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Andes

Coordinates:32°S70°W / 32°S 70°W /-32; -70
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mountain range in South America
This article is about the mountain range in South America. For other uses, seeAndes (disambiguation).
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Andes Mountains
Spanish:Cordillera de los Andes
An aerial view of the Andes betweenSantiago inChile andMendoza, Argentina with a large ice field on the southern slope ofSan José volcano (left),Marmolejo (right), andTupungato (far right)
Highest point
PeakAconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina
Elevation6,961 m (22,838 ft)
Coordinates32°39′11″S070°0′42″W / 32.65306°S 70.01167°W /-32.65306; -70.01167
Dimensions
Length8,900 km (5,500 mi)
Width330 km (210 mi)
Naming
Native nameAnti (Quechua)
Geography
Map of South America showing the Andes running along the entire western part (roughly parallel to the Pacific coast) of the continent
Countries
Range coordinates32°S70°W / 32°S 70°W /-32; -70

TheAndes (/ˈændz/AN-deez),Andes Mountains orAndean Mountain Range (Spanish:Cordillera de los Andes;Quechua:Anti) are thelongest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuoushighland along the western edge ofSouth America. The range is 8,900 km (5,500 mi) long and 200 to 700 km (120 to 430 mi) wide (widest between18°S and20°Slatitude) and has an average height of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft). The Andes extend from south to north through seven South American countries:Argentina,Chile,Bolivia,Peru,Ecuador,Colombia, andVenezuela.

Along their length, the Andes are split into several ranges, separated by intermediatedepressions. The Andes are thelocation of several highplateaus—some of which host major cities such asArequipa,Bogotá,Cali,Medellín,El Alto,La Paz,Mérida,Santiago andSucre. TheAltiplano Plateau is the world's second highest after theTibetan Plateau. These ranges are in turn grouped into three major divisions based on climate: theTropical Andes, theDry Andes, and theWet Andes.

The Andes are thehighest mountain range outside ofAsia. The range's highest peak, Argentina'sAconcagua, rises to an elevation of about 6,961 m (22,838 ft) above sea level. Thepeak ofChimborazo in the Ecuadorian Andes is farther from theEarth's center than any other location on the Earth's surface, due to theequatorial bulge resulting from theEarth's rotation. The world's highestvolcanoes are in the Andes, includingOjos del Salado on the Chile–Argentina border, which rises to 6,893 m (22,615 ft).

The Andes are also part of theAmerican Cordillera, a chain ofmountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of theAmericas andAntarctica.

Etymology

[edit]

Theetymology of the wordAndes has been debated. The majority consensus is that it derives from theQuechua wordanti "east"[1] as inAntisuyu (Quechua for "east region"),[1] one of the four regions of theInca Empire. Others suggest that it is in fact from the wordanta (meaningcopper) of the olderAymara language.[2]

The termcordillera comes from theSpanish wordcordel "rope"[3] and is used as a descriptive name for several contiguous sections of the Andes, as well as the entire Andean range, and the combinedmountain chain along the western part of the North and South Americancontinents.

Geography

[edit]
Aconcagua, inArgentina, the highest mountain in theWestern Hemisphere

The Andes mountain range, the longest continental mountain system in the world,[4] extends approximately 7,000 km (4,300 mi) along the western edge ofSouth America, spanningseven countries. Its width varies from 200 km (120 mi) to 700 km (430 mi), encompassing a series of parallelcordilleras,high plateaus, and deep intermontane valleys. Prominent peaks such asAconcagua at 6,961 metres (22,838 feet) in Argentina,Huascarán at 6,768 metres (22,205 feet) in Peru, andIllimani 6,438 metres (21,122 feet) in Bolivia illustrate the extreme elevations and rugged relief that define the range.[5]

The Andes encompass a wide variety of climatic and ecological zones, ranging from humid cloud forests on the eastern slopes to the arid high plains of theAltiplano and the glaciated summits of the southern Andes. These sharp environmental gradients have strongly influenced human settlement and the development of major highland cities such as Bogotá, Cusco, La Paz and Quito.

The Andes can be divided into three sections:

At the northern end of the Andes, the separateSierra Nevada de Santa Marta range is often, but not always, treated as part of the Northern Andes.[6]

TheLeeward Antilles islandsAruba,Bonaire, andCuraçao, which lie in theCaribbean Sea off the coast ofVenezuela, were formerly thought to represent the submerged peaks of the extreme northern edge of the Andes range, but ongoing geological studies indicate that such a simplification does not do justice to the complex tectonic boundary between theSouth American andCaribbean plates.[7]

Geology

[edit]
Geology of theAndes
Orogenies
Fold-thrust belts
Batholiths
Subducted structures
Faults
Andean Volcanic Belt
Pampean flat-slab
Terranes
Mountains with snowy peaks
Aerial view ofValle Carbajal in theTierra del Fuego. The Andes range is about 200 km (124 mi) wide throughout its length, except in theBolivian flexure where it is about 640 kilometres (398 mi) wide.

