INTRODUCTION - Geography

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The Andean Mountain Chain

The Andean mountain range was formed a few million years ago by the collision of tectonic plates in a phenomenon known as subduction. These plates that are continuously shifting deep underground are the cause of the frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that occur in the south American continent every hundred years or so.

This mountain chain is virtually divided into two parallel ranges, which are joined irregularly by slopes that run transversally, cutting the area into small valleys (nudos). This is also known as the Avenue of the volcanoes, a term coined by Alexander Von Humboldt, a German explorer that visited Ecuador in 1802. In the northern part of the range there are 10 volcanoes all over 5000 meters ( 16000 feet ) in altitude and covered by perennial ice.

The highest mountain in the Andes is Chimborazo . Found on the western chain, its height reaches a staggering 6310 meters ( 20700 feet ). Further north, on the opposite range, the Cotopaxi , with its perfectly conical shape, is the highest active volcano in the world, measuring 5897 meters ( 19350 feet ).

At the moment, two volcanoes are in an eruptive process. Tungurahua (little Hell) has put in serious jeopardy the small but very prosperous town of Baños , which is, at the moment, living in perfect harmony with "Mama Tungurahua" (mother Tungurahua).

The other one, Pichincha, is extremely close to the north of Quito . After a few explosions of vapor and ash during the last few months, it now seams to have returned to a much less active state. The last catastrophic eruption of Pichincha happened in 1660, when several feet of ash rained on colonial Quito , causing devastation and many deaths.

Besides the volcanoes, the highlands have a variety of beautiful flowers, in several colors and shades.