Lake lagoon colorado. Southernmost America The largest fresh water lake is Titicaca
And the Panama Canal separates these continents.
The continent lies entirely in the Western Hemisphere. In the northern part it is crossed by the equator, and almost in the middle by the South Tropic. This continent is the wettest on Earth. Most of it has a warm climate. The shores are slightly indented; the mainland does not have large bays, islands or peninsulas. The nature of the mainland is full of contrasts and diversity. There are many natural records here and there are places that have not been touched by civilization. The natural world of the continent amazes with its richness, uniqueness, and beauty. On this wettest continent there are many rivers, mountains, plains, endemic living organisms, the smallest proportion of islands and peninsulas, many world and mainland natural records. This continent has many of its own world and continental records. The indigenous population of the mainland is represented by Indian tribes.
Nature records of South America
The largest plain on the globe
The Amazonian lowland is the largest plain on Earth in terms of size. The area is 5.2 million sq. km. It is second only in size.
Lowest land elevation in South America the level of the Laguna del Carbon area is now considered.
It is located in the Argentine province of San ta Cruz, about 60 meters lower than the previously known lowest point of San Matias (- 40 m). This mark is now considered a record not only for the mainland of South America, but also for the entire part of the world of America as a whole, its value (-105 meters).
The highest point on the mainland is Mount Aconcagu
Its value is 6962 meters. This point is the highest in the Western Hemisphere. The name of the mountain means “stone guardian” in Araucanian. The mountain is located in the central part of the Andes, in its main Cordillera. The mountain is located in the Aconcagua National Park. There are many at the top, the largest being Polish and Vostochny. The Englishman E. Fitzgerald first attempted to climb this peak in January 1897.
The highest volcano on the mainland is Llullaillaca.
It is located at an altitude of 6723 meters on the ridge of the Western Cordillera. It is located on the high plateau of the Atacama Desert region. At its top lies a glacier. The last volcanic eruption was in 1877.
The largest peninsula of the mainland is Guajira.
Its area is 14 thousand sq. km. This peninsula is the northernmost point of the mainland. The Guajira Peninsula is home to the Guajiro Indians, who speak the Guajiro language.
The largest island of Isla is Grande Tierra del Fuego
It is part of the largest archipelago, Tierra del Fuego. The area of Isla Island is 48 thousand sq. km. It is the largest in this archipelago.
The largest archipelago in South America is Tierra del Fuego
It is located at the southernmost tip of the continent, and is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Magellan. It was discovered in 1520 by F. Magellan. Seeing the lights on the shores of the islands, F. Magellan gave them a name. The area of this archipelago is 72 thousand km². south of Tierra del Fuego is the widest strait on Earth -.
The terrain on the archipelago is hilly, with many glaciers. There are fiords on the shores of the islands. The highest altitude of the archipelago is Mount Shipton (2469 meters). The climate is humid and cold. Precipitation exceeds 5,000 mm/year. Avg. Temperatures in January are 10–11 °C, in July 0–2 °C.
Beech and evergreen forests and meadows with steppe vegetation grow up to a height of 400–500 meters. Penguins live on the coasts. In some places of the archipelago, nature has been preserved in its original form. In order to preserve the unique nature of the arch. Tierra del Fuego created the Alberto Agostini National Park in Chile. People extract oil and gas, raise sheep, catch fish and service ships calling at ports.
The largest and driest desert on the Atacama mainland
It is located in is not only the driest on the mainland, but also in the world. This is the highest desert in the world.
Precipitation does not occur here every year. The average annual precipitation is 0.1 mm. Precipitation often falls in the form of dew and fog. In some places in the desert there has been no precipitation for about 400 years. This desert is tens of times drier in .
The length of the desert from north to south is 1000 km. It covers an area of 150,000 square meters. km. Average daily temperatures range from 0 to 25 C.
Despite the drought in the desert, there are 200 species of living creatures. The most common are cacti. There are 160 species here, and 90 of them are endemic. This desert is one of the oldest. It has existed for more than 20 million years. People began to master it 10,000 years ago. Water is obtained in oases from great depths or from fog.
Atacama is home to the famous Valley of the Moon. Atacama is considered an ideal place for astronomical observations.
The Atacama Desert is home to the world's largest saltpeter deposit. The desert is also interesting because it is the only place on Earth that resembles a lunar landscape. This is the Valley of the Moon between the city of Calama and the city of San Pedro de Atacama.
Lowest mainland temperature (-39C) in Valle de los Superion
The highest temperature on the mainland (+49C) is in Valle de Maria)
Lowest rainfall in the Atacama Desert
They fall out 0.1 mm. In some places in the desert there has been no precipitation for several centuries. Precipitation in the form of dew and fog.
The highest rainfall occurs in Kibuyu in Colombia
Here the average annual precipitation is 7734 mm.
The largest lake in Maracaibo
The area of the lake is 14,350 sq. km. It is a sea lagoon in the Gulf of Venezuela, in which a specially dug deep-water channel for ocean tankers to enter the lake. The water in the lake is desalinated by the rivers flowing into it. Thunderstorms are very frequent here, 140-160 days a year. The flag of the state of Zulia features a lightning bolt. The second place among the largest lakes on the continent is Lake Patus. This is also a lagoon lake, directly connected to the sea.
The largest fresh water lake is Titicaca.
It is located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Its name in the language of the Quechua Indians comes from two words." Kaka" - mountain. rock and “titi” - puma, this is the sacred animal of the tribe. In the language of other tribes, the name is translated as lake of the Pukino tribe. There is an explanation that the name means “lead mountain” and others.
Its area is 6900 sq. km. It is located at an altitude of 8300 meters. The average depth of the lake is 140 -280 meters. Water temperature is from +10 to +12 degrees. 300 rivers flow into the lake, which greatly desalinate it.
At a depth of thirty meters at the bottom of the lake, a one-kilometer-long wall and a sculpture of a human head were found. The age of these finds is 1500 years. It can be assumed that the bottom was once dry land.
The largest endorheic lake on the continent is Mar Chiquita.
The largest salt flat on the mainland is Uyuni.
It is located in Bolivia near the city of Uyuni. Its area is 10.6 thousand sq. km. and it is located at an altitude of 3650 meters. Currently, Uyuni is not only the largest salt marsh of the mainland, but it is the largest in the world. The thickness of the table salt layer is 2-10 meters. During the rainy season, the salt marsh turns into a salt lake with clear water.
About 40 thousand years ago this area was part of the large Lake Minchin. After its gradual drying out, two small lakes that currently exist appeared - Lake Poopo and Lake Uru - Uru. In addition to them, two large salt marshes also appeared: Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa. According to experts, total salt reserves amount to 10 billion tons of table salt.
Every year in November, flamingos fly to the coast of the salt marsh. Thanks to the large flat surface, clear skies, and dry air, satellite instruments are tested in the Uyuni region.
Tourism is developing in Uyuni. In order to create an exotic experience for tourists, local residents make hotels from salt blocks. Tourists are invited to see the “locomotive cemetery”. These locomotives once worked here, but now they are no longer needed.
The longest and deepest
Recently, information has emerged that this river is longer than the Nile. Brazilians call the length of the Amazon 6992 km; there is information that the length of the river is 6450 km. This river, despite the controversial figures about its length, has a great length. It is the great river of the continent and the world. It is the deepest on the continent and in the world. It is flooded all year round due to heavy rainfall and brought water from the right and left full-flowing tributaries.
The Amazon throws out 200,000 cubic meters in one second. meters of water. This one has the largest swimming pool on the mainland and in the world. Its basin is the Amazonian lowland. Its area is 7.2 million sq. km. The Amazon has the largest delta in the world. Its area is 100,000 sq. km. The width of the mouth is 20 km.
The river is home to the largest fish, the ten-meter piraruca, which jumps out of the water.
second longest on the mainland
It is located in the southeast of the mainland and ranks 14th in length in the world, and its length is 4380 km. The river originates on the Brazilian plateau and flows into La Plata Bay. Its basin area is 2.6 million sq. km. The depth of the river is from 12 to 48 meters. The river has a large delta, 130 km long and 18 to 65 km wide. The delta consists of 11 branches. Parana has great energy potential. It was used in the construction of the largest hydroelectric power station on the mainland, Itaipu.
On the right tributary of its Iguazu River there is the most abundant waterfall in the world - Iguazu.
The largest reservoir in Guri
It is located in Venezuela on the Caroni River, which is a tributary of the Orinoco River. The official name of Simon Bolivar. It was built in 1968.
The area of the reservoir is 4.3 thousand sq. km, the volume of water is 135 cubic km, and the length is 70 km. It was created next to the Guri hydroelectric power station, which is considered the third largest in the world in terms of power after the Chinese Sanxia and the Brazilian Itaipu.
The longest inland river is the Rio Dulcier.
It is located in northwestern Argentina. The Rio-Dulcie River originates in the Andes. Its source is called Sali. Further, the river flows along the arid plain of the Gran Chaco and, breaking up into branches, flows into Lake Mar - Chiquito. Local residents call it the “sweet” (fresh) river.
The length of the river is 812 km. The river's waters are used to irrigate fields in the arid plain.
The Brazilian plateau is the largest on the mainland
It occupies the eastern part of the continent. The plateau is bordered in the north by the Amazonian lowland, in the west by the Andes, and in the southeast by the La Plata lowland.
Its area is about 4 million sq. km. The length and width of the plateau is approximately 3200 km. Altitudes from 500 meters in the west and more than 2000 meters in the east. The highest point is Mount Bandeira 2897 meters. In its eastern part there are several mountain ranges, the largest ones being the Sierra do Mar and the Sierra do Espinhaço. On the Atlantic coast, individual mountains rise in the form of towers and cones. They are called "sugar loaves". The subsoil of the plateau is rich in ore minerals.
The plateau has a very diverse nature, its climate, soils, flora and fauna. 95% of the population of South America lives on its territory.
La Plata Lowland is the second largest in area on the mainland
It is located in the southeastern part of the mainland. Its territory includes Paraguay and Uruguay, southeastern Bolivia, southern Brazil, northern Argentina
Its territory is more than 3 million sq. km. This plain extends from north to south for 2400 km, and from west to east for 900 km.
The nature is diverse: steppes (pampa), forests, swamps. Agriculture is well developed on the plain.
The world's tallest Angel Falls— 979 meters
Animal world
Endemics
Among the animals there are endemics: armadillos and anteaters, sloths and broad-nosed monkeys, llamas and chinchillas, rhea ostriches and tinamou birds, vultures and toucans, hummingbirds and some species of parrots.
The biggest
The largest turtles on land and in the ocean are found here.
The only marsupials
The only marsupials are opossums.
The only equids
Even-toed ungulates - tapirs
Anteaters
Ostrich Nandu
The nature of South America is full of diversity and contrasts; there are many world and continental natural, cultural and historical records.
South America receives the highest amount of precipitation compared to the rest of the Earth's continents. This created good conditions for the emergence of an abundant system of lakes and rivers. They play a serious role in various aspects of the life of humanity and the Earth, among them there is also a tourism component. By the way, some rivers and lakes in South America contain practically no water. But for travelers this does not make them any less attractive. Even, rather, on the contrary - today many people are interested
The lakes of the mainland attract a lot of travelers every year. People come from all over the world to see some of them.
Maracaibo
Many tourists today are interested in exploring South America. Lakes also attract their attention. The largest of them is Maracaibo. But if we consider it as a geographical formation, it has the characteristics of a bay. Its main feature is a rather scary and unique natural phenomenon - the Catatumbo lightning.
Lightning is observed at the point where the Catatumbo River flows into it. Here they strike almost continuously for 9 hours. Almost half of the nights here are illuminated by very bright flashes; they can be seen at a distance of 400 km.
This phenomenon is explained by the collision of methane rising upward. It comes from local swamps, as well as from the Andes, from downward air currents. At this moment, a potential difference is formed in the clouds, which is constantly discharged in the form of celestial electricity.
Peach Lake
Red Lake
When considering the lakes of South America, one cannot help but highlight Red Lake. This is what Laguna Colorado is often called. This lake is located in a reserve called Eduardo Avaroa in Bolivia, at an altitude of almost 4200 meters.
Its uniqueness is based on two factors.
- First: algae “live” in this place, which produces substances that reliably protect them from ultraviolet radiation, therefore changing the hue of the water. Depending on the temperature and time of day, the lake can take on different shades - from scarlet to dark purple.
- Next: this is a place where thousands of flamingos live, among which there are representatives of the rarest species.
Uyuni
Some lakes in South America are characterized by small amounts of water. Likewise, in Uyuni it appears extremely rarely. This is the world's largest salty dry lake, which was formed in the prehistoric period by the transformation of several reservoirs at once.
This giant salt marsh, with a total area of about 10.5 thousand km², is located in Bolivia, in the south of the Altiplano, a desert plain. It contains large reserves of salt, lithium chloride.
For travelers who come here during the rainy season, the lake gives an amazing experience. At this time, you get the feeling of driving or walking on a huge mirror, flat and smooth, which stretches over enormous distances.
There are many beautiful lakes on the mainland. Some of them are located in hard-to-reach regions, others are “promoted tourist attractions.” Whatever one may say, seeing the large lakes of South America is worth seeing for every traveler looking for unforgettable sensations and vivid impressions.
In the very center of the continent of South America, surrounded by other countries and landlocked, lies Bolivia, one of the economically poorest countries. But still, this small mountainous state attracts tourists, because such bizarre creations of nature as here are difficult to find in other places. It is in Bolivia that the famous Lake Titicaca, salt mines, the unique Colorado Lagoon and the heritage of the Inca civilization - the city of Machu Picchu are located.
We're flying to Bolivia!
The capital of Bolivia is the city of Sucre, but all government offices are located in the city of La Paz. When planning your flight, keep in mind that La Paz airport is the highest on the planet (more than four thousand meters above sea level), so tickets to it are sold at a premium “due to the difficulty of landing.” Therefore, it is better to buy a ticket to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. In general, you will have to fly to Bolivia with a transfer; there are no direct flights from Russia.
The unique nature of Bolivia
This country is rich in artifacts: here you will find Inca cities of the pre-Columbian era, Spanish colonial architecture, and natural attractions. Today you will find out what water attractions there are in Bolivia.
It lies in the Andes on the Altiplano plateau and belongs to two countries - Peru and Bolivia. It is interesting because:
- this is the highest navigable lake in the world (3812 meters above sea level);
- the largest fresh water reserves in South America;
- the second largest in South America after Maracaibo.
Scientists believe that Titicaca was part of the sea more than a hundred million years ago and its water was salty. This is evidenced by the marine inhabitants living in its depths, as well as traces of the surf on the slopes of the surrounding mountains.
The area of the lake is 8300 sq. m, the maximum depth is 280 m, and the average is 140 m. The water temperature fluctuates between 10-12 degrees, that is, it is not comfortable to swim in it. Titicaca's water comes from 300 glacial rivers flowing into the lake, which flow out of the lake by the wild Desaguadero mountain river. This river flows 300 km into the stagnant salt lake Poopo. Along the way, the river washes away entire salty layers from its banks, and when Desaguadero connects with Poopo, it is no longer the same freshwater river that burst out of Titicaca, but quite a salty one, by the way, the only one in the world. The Quechua and Aymara peoples live on the shores, including on floating reed islands.
Scientists also believe that about one and a half thousand years ago there was a city on the site of the lake. In 2000, divers from Italy discovered a well-preserved pavement and stone statue at the bottom.
Since at the beginning of the article we talked about reservoirs, let’s continue with that. The Colorado Lagoon is a very shallow salt lake. Like Lake Titicaca, the lagoon is located on the Altiplano plateau. There you can also see the famous salt marshes of Bolivia, which will be discussed below.
Look at the photo of this truly Martian landscape. The layer of water in the lagoon is not the usual one, but red, which, together with the pink flamingos living there, creates a charming, unreal picture. Where did such beauty come from? The red color of salt water is given by the brown algae living in it and sedimentary rocks at the bottom. The shallow, flat bottom attracts thousands of rare James's flamingos to this area.
In 2007, the Colorado Lagoon was nominated as a candidate for the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World, but did not receive the required number of votes.
Salt flats of Uyuni
Now we have reached the truly incredible wonders of Bolivia. Their name is the salt flats of Uyuni. In fact, it is a dried up huge salt lake, covering an area of 10 thousand square meters. kilometers and located at an altitude of 3 thousand meters. Uyuni is more likely not a lake, but a huge salt desert, covered with a mirror-like layer of salt. The thickness of the salt layer in some places reaches eight meters! Moreover, as can be seen in the photo, the surface of the lake is evenly covered with identical salt cones.
But the most amazing thing happens during the rainy season: an even thin layer of water is poured over the entire area of the lake and a stunning mirage arises that people are walking on water, just like the boy in “The Diamond Arm” in the scene with Andrei Mironov. In addition, during the rainy season, another extremely spectacular phenomenon can be observed. Still water becomes a mirror in which the sky with clouds is reflected. And it is impossible to draw a line between heaven and earth, and it is impossible to take your eyes off this spectacle. An optical illusion makes you believe in the existence of other worlds.
The military uses this reflective feature of the salt marshes for their own purposes: they calibrate orbiting satellites on Uyuni.
In the nearby town of Uyuni, residents make extensive use of the free salt, making all sorts of souvenirs out of it and even making it into their homes! There is a hotel in the city built entirely from salt blocks, including furniture made from salt. They say that breathing salty air is very beneficial, so there are always many people who want to spend the night in such a hotel.
- Like most South American countries, Bolivia has street crime. Although in fairness it is worth noting that this is not unlimited crime, as in Mexico, but simple extortion and theft of wallets. When walking along the evening streets, keep an eye on your belongings.
- When photographing on the streets of a city or on the territory of a village, make sure that local residents do not get into the lens; you may get into trouble (at least try to prevent them from seeing that you are filming them).
- It is better to call a taxi by phone rather than catch it on the street.
- You can't drink tap water, buy bottled water. Wash vegetables and fruits and wash your face with bottled water too.
