American cordillera facts for kids
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The American Cordillera is a super long chain of mountain ranges. Think of it like the "backbone" of the western side of North America, Central America, South America, and even Antarctica. It's also a big part of the volcanic arc that makes up the eastern half of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is where many earthquakes and volcanoes happen.
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What is the American Cordillera?
The American Cordillera is not just one mountain range. It's a huge system of many mountain ranges that are connected. These ranges are often parallel to each other and sometimes overlap. They stretch for thousands of miles, making them one of the longest mountain systems on Earth.
Where Does This Mountain Chain Stretch?
This amazing chain of mountains starts way up north and goes all the way to the south pole!
Mountains in North America
The journey begins in Alaska with the Alaska Range and the Brooks Range. From there, it moves into Canada, through the Yukon and British Columbia. Here, you'll find the main part of the Rocky Mountains. You'll also see the Pacific Coast Ranges, which include mountains and islands along the coast.
In the United States, the Cordillera spreads out. It includes the famous Rocky Mountains, the beautiful Sierra Nevada in California, and the Cascades along with other Coast ranges in Washington, Oregon, and California.
As it continues south into Mexico, the Cordillera includes the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental. It also forms the backbone mountains of the Baja California peninsula. Sometimes, the northern part of this system is called the North American Cordillera or Western Cordillera. In Canada, it's known as the Canadian Cordillera or Pacific Cordillera.
Mountains in Central America
The Cordillera keeps going through the mountain ranges of Central America. You can find parts of it in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. These mountains are just a continuation of the same massive system.
Mountains in South America and Antarctica
After Central America, the Cordillera becomes the mighty Andes Mountains in South America. The Andes are incredibly long, with many parallel chains. They also include island chains off the coast of Chile.
The Andes stretch through many countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. They reach all the way to the very tip of South America, a place called Tierra del Fuego. Some scientists even think this mountain range might continue across the ocean through the South Georgia Ridge. It could then connect to the mountains of Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. This shows just how connected Earth's landforms can be!
Images for kids
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Andes in Peru
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See also
In Spanish: Cordillera Americana para niños
