Serra do Mar facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Rio De Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo Brazil |
| Criteria | Natural: (vii)(ix)(x) |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
| Area | 468,193 ha (1,807.70 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 1,223,557 ha (4,724.18 sq mi) |
The Serra do Mar is a huge system of mountains and steep slopes in southeastern Brazil. Its name means "Sea's Ridge" in Portuguese. This impressive mountain range stretches for about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) along the Atlantic coast. It is a very important natural area in Brazil.
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What is the Serra do Mar?
The Serra do Mar is a long chain of mountains and cliffs that runs close to the Atlantic Ocean. It starts in the state of Espírito Santo and goes all the way to southern Santa Catarina. Some people even think it extends further south into Rio Grande do Sul.
How are the Serra do Mar mountains formed?
The main part of the Serra do Mar is a big, steep cliff. This cliff separates the flat land near the sea (called the littoral) from a higher area inland called a plateau. The plateau is usually between 500 to 1,300 meters (1,640 to 4,265 feet) high. This large cliff is part of an even bigger cliff system that runs along much of Brazil's eastern coast.
Geologists say these mountains are part of a massive rock platform that makes up eastern South America. This area is very stable, meaning it doesn't have many earthquakes. Most of the Serra do Mar's high points were formed around 60 million years ago.
Different Parts of the Serra do Mar
The Serra do Mar isn't one continuous mountain range. It's broken up in several places, and different parts have their own names. Some of these include the Serra de Bocaina, Serra de Paranapiacaba, Serra Negra, and Serra dos Órgãos.
The mountains also extend to some large islands close to the coast. These include Ilhabela and Ilha Anchieta. One of the highest points in the Serra do Mar is Pico da Caledônia, which is 2,255 meters (7,398 feet) tall, located near Nova Friburgo.
Nature and Wildlife in Serra do Mar
When Europeans first arrived in Brazil in the year 1500, the Serra do Mar was covered in a very rich and diverse ecosystem. This was mostly a thick tropical rainforest called the Atlantic Forest (or Mata Atlântica). It was full of amazing plants and animals.
Why is the Atlantic Forest disappearing?
Sadly, over time, much of this beautiful forest has been destroyed. This happened because of cities growing and trees being cut down. Today, most of the remaining forest is found on the steep slopes that face the sea.
How is the Atlantic Forest protected?
To protect what's left of the Atlantic Forest and its unique wildlife, many national parks, state parks, and special nature reserves have been created. However, the forest still faces threats. Things like acid rain, pollution, illegal hunting (poaching), illegal logging, forest fires, and the expansion of cities and farms are still causing damage. Many big cities, like Curitiba, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, are very close to the Serra do Mar.
It is very difficult to regrow rainforests and bring back all the different kinds of plants and animals once they have been destroyed. Protecting these areas is very important for the future.
See also
In Spanish: Serra do Mar para niños
- Flora of the Atlantic Forest
- Ecoregions of the Atlantic Forest biome
- List of plants of Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil
