THE ANDES MOUNTAINS

Located in South America you will find the Andes Mountains, a mountain range that runs from north to south going along the western coast of the continent. Known as one of the longest and highest mountain ranges in the world, the Andes stretch 4,500 miles. Although the Andes are so high, you will find rainforests in the region due to the humidity and rain. Then as you near the southern region, the mountains become much closer to the Antarctic so the climate is quite a bit colder. You will find a nice variety of plants in the Andes although they are small to help conserve energy. In addition, the leaves are generally stiff but strong, providing protection from the cold weather and frost. The Andes is also home to a number of birds that range from the Condor to Flamingo to Hummingbird. Land animals include things such as Llamas, the Mountain Lion, and Red Perll. Additionally, the Spectacled Bear also calls this area home along with the Andean Iguana and the Giant Toad. The name “Andes” comes from a native word although the meaning is unknown. While there are many beautiful peaks, the tallest is called Mt. Aconcagua, which boasts a magnificent volcano that towers 22,831 feet. Formed by the crustal plates of the Pacific Ocean floor that pushed slowly against the American continental plate, the pressure caused sedimentary rocks to bend and fold, creating the ridges called sierras. However, as the rocks crack, molten granite and igneous rocks erupted from underneath as volcanoes caused the melting of the oceanic plate due to excessive friction. Another interesting fact about the Andes Mountains is that the highest mountains in this range are all volcanoes and even more fantastic, many of them remain active. However, some of the mountains are dormant and then some even extinct. Even so, we still see eruptions and powerful earthquakes. Found in the Andes Mountains are valuable minerals to include lead, zinc, copper, tin, platinum, silver, and even gold.