Cordillera Occidental, Bolivia
Encyclopedia
The Cordillera Occidental of Bolivia
is part of the Andes
(that is also part of the American Cordillera
), a mountain range
characterized by volcanic activity, making up the natural border with Chile
and starting in the north with Jucuri and ending in the south at the Licancabur
volcano, which is on the southern limit of Bolivia with Chile; the border goes through the innominated point located at two thirds of elevation of Licancabur's northeastern slope at the southwestermost point of Bolivia at 22° 49' 41" south and 67° 52' 35" west. The climate of the region is cold and inadequate for animal and plant life. Its main feature is its ground, in which are large quantities of metallic minerals including gold
, silver
, copper
, and others. The range consists of three sections:
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
is part of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
(that is also part of the American Cordillera
American cordillera
The American Cordillera is a cordillera that consists of an essentially continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica. From north to south, this sequence of overlapping and parallel ranges begins with the...
), a mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
characterized by volcanic activity, making up the natural border with Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and starting in the north with Jucuri and ending in the south at the Licancabur
Licancabur
Licancabur is a highly symmetrical stratovolcano on the southernmost part of the border between Chile and Bolivia. It is located just southwest of Laguna Verde in Bolivia. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area...
volcano, which is on the southern limit of Bolivia with Chile; the border goes through the innominated point located at two thirds of elevation of Licancabur's northeastern slope at the southwestermost point of Bolivia at 22° 49' 41" south and 67° 52' 35" west. The climate of the region is cold and inadequate for animal and plant life. Its main feature is its ground, in which are large quantities of metallic minerals including gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, and others. The range consists of three sections:
- The northern section, in which you can find the highest peaks in Bolivia, the tallest of which is Nevado SajamaNevado SajamaNevado Sajama is an extinct stratovolcano and the highest peak in Bolivia. The mountain is located in the Oruro Department, Sajama Province, Curahuara de Carangas Municipality, Sajama Canton. It is situated in the Sajama National Park in the southwest area of the country some 16–24 km from...
at 6,542 meters. Nevado Sajama is perennially covered in snow and has the hills PomerapePomerapePomerape is a stratovolcano lying on the border of Chile and Bolivia . It is part of the Nevados de Payachata complex of volcanoes together with Parinacota Volcano to the south. It is of Pleistocene age.Climbing the volcano is alpine AD grade, sometimes on 50+ degree snow/rubble slope...
and ParinacotaParinacotaParinacota is a massive potentially active stratovolcano on the border of Chile and Bolivia. It is part of the Nevados de Payachata volcanic group. The other major edifice in that group is the Pleistocene peak of Pomerape...
called Payachatas collectively, the latter being a dormant volcano with a cone of snow similar to Mount FujiMount Fujiis the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
- The central section, situated between UyuniUyuniUyuni is a city in the southwest of Bolivia. It primarily serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the world's largest salt flats, the nearby Salar de Uyuni.-Origin:...
and Coipasa. Its most prominent summit is the OllagüeOllagüeOllagüe is a massive andesite stratovolcano in the Andes on the border between Bolivia and Chile. It is located southeast of the village that shares its name....
volcano on the border with Chile.
- The southern section, characterized by volcanic activity and by having sandstorms and fog, taking into account the most active volcano in the world, LicancaburLicancaburLicancabur is a highly symmetrical stratovolcano on the southernmost part of the border between Chile and Bolivia. It is located just southwest of Laguna Verde in Bolivia. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area...
, which is 5,920 meters high (but only two thirds of the northeastern slope of the volcano belong to Bolivia up to 5415 meters). The lakes Laguna ColoradaLaguna Coloradathumb|250px|leftLaguna Colorada is a shallow salt lake in the southwest of the altiplano of Bolivia, within Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and close to the border with Chile....
and Laguna VerdeLaguna Verde, BoliviaLaguna Verde is a salt lake in the southwest of the altiplano of Bolivia, in the Potosí Department, Sur Lípez Province, on the Chilean border at the foot of thevolcano Licancabur. Visitors may find some flamingoes dancing in the salt....
can be found on Licancabur, so named because of their respective colors.
See also
- Cordillera Central (Bolivia)
- Cordillera Oriental (Bolivia)
- Cordillera OccidentalCordillera OccidentalCordillera Occidental is Spanish for "Western mountain". It may refer to:* Cordillera Occidental * Cordillera Occidental * Cordillera Occidental -See also:* Cordillera Central...
- LicancaburLicancaburLicancabur is a highly symmetrical stratovolcano on the southernmost part of the border between Chile and Bolivia. It is located just southwest of Laguna Verde in Bolivia. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area...