South America – Andes Mountain

       Andes Mountain 

• The Andes Mountain in South America lies along the western edge from Venezuela all the way along Chile to South America’s southern tip.
• The Mountain runs through seven countries of Venezuela, Colombia Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
• Andes Mountain can be divided into three section:
  1. Northern Andes lay in Venezuela and Colombia and Ecuador
  2. Central Andes lay in Peru and Bolivia.
  3. Southern Andes lay in Argentina and Chile, south of Llullaillaco
• The Andes Mountain from north to south is about 7,000 km long.
• The width of mountain varies from 200-700 km.
• The average height of mountain is approximately 4,000 meter.
• .The native name of Andes derived from Quechua word Anti which means “east.”
• The Andes Mountain ranges are the world’s highest mountain range outside of Asia.
• The highest elevation/peak is Mount Aconcagua, Las Heras department, Mendoza in Argentina of South America which is 6,961 meters (22,838 feet) above sea level with coordinates of 32degree south 70 degree west.
• The length of Andes Mountain is splits into several ranges which are also separated by intermediate depressions.
• The peak of Chimborazo in Ecuadorian is the farthest point from earth’s centre due to equatorial bulge standing height of 6,268 meter above sea level and this place on earth is closest to the moon and outer space.
• The Altiplano plateau is the world’s second highest after Tibetan Plateau.
• Ojos Del Salado on the Chile-Argentina border is the world’s highest volcano in the Andes Mountain.
• These mountains are also the part of the American cordillera, which consist of a continuous sequence of mountain range that forms the western backbone of North America, Central America and South America and Antarctica.
• Cotopaxi in Ecuador is the highest active volcano in the world with height of 5,897 meter.
• Amazon and Orinoco are two South America’s major rivers that originate in the Andes.
• Lake Titicaca highly commercially and navigable water body is located in Bolivia and Peru Andes with an altitude of 3,812 meter.
• Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat or playa 10,000 square km in area. Located in Southwest Bolivia near crest of Andes at an elevation of 3,656 meter.
• The mountain is providing large agricultural areas, minerals resources and water for agriculture, hydroelectricity and for business purposes.