The longest chain of mountains in the world. Andes Mountains: description, photo

The longest mountain range in the world is the Andean Cordillera or simply the Andes. From the Inca language this short word is translated as Copper Mountains. The length of the Andes is incomparable to any other mountains on the planet. They stretched for a record 9,000 kilometers. In addition to its incredible scale, the Andes are famous as the birthplace of plants that have radically changed the lives of people on the planet. After all, it was the Andes that became the birthplace of coca, cinchona, tobacco, tomatoes and potatoes.

The Andes begin near the Caribbean Sea and reach Tierra del Fuego. The highest peak of the mountain range is Mount Aconcagua (6962 meters). In the Andean Cordillera there are places where the width of the mountain range stretches for 500 kilometers, and the maximum width of the mountain system is 750 kilometers. The longest mountains in the world act as the largest interoceanic watershed.

The Andes are incredibly diverse and picturesque. And each country that the mountain system crosses has its own uniqueness. For example, in the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous forests and shrubs grow on red soils. The lower slopes of the Central to Northwestern Andes are covered by tropical and equatorial rainforests. Here you can find ficus trees, bananas, palm trees, cocoa trees, bamboos, and vines. However, there are also numerous moss swamps and lifeless rocky spaces. Well, everything above 4500 meters is already eternal ice and snow.

The top of the Andes is Mount Aconcagua (6962 meters)

The fauna of the Andes is no less interesting. Here you can find exotic alpacas, llamas, prehensile-tailed monkeys, as well as pudu deer, relict spectacled bears, vicunas, sloths, blue foxes, chinchillas and hummingbirds.

Copper Mountains. This is the name of the longest mountains in the world in the Inca language. These are the Andean Cordillera or simply the Andes.

The length of this mountain range is incomparable to any other on the planet. The Andes stretch for a record 9 thousand kilometers. They begin at the Caribbean Sea and reach Tierra del Fuego.

The highest peak of the Andean cordillera is Mount Aconcagau. It rises exactly 6962 meters. By the way, there are places where the Andes are 500 kilometers wide, but the maximum width of the mountain system is 750 kilometers. This value was recorded in the Central Andes, in the Andean Highlands.

However, most of the Andean cordillera is occupied by a plateau called Puna. It has a very high snow line. It reaches 6500 meters, but the average height of the mountains is about 4000 meters.

As experts say, the Andes are relatively young mountains. Here the process of mountain building was completed several million years ago. The origin of fossils began in the Precambrian and Paleozoic periods. Then areas of land began to appear in place of the vast ocean. For a long time, the area where today's Andes are located was either land or sea.

The mountain range finished forming by uplifting rocks, as a result of which huge folds of stone extended to an impressive height. By the way, this process continues today. Sometimes there are earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Andes.

The longest mountains in the world are also the largest interoceanic divide. The famous Amazon River, as well as its tributaries, originate in the Andean Cordillera. In addition, the tributaries of other major rivers in South America - the Parana, Orinoco and Paraguay - begin here. The mountains serve as a climatic barrier for the mainland, in other words, the Andes isolate the land from the west from any influence of the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other hand, from the east, protect it from the Pacific Ocean.

It is not surprising, given the extent of the mountains, that the Andes are located in six climatic zones. Subtropical temperate, equatorial, southern tropical, northern and southern subequatorial. On the western slopes, in contrast to the southern ones, up to ten thousand millimeters of precipitation falls per year. Consequently, the landscape in different parts is radically different.

Based on their topography, the longest mountains in the world are divided into three regions. These are the southern, northern and central Andes. The Northern Andes include the Ecuadorian Andes, the Caribbean Andes and the Northwestern Andes. The main Cordilleras are divided by the depressions of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. And there are many volcanoes here. For example, Huila rose to 5750 meters, Ruiz to 5400 meters, and the current Kumbal rises to 4890 meters.

The longest mountains in the world are the Andes (Very beautiful)

The Ecuadorian Andes have hit a volcanic target with the world's tallest volcanoes. Just look at Chimborazo alone, with a height of 6267 meters. The no less giant Cotopaxi breathes in his back - its height is 5896 meters. The chain crosses seven South American countries at once. These are Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Argentina. And the highest point of the Ecuadorian Andes is Mount Huascaran with a height of 6769 meters.

As for the Southern Andes, they are divided into Patagonian and Chilean-Argentine. In this part, the highest peaks are Tupungato with a height of 6800 meters and Medcedario with a height of 6770 meters. The snow line in this part reaches 6 thousand meters.

