WESTERN MOUNTAIN RANGE OF COLOMBIA: CHARACTERISTICS, FORMATION - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The Western Cordillera of Colombia is a mountainous system that, together with the Eastern and the Central, constitute the three branches that make up the Cordillera de los Andes in Colombia, which originates in Argentina and ends in Venezuela.

Its location begins in the department of Nariño, in the knot of the Pastos, and crosses the Pacific coast until it reaches the knot of Paramillo, in Antioquia and Córdoba, where it separates to form the mountain ranges east of Ayapel, west of Abibe and to the center the San Jerónimo mountain range.

By Colombia_relief_location_map.jpg: Grundkarte Shadowxfox, Relief Alexrk2derivative work: Dr Brains (Colombia_relief_location_map.jpg), via Wikimedia Commons

The extension of the Western Cordillera covers 31% of the department of Antioquia, 19% of Córdoba, 13% of Nariño, 19% of Chocó, 12% of Valle del Caura, 3% of Risaralda, 9% of Cauca and 1% of Caldas.

The Western Cordillera of Colombia is the smallest of the cordilleras: it has a height of 2,700 meters above sea level and its maximum can be seen in the department of Nariño in the Cumbal volcano, located 79 km southwest of the city of Pasture and with an altitude of 4764 meters above sea level.

This mountain range is separated from the Central one by the Cauca river valley. On its eastern front it forms a great canyon with the front of the Central Mountain Range that gives way to the lowlands of the Caribbean. Likewise, on its north and northwestern side it reaches the Atlantic slope.

characteristics

The Western Cordillera of Colombia has a length of 1,200 km, with an area of ​​76,000 km2 and an altitude of 2,700 m.

Its maximum depression is 380 m, known as the Minamá sickle, where the Patía River -on its exit to the Pacific Ocean- crosses the mountain range and rises again towards the Pacific Coast.

The three mountain ranges differ from each other; In this sense, the Occidental is the smallest, lowest and least populated that makes up the branches of the Andes Mountains.

In the Western Cordillera the tropical winds from the Pacific Ocean stop; In addition, in this there is no perpetual snow, but it has dense vegetation and a humid tropical forest. However, the conditions of its climate, fauna and flora vary according to the geographical area in which it is deployed.

This mountain range has a strategic ecosystem system made up of floodplains, paramo, rocky areas and sub-Andean, tropical and Andean humid forests.

Training

Studies indicate that in the Mesozoic Era the foundations of the Western Cordillera of Colombia were formed. These bases were specifically generated in the Cretaceous period, which began 145 million years ago and ended 66.4 million years ago.

In the Cenozoic Era, in the Quaternary period, the uplift and greater eruption activity originated south of the Western Cordillera and in the Central Cordillera.

In the area there are 12 active volcanoes, of which 8 erupted; in total there are 38 in the mountain range. Its sedimentary, intrusive and volcanic origin is related to the subduction processes of the Pacific plate.

We stopped

The Western Cordillera of Colombia is made up of 112 moors. Among these moors are the following:

- The paramo of Paramillo, with an altitude of 3960 meters above sea level.

- The Frontino moor, which has a height of 4080 meters above sea level.

- The Roldanillo hill, with 3650 meters above sea level.

- The Caramanta hill, with 3800 meters above sea level.

- Farallones de Cali, which has a height of 4400 meters above sea level.

Relief

Among the most prominent geographical features of the Western Cordillera of Colombia we can name the following:

Cumbal volcano

It is located in the south of Colombia and is the volcano with the highest point of Nariño, with an altitude of 4764 meters above sea level. Its location is 79 kilometers southwest of the city of Pasto, in the municipality of Cumbal. Its last eruption was in 1926.

Chiles Volcano

It is a snowy and active volcano that has an altitude of 4748 meters above sea level and is located between the border of Colombia and Ecuador, specifically in the knot of the Pastos. There are no records of the volcano's eruption

Azufral Volcano

In the department of Nariño is the semi-active Azufral volcano, with an altitude of 4070 meters above sea level. It is considered a natural reserve and its last eruption was 930 BC. C.

Farallones de Cali

It is a rock formation of 4400 meters above sea level. The rivers that originate in the area not only supply water to the population, they also generate electricity for the communities of Cali and Valle de Cauca.

Hill of Tatamá

The Tatamá is between 2000 and 4200 meters above sea level. It is located between the municipality of El Águila -in the department of Valle del Cauca-, La Celia -in the department of Risaralda- and San José del Palmar, in Chocó.

Its ecosystem is in an excellent state of conservation, making it a natural refuge area for animal and plant species. Due to its value and natural grandeur, it is also a place of scientific and protected interest.