- When crossing the street, be especially careful - local drivers do not bother following traffic rules and rarely use the brakes.
In the following articles I will talk about other attractions of mysterious Bolivia. In the meantime, watch the film and enjoy the wonders.
In the mountains of Bolivia, in the southwestern part of the country, 10 km from the border with Chile, in the territory of the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve there is an amazing lake with red salt water. It is called Laguna Colorado or Red Lagoon.
Colorado Lagoon on the map
- Geographic coordinates (-22.201527, -67.780132)
- The distance from the capital of Bolivia, Sucre, is approximately 450 km
- The nearest airport is Joya Andina (originally Aeropuerto Joya Andina) about 270 km to the northeast. It is located in the northwestern part of the city of Uyuni, near the salt marsh of the same name
Why this color?
As you understand, the water in the lagoon has many shades of red, ranging from orange, burgundy to brown, and even purple.
The color of the water and its salinity are explained by sedimentary rock minerals dissolved in it and the influence of colonies of certain types of bacteria. Moreover, the colors of the water of the Colorado Lagoon usually change depending on weather conditions, temperature and precipitation.
The Red Lagoon is one of the highest salt lakes on the planet. It lies at an altitude of 4278 meters above sea level.
The dimensions of the reservoir are 10.5 by 9.5 kilometers. The surface area is about 60 km 2. But the depth is much more modest. The average depth of the reservoir is about 35 centimeters. The maximum does not exceed one and a half meters. So you can safely cross this lake on foot, if, of course, such a desire arises and you want to spend several hours in salt water. This is highly not recommended, since the water temperature is far from comfortable.
By the way, there is a similar lake in Senegal (though it is much deeper and warmer). It is called Retba. People still mine salt there, practically being in a salty solution for several hours.
Also interesting are the numerous white islands throughout the lagoon. These are deposits of borax, a mineral officially called sodium tetraborate decahydrate. This mineral is used to obtain boron and its compounds. Its white color contrasts strongly with the red water and blue sky, creating surreal landscapes similar to illustrations from other planets.
Red Lagoon - home of flamingos
The Colorado Lagoon is home to a large population of James's flamingos. For a long time, scientists considered this species to be almost extinct, until they discovered a large concentration of them on this red lake. According to rough estimates, up to 30,000 individuals gather here. You can also observe, related to this species, Andean and Chilean flamingos.
In addition to birds, in the vicinity of the lagoon you can see Andean fox, chinchillas, llamas and other animals.
In summer it is relatively warm here, but at night the temperature often drops below 0 o C (do not forget at what altitude the lagoon is located).
The average annual rainfall recorded in the Colorado Lagoon is 75 mm.
Air temperature:
- Average +8.9 o C
- Maximum average value +10.7 o C
- Absolute maximum +17.4 o C
- Minimum average -8.9 o C
- Absolute minimum -17.0 o C
As you can see, you will have to take care of warm clothes and good shoes.
- About 240 kilometers to the north there is another salt lake. This is the famous Salar de Uyuni - one of the most famous places on the planet, where the sky merges with the earth. It is often difficult to determine where the horizon is
- 65 kilometers to the south there is an equally beautiful and amazing lake called Laguna Verde. There you can also see magnificent flamingos, and the water has an incredible, but emerald, color.
- Colorado Lagoon has been included in the Las Seeps Wetlands and has been a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1990.
- In 2007, an international competition was held to determine the modern Seven Wonders of the World. Laguna Colorado was one of the candidates for a place on this list, but did not receive the required number of votes
- There was no exact information about the origin of the name, but most likely it came from the words color (in English “color”). That is, in general terms we can call this place the “Colored Lagoon”. No connections found with the US state of Colorado
Colorado Lagoon photo
Lake Laguna Colorado in Bolivia refutes conventional ideas about the color of water. Contrary to the laws of nature, the waters here are not blue, but red-brown, which, together with the surrounding Martian landscapes and the flocks of flamingos that have chosen these places, gives the lagoon a special flavor.
Colorado Lagoon is a shallow salt lake in the Eduardo Avaroa National Forest. Like other attractions in Bolivia - and - it is located on the vast Alplano plateau, literally dotted with salt marshes.
The unusual color of the water - and depending on the time of day it can be a variety of shades of red - is explained by the pigmentation of the seaweed present in it, as well as sedimentary rocks.
Despite the harsh local climate (and the lake is located at an altitude of four thousand meters and the surrounding landscape here is more like a desert), numerous flamingos fell in love with the rare beauty of the lake - the Colorado Lagoon traditionally attracts pink James flamingos, which almost disappeared in the 1950s, as well as Andean flamingos and Chilean flamingos.
