The Andes are not a single line of mountains but rather they run in two great parallel ranges or cordilleras. These cordilleras are divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern ranges are called Cordillera Oriental and the western ranges are called Cordillera Occidental.
The Cordillera Occidental (western range) runs along the Peruvian and Chilean borders, while the Cordillera Oriental (eastern range) is a broad system of mountains stretching from Peru to Argentina. The Altiplano, a high plateau 805 km long and 129 km wide, sits in between these two ranges.
Another way to classify the Andes is from north to south. Thus we have the Northern Andes, the Central Andes and the Southern Andes.
The Northern Andes stretch through Venezuela, northern Ecuador and Columbia. These mountain ranges contain many active volcanoes, including the Nevado del Huila which rises to 5,364 m.
In the Central Andes, the mountains get wider, higher and more arid and the passes are higher and more difficult to cross. The Central Andes stretches from Argentina and Chile into Bolivia and Peru.
The Southern Andes are located within Argentina and Chile. These mountains are rugged and wild with many ranges covered by ice fields, glaciers, magnificent forests and pristine lakes.
Picture Credit : Google
