Life in the Andes

Stretching along the western edge of South America, the Andes traverse the continent. Unlike many other mountain ranges of their altitude, the Andes sustain human life on their high-altitude slopes. While modernization gradually reaches the high Andes, indigenous communities largely uphold ancestral traditions, cultivating modest crops such as beans and potatoes, with the latter originating in the region, raising sheep and pigs, and living in rudimentary huts. The llama serves as their principal working animal. A striking feature of traditional dress is the derby hats, whose origins remain uncertain. Further down the slopes, agriculture and ranching become more productive, carried out by descendants of Spanish settlers. In the Chilean portion of the Andes lies a famous lake district where resort hotels cluster.