Mountain system, western South America.
One of the great natural features of the globe, the Andes extend north-south about 5,500 mi (8,850 km). They run parallel to the Caribbean Sea coast in Venezuela before turning southwest and entering Colombia. There they form three distinct massifs: the Cordilleras Oriental, Central, and Occidental. In Ecuador they form two parallel cordilleras, one facing the Pacific and the other descending toward the Amazon River basin. These ranges continue southward into Peru; the highest Peruvian peak is Mount Huascarán, 22,205 ft (6,768 m) high in the Cordillera Blanca. In Bolivia the Andes again form two distinct regions; between them lies the Altiplano . Along the border of Chile and Argentina, they form a complex chain that includes their highest peak, Mount Ring of Fire . The Andes mountain system is the source of many rivers, including the Orinoco , Amazon , and {{link=Pilcomayo River">Pilcomayo .