Cordillera Oriental (Colombia)

Cordillera Oriental (Eastern Ranges)
Highest point
Peak	Ritacuba Blanco[1]
Elevation	5,410 m (17,750 ft)
Listing	Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Serranía de los Yariguíes, Serranía de las Quinchas, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Serranía del Perijá
Dimensions
Length	1,200 km (750 mi) SW-NE
Area	144,252 km2 (55,696 sq mi)
Geography
Country	Colombia
Parent range	Andes
Geology
Age of rock	Neoproterozoic-Holocene
Mountain type	Andean Subduction-related orogen

The Cordillera Oriental (English: Eastern Ranges) is the widest of the three branches of the Colombian Andes. The range extends from south to north dividing from the Colombian Massif in Huila Department to Norte de Santander Department where it splits into the Serranía del Perijá and the Cordillera de Mérida in Venezuelan Andes. The highest peak is Ritacuba Blanco at 5,410 m (17,750 ft) in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy.

Geography[]

The western part of the Cordillera Oriental belongs to the Magdalena River basin, while the eastern part includes the river basins of the Amazon River, Orinoco River, and Catatumbo River. Within it, the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy (with the only snowy peaks in this mountain range) stand out. The mountain range contains the most páramos in the world.^{[citation needed]}

Protected areas[]

• Cueva de los Guácharos
• Chingaza National Natural Park
• Yariguíes National Park
• Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
• Sumapaz Páramo
• Tamá National Natural Park
• Los Estoraques Unique Natural Area
• Lake Iguaque

Regional geology[]

Cretaceous stratigraphy of the central Colombian Eastern Ranges hide

Age	Paleomap	VMM	Guaduas-Vélez		W Emerald Belt		Villeta anticlinal		Chiquinquirá- Arcabuco	Tunja- Duitama	Altiplano Cundiboyacense		El Cocuy
Maastrichtian							eroded		Guaduas
									Guadalupe
Campanian
					Oliní
Santonian			-
Coniacian			Oliní				Villeta	Conejo		Chipaque
				Loma Gorda	undefined			La Frontera
Turonian				Hondita	La Frontera
Cenomanian			hiatus					Simijaca
					Pacho Fm.			Hiló - Pacho		Une
Albian					Hiló						Une
								Capotes - -
Aptian					Capotes			Socotá - El Peñón	Paja		Fómeque
		Paja			Paja	El Peñón		Trincheras
							La Naveta
Barremian
Hauterivian												Las Juntas
		Rosablanca							Ritoque
Valanginian					Ritoque		- Murca		Rosablanca	hiatus		Macanal
					Rosablanca
Berriasian												Guavio
					Arcabuco
Sources

See also[]

• Geography of Colombia
• Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Bogotá savanna, Tenza Valley
• Cordillera Central, Occidental, Andean Region, Venezuelan Andes, continuation of this mountain system

References[]