Cordillera Occidental
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The Cordillera Occidental is one of the three main mountain ranges of the Colombian Andes, running parallel to the Pacific coast. It is the lowest and least populated of the three ranges, forming a natural barrier between the Cauca River valley and the Pacific coast. This non-volcanic range reaches its highest point at Mount Paramillo, standing at 3,960 meters (12,992 feet). The Cordillera Occidental eventually branches into smaller forested ranges in northern Colombia.1
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Andes Mountainsā¦the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Occidentalāare characteristic of most of the system. The directional trend of both the cordilleras generally is north-south, but in several places the Cordillera Oriental bulges eastward to form either isolated peninsula-like ranges or such high intermontane plateau regions as the Altiplano (Spanish: āHigh Plateauā),ā¦
Read Moreā¦the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Occidentalāare characteristic of most of the system. The directional trend of both the cordilleras generally is north-south, but in several places the Cordillera Oriental bulges eastward to form either isolated peninsula-like ranges or such high intermontane plateau regions as the Altiplano (Spanish: āHigh Plateauā),ā¦
Read More- Andes MountainsPhysiography of the Northern Andes
The Cordillera Occidental, parallel to the coast and moderately high, reaches an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet at Mount Paramillo before descending in three smaller ranges into the lowlands of northern Colombia. The Cordillera Central is the highest (average altitude of almost 10,000 feet) but alsoā¦
Read MoreThe Cordillera Occidental, parallel to the coast and moderately high, reaches an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet at Mount Paramillo before descending in three smaller ranges into the lowlands of northern Colombia. The Cordillera Central is the highest (average altitude of almost 10,000 feet) but alsoā¦
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ColombiaReliefā¦the three ranges, the nonvolcanic Cordillera Occidental, which forms the barrier between the Cauca valley and the rain-drenched Pacific coast, is the lowest and least populated. Two passes at elevations less than 5,000 feet (1,500 metres) between Cali and Buenaventura on the Pacific coast mark the lowest depressions in theā¦
Read Moreā¦the three ranges, the nonvolcanic Cordillera Occidental, which forms the barrier between the Cauca valley and the rain-drenched Pacific coast, is the lowest and least populated. Two passes at elevations less than 5,000 feet (1,500 metres) between Cali and Buenaventura on the Pacific coast mark the lowest depressions in theā¦
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South AmericaThe Andes Mountainsthe Cordilleras Oriental, Central, and Occidental. The valley of the Magdalena River, between the Oriental and the Central ranges, and the valley of the Cauca River, between the Central and the Occidental ranges, are huge rift valleys formed by faulting rather than by erosion. An aerial view of the Andesā¦
Read Morethe Cordilleras Oriental, Central, and Occidental. The valley of the Magdalena River, between the Oriental and the Central ranges, and the valley of the Cauca River, between the Central and the Occidental ranges, are huge rift valleys formed by faulting rather than by erosion. An aerial view of the Andesā¦
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