The Andes are anorogenic belt of mountains along thePacific Ring of Fire, a zone ofvolcanic activity that encompasses the Pacific rim of the Americas as well as theAsia-Pacific region. The Andes are the result oftectonic plate processes extending during theMesozoic andTertiary eras, caused by thesubduction ofoceanic crust beneath theSouth American Plate as theNazca Plate and South American Plate converge. These processes were accelerated by the effects of climate. As the uplift of the Andes created a rain shadow on the western fringes ofChile,ocean currents and prevailing winds carried moisture away from theChilean coast. This caused some areas of the subduction zone to be sediment-starved, which in turn prevented the subducting plate from having a well lubricated surface. These factors increased the rate of contractional coastal uplift in the Andes.[8] The main cause of the rise of the Andes is the contraction of the western rim of theSouth American Plate due to the subduction of theNazca Plate and theAntarctic Plate. To the east, the Andes range is bounded by severalsedimentary basins, such as theOrinoco Basin, theAmazon Basin, theMadre de Dios Basin, and theGran Chaco, that separate the Andes from the ancientcratons in eastern South America. In the south, the Andes share a long boundary with the formerPatagonia Terrane. To the west, the Andes end at thePacific Ocean, although thePeru–Chile Trench can be considered their ultimate western limit.

"Cono de Arita" in thePuna de Atacama,Salta (Argentina)

The Andean orogen has a series of bends ororoclines. TheBolivian Orocline is a seaward-concave bending in the coast ofSouth America and the Andes Mountains at about 18° S.[9][10] At this point, the orientation of the Andes turns from northwest inPeru to south inChile andArgentina.[10] The Andean segments north and south of the Orocline have been rotated 15° counter-clockwise to 20° clockwise respectively.[10][11] TheBolivian Orocline area overlaps with the area of the maximum width of theAltiplano Plateau, and according to Isacks (1988) the Orocline is related tocrustal shortening.[9] The specific point at 18° S where thecoastline bends is known as theArica Elbow.[12] Further south lies the Maipo Orocline, a more subtleorocline between 30° S and 38°S with a seaward-concave break in the trend at 33° S.[13] Near the southern tip of the Andes lies the Patagonian Orocline.[14]

Orogeny

[edit]
Main article:Andean orogeny
Mururata andIllimani inBolivia, two prominent peaks formed by the tectonic uplift caused by theAndean orogeny and platesubduction.

The western rim of theSouth American Plate has been the place of several pre-Andeanorogenies since at least the lateProterozoic and earlyPaleozoic, when severalterranes andmicrocontinents collided and amalgamated with the ancientcratons of eastern South America, by then theSouth American part ofGondwana.

The formation of the modern Andes began with the events of theTriassic, whenPangaea began the breakup that resulted in developing severalrifts. The development continued through theJurassic Period. It was during theCretaceous Period that the Andes began to take their present form, by theuplifting,faulting, andfolding ofsedimentary andmetamorphic rocks of the ancient cratons to the east. The rise of the Andes has not been constant, as different regions have had different degrees of tectonic stress, uplift, anderosion.

Across the 1,000-kilometer-wide (620 mi)Drake Passage lie the mountains of theAntarctic Peninsula south of theScotia Plate, which appear to be a continuation of the Andes chain.

The far east regions of the Andes experience a series of changes resulting from the Andean orogeny. Parts of theSunsás Orogen inAmazonian craton disappeared from the surface of the earth, beingoverridden by the Andes.[15] TheSierras de Córdoba, where the effects of the ancientPampean orogeny can be observed, owe their modern uplift and relief to theAndean orogeny in theTertiary.[16] Further south in southernPatagonia, the onset of the Andean orogeny caused theMagallanes Basin to evolve from being anextensionalback-arc basin in theMesozoic to being a contractionalforeland basin in theCenozoic.[17]

Seismic activity

[edit]

Tectonic forces above thesubduction zone along the entire west coast of South America where theNazca Plate and a part of theAntarctic Plate are sliding beneath theSouth American Plate continue to produce an ongoingorogenic event resulting in minor to majorearthquakes andvolcanic eruptions to this day. Many high-magnitude earthquakes have been recorded in the region, such as the2010 Maule earthquake (M8.8), the2015 Illapel earthquake (M8.2), and the1960 Valdivia earthquake (M9.5), which as of 2024 was the strongest ever recorded on seismometers.

The amount, magnitude, and type of seismic activity varies greatly along the subduction zone. These differences are due to a wide range of factors, including friction between the plates, angle of subduction, buoyancy of the subducting plate, rate of subduction, and hydration value of the mantle material. The highest rate of seismic activity is observed in the central portion of the boundary, between 33°S and 35°S. In this area, the angle of subduction is very low, meaning the subducting plate is nearly horizontal. Studies of mantle hydration across the subduction zone have shown a correlation between increased material hydration and lower-magnitude, more frequent seismic activity. Zones exhibiting dehydration instead are thought to have a higher potential for larger, high-magnitude earthquakes in the future.[18]

The mountain range is also a source of shallow intraplate earthquakes within the South American Plate. The largest such earthquake (as of 2024)struck Peru in 1947 and measured Ms  7.5. In the Peruvian Andes, these earthquakes display normal (1946), strike-slip (1976), and reverse (1969, 1983) mechanisms. The Amazonian Craton is actively underthrusted beneath the sub-Andes region of Peru, producing thrust faults.[19] In Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, thrust faulting occurs along the sub-Andes due in response to contraction brought on by subduction, while in the high Andes, normal faulting occurs in response to gravitational forces.[20]

In the extreme south, a majortransform fault separatesTierra del Fuego from the smallScotia Plate.

