9781422286418

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Colombia

lated area is one of the wettest places in the Americas, with an average rainfall of 394 inches (1,001 centimeters) per year. Northeast of the Chocó, steamy jungles give way to extremely dry desert land at the northernmost tip of Colombia. Here the narrow Guajira Peninsula, named for the Indian tribe that inhabits the region, extends out into the Caribbean. An arid land rich in coal and salt deposits, the Guajira is the coun- try’s largest desert. But it is not as hot as the Maracaibo Basin in Norte de Santander. This region, near Colombia’s eastern border with Venezuela, is known as the hottest place in South America. A Range of Climates Although the equator crosses through Colombia, most areas of the coun- try do not have a tropical climate. The weather varies, changing from hot to cold as one travels from the lowlands to the highlands. Within a specific region the average temperature tends to remain the same year-round: there are no changes of the seasons. At the lowest elevations, along the seacoast and in the eastern lowlands, the weather is tropical—hot and moist. The Caribbean coastal port of Barranquilla has an average year-round temperature of 82°F (28°C). Similarly, the lowland areas of the Amazon rain forest average about 80°F (27°C), along with 50 to 175 inches (127 to 445 cm) in yearly rainfall. Temperatures become mild higher up in the mountains, at heights between 3,000 and 6,000 feet (approximately 900 and 1,800 meters) above sea level. Cooler temperatures prevail at higher altitudes such as the elevation of Colombia’s capital city, Bogotá. It lies about 8,660 feet (2,640 meters) above sea