| Tatacoa Desert | |
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| Geography | |
| Country | Colombia |
| District | Huila |
| Coordinates | 3°14′N75°10′W / 3.23°N 75.17°W /3.23; -75.17 |
 Interactive map of Tatacoa Desert | |
TheTatacoa Desert is the second largest arid zone inColombia after theGuajira Peninsula. It occupies more than 330 square kilometers. This region is located north ofHuila Department, 38 km from the city ofNeiva and 15 km (9 mi) fromNatagaima inTolima. It is renowned as a rich deposit of fossils and a tourist destination. The Tatacoa Desert has two distinctive colors: ochre in the area of Cuzco and gray in the Los Hoyos area.
The Tatacoa, or theValley of Sorrows, as it was called in 1538 by theconquistadorGonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, is not a barren desert but rather a tropical dry forest. The name "Tatacoa", also given by the Spanish, refers to its rattlesnakes. During theTertiary Period, it was wetter, with thousands of flowers and trees, but has been gradually drying up to become an arid zone.
The Tatacoa covers 330 square kilometers around the town ofVillavieja. The area is heavily eroded and crossed by dry canyons that develop transiently in the winter months. These shapes are created on clay surfaces, creating labyrinthine gullies.
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There is relatively little runoff, and animal and plant life is adapted to the conditions of low humidity and high temperatures. The plants in this area are adapted to climatic conditions through the development of horizontal roots of up to 30 meters and vertical roots up to 15 meters deep that facilitate access to water. Wildlife includesturtles,rodents,snakes,spiders,scorpions,eagles, alligators and wildcats, andcacti reaching between four and five meters high.[citation needed]
In addition to its geography, its atmospheric conditions are ideal for astronomy. Tatacoa has little pollution or noise, attracting tourists who stay there to enjoy the scenery and tranquility.[1]
3°14′02″N75°10′17″W / 3.23389°N 75.17139°W /3.23389; -75.17139
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Source:Wills, Fernando; et al. (2001).Nuestro patrimonio – 100 tesoros de Colombia [Our heritage – 100 treasures of Colombia] (in Spanish).El Tiempo. pp. 1–311.ISBN 958-8089-16-6. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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