Geography of the Central Andes

by Alan Grant Ogilvie

Overview

Publisher: The American Geographical Society of New York Publication date: 1922
Subjects: Physical geography

Andes

History / Latin America / South America

Science / Earth Sciences / Geography

Travel / General

Travel / Essays

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781020857768
Publisher:	Legare Street Press
Publication date:	07/18/2023
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.69(d)

Read an Excerpt

PART TWO CHAPTER I GENERAL VIEW Three events in the physical history of the land covered by the La Paz sheet have been of chief importance in determining the distribution of life and the activities of man in the area. The first is the upheaval of a block of the earth's crust of such great width and to so great an altitude. From this results a rare atmosphere over most of the surface and a climate which is very dry, save on the eastern slopes of the Andes and which is also cold in all but the two small sections of low altitude. These climatic conditions restrict the natural vegetation, the possibilities of agriculture, and consequently the density of the population; while the great difference of altitude between the highlands and the marginal lowlands discourages movement from one to the other. The second feature is the mineralization of the rocks forming the cordillera which took place both before and during the upheaval of the highlands. One result of this has been to raise the number of inhabitants considerably above the normal for such a region; moreover, the mineral wealth of these cordilleras has greatly increased their importance to the outside world from the Spanish Conquest right down to our own time. Thirdly, there is the fact that prior to the great upheaval of the land a large part of it—the eastern section—had undergone a long period of denudation and another large part—the western section—had been covered with great lava sheets. This accounts for the relative smoothness of the greater part of the highland surface. Save for the volcanic cones and occasional residual ranges the core of the high block presents few serious obstacles to free movement, beit of air, plant, beast, or man. Further, it 591376 is to the intensive erosion in the eastern par...