Venezuelan Andes Mountain Systems and Geography

Location of the Venezuelan Andes

The Venezuelan Andes are an extension of the great septentrional orographic South American Andean system. This system starts from Tierra del Fuego and borders the Pacific Ocean, dominating the landscape of western South America. They are a continuation of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, which, before reaching Venezuela at a place called the Knot of Pamplona, splits into two branches: one oriented southwest to northeast, forming the Cordillera de Mérida, and the other with a clearly northern direction.

Origin and Geological Constitution

The system of the Venezuelan Andes is a complex mountain system which presents a diverse range of rock formations belonging to different geological eras or periods. Before the rising of the modern Andes, the primitive Andes emerged during the lower-half Paleozoic. By the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, these had been almost completely flattened due to the erosive processes they underwent.

Rock Types and Geological Eras

In its constitution, all three types of rocks are present, and its geological formation spans all ages, from the Pre-Cambrian to the Quaternary. Among the rocks found are:

• Igneous rocks: Intrusive granites.
• Metamorphic rocks: Phyllites, slates, and shales.
• Sedimentary rocks: Sandstone, limonite, Mesozoic and recent conglomerates, etc.

The Cordillera de Mérida

The Cordillera de Mérida apparently forms a single compact and continuous mountain block. However, it has been noted that its morphology is composed of two well-defined orographic alignments separated by depressions and pits. These features were caused by folds and faults resulting from the strong pressure these areas were under.

The Sierra Nevada de Mérida

The Sierra Nevada de Mérida continues with a west-northwest orientation through the Sierra de Santo Domingo. Both mountains extend for about 90 km, forming the most closely-knit orographic alignment. At the same time, it contains the most gigantic altitudes, not only within the Andean system but across all Venezuelan geographic systems.

The Northern Mountains or Sierra de la Culata

The northern mountains (also known as Sierra de la Culata) are separated from the Sierra Nevada de Mérida and the Sierra de Santo Domingo by the longitudinal valley of the Chama River. This mountain range extends from the bend of the Rio Chama—which separates it from the mountains of southwest Tovar—to the plains of Trujillo state, very close to Valera. It has a length of 140 km and an average width of 40 km. It borders the Lake Maracaibo depression, over which it abruptly elevates.

Perijá Mountains and Regional Depressions

The Perijá Mountains, with a clear south-north direction, mark the boundary between Venezuela and Colombia, representing the northern end of the South American Andes.

Táchira Depression and Longitudinal Valleys

The Depression of Táchira severs the Cordillera de Mérida from the Colombian Eastern Cordillera. Additionally, the longitudinal valleys of the Chama and Motatán rivers are significant. In these areas, flood plains abound, constituting one of the most characteristic and important aspects of Andean relief morphology.