From Patagonia to the southern limits of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Andes are sparsely populated; a few small groups of shepherds and farmers live on the lower slopes and vegas of the cordillera
American Cordillera
The American Cordillera is a chain of mountain ranges that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, South America and West Antarctica. It is also the backbone of the volcanic arc that forms the east…
What is another name for the Andes?
Andes Mountains, also called the Andes, Spanish Cordillera de los Andes or Los Andes, mountain system of South America and one of the great natural features on Earth.
What is the oldest settlement in the Andes Mountains?
Oldest High-Altitude Human Settlement Discovered in Andes. Archaeologists excavate a rockshelter in the Peruvian Andes that was used more than 12,000 years ago by human settlers. The oldest-known evidence of humans living at extremely high altitudes has been unearthed in the Peruvian Andes, archaeologists say.
Where do people live in the Andes Mountains?
From Patagonia to the southern limits of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Andes are sparsely populated; a few small groups of shepherds and farmers live on the lower slopes and vegas of the cordillera.
What is the highest altitude in the Andes Mountains?
The highest altitude in the Andes at which people have resided permanently is 17,100 feet (shepherds in southern Peru) and, as temporary workers, 18,500 to 19,000 feet (Carrasco Mine, in the Atacama Desert, Chile). Read More on This Topic South America: The high Andes The high Andes have an impoverished animal life.
See 7 key topics from this page & related content
See 7 key topics from this page & related content
Who settled in the Andes Mountains?
ABSTRACT The Andes, initially settled by hunter-gatherers, witnessed the autonomous development of agriculture, pastora and political centralization which culminated in the Inca Empire. This was quickly and radically changed by the Spanish Con in 1532 and the subsequent development of a colonial mining economy.
Why is it hard to live in the Andes Mountains?
Scarce oxygen, cold temperatures, and intense ultraviolet radiation make the Andes a tough place to live. How did humans adapt to such heights? A new study of ancient and modern DNA suggests in some South American highlanders, the answer includes changes to their heart muscles.
What is the land like in the Andes Mountains?
The southern section is rainy and cool, the central section is dry. The northern Andes are typically rainy and warm, with an average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) in Colombia. The climate is known to change drastically in rather short distances. Rainforests exist just kilometres away from the snow-covered peak Cotopaxi.
How did the Andes mountains affect settlement?
The Andes Mountains were an obstacle to moving inland along the west and south coasts of South America. This is the reason why people settled more on the north and east coasts of South America.
How cold does it get in the Andes?
Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 39°F to 82°F and is rarely below 31°F or above 88°F.
How cold are the Andes?
In winter the temperatures usually averages about less than 52°F. In the summer it usually averages 68°F.
What are the Andes mountains known for?
The Andes is the longest mountain range in the world and boasts some of the highest peaks. The range is also known for its volcanoes, ruins of long-ago civilizations and the source of a malaria treatment.
What are some facts about the Andes mountains?
10 Fascinating Facts About the Andes MountainsThe Andes Mountains are so much more than just one mountain range. ... Most Andean peaks are volcanic. ... The world's highest/largest/biggest etc is probably here. ... The Andes are a haven of biodiversity. ... The Andes is the source of the astounding Amazon River.More items...•
Are the Andes still growing?
About another 1.3 inches (35 mm/yr) per year is locked up at the plate boundary, squeezing South America, and is released every hundred years or so in great earthquakes. The about final half inch (10 mm/yr) per year crumples South America permanently, building the Andes.
What two farming techniques helped the Inca survive in the Andes?
They developed resilient breeds of crops such as potatoes, quinoa and corn. They built cisterns and irrigation canals that snaked and angled down and around the mountains. And they cut terraces into the hillsides, progressively steeper, from the valleys up the slopes.
What types of landforms are found in Latin America?
South America can be divided into three physical regions: mountains and highlands, river basins, and coastal plains. Mountains and coastal plains generally run in a north-south direction, while highlands and river basins generally run in an east-west direction.
How are landforms of the region both an advantage and disadvantage?
How are the landforms of the region both and advantage and disadvantage? the mountains provide protection for settlements but made it hard to cross the continents; the rivers also made traveling difficult. The landforms also resulted in rich soil that is good for planting and grazing and lots of natural resources.
What is it like to live in the Andes mountains?
The people living high up in the mountains have to adapt to the thin air so peoples lungs adapt and grow bigger to have more room for oxygen. People who live in the higher zones wear thick clothing that is usually black and the people in the lower zones wear thin white clothing in which they will stay cool.
What are the social impacts of the Andes mountains?
Andean Region More than 20% of people face systemic challenges in gaining the skills and employment they need to overcome poverty, especially women, indigenous and isolated rural communities. While Peru and Colombia have the highest GDPs in the Andean region, they are also among the most unequal countries in the world.
What do people grow in the Andes?
Agriculture in the lowlands is pretty developed in all the Andes, the main crops are: Cotton, Sugar Cane, Soya Beans, Coffee Beans, citric fruits like: Orange, Lime, Lemon, and Mandarin, some kind of tubers like: Walusa and Yucca, Coconut, Bananas, Mango Fruit, Coca Leaves, and much more.
How did people farm in the Andes mountains?
Yet the Incas, and the civilizations before them, coaxed harvests from the Andes' sharp slopes and intermittent waterways. They developed resilient breeds of crops such as potatoes, quinoa and corn. They built cisterns and irrigation canals that snaked and angled down and around the mountains.
Where are the Andes Mountains located?
The Andes Mountains are a series of extremely high plateaus surmounted by even higher peaks that form an unbroken rampart over a distance of some 5...
How did the Andes Mountains get their name?
Some historians believe that the "Andes" in Andes Mountains comes from the Quechuan word anti (“east”). Others suggest it is derived from the Quech...
How did the Andes Mountains form?
About 250 million years ago, the crustal plates constituting Earth’s landmass were joined together into the supercontinent Pangaea. The breakup of...
What is the highest point in the Andes Mountains?
The highest point in the Andes Mountains is Mount Aconcagua, located in the Southern Andes Mountains. Although its peak is in Argentina, its wester...
What is the highest altitude people reside at in the Andes Mountains?
The highest altitude in the Andes Mountains at which people have resided permanently is 17,100 feet (5,212 metres; they were shepherds in southern...
How long ago did people live in South America?
23) in the journal Science, suggests ancient people in South America were living at extremely high altitudes just 2,000 years after humans first reached the continent.
Where was the oldest human settlement?
Oldest High-Altitude Human Settlement Discovered in Andes. Archaeologists excavate a rockshelter in the Peruvian Andes that was used more than 12,000 years ago by human settlers. (Image credit: Kurt Rademaker)
What did the researchers find at the plateau?
After years of searching around the plateau, the researchers found a rock shelter with two alcoves, ceilings blackened with soot and walls decorated with rock art. The site also showed evidence of burnt detritus from ancient people's campsites.
Why do people see the highlands as poor living environments?
People in modern culture, perhaps because of stories of pioneers going west and getting trapped in the mountains (and eating each other), tend to see the highlands as poor living environments, said Bonnie Pitblado, an archaeologist at the University of Oklahoma, who was not involved in the study.
Did people live at high altitudes?
The findings suggest people were living at high altitudes earlier than previously thought.
Where is the highest human settlement in the world?
The highest known human settlement in the world is high in the Andes mountains in La Rinconada of Puno, a district of Peru. This community is located at 16,728 feet above sea level. What brought the majority of individuals this high up the mountain is the nearby gold mine.
Why is it so hard to live at high altitudes?
Being at high altitude is difficult for many people because of the lower levels of oxygen, but inhabitants of these areas have evolved specific ...
What are the highest altitude cities in the world?
After these cities, other high altitude settlements above 14,000 feet are Dolpa in the Karnali Zone of Nepal (14,301 feet) and Mina Pirquitas in the Jujuy Province of Argentina (14,240 feet). After these communities, those still located in the greater than 13,000-foot altitude range are Colquechaca in the Potosi Department of Bolivia (13680 feet), Qarabolaq in the Wakhan District of Afghanistan (13,579 feet), and Chatyndy in the Ohh Province of Kyrgyzstan (13,166 feet). Finally, the last place on this list of high settlements is Laya in the Gasa District of Bhutan at 12,533 feet above sea level.
Where is Korzok in Chile?
Following Korzok is Parinacota in the Arica-Parinacota region of Chile. The elevation here is 14,435 feet. The town is surrounded by the Lauca National Park and the population is only 29. There is a small, 17th Century church here with watercolor painted murals.