Volcanism

[edit]
Main article:Andean Volcanic Belt
Sol de Mañana, an area of intense geothermal activity withfumaroles andgeysers, Bolivia
This photo from theISS shows the high plains of the Andes Mountains in the foreground, with a line of young volcanoes facing the much lower Atacama Desert

The Andes range has many active volcanoes distributed in four volcanic zones separated by areas of inactivity. The Andean volcanism is a result of thesubduction of the Nazca Plate and Antarctic Plate underneath the South American Plate. The belt is subdivided into four main volcanic zones that are separated from each other by volcanic gaps. The volcanoes of the belt are diverse in terms of activity style, products, and morphology.[21] Although some differences can be explained by which volcanic zone a volcano belongs to, there are significant differences inside volcanic zones and even between neighboring volcanoes. Despite being a typical location forcalc-alkalic and subduction volcanism, the Andean Volcanic Belt has a large range of volcano-tectonic settings, such as rift systems, extensional zones,transpressional faults, subduction ofmid-ocean ridges, andseamount chains apart from a large range of crustal thicknesses andmagma ascent paths, and different amount of crustal assimilations.

Ore deposits and evaporites

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The Andes Mountains host largeore andsalt deposits, and some of their easternfold and thrust belts act as traps for commercially exploitable amounts ofhydrocarbons. In the forelands of theAtacama Desert, some of the largestporphyry copper mineralizations occur, making Chile and Peru the first- and second-largest exporters ofcopper in the world.[22][23] Porphyry copper in the western slopes of the Andes has been generated byhydrothermal fluids (mostly water) during the cooling ofplutons or volcanic systems. The porphyry mineralization further benefited from the dry climate that reduced the disturbing actions ofmeteoric water. The dry climate in the central western Andes has also led to the creation of extensivesaltpeter deposits that were extensively mined until the invention of syntheticnitrates. Yet another result of the dry climate are thesalars ofAtacama andUyuni, the former being the largest source oflithium and the latter the world's largest reserve of the element.[citation needed] Early Mesozoic andNeogene plutonism in Bolivia's Cordillera Central created theBolivian tin belt as well as the famous, now mostly depleted, silver deposits ofCerro Rico de Potosí.

Climate

[edit]

The Andes Mountains is connected to the climate of South America, particularly through the hyper-arid conditions of the adjacentAtacama Desert. The Atacama Bench, a prominent low-relief feature along the Pacific seaboard, serves as a key geomorphological record of the long-term interplay between Andean tectonics and Cenozoic climate. While the initial uplift and shortening of the Andes were driven by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate, arid climate acted as an important feedback mechanism. Reduced erosion rates in the increasingly arid Atacama region may have effectively stopped tectonic activity in certain parts of the mountain range. This lack of erosion could have facilitated the eastward propagation of deformation, leading to the widening of the Andean orogen over time. Thus, the Atacama Desert and its geological features, like the Atacama Bench, offer critical insights into the coupled evolution of the Andes Mountains and the changing regional climate.[24]

History

[edit]
Main article:History of Andean South America

The Andes Mountains, initially inhabited byhunter-gatherers, experienced the development ofagriculture and the rise of politically centralizedcivilizations, which culminated in the establishment of the century-longInca Empire. This all changed in the 16th century, when the Spanishconquistadors colonized the mountains in advance of themining economy.

In the tide ofanti-imperialist nationalism, the Andes became the scene of aseries of independence wars in the 19th century, when rebel forces swept through the region to overthrowSpanish colonial rule. Since then, many former Spanish territories have become five independent Andean states.

Climate and hydrology

[edit]
See also:Tropical Andes,Dry Andes, andWet Andes
Central Andes
Bolivian Andes

The climate in the Andes varies greatly depending on latitude, altitude, and proximity to the sea. Temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity decrease in higher elevations. The southern section is rainy and cool, while the central section is dry. The northern Andes are typically rainy and warm, with an average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) inColombia. The climate is known to change drastically in rather short distances.Rainforests exist just kilometers away from the snow-covered peak ofCotopaxi. The mountains have a large effect on the temperatures of nearby areas. Thesnow line depends on the location. It is between 4,500 and 4,800 m (14,800 and 15,700 ft) in the tropical Ecuadorian, Colombian, Venezuelan, and northern Peruvian Andes, rising to 4,800–5,200 m (15,700–17,100 ft) in the drier mountains of southern Peru and northern Chile south to about30°S before descending to 4,500 m (14,760 ft) on Aconcagua at32°S, 2,000 m (6,600 ft) at40°S, 500 m (1,640 ft) at50°S, and only 300 m (980 ft) inTierra del Fuego at55°S; from 50°S, several of the larger glaciers descend to sea level.[25]

The Andes of Chile andArgentina can be divided into two climatic and glaciological zones: theDry Andes and theWet Andes. Since the Dry Andes extend from the latitudes of theAtacama Desert to the area of theMaule River, precipitation is more sporadic, and there are strong temperature oscillations. The line of equilibrium may shift drastically over short periods of time, leaving a whole glacier in theablation area or in theaccumulation area.