Varied and beautiful

The Andes are a unique natural place. The longest mountains on the planet are extremely picturesque. And each country that the mountain system crosses has its own zest. For example, in the Andes of Venezuela, deciduous forests and shrubs grow on red soils. The lower slopes of the Central to Northwestern Andes are covered by tropical and equatorial rainforests. There are ficus trees, bananas, palm trees, cocoa trees, bamboos, and vines. However, there are also numerous moss swamps and lifeless rocky spaces. Well, everything above 4500 meters is already eternal ice and snow. By the way, the Andes are the birthplace of coca, cinchona, tobacco, tomatoes and potatoes.

The fauna of the Andes is no less interesting. Here you can find alpacas, llamas, prehensile-tailed monkeys, as well as pudu deer, gaemal, relict spectacled bears, vicunas, sloths, blue foxes, chinchillas, and hummingbirds. In a word, those whom Russian residents can only meet in zoos.

A special feature of the Andes is the great diversity of amphibians - there are more than 900 species. There are about 600 species of mammals and almost 2 thousand species of birds in the mountains. Almost 400 species of freshwater fish are found in local rivers.

Tourist delicacy

The Andes, except in rugged and remote areas, are by no means a pristine nature reserve. Literally every piece of land here is cultivated by local residents. But still, for most tourists, the road to the Andes means the same thing as “escape” from modernity. The local way of life, which has been preserved for centuries, helps to go back in time.

Travelers will immediately notice the patchwork of crops that cover the mountain slopes. And its color changes from dark green to golden. Tourists are invited to follow ancient Indian trails, where sometimes, however, they will have to stop to let a herd of goats, sheep or guanacos pass. And no matter how many times you visit the Andes, the first or the hundredth, nature will never leave you indifferent.

Meetings with local residents will be unforgettable. You can talk to them both in their language and with gestures. However, some mountain inhabitants are not very willing to engage in dialogue. If you come across a contact resident, it would be a good idea to look at his lifestyle. The huts here are made of untreated bricks, people sometimes live without electricity, and draw water from a nearby stream.

Well, hiking in the mountains is not quite like mountaineering. These are most likely walks along steep paths. But they should only be performed by well-trained and absolutely healthy people with special equipment.
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One mountain is great, but it’s even better if there are many mountains. It is especially pleasing to the eye when they are combined into a long ridge, in which peaks alternate with valleys, small spurs, and all this is diluted by the murmur of rivers. Such beauty, stretching over several thousand kilometers, will not leave anyone indifferent. The emergence of mountain ranges is explained by the theory of relief formation. It says: ridges of valleys, mountains and hills are formed due to the collision of continental plates creeping onto each other. It is difficult to imagine the forces that are necessary for such a process. Yes, this is not necessary. It is better to admire the result of their activities. Especially if these are the longest mountains in the world. Let's rank them and find out their location.

Cordillera

To begin with, I would like to clarify one important point. Many people confuse these mountains with the Andes, although these are two completely different chains formed in different eras. Some call the Andes the "Andean Cordillera", but they have nothing to do with these mountains. There is also confusion about their location. The Cordillera “embraces” North America from the south and west, creating a dense climate barrier. The Andes play the same role. It is interesting that these mountains practically converge at the junction of the two Americas. Therefore, they are often combined into a single mountain range, which is fundamentally wrong. It would be more correct not to confuse these giants and leave the Cordilleras to North America, and the Andes to South America.

So, the Cordillera is the longest mountain in the world, with a length of just over 18,000 kilometers. They differ from their “colleagues” in a number of features. The cordillera extends exclusively in the submeridional direction, has a high percentage of high mountains, is formed in five orotectonic belts of different ages, has active volcanism and high seismicity.

sea ​​mountains

Not everyone knows that mountains can be located not only on land, but also under water. Unfortunately, most of them are hidden from the eyes of backpackers. And few are interested in them, because you can’t ski on such mountains. Well, conquering the peaks will look pretty ridiculous. But underwater chains are not inferior in number to above-ground ones. It is difficult to determine the height of underwater giants, but it is not difficult to measure their extent.

So, the second place in the rating “The longest mountain in the world” is at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with a total length of 18,000 kilometers. It is located in the center along the contour of the American coast. This formation includes several ridges: Knipovich, Mona, Reykjanes, South and North Atlantic. Individual peaks have transformed into Bermuda, etc.). Among the ranges listed above there are no particularly high, old or young ones, they are simply the longest mountains on earth after the Cordillera, which is also quite a lot. Go ahead.

Andes

The Andes are the third longest mountain in the world, with a total length of 9,000 kilometers. With its wide front, the Andes are directed towards and in the north they face the Caribbean Sea. The eastern part of the border leads to the Andean ranges. By the way, ridges of different ages are located along the entire length of the mountain system. Mountain-building movements continue today, accompanied by earthquakes and volcanic processes.

