Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/88

 Lon.~West from Greenwich COLOMBIA ?*Kqjgy i? *^S ,- ; "*J < v ,^r . ^3 t*--^r 2<1|1 . Morosaut?0 K ,.. ^^Mffcna^^'r Gobi contains more than one third of the popula- tion of the republic. About lat. 5 N. the E. range rises to the height of perpetual snow, but the highest peak is that of Tolima, in the middle chain, lat. 4 46' N., which rises 18,020 ft. This is the most lofty summit of the An- des proper north of the equator. The range of Santa Marta, which extends along the N". coast between the central and the E. chains, is 19,000 ft. high, but it does not belong to the Andes. The name Andes is here used only as a systematic denomination, for it is unknown in the countries N". of the equator. The moun- tains of the isthmus of Panama, by their di- rection and their geographical position, may be considered as a continuation of the mountains of Antioquia and Choco, or the western Cordille- ra. Between the mountain chains lie immense valleys and plains, which differ much in charac- ter. On the east the llanos, extending to the Orinoco, are generally either swarnps or sun- burnt deserts destitute of trees. In the rainy season immense herds of cattle and horses find pasturage on them. The W. coast and a great