In the high Andes ofCentral Chile andMendoza Province,rock glaciers are larger and more common than glaciers; this is due to the high exposure tosolar radiation.[26] In these regions, glaciers occur typically at higher altitudes than rock glaciers.[27] The lowest active rock glaciers occur at 900 m a.s.l. inAconcagua.[27]

TheYungas region between Bolivia and Peru, part of thetropical andes

Though precipitation increases with height, there are semiarid conditions in the nearly 7,000-metre (22,966 ft) highest mountains of the Andes. This drysteppe climate is considered to be typical of the subtropical position at 32–34° S. The valley bottoms have no woods, just dwarf scrub. The largest glaciers, for example the Plomo Glacier and the Horcones Glaciers, do not even reach 10 km (6.2 mi) in length and have only insignificant ice thickness. At glacial times, however,c. 20,000 years ago, the glaciers were over ten times longer. On the east side of this section of the Mendozina Andes, they flowed down to 2,060 m (6,760 ft) and on the west side to about 1,220 m (4,000 ft) above sea level.[28][29] The massifs ofAconcagua (6,961 m or 22,838 ft),Tupungato (6,550 m or 21,490 ft), andNevado Juncal (6,110 m or 20,050 ft) are tens of kilometres away from each other and were connected by a joint ice stream network. The Andes' dendritic glacier arms, components of valley glaciers, were up to 112.5 km (69.9 mi) long and over 1,250 m (4,100 ft) thick, and spanned a vertical distance of 5,150 m (16,900 ft). The climatic glacier snowline (ELA) was lowered from 4,600 m (15,100 ft) to 3,200 m (10,500 ft) at glacial times.[28][30]

Flora

[edit]
Laguna de Sonso tropical dry forest in Northern Andes

The Andean region cuts across severalnatural and floristic regions, due to its extension, fromCaribbean Venezuela to cold, windy, and wetCape Horn passing through the hyperaridAtacama Desert.Rainforests andtropical dry forests[31] used to[when?] encircle much of the northern Andes but are now greatlydiminished, especially in theChocó and inter-Andean valleys of Colombia. Opposite the humid Andean slopes are the relatively dry Andean slopes in most of western Peru, Chile, and Argentina. Along with severalInterandean Valles, they are typically dominated bydeciduous woodland, shrub andxeric vegetation, reaching the extreme in the slopes near the virtually lifelessAtacama Desert.

About 30,000 species ofvascular plants live in the Andes, with roughly half beingendemic to the region, surpassing the diversity of any otherhotspot.[32] The small treeCinchona pubescens, a source ofquinine that is used to treatmalaria, is found widely in the Andes as far south as Bolivia. Other important crops that originated from the Andes aretobacco andpotatoes. The high-altitudePolylepis forests and woodlands are found in the Andean areas ofColombia,Ecuador,Peru,Bolivia, andChile. These trees, by locals referred to as Queñua, Yagual, and other names, can be found at altitudes of 4,500 m (14,760 ft) above sea level. It remains unclear if the patchy distribution of these forests and woodlands is natural, or the result of clearing that began during theIncan period. Regardless, inmodern times, the clearance has accelerated, and the trees are now considered highlyendangered, with some believing that as little as 10% of the originalwoodland remains.[33]

Fauna

[edit]
A maleAndean cock-of-the-rock, a species found in humid Andean forests and thenational bird of Peru
Herds ofllamas in the Bolivian Andes
Main article:Fauna of the Andes

The Andes are rich in fauna: With almost 1,000 species, of which roughly 2/3 areendemic to the region, the Andes are the most important region in the world foramphibians.[32] The diversity of animals in the Andes is high, with almost 600 species ofmammals (13% endemic), more than 1,700 species of birds (about 1/3 endemic), more than 600 species ofreptiles (about 45% endemic), and almost 400 species of fish (about 1/3 endemic).[32]

Thevicuña andguanaco can be found living in theAltiplano, while the closely relateddomesticatedllama andalpaca are widely kept by locals aspack animals and for theirmeat andwool. The crepuscular (active during dawn and dusk)chinchillas, two threatened members of therodent order, inhabit the Andes' alpine regions.[34][35] TheAndean condor, the largest bird of its kind in theWestern Hemisphere, occurs throughout much of the Andes but generally in very low densities.[36] Other animals found in the relatively open habitats of the high Andes include thehuemul,cougar, foxes in the genusPseudalopex,[34][35] and, for birds, certain species oftinamous (notably members of the genusNothoprocta),Andean goose,giant coot,flamingos (mainly associated withhypersaline lakes),lesser rhea,Andean flicker,diademed sandpiper-plover,miners,sierra-finches anddiuca-finches.[36]

Lake Titicaca hosts several endemics, among them the highly endangeredTiticaca flightless grebe[36] andTiticaca water frog.[37] A few species ofhummingbirds, notably somehillstars, can be seen at altitudes above 4,000 m (13,100 ft), but far higherdiversities can be found at lower altitudes, especially in the humid Andean forests ("cloud forests") growing on slopes in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and far northwestern Argentina.[36] These forest-types, which includes theYungas and parts of the Chocó, are very rich in flora and fauna, although few large mammals exist, exceptions being the threatenedmountain tapir,spectacled bear, andyellow-tailed woolly monkey.[34]

Birds of humid Andean forests includemountain toucans,quetzals, and theAndean cock-of-the-rock, whilemixed-species flocks dominated bytanagers andfurnariids are commonly seen—in contrast to several vocal but typicallycryptic species ofwrens,tapaculos, andantpittas.[36]

A number of species such as theroyal cinclodes andwhite-browed tit-spinetail are associated withPolylepis, and consequently alsothreatened.[36]

Human activity

[edit]
See also:Cultural periods of Peru,Inca Empire, andViceroyalty of Peru
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The Andes Mountains form a north–south axis of cultural influences. A long series of cultural development culminated in the expansion of theInca civilization andInca Empire in the central Andes during the 15th century. The Incas formed this civilization throughimperialisticmilitarism as well as careful and meticulous governmental management.[38] The government sponsored the construction ofaqueducts androads in addition to pre-existing installations. Some of these constructions still exist today.