The Andes are characterized by high-mountain relief, which determines a noticeable altitudinal zone and the formation of significant glaciation. The enormous extent of the mountain system determines the difference in moisture and heat supply of its individual parts. Despite the fact that the subcontinent has a mountainous character, its territory has long been densely populated. The Andean peoples mastered the high plains, intermountain valleys and basins within the mountain system and adapted to life in such conditions. The Andes contain the highest mountain villages, cities and cultivated lands. There are six physiographic units within the mountains. But in this article we will talk about only two: the Central Andes and Tierra del Fuego.

Central Andes

The largest part of the mountain system. Within its borders are the mountain ranges of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The orotectonic structure is characterized by the presence of high mountain plateaus and plateaus - “Pun” (or “Altiplano” in Bolivia). The rigid middle massif within which these plains were formed is divided into several blocks. This is clearly visible from the cracks that appeared due to the rise of magma and the outpouring of lavas. As a result, there is a combination of accumulative plains in the lowlands of the relief, areas of peneplain and lava plateaus. As for the climate, the Central Andes are quite dry.

Tierra del Fuego

The archipelago includes several dozen islands of varying sizes. The largest of them, occupying two-thirds of the total territory, is about. The islands belong to Argentina and Chile. The western part of Tierra del Fuego continues the Andes mountain system and is strongly dissected. Mountain ranges (1000-1300 meters) are separated by intermountain valleys, and some are flooded with ocean waters - straits and fjords. The highest point (2469 meters) is located on the Big Island. Ancient glacial relief predominates. There are a lot of lakes dammed by moraines.

Over most of the archipelago, temperate weather prevails. In the western part, heavy precipitation (drizzle) of up to 3000 mm falls throughout the year. In the east there is less precipitation - up to 500 mm. Summers are cool and winters are relatively warm (1-5°C). Tourists who have visited Tierra del Fuego claim that summer there is like in the tundra, and winter is similar to the subtropics (in terms of temperatures). As you climb the mountains, the temperature drops sharply and already at around 500 meters reaches a negative value.

In Antarctica there is not only ice, snow and penguins, but also mountains. And quite long. The entire Antarctica is crossed by a huge ridge, dividing it into Western and Eastern. This last place in the “Longest Mountain in the World” rating stretches for 3,500 kilometers. The ridge was discovered back in 1908 by Captain Ross. In subsequent years, research expeditions crossed it several times, but most of it still remains unexplored. Fortunately, now there is satellite imagery, which allows you, if not to touch the ridge, then at least to look at it.

In fact, we will not be talking about one mountain at all, but about an entire mountain system called the Andes (Andean Cordillera). The length of this system is as much as 9000 km, width - 750 km, and height at the highest point - 6962 m. It is located in South America, penetrating almost the entire continent from north to west through seven states.

According to the data obtained by scientists, the formation of the Andes dates back to the Jurassic period, which began approximately 200 million years ago. Moreover, we are talking exclusively about the beginning of formation, since many deflections, massifs, etc. were formed much later. Moreover, the process of mountain building in the Andes is still ongoing.

The mountain system is rich in non-ferrous metals such as lead, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, etc. In the region of Chile there are large deposits of copper, gas and oil are hidden in troughs near Argentina and Venezuela, and Bolivia is rich in iron.

Since the Andes stretch over almost the entire continent, both soil and plant covers are extremely diverse. So, here you can find plants such as palm trees, ficus, bananas, evergreen shrubs, cacti, lichens, etc. In short, we are talking about almost any plant that grows in South America.

As for the animal world, there are about 600 species of mammals in the mountain system, just over 1,500 species of birds, 400 fish and almost a thousand species of amphibians, which is an incredibly large number (in our country, for example, there are only 28 species of amphibians). Some of the birds and animals are on the verge of extinction, including due to poaching, some are already extinct. However, there is another problem - air pollution. But more on that below.

Of course, the mountain system has a number of environmental problems. So, since agriculture is well developed near the passing Andes, various chemicals are constantly entering the soil, and desertification occurs somewhere due to overgrazing. Fortunately, such situations occur infrequently. The environment is also polluted due to various factories located in close proximity to the Andes. Another important problem is that tropical rainforests are being cut down to plant rubber and coffee trees in the vacated areas, which support the economies of states.

By the way, about agriculture. The most developed cultivation here is coffee, barley, bananas and potatoes. At high altitudes, corn, wheat and quinoa (an annual grain crop consumed by the local Indian community) are grown; cocoa, sugar cane, and tropical fruits grow well on moist slopes. Plants imported from European countries have also taken root well, including some citrus fruits, olives and grapes.

Livestock farming is well developed, but its main direction is sheep breeding. Indians breed llamas. Fishing is poorly developed.