The Andes is a magnificent mountain system that extends throughout South America, north to south, along the Pacific coast. The name Andes comes from a native language but to this day nobody knows what it means. It is approximately 4,400 miles long, the air distance between Boston and Moscow, Russia! This makes it the longest mountain range in the world The mountains extend over seven countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The Andes is the highest mountain range outside of Asia, with its highest peak, the volcanoe Aconcagua in Argentina, rising to 22,831 feet (6,962 meters) above sea level. Aconcagua is also the tallest mountain in both North and South America.

The summit of Mount Chimborazo in the Ecuadorean Andes is the point on the earth's surface most distant from its centre. The Andes are not as high as the Himalayas but they are comparable to them in width and are more than twice as long. The climate in the Andes varies a lot, depending on location, altitude and proximity to the sea. The southern section is rainy and cool, the central portion is dry, and the northern Andes are typically rainy and warm, so you can find tropical rainforests just a few miles away from snow-covered peaks.

You may find some amazing animals living in the Andes. Pumas, mountain lions, crocodriles, iguanas and flamingos are all found in different regions, with the llama living mainly in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia. The condor is the largest bird of its kind in the Western hemisphere. In the central region of the Andes grows the largest herb in the world, called Puya raimondii. This incredible plant can live up to 100 years! Its large size is especially impressive because normally the plants in the Andes remain small in order to conserve their energy.