Frederic Edwin Church,Heart of the Andes, 1859.

Devastated by European diseases and bycivil war, the Incas were defeated in 1532 by an alliance composed of tens of thousands of allies from nations they had subjugated (e.g.Huancas,Chachapoyas,Cañaris) and a small army of 180 Spaniards led byFrancisco Pizarro. One of the few Inca sites the Spanish never found in their conquest wasMachu Picchu, which lay hidden on a peak on the eastern edge of the Andes where they descend to the Amazon. The main surviving languages of the Andean peoples are those of theQuechua andAymara language families.Woodbine Parish andJoseph Barclay Pentland surveyed a large part of the Bolivian Andes from 1826 to 1827.

Cities

[edit]

In modern times, the largest cities in the Andes areBogotá, with a metropolitan population of over ten million, andSantiago,Medellín,Cali, andQuito.Lima is a coastal city adjacent to the Andes and is the largest city of all Andean countries. It is the seat of theAndean Community of Nations.

La Paz, Bolivia's seat of government, is the highest capital city in the world, at an elevation of approximately 3,650 m (11,975 ft). Parts of the La Paz conurbation, including the city ofEl Alto, extend up to 4,200 m (13,780 ft).

Other cities in or near the Andes includeBariloche,Catamarca,Jujuy,Mendoza,Salta,San Juan,Tucumán, andUshuaia in Argentina;Calama andRancagua in Chile;Cochabamba,Oruro,Potosí,Sucre,Tarija, andYacuiba in Bolivia;Arequipa,Cajamarca,Cusco,Huancayo,Huánuco,Huaraz,Juliaca, andPuno in Peru;Ambato,Cuenca,Ibarra,Latacunga,Loja,Riobamba, andTulcán in Ecuador;Armenia,Cúcuta,Bucaramanga,Duitama,Ibagué,Ipiales,Manizales,Palmira,Pasto,Pereira,Popayán,Rionegro,Sogamoso,Tunja, andVillavicencio in Colombia; andBarquisimeto,La Grita,Mérida,San Cristóbal, Tovar,Trujillo, andValera in Venezuela. The cities ofCaracas,Valencia, andMaracay are in theVenezuelan Coastal Range, which is a debatable extension of the Andes at the northern extremity of South America.

Transportation

[edit]

Cities and large towns are connected withasphalt-paved roads, while smaller towns are often connected by dirt roads, which may require afour-wheel-drive vehicle.[39]

The rough terrain has historically put the costs of buildinghighways andrailroads that cross the Andes out of reach of most neighboring countries, even with moderncivil engineering practices. For example, the main crossover of the Andes between Argentina and Chile is still accomplished through thePaso Internacional Los Libertadores. Only recently[when?] have the ends of some highways that came rather close to one another from the east and the west been connected.[40] Much of the transportation of passengers is done via aircraft.

There is one railroad that connects Chile with Peru via the Andes, however, and there are others that make the same connection via southern Bolivia.

There are multiple highways in Bolivia that cross the Andes. Some of these were built during aperiod of war between Bolivia andParaguay, in order to transport Bolivian troops and their supplies to the war front in the lowlands of southeastern Bolivia and western Paraguay.

For decades, Chile claimed ownership of land on the eastern side of the Andes. These claims were given up in about 1870 during theWar of the Pacific between Chile and the allied Bolivia and Peru, in a diplomatic deal to keep Peru out of the war. TheChilean Army andChilean Navy defeated the combined forces of Bolivia and Peru, and Chile took over Bolivia's only province on the Pacific Coast, some land from Peru that was returned to Peru decades later. Bolivia has been completelylandlocked ever since. It mostly usesseaports in eastern Argentina andUruguay for international trade because its diplomatic relations with Chile have been suspended since 1978.

Because of the tortuous terrain in places, villages and towns in the mountains—to which travel viamotorized vehicles is of little use—are still located in the high Andes of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, andEcuador. Locally, the relatives of thecamel, thellama, and thealpaca continue to carry out important uses as pack animals, but this use has generally diminished in modern times.Donkeys,mules, and horses are also useful.

Agriculture

[edit]
Peruvian farmers sowing maize and beans
See also:Andean agriculture,Incan agriculture, andVertical archipelago

The ancient peoples of the Andes such as the Incas have practicedirrigation techniques for over 6,000 years. Because of the mountain slopes,terracing has been a common practice. Terracing, however, was only extensively employed after Incan imperial expansions to fuel their expanding realm. Thepotato holds a very important role as an internally consumed staple crop.Maize was also an important crop for these people, and was used for the production ofchicha, important to Andean native people. Currently,[when?]tobacco,cotton,quinoa, andcoffee are the main export crops.Coca, despite eradication programs in some countries, remains an important crop for legal local use in a mildly stimulatingherbal tea, and illegally for the production ofcocaine.

Irrigation

[edit]
Aquinoa field in theBolivian altiplano

In unirrigated land,pasture is the most common type of land use. In the rainy season (summer), part of the rangeland is used for cropping (mainly potatoes, barley, broad beans, and wheat).

