mountain system crosses has its own zest. For example, in the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous forests and shrubs grow on red soils. The lower slopes of the Central to Northwestern Andes are covered by tropical and equatorial rainforests. There are ficus trees, bananas, palm trees, cocoa trees, bamboos, and vines. However, there are also numerous moss swamps and lifeless rocky spaces. Well, everything above 4500 meters is already eternal ice and snow. By the way, the Andes are the birthplace of coca, cinchona, tobacco, tomatoes and potatoes.

The fauna of the Andes is no less interesting. Here you can find alpacas, llamas, prehensile-tailed monkeys, as well as pudu deer, gaemal, relict spectacled bears, vicunas, sloths, blue foxes, chinchillas, and hummingbirds. In a word, those whom Russian residents can only meet in zoos.

A special feature of the Andes is the great diversity of amphibians - there are more than 900 species. There are about 600 species of mammals and almost 2 thousand species of birds in the mountains. Almost 400 species of freshwater fish are found in local rivers.

Tourist delicacy

The Andes, except in rugged and remote areas, are by no means a pristine nature reserve. Literally every piece of land here is cultivated local residents. But still, for most tourists, the road to the Andes means the same thing as “escape” from modernity. The local way of life, which has been preserved for centuries, helps to go back in time.


Travelers will immediately notice the patchwork of crops that cover the mountain slopes. And its color changes from dark green to golden. Tourists are invited to follow ancient Indian trails, where sometimes, however, they will have to stop to let a herd of goats, sheep or guanacos pass. And no matter how many times you visit the Andes, the first or the hundredth, nature will never leave you indifferent.

Meetings with local residents will be unforgettable. You can talk to them both in their language and with gestures. However, some mountain inhabitants are not very willing to engage in dialogue. If you come across a contact resident, it would be a good idea to look at his lifestyle. The huts here are made of untreated bricks, people sometimes live without electricity, and draw water from a nearby stream.

Well, hiking in the mountains is not quite like mountaineering. These are most likely walks along steep paths. But they should only be performed by well-prepared and absolutely healthy people with special equipment.
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The length of the Andes is 9000 km

The Andes or Andean Cordillera, in the Inca language - copper mountains. They form the longest mountain range in the world. Their length is 9000 km - from the Caribbean Sea to Tierra del Fuego. The most high mountain this mountain range is Aconkagau (6962 m). There are places where the Andes are 500 km wide, and the maximum width of the longest mountains in the world is 750 km (Central Andes, Andean Highlands). Most of the Andes are occupied by the Puna plateau. There is a very high snow line here, which reaches 6500 m, and the average height of the mountains is 4000 m.

The Andes are relatively young mountains; the process of mountain building ended many millions of years ago. The origin began in the Precambrian and Paleozoic periods. At that time, land areas were just beginning to emerge in place of the vast ocean. Throughout all time, the area where the current Andes are located was either sea or land.

Andean education

The formation of the mountain range ended with the uplift of rocks, as a result of which huge folds of stone extended to a very great height. This process continues to this day. The Andes are prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

The longest mountains in the world are also the largest interoceanic divide. The Amazon and its tributaries, as well as tributaries of other rivers, originate in the Andes. large rivers South America - Paraguay, Orinoco, Parana. The Andes serve as a climatic barrier for the mainland, that is, they isolate the land from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean from the west, and from the Pacific Ocean from the east.

Climate and relief of the Andes

The Andes lie in 6 climatic zones: northern and southern subequatorial, southern tropical, equatorial, subtropical temperate. On the western slopes of the mountains, up to 10 thousand millimeters of precipitation falls per year. As a result of their length, the landscape parts differ significantly from each other.

According to the relief, the Andes are divided into three regions: central, northern, southern. The Northern Andes include the Caribbean Andes, the Ecuadorian Andes, and the Northwestern Andes. The main Cordilleras are separated by the depressions of the Magdalena and Cauca river valleys. There are many volcanoes in this valley. These are Huila - 5750 m, Ruiz - 5400 m, and the current Kumbal - 4890 m.

Volcanoes of the Andes

The Ecuadorian Andes include a high volcanic chain with the highest volcanoes: Chimborazo - 6267 m and Cotopaxi - 58967 m. They stretch through seven countries of South America: Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile. The Central Andes include the Peruvian Andes. Highest point This is Mount Huascaran - 6768.