Paramo of Frontino

The Páramo de Frontino, also known as Páramo del Sol, is located in Antioquia. Its minimum height ranges from 2,600 meters above sea level and its maximum point reaches 4080 meters above sea level. It is an area of ​​great importance for humanity due to its natural resources.

Paramillo del Sinú

It is a populated area that has a great wealth of flora and fauna. It has 460,000 hectares and is located at an altitude between 100 and 3,960 meters above sea level, between the departments of Córdoba and Antioquia, in the final extension of the extreme north of the Western Cordillera.

Among the species that live there are the red lion, the butterfly tiger, the spectacled bear, the tapir, the marimonda and the pintamenuda tiger, among others.

The flora of the Paramillo del Sinú is very varied; In this area, cold earth oaks, mazábalos, laurels, cedars, balusters, mahogany, ceibas tolua, cumin, charcoal burners and encompas, among other specimens have been found.

National Parks

In the Western Cordillera there are also protected areas that were named national parks. These include the following:

- Farallones de Cali National Natural Park.

- Las Orquídeas National Natural Park.

- Munchique National Natural Park.

- Paramillo National Natural Park.

- Tatamá National Natural Park.

Weather

The climate in the Western Cordillera of Colombia is not the same in all points of its wide extension. Temperatures are warmer in the western area: they can vary between 3 ° C in the high areas and 27 ° C in the low areas.

Days in the Western Cordillera can be sunny or cold and rainy, temperatures alternate dramatically. Small snowfalls can also occur.

The same goes for rainfall. On the southern slope of the Western Cordillera it can rain about 2,500 mm annually, while the northern slope is much more humid and has 4500 mm annual rainfall.

The moors in the Western Cordillera of Colombia are covered by fog, which makes them humid and cold.

It is important to highlight that the moors located towards the western slope receive frequent precipitations, reason why they are more humid because they have a strong influence of the winds; the effect of currents from the Pacific Ocean also influences.

Paramo of Frontino

Let us use as an example the Páramo de Frontino, located in Antioquia, to know the climatic conditions of one of the areas of the Western Cordillera.

This moor maintains a similar climate all year round; its height and location define its climatic characteristics. In addition, it has a summer and winter period.

Its temperature varies between 6 ° C and 12 ° C, and its forests are humid with annual rainfall of 2000 mm.

Hydrography

The main rivers that make up the Western Cordillera in Colombia are born in the knot of the Pastos.

The Cauca River is part of the Western Cordillera and is one of the most important in Colombia. Likewise, it is considered the main river axis, since it crosses from south to north.

The Cauca is the second most important river in the country and runs from the Colombian massif until it empties into the Magdalena River. It has a length of 1,350 km and only 620 km are navigable.

Important rivers flow into Cauca, among which are the Bugalagrande, Desbaratado, San Juan and La Vieja river, among others.

In the extension of the Western Cordillera there are also other bodies of water that are part of this immense and important area; some of these rivers are the following:

- Look.

- Chaqueradó

- Venadom.

- San Juan del Micay.

- Green.

- Esmeralda.

- Clear water.

- Quiparadó.

- I died.

- Dirty.

- Baudo.

- Pichindé.

- Pance.

- Atrato.

- Saint Joaquin.

- Saint George.

- Patia.

- Guapi

- Sinú.

References

1. We stopped from Colombia in Imeditores. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Imeditores: Imeditores.com
2. Western Cordillera of Colombia in Geographical Atlas. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Geographical Atlas: net
3. Río Cauca in Ecu Red. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in EcuRed: Ecured.cu
4. Department of Valle del Cauca (Colombia) in Ecu Red. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in EcuRed: ecured.cu
5. Paramillo in Col Parques. Retrieved November 4, 2018 in Col Parques: Colparques.net
6. Orogeny of the Colombian Cordilleras: Eastern, Central and Western (March 2013) in Geoloygeomorfoubosque. Retrieved November 4, 2018 in Geoloygeomorfoubosque: Geoloygeomorfoubosque.blogspot.com
7. The relief in Colombia in Colombia Manía. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Colombia Manía: colombiamania.com
8. Tatamá National Natural Park in Colombia. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Colombia: colombia.com
9. Páramo de Frontino on Wikipedia. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Wikipedeia: es.wikipedia.org
10. Colombian Relief (June-2018). In All Colombia. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in All Colombia: Todacolombia.com
11. Cordillera Occidental (Colombia) in Wikipedia. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 in Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
12. Colombia in UB. Retrieved on November 4, 2018 at UB: ub.edu