Also referred to as “Cordillera de los Andes” in Spanish, the Andes Mountains is the world’s longest mountain range that stretches for more than 6,999km along the western margin of the South American continent. The Andes Mountains have an average height of 4,000m and a maximum width of 200 to 700km, and are considered as the highest mountain range that is situated outside the continent of Asia. This long mountain range extends from the north to south direction straddling the seven South American nations of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The Andes Mountains also form a part of the American Cordillera, which is a continuous series of mountain ranges that stretches across a major part of North, Central and South Americas.   

Throughout their length, the Andes Mountains are divided into many ranges by intervening depressions. Numerous high plateaus are located in the Andes Mountain Range and some of these plateaus host important South American cities such as Arequipa, Bucaramanga, Bogota, Cali, Merida, Sucre, La Paz, Quito, etc. The Andes Mountains are further divided into three parts: the Northern Andes, the Central Andes, and the Southern Andes. Located in the Central Andes is the 3,750m high Altiplano Plateau, which is considered as the world’s second-highest plateau after the 4,500m high Tibetan Plateau.

Based on the climate, the Andes Mountain Range is further subdivided into three groups: the Dry Andes, the Tropical Andes, and the Wet Andes. The Dry Andes runs through the countries of Chile, Bolivia, and the northwestern part of Argentina; the Tropical Andes through the countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela; and the Wet Andes through the countries of Argentina and Chile. Situated along the boundary between Argentina and Chile, and forming a part of the Principal Cordillera of the Southern Andes Mountains is, Mount Aconcagua – which rises to an elevation of 6,961m and is considered as the tallest mountain in both the Western and Southern hemispheres. Also located in the Andes Mountain Range, on the border between the Argentine Catamarca Province and the Chilean Copiapo Province, is the 6,893m high Nevado Ojos del Salado, which is considered as the world’s highest active stratovolcano, Chile’s highest mountain, and second-highest mountain in the Southern and Western hemispheres. Some of the other notable Andean Peaks include Monte Pissis, Mount Huascaran, Cerro Bonete, Nevado Tres Cruces, Mount Llullaillaco, Cerro Mercedario, Mount Incahuasi, Mount Chimborazo etc.