Cordillera Occidental, Bolivia

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The Cordillera Occidental of Bolivia is a mountain range characterized by volcanic activity, making up the natural border with Chile and starting in the north with Jucuri and ending in the south at the Licancabur volcano, which is on the southern border of Bolivia. The climate of the region is cold and inadequate for animal and plant life. Its main feature is its ground, in which are large quantities of metallic minerals including gold, silver, copper, and others. The range consists of three sections:

• La Septentrional, in which you can find the highest peaks in Bolivia, the tallest of which is Nevado Sajama at 6,542 meters. Nevado Sajama is perennially covered in snow and has the hills Pomerape and Parinacota called Payachatas collectively, the latter being a dormant volcano with a cone of snow similar to Fujiyama in Japan.

• La Central, situated between Uyuni and Coipasa. Its most prominent summit is the Ollagüe volcano on the border with Chile.

• La Meridional, characterized by volcanic activity and by having sandstorms and fog, taking into account the most active volcano in the world, Licancabur, which is 5,920 meters high and has the highest lake in the world. The lakes Laguna Colorada and Laguna Verde can be found on Licancabur, so named because of their respective colors.

[edit] See also

• Cordillera Central, Bolivia
• Cordillera Oriental, Bolivia
• Licancabur