Irrigation is helpful in advancing the sowing data of the summer crops, which guarantees an early yield in periods of food shortage. Also, by early sowing, maize can be cultivated higher up in the mountains (up to 3,800 m (12,500 ft)). In addition, it makes cropping in the dry season (winter) possible and allows the cultivation of frost-resistant vegetable crops likeonion andcarrot.[41]

Mining

[edit]
Chileanhuasos, 19th century

The Andes rose to fame for their mineral wealth during theSpanish conquest of South America. Although Andean Amerindian peoples crafted ceremonial jewelry of gold and other metals, themineralizations of the Andes were first mined on a large scale after the Spanish arrival.Potosí in present-dayBolivia andCerro de Pasco in Peru were among the principal mines of the Spanish Empire in the New World.Río de la Plata andArgentina[42] derive their names from the silver of Potosí.

Currently, mining in the Andes ofChile andPeru places these countries as the first and second major producers ofcopper in the world.Peru also contains the 4th-largest goldmine in the world: theYanacocha. The Bolivian Andes principally producetin, although historically silver mining had a huge impact on theeconomy of 17th-century Europe.[citation needed] In Chile in the higher portions of the Andes there are only mining districs dominated by large-scale mining, while medium and small-scale mining is more common at lower altitudes.[43] For mines in the high Andes there are logistical difficulties in the use ofsea water, in addition to increased probabilities ofextreme weather events that may disrupt water supply.[44] The gold deposits of theEl Indio Gold Belt tend to lie along theArgentina–Chile border and next to or below glaciers and gold mining there have thus issues relating to the bi-nationality and theirenvironmental impacts on glaciers.[45]

Mining in the cold conditions in the Andes pose also difficult conditions for outdoor workers such aspallaqueras and for the batteries of electrified machinery.[46][47]

There is a long history of mining in the Andes, from the Spanishsilvermines inPotosí in the 16th century to the vast currentporphyry copper deposits ofChuquicamata andEscondida in Chile andToquepala in Peru. Other metals, including iron, gold, and tin, in addition to non-metallic resources are important. The Andes have a vast supply of lithium; Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile have the three largest reserves in the world respectively.[48]

Peaks

[edit]
Main article:List of mountains in the Andes

This list contains some of the major peaks in the Andes mountain range. The highest peak is Aconcagua of Argentina.

Argentina

[edit]
TheAconcagua, Argentina, the highest mountain inthe Americas
See also:List of mountains in Argentina

The border between Argentina and Chile

[edit]
See also:Argentina–Chile border
Fitz Roy in thePatagonia region between Argentina and Chile
Huayna Potosí, Bolivia

Bolivia

[edit]
Sajama, Bolivia
Kunturiri, Bolivia

The border between Bolivia and Chile

[edit]
Parinacota, Bolivia/Chile

Chile

[edit]
View of Cuernos del Paine inTorres del Paine National Park, Chile
Main article:List of mountains in Chile

