The Altiplano is an area of inland drainage (endorheism) lying in the central

Andes, occupying parts of northern Chile and Argentina, western Bolivia and
southern Peru. Its height averages about 3,750 meters (12,300 feet),[3] slightly
less than that of the Tibetan Plateau. Unlike conditions in Tibet, the Altiplano is
dominated by massive active volcanoes of the Central Volcanic Zone to the west,
such as Ampato (6288 m), Tutupaca (5,816 m), Parinacota (6348 m), Guallatiri (6071
m), Paruma (5,728 m), Uturunku (6,008 m) and Licancabur (5,916 m), and the
Cordillera Real in the north east with Illampu (6,368 m), Huayna Potos (6,088 m),
Janq'u Uma (6,427 m) and Illimani (6,438 m).[4] The Atacama Desert, one of the
driest areas on the planet, lies to the southwest of the Altiplano; to the east
lies the humid Amazon rainforest.

The Altiplano is noted for hypoxic air caused by very high elevation.

History[edit]
At various times during the Pleistocene epoch, both the southern and northern
Altiplano were covered by vast pluvial lakes. Remnants are Lake Titicaca,
straddling the PeruBolivia border, and Poop, a salt lake that extends south of
Oruro, Bolivia. Salar de Uyuni, locally known as Salar de Tunupa, and Salar de
Coipasa are two large dry salt flats formed after the Altiplano paleolakes dried
out.

Climatic zones[edit]

The Bolivian Altiplano at about 4,250 m (14,000 feet). The snow-covered peaks of
the Cordillera Real rise in the background.
The term Altiplano is sometimes used to identify the altitude zone and the type of
climate that prevails within it: it is colder than that of the tierra fra but not
as cold as that of the tierra helada. Scientists classify the latter as commencing
at an elevation of approximately 4,500 meters (or about 15,000 feet). Alternate
names used in place of altiplano in this context include puna and pramos.

Climate[edit]
In extentum, the climate is cool and humid to semi-arid and even arid, with mean
annual temperatures that vary from 3 C near the western mountain range to 12 C
near Lake Titicaca; and total annual rainfall that ranges between less than 200 mm
to the south west to more than 800 mm near and over Lake Titicaca. The diurnal
cycle of temperature is very wide, with maximum temperatures in the order of 12 to
24 C and the minimum in the order of -20 to 10 C.[citation needed]

The coldest temperatures occur in the southwestern portion of the Altiplano during
the months of June and July, which correspond to the austral winter. The seasonal
cycle of rainfall is marked, with the rainy season concentrated between December
and March. The rest of the year tends to be very dry, cool, windy and sunny.
Snowfall may happen between April and September, especially to the north, but it is
not very common (between one and five times a year).

Panorama of Peruvian Altiplano.

Geology[edit]

A rock sculpted by wind erosion (or Aeolian processes) in the Bolivian Altiplano.
See also: Altiplano Basin, Geology of Bolivia, and AltiplanoPuna volcanic complex
Several mechanisms have been put forth for the formation of the Altiplano plateau;
hypotheses try to explain why the topography in the Andes incorporates this large
area of low relief at high altitude (high plateau) within the orogen:

Existence of weaknesses in the Earth's crust prior to tectonic shortening. Such

weaknesses would cause the partition of tectonic deformation and uplift into the
eastern and western cordillera, leaving the necessary space for the formation of
the altiplano basin.
Magmatic processes rooted in the asthenosphere might have contributed to uplift of
the plateau
Climate has controlled the spatial distribution of erosion and sediment deposition,
controlling the lubrication along the subducting Nazca Plate and hence influencing
the transmission of tectonic forces into South America.
Climate also determined the formation of internal drainage (endorheism) and
sediment trapping within the Andes, potentially blocking tectonic deformation in
the central area between the two cordilleras, and expelling deformation towards the
flanks of the orogen[5]
Convective removal of the dense lower lithosphere beneath the Altiplano caused that
region to isostatically 'float' higher