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14-680: The Venezuelan Andean system represents the terminal bifurcation of the Cordillera Oriental de Colombia , which in Venezuelan territory consists of two mountainous branches: the Sierra de Perijá , smaller, slightly displaced from southwest to northeast with 7,500 km in Venezuela; and a larger, frankly oriented Southwest to northeast with about 40,000 km, the Cordillera de Mérida , commonly known as

28-459: A cold phase between the 15th and middle-19th centuries, which can be correlate with the Little Ice Age . The moraines associated with this phase are most probably those located at an altitude of approximately 4,700 m between 100 and 200 below the terminal zone of present-day glaciers. Cordillera Oriental (Colombia) The Cordillera Oriental (English: Eastern Ranges ) is the widest of

42-561: Is identified as the source of 70% of the Colombian freshwater for human consumption and irrigation. The headwaters of the Magdalena and Cauca Rivers (Caribbean slope), Caquetá and Putumayo Rivers ( Amazon basin ) and the Patía River (Pacific slope). The massif contains 362 high mountain bodies of water, 13 páramos and other ecosystems rich in flora and fauna. From south to north are

56-857: Is mainly within the area of the Cauca , Huila , and Nariño Departments . To the south is the Pasto Massif and to the north begins the Central and Eastern Andes . The total area is 32,682 km (12,619 sq mi), which is distributed as follows: 13,716 km (5,296 sq mi) of forests, 15,423 km (5,955 sq mi) of agroecosystems , 2,567 km (991 sq mi) of páramos , 43 km (17 sq mi) of snow zone, 924 km (357 sq mi) have xerophytic vegetation and 9 km (3.5 sq mi) of urban settlements. The altitude varies between 2,600 m (8,500 ft) and 4,646 m (15,243 ft). This area

70-575: The Last Glacial Maximum was approximately 600 km In the Sierra de Perijá , the existence of moraines has been mentioned at altitudes between 2,700 and 3,100 m. In the absence of more detailed data, these have been tentatively assigned to the Late Stade of the Mérida glaciation. Evidence of Late Holocene morainic sedimentation are based on palynological and radiocarbon analyses, which established

84-732: The Cordillera Oriental belongs to the Magdalena River basin, while the eastern part includes the river basins of the Amazon River , Orinoco River , and Catatumbo River . Within it, the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy (with the only snowy peaks in this mountain range) stand out. The mountain range contains the most páramos in the world. The Cordillera Oriental montane forests ecoregion covers

98-676: The Venezuelan Andes were affected by Pleistocene glaciations . Two morainic complexes have been recognized in the Cordillera de Mérida : one between 2,600 and 2,800 m altitude, and another one between 2,900 and 3,500 m. These two levels have been considered as Early and Late Stades, respectively, of the Mérida glaciation . The moraines of the Late Stade are topographically well represented, and several superposed moraines, or morainic complexes, are found. The glaciated area in Cordillera de Mérida during

112-558: The beginning of the contact of the three tectonic plates ( Nazca , Caribbean and South American ) that began their orographic rise. Before the rise of the current Venezuelan Andes, between the Cambrian and Silurian periods, the so-called primitive Andes emerged, which already for the Triassic period ( Mesozoic era) had been almost completely flattened because of the intense erosive process to which were subjected. It's characterized by

126-535: The eastern slopes of the cordillera and its northern end. The Magdalena Valley montane forests cover the western slopes. The Northern Andean páramo covers the highest elevations. Colombian Massif The Colombian Massif (from the Spanish Macizo Colombiano ), also known colloquially as Nudo de Almaguer , refers to a group of mountains within the Andes of south central Colombia . The massif

140-509: The interaction of the three most important lithospheric plates in the region: Nazca , Caribbean and South American . A northwest-southwest oriented direction of compression produces vertical and horizontal deformation components, with the formation of thrusts align the Andean borders, and strike-slip faults . The split of Venezuelan Andes apparently began in the Late Eocene, and its present height

154-501: The proper Venezuelan Andes. The highest point in Venezuela is located in this natural region. It covers around 5.2% of the national territory, being the 4th largest natural region in Venezuela. Venezuelan Andes can be divided in two sections: They have a common geological origin, which dates back to the Eocene period of the early Tertiary era, about 40-50 million years ago, coincides with

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168-529: The páramos of Cutanga , Letero , Las Papas (Potatoes), Apio (Celery) and Buey (Ox) as well as high altitude valleys like the Valley of Potatoes (3000 m.a.s.l.) and Valley of Paletara (3000 m.a.s.l.). The Sotará and Puracé are the prominent volcanoes of the area, the latter being within the Puracé National Natural Park . Very few people have traversed the mountains of this region because it

182-686: The three branches of the Colombian Andes . The range extends from south to north, dividing from the Colombian Massif in Huila Department to Norte de Santander Department where it splits into the Serranía del Perijá and the Cordillera de Mérida in Venezuelan Andes . The highest peak is Ritacuba Blanco at 5,410 m (17,750 ft) in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy . The western part of

196-627: Was probably attained before the Quaternary. During the Quaternary . the main active structures are the strike-slip faults. the principal one being the Boconó Fault Zone, with a measured dextral displacement of several millimeters per year. In the field this displacement is shown by the existence of fault trenches , fault depressions , sag ponds , offset ridges and lateral moraines . Like all tropical mountain ranges with altitudes above 3,000 m,

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