Colombia

[edit]
Nevado del Huila, Colombia

Ecuador

[edit]
Chimborazo nearRiobamba, Ecuador

Peru

[edit]
Huandoy, Peru
Alpamayo, Peru

Venezuela

[edit]
Pico Humboldt, Venezuela

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^abTeofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua–Spanish dictionary)
  2. ^"Andes Mountains | Definition, Map, Plate Boundary, & Location | Britannica".www.britannica.com. 27 July 2025. Retrieved27 July 2025.
  3. ^"Cordillera".etimologias.dechile.net. Retrieved27 December 2015.
  4. ^"The Andes - Longest continental mountain range".Guinness World Records. Archived fromthe original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved21 October 2025.
  5. ^Borsdorf, Axel; Stadel, Christoph (12 March 2015).The Andes: A Geographical Portrait. Springer.ISBN 978-3-319-03530-7.
  6. ^"Mountains, biodiversity and conservation".Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved28 January 2019.
  7. ^Miller, Meghan S.; Levander, Alan; Niu, Fenglin; Li, Aibing (23 June 2008)."Upper mantle structure beneath the Caribbean-South American plate boundary from surface wave tomography"(PDF).Journal of Geophysical Research.114 (B1): B01312.Bibcode:2009JGRB..114.1312M.doi:10.1029/2007JB005507. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 5 June 2010. Retrieved21 November 2010.
  8. ^Lamb, Simon; Davis, Paul (2003)."Cenozoic climate change as a possible cause for the rise of the Andes".Nature.425 (6960):792–797.Bibcode:2003Natur.425..792L.doi:10.1038/nature02049.PMID 14574402.S2CID 4354886.
  9. ^abIsacks, Bryan L. (1988),"Uplift of the Central Andean Plateau and Bending of the Bolivian Orocline"(PDF),Journal of Geophysical Research,93 (B4):3211–3231,Bibcode:1988JGR....93.3211I,doi:10.1029/jb093ib04p03211
  10. ^abcKley, J. (1999), "Geologic and geometric constraints on a kinematic model of the Bolivian orocline",Journal of South American Earth Sciences,12 (2):221–235,Bibcode:1999JSAES..12..221K,doi:10.1016/s0895-9811(99)00015-2
  11. ^Beck, Myrl E. (1987), "Tectonic rotations on the leading edge of South America: The Bolivian orocline revisited",Geology,15 (9):806–808,Bibcode:1987Geo....15..806B,doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1987)15<806:trotle>2.0.co;2
  12. ^Prezzi, Claudia B.; Vilas, Juan F. (1998). "New evidence of clockwise vertical axis rotations south of the Arica elbow (Argentine Puna)".Tectonophysics.292 (1):85–100.Bibcode:1998Tectp.292...85P.doi:10.1016/s0040-1951(98)00058-4.
  13. ^Arriagada, César; Ferrando, Rodolfo; Córdova, Loreto; Morata, Diego; Roperch, Pierrick (2013),"The Maipo Orocline: A first scale structural feature in the Miocene to Recent geodynamic evolution in the central Chilean Andes"(PDF),Andean Geology,40 (3):419–437
  14. ^Charrier, Reynaldo; Pinto, Luisa; Rodríguez, María Pía (2006). "3. Tectonostratigraphic evolution of the Andean Orogen in Chile". In Moreno, Teresa; Gibbons, Wes (eds.).Geology of Chile. Geological Society of London. pp. 5–19.ISBN 978-1-86239-219-9.
  15. ^Santos, J.O.S.; Rizzotto, G.J.; Potter, P.E.; McNaughton, N.J.; Matos, R.S.; Hartmann, L.A.; Chemale Jr., F.; Quadros, M.E.S. (2008). "Age and autochthonous evolution of the Sunsás Orogen in West Amazon Craton based on mapping and U–Pb geochronology".Precambrian Research.165 (3–4):120–152.Bibcode:2008PreR..165..120S.doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2008.06.009.
  16. ^Rapela, C.W.;Pankhurst, R.J; Casquet, C.; Baldo, E.; Saavedra, J.; Galindo, C.; Fanning, C.M. (1998)."The Pampean Orogeny of the southern proto-Andes: Cambrian continental collision in the Sierras de Córdoba"(PDF). In Pankhurst, R.J; Rapela, C.W. (eds.).The Proto-Andean Margin of Gondwana. Geological Society, London, Special Publications. Vol. 142. pp. 181–217.doi:10.1144/GSL.SP.1998.142.01.10.S2CID 128814617.Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved7 December 2015.
  17. ^Wilson, T.J. (1991). "Transition from back-arc to foreland basin development in the southernmost Andes: Stratigraphic record from the Ultima Esperanza District, Chile".Geological Society of America Bulletin.103 (1):98–111.Bibcode:1991GSAB..103...98W.doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1991)103<0098:tfbatf>2.3.co;2.
  18. ^Rodriguez Piceda, Constanza; Gao, Ya-Jian; Cacace, Mauro; Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena; Bott, Judith; Strecker, Manfred; Tilmann, Frederik (17 March 2023)."The influence of mantle hydration and flexure on slab seismicity in the southern Central Andes".Communications Earth & Environment.4 (1): 79.Bibcode:2023ComEE...4...79R.doi:10.1038/s43247-023-00729-1.ISSN 2662-4435.
  19. ^Dorbath, L.; Dorbath, C.; Jimenez, E.; Rivera, L. (1991)."Seismicity and tectonic deformation in the Eastern Cordillera and the sub-Andean zone of central Peru"(PDF).Journal of South American Earth Sciences.4 (1–2):13–24.Bibcode:1991JSAES...4...13D.doi:10.1016/0895-9811(91)90015-D.
  20. ^Suárez, Gerardo; Molnar, Peter; Burchfiel, B. Clark (1983). "Seismicity, fault plane solutions, depth of faulting, and active tectonics of the Andes of Peru, Ecuador, and southern Colombia".Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.88 (B12):10403–10428.Bibcode:1983JGR....8810403S.doi:10.1029/JB088iB12p10403.
  21. ^González-Maurel, Osvaldo; le Roux, Petrus; Godoy, Benigno; Troll, Valentin R.; Deegan, Frances M.; Menzies, Andrew (15 November 2019)."The great escape: Petrogenesis of low-silica volcanism of Pliocene to Quaternary age associated with the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex of northern Chile (21°10′–22°50′S)".Lithos.346–347 105162.Bibcode:2019Litho.34605162G.doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2019.105162.ISSN 0024-4937.S2CID 201291787.
  22. ^"Trade Map - List of exporters for the selected product in 2023 (Copper ores and concentrates)".www.trademap.org. Retrieved17 August 2024.
