The Eastern Cordillera of Colombia It is the widest and most extensive of the three branches into which the Andes mountain range is divided in Colombian territory. The other two branches are the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Occidental. It extends from the Nudo de Almaguer, or Colombian Massif, in the Department of Cauca, to the Perijá mountain range, in La Guajira.
It intervenes in the relief of the departments of Cesar, La Guajira, Meta, Tolima Huila, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Caquetá, Santander, Norte de Santander and Arauca. It ends with two divisions, the shortest in La Guajira and the longest in Venezuela.
With numerous depressions, such as the Guacharos pass or the La Ceja pass.
From the Sumapaz moor divided into three axes, the eastern one from the Chingaza moor and Sierra Nevada del Cocuy.
The Central axis, the Boquerón and Guasca moorlands, and the Western axis, the Tequendama waterfall and Peña de Guerrero.
The Cordillera includes El páramo de Santurbán. It bifurcates towards the mountainous area of Los Motilones, and towards Venezuela. It extends for 1,200 kilometers, being the longest and widest of the three branches. It covers an area of 130,000 km².
Upon reaching Cundinamarca and Boyacá, it widens considerably. There is the fertile savannah of Bogotá, where the Capital of the Republic is located, and other cities.
It has two unique habitats on the planet, the High Andean forest and the páramo. The moors are very sophisticated ecosystems for the filtration of water. It is generated by the accumulation of organic matter and the morphology of plants that act as sponges.
In addition, the high content of volcanic ash in the soil slows down decomposition processes. The moors are 3100 meters above sea level.
The Andean forest is almost always covered with fog, and with great humidity. It develops between 2800 and 3200 meters above sea level, and stands out for its biological diversity.
We find there species of trees such as raque, mortiño, encenillo, alder, cinnamon and rosemary. Also several types of ferns such as the palm fern that exceeds ten meters in height. Orchids, lichens and moss add color and texture to these forests.
The functions that the Andean forest fulfills is to regulate the contribution of water that descends from the moors..
It accumulates and manages the nutrients, facilitating the development of trees 15 to 20 meters high. Unfortunately in Colombia this type of forest is seriously threatened by logging and urban development.
Many species of animals live exclusively in the páramos of the Eastern Cordillera. They are endemic species that are not found in another part of the world.
Among the mammals we can mention the shrew, the mouse and the curi. Of the birds we can mention the rail or tingua of Bogotá, the yellow-winged parakeet, and the Apolinar cockroach..
There are reptiles such as the lizard, the collared lizard, and the earth snake. There are also numerous amphibians such as the jumping frogs, the harlequin toad, the tree frog, the strong frog, the glass frog and the rain frogs..
Among those named, there are many species that are threatened or in danger of extinction. Some of them are the runcho mouse, red wolf, spectacled bear, tigrillo, puma, páramo tapir, soche, guagua loba and tinajo or borugo.
There are also birds that are in danger, the rufous duck, the condor of Los Andes, the crested eagle, becasina paramuna or caica, and the mountain parrot..
Virtually all of the amphibians named above are severely threatened by habitat destruction.
There are more than 1500 species of vascular plants (plants with seeds and ferns) in the area. Among the trees we can mention the wax palm, the alder, the croto, the chochito, peonio or siriguay, the oak, the yellow and Manizales guayacán, the seven leather or mayos, the Andean cedar, the carnation cedar, the monde cedar, the pink cedar, palo flower, rosewood, the guamo bejuco, the guamo rabo de mico, the santafereño guamo, the sabanero rubber, the grape, myrtle or guava de Castilla, the mountain pine or romerón, weeping willow, red drunkard or campanilla, raft, cajeto, garagay or urapo. All these species are native.
There are also foreign species such as araucaria, false pepper, ash tree, elderberry, Australian pine, cypress, castor, magnolia, Chinese rose, silver mimosa, black acacia, eucalyptus, urapan, Monterey pine, jasmine, cherry, black poplar and linden.
Due to the advance of urban areas over tropical forests, Colombia declared many areas of its territory as National Parks. This is the list of those found in the Eastern Cordillera
The hydrography of the area is numerous and varied:
It empties into the Caribbean Sea, is navigable, and has a tributary that is the Cauca River.
It empties into the Orinoco, its tributaries are the Guayabero and the Ariari.
Called Vicachá by the Spanish. Upon arriving in the city of Bogotá, it is channeled. Below Av Jiménez and the sixth one receives the San Agustín river. Arriving at the fourth and Boyacá joins the Fucha river, always running like an underground river.
It is born in the Chingaza moor at 3,500 meters above sea level. Run for 137 km through a deep canyon. It is divided in two in a section, called the Negrito river, until it converges with the Meta river. It empties into the Humea River.
it is neither navigable nor mighty. It empties into the Magdalena River. It runs through 380 kilometers and is heavily polluted.
Part of its route is the border with Venezuela. It empties into the Orinoco River already in the neighboring country.
It is one of the tributaries of the Orinoco. During its journey and for 220 kilometers, it forms another part of the border with Venezuela. Almost 80% of its course is navigable.
It ends in the Sogamoso, which in turn does so in the Magdalena. It is born in the Laguna de Fúquene, and on its way it receives the Fonce river.
It empties into Venezuela at Lake Maracaibo. It is born in the Cerro de Jurisdicciones at 3850 masl.
It is a tributary of the Catatumbo and travels 310 kilometers. It is born from several streams in the Cachirí páramo.
Throughout its journey, it forms another section of the natural border with Venezuela. It is born in the Venezuelan páramo and flows into the Pamplonita river, in Cúcuta.
It is born in the Sierras Nevadas de Santa Marta and travels 310 km. Its tributaries are the Ariguaní, Badillo, Guatapurí and Cesarito rivers. It empties into the Zapatosa Swamp.
It is born in the Eastern Cordillera, and runs for 130 km, all navigable. It empties into the Caquetá river.
It is born in the Eastern Cordillera. Joins the Caquetá River.
It is born in the Chisacá reservoir. It is a tributary of the Bogotá river.
It is born in the paramo of Cruz Verde and flows into the Bogotá river.
It is born at the confluence of the Tuta River and the Jordan. It joins the river Suárez and the Fonce. It flows into the Sogamoso.
It is born from the confluence of the Suárez and Chicamocha rivers. It is a tributary of the Magdalena River.
It is born in the Eastern Cordillera and flows into the Meta River.
It is located in the Department of Boyacá. It has an area of 85 km². It is the largest lake in Colombia.
Located in the Department of Boyacá. It is located within the Sanctuary of Flora and Fauna Iguaque.
There are three lagoons found in the Department of Cundinamarca. Their names are Fausto, Siecha and América.
Legend says that these were the lagoons where the El Dorado ceremony was held.
It is a reservoir or dam, in the department of Cundinamarca. It is within the protected area of the Chingaza National Natural Park.
It is located between the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. At a distance of 80km from the city of Bogotá.
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