The Altiplano of South America
This high plateau in the Andes Mountains may appear to be inhospitable, but around a million people live here
The Altiplano is a high plateau in the Andes Mountains that stretches into Bolivia, Peru and Chile. Despite the apparent hostilities it presents to life, many species manage to survive and thrive, and there are more than a million people who live in the region today. It is known that some of the villages here have been occupied continuously for 10,000 years.
The Altiplano towers over the southern Andes, forming a high plateau between the eastern and western Andean chains. It covers an area of some 65,000 square miles (168,000 sq kms) and has a mean elevation of 12,000 feet (3,650 m).
It formed millions of years ago when an ancient sea was raised together with the peaks. The sea eventually retreated to leave many salt pans behind. There has also been considerable infilling by sediment eroded from the mountains. The lowest point of the plateau is occupied by Lake Titicaca, which is the world’s largest high-altitude lake.
Climate and Vegetation
The climate of the Altiplano is generally cold and dry, although two climatic regions can be distinguished. These are the “puna” to the south and the “jalca” to the north…