Andes Mountains
The Andes Mountains are the longest chain of mountains running from west coast of South America from Cape Horn to Panama and Venezuela for a distance of 4,500 miles. This is the second highest Mountain Range only after the Himalaya of northern India and Tibet. It is the highest mountain range outside Asia and the Aconcagua is the highest peak here rising above sea level. The Andean range is composed mainly of two great ranges, the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Occidental. The Andes Mountains not only offer some of the most outstanding sceneries in Latin America but also give ample opportunity for many outdoor activities to the tourists.The Andes Mountains are the longest and one of the highest mountain ranges in the world. They are located in South America and stretch 4,500 miles from north to south, along the west coast of the continent.
The climate is not the same throughout the biome because there are places nearer to the equator than others.
The Andes are separated into three natural regions: the southern, central, and northern
regions. In the northern region, it is hotter because it is closest to the equator. There are rain forests in this region, due to the more humid, rainy climate. In the southern region, the mountains are nearer to the Antarctic and it is much colder. It is not very populated in the southern area.
In the central region of this biome, the weather is more mild because it is not near either the equator or the cold Antarctic.
The largest herb in the world, Puya raimondii, grows in this region and can survive at high elevations up to 13,000 feet.
The herb can also live for 100 years. The herb's leaves all grow from one big stem, which allows for moisture to run down the leaves to the base of the plant. So during times of drought, the plant can survive.
Climate
There are different climatic zones in this area due to the variations in locations, altitude in the craggy terrain and proximity to sea.
Plant and Animal life
The Northern Andes is engulfed with tropical rainforests and rainforests. Cinchona which is the generator of quinine used to treat malaria is found in Bolivian Andes.
Other trees that are found in this region are the Polylepsis forests, Quenua, Yagual. Most of the trees are now considered to be highly endangered because there many trees are being cut for building material and cooking fuel.
The fauna of the Andes Mountains mainly consists of the Llama, Alpaca, chinchilla, rodent, huemul, puma, and camelids.
The birds that mainly inhabit this region are the partridge, parina, huallata and coot. The condor is the largest bird of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Outdoor Activities
The Argentine Andes has some of the best landscapes in the world and is a mythical place for outdoor adventures and activities like skiing, hiking, fishing, mountaineering and water sports.
So enjoy your visit to the Andes Mountains and have lots of fun in the various adventures. We at worldtravel4indians.com offer online information about Andes Mountains.
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