  23. ^Robb, Laurence (2007).Introduction to Ore-Forming Processes (4th ed.).Malden, MA, United States:Blackwell Science Ltd. p. 104.ISBN 978-0-632-06378-9.
  24. ^Armijo, Rolando; Lacassin, Robin; Coudurier-Curveur, Aurélie; Carrizo, Daniel (1 April 2015)."Coupled tectonic evolution of Andean orogeny and global climate".Earth-Science Reviews.143:1–35.Bibcode:2015ESRv..143....1A.doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.01.005.ISSN 0012-8252.
  25. ^"Climate of the Andes". Archived fromthe original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved9 December 2007.
  26. ^Otto, Jan-Christoph; Götz, Joachim; Keuschnig, Markus; Hartmeyer, Ingo; Trombotto, Dario; Schrott, Lothar (2010).Geomorphological and geophysical investigation of a complex rock glacier system—Morenas Coloradas valley (Cordon del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina). EGU General Assembly. p. 3625.
  27. ^abCorte, Arturo E. (1976). "Rock glaciers".Biuletyn Peryglacjalny.26:175–197.
  28. ^abKuhle, M (2011). "The High-Glacial (Last Glacial Maximum) Glacier Cover of the Aconcagua Group and Adjacent Massifs in the Mendoza Andes (South America) with a Closer Look at Further Empirical Evidence". In Ehlers, J; Gibbard, PL; Hughes, PD (eds.).Quaternary Glaciation – Extent and Chronology, A Closer Look. Developments in Quaternary Sciences. Vol. 15. Amsterdam: Elsevier B.V. pp. 735–738.Bibcode:2011DevQS..15..735K.doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53447-7.00053-2.ISBN 978-0-444-53447-7.
  29. ^Brüggen, J (1929). "Zur Glazialgeologie der chilenischen".Anden. Geol. Rundsch. (in German).20. Berlin:1–35.doi:10.1007/BF01805072.
  30. ^Kuhle, M (2004). "The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glacier cover of the Aconcagua group and adjacent massifs in the Mendoza Andes (South America)". In Ehlers, J; Gibbard, PL (eds.).Quaternary Glaciation— Extent and Chronology. Part III: South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica. Developments in Quaternary Sciences. Vol. 2c. Amsterdam: Elsevier B.V. pp. 75–81.Bibcode:2004DevQS...2...75K.doi:10.1016/S1571-0866(04)80113-1.ISBN 978-0-444-51593-3.
  31. ^"Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forest Ecoregions".wwf.panda.org. Archived fromthe original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved27 December 2015.
  32. ^abcTropical AndesArchived 21 August 2010 at theWayback Machine – biodiversityhotspots.org
  33. ^"Pants of the Andies". Archived fromthe original on 15 December 2007. Retrieved9 December 2007.
  34. ^abcEisenberg, J.F.; & Redford, K.H. (2000).Mammals of the Neotropics, Volume 3: The Central Neotropics: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil.ISBN 978-0-226-19542-1
  35. ^abEisenberg, J.F.; & Redford, K.H. (1992).Mammals of the Neotropics, Volume 2: The Southern Cone: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay.ISBN 978-0-226-70682-5
  36. ^abcdefFjeldsaa, J.; & Krabbe, N. (1990).Birds of the High Andes: A Manual to the Birds of the Temperate Zone of the Andes and Patagonia, South America.ISBN 978-87-88757-16-3
  37. ^Stuart, Hoffmann, Chanson, Cox, Berridge, Ramani and Young, editors (2008).Threatened Amphibians of the World.ISBN 978-84-96553-41-5
  38. ^D'Altroy, Terence N. The Incas. Blackwell Publishing, 2003
  39. ^"Andes travel map". Archived fromthe original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved20 June 2010.
  40. ^"Jujuy apuesta a captar las cargas de Brasil en tránsito hacia Chile by Emiliano Galli".La Nación. La Nación newspaper. 7 August 2009. Retrieved22 July 2011.
  41. ^W. van Immerzeel, 1989.Irrigation and erosion/flood control at high altitudes in the Andes. Published in Annual Report 1989, pp. 8–24, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement, Wageningen, The Netherlands. On line:[1]
  42. ^"Information on Argentina".Argentine Embassy London.
  43. ^Distritos productivos para el desarrollo de la minería chilena [Productive districts for the development of mining in Chile] (Report) (in Spanish).Centro de Estudios y Documentación Mineros de SONAMI. 2025.
  44. ^COCHILCO (2024).Informe Consumo de Agua en la Minería del Cobre: Actualización al año 2023(PDF) (Report) (in Spanish). pp. 2–3. Retrieved4 May 2025.
  45. ^Villela Olavarría, Daniela; Cantallopts Araya, Jorge (1 May 2017).A 30 años del Plan Aurífero Nacional, una revisión a la minería de oro en Chile (Report) (in Spanish). Vol. DE 08/2017.COCHILCO.
  46. ^Villantoy Gómez, Abigail (24 May 2024)."Pallaqueras: la actividad femenina poco conocida donde se trabaja seleccionando manualmente rocas con metales preciosos".Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved1 March 2025.
  47. ^La mina eléctrica: Cómo la minería enfrenta el reto de las condiciones ambientales
  48. ^"Lithium: What Role Does Tesla Play In The Demand For This Precious Metal? - Commodity.com".commodity.com. Retrieved9 March 2023.

References

[edit]
  • Oncken, Onno; et al. (2006).The Andes. Frontiers in Earth Sciences.doi:10.1007/978-3-540-48684-8.ISBN 978-3-540-24329-8.
  • Biggar, J. (2005).The Andes: A Guide For Climbers. 3rd. edition. Andes: Kirkcudbrightshire.ISBN 0-9536087-2-7
  • de Roy, T. (2005).The Andes: As the Condor Flies. Firefly books: Richmond Hill.ISBN 1-55407-070-8
  • Fjeldså, J. & N. Krabbe (1990).The Birds of the High Andes. Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen:ISBN 87-88757-16-1
  • Fjeldså, J. & M. Kessler (1996).Conserving the biological diversity of Polylepis woodlands of the highlands on Peru and Bolivia, a contribution to sustainable natural resource management in the Andes. NORDECO: Copenhagen.ISBN 978-87-986168-0-1

Bibliography

[edit]

External links

[edit]
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