51 Cordillera Region Facts: Its Animals, Geography And More

Sakshi Thakur
Jan 19, 2023 By Sakshi Thakur
Originally Published on Jan 06, 2022
Edited by Luca Demetriou
Fact-checked by Pratiti Nath
This region is famous for its Salmon
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.6 Min

Are mesmerizing snow-clad mountains on your mind?

You must read more about the Cordillera mountains to know amazing facts. They are comprised of a few volcanoes in British Columbia.

The Cordillera is a mountain range on Canada's west coast that comprises British Columbia, southwest Alberta, the Yukon, and a portion of the North West Territories. The coast of the Cordillera has a moderate, rainy climate with little snowfall.

The heart of the Cordillera is often colder and drier, with more snow. The region gets less rain in the summer and is warmer during that time.

The Cordillera's scenery consists of lengthy chains of high, rocky mountains. This encompasses both the Rocky and Coastal Mountains. Forests cover a portion of this region. You can go bird watching in the forests and see millions of flinch birds along with many others.

The region is known for its agriculture, forest, natural resources, and mining. Metals like silver, copper, lead, iron, and zinc can be found here. Also, this region is famous for its Salmon. There are so many adventure sports and options to be at peace with nature.

There is extreme weather in the area. So people are known to live in the lower areas of Vancouver. This area has warm weather where people can live.

History Of The Cordillera Region

The Western Cordillera is recognized for its enormous rugged mountains in British Columbia. You may want to know how were they formed?

  • The Western Cordillera is defined by valleys, meadows, and grasslands, and high mountain slopes, and coastal islands.
  • The Western Cordillera is located on two tectonic plates.
  • The mountains were produced by the collision of the two plates.
  • These mountains form the boundary between British Columbia and Alberta.
  • The collision of Pacific plates and North American plates formed the Cordilleran mountains.
  • The Pacific and the North American tectonic plates collided to form the Cordilleran mountains.
  • The mountain ranges were formed due to the crusting of the surface because of the force of the collision.
  • Cordillera is the newest of Canada's three major geographic areas. The other areas are the Canadian Shield and the Interior Plains.
  • This categorization is unique to Canada.
  • The country's intermountain plateaus are thin and may be regarded in conjunction with surrounding coastal mountains.
  • The Western Cordillera originated near the close of the dinosaur era and the start of the huge mammals (now do not exist), rendering it Canada's newest landforms.
  • Kankanaey (Kankanai), Ibaloy, Isneg, Itneg, Ifugao, Bontok, Kalinga, Kalanguya, Iwak, and Ga'dang are the ethnocultural groups of the Cordillera.
  • The Cordillera was a renowned tourist attraction during the Spanish Colonial Period.
  • In the Cordillera Administrative Region, Roman Catholics are around 66% of the complete population.
  • The different people staying here are Evangelicals (eight %). Followed by Christians (3%). Other religions are followed by 23% of the total.

Geography Of The Cordillera Region

An amazing fact about the region is that it is like a mini rainforest.

  • The west coast of Vancouver Island receives an unusually large quantity of rain, resulting in a moderate rain forest environment.
  • The Western Cordillera referred to as the Cordilleran region, or simply Cordillera, is the westernmost physiographic section of the North American continent, ranging from Mexico to Alaska.
  • The Canadian component of this system includes the Rocky Mountains and the Coast Mountains.
  • Although, it lacks the richness of species seen in a tropical rainforest. The island's west coast is home to the oldest and tallest trees in Canada.
  • Western red cedars over 1,300 years old can be seen in this area. Also, Douglas firs over 90 meters tall are found here.
  • The British Columbia coast, bathed in warm, moist Pacific ocean air currents.
  • These are protected from Pacific storms by Vancouver Island. As a result, Vancouver has the most temperate climate among Canada's regions.
  • The Western Cordillera has a marine climate, which implies that water has a large influence on it.
  • The temperature is substantially higher near the shore in the fall and winter, resulting in a lot of rain and milder summers.
  • There is a lot of snow in the interior, especially in the peaks.
  • The Cordillera is made up of three major mountain ranges. The Interior mountain chain is made up of the British Columbia, Skeena, and Ogilvie mountains.
  • The Cordillera is a complex region comprised of three distinct mountain ranges: the Rocky Mountains to the eastward, the Coast Range (California Borderland) and Klamath Mountains to the western side, and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges to the northern side.
  • The Western Cordillera is composed of three major kinds of rocks. The three kinds of rock are metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous.
  • The Cordillera is a mountain range on Canada's west coast that includes British Columbia, the Yukon, southwest Alberta, and a portion of the North West Territories.
  • The Central Cordillera is often cooler and drier, with more snowfall. It is warmer there's lesser rain in the summer.
  • It is interesting to know that the Western Cordillera area extends from the Yukon border to the Canadian-American border. It covers roughly 0.74 million mi (1.2 million km) of Canadian territory.
  • The Rocky Mountains are the most famous mountain ranges that one can visit when in the region.
There are so many adventure sports

What is the Cordillera Region known for?

Cordillera region is known for its Volcanic activities and diverse geographical features all in one place.

  • The Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province has been identified as having approximately 100 separate volcanoes.
  • You may not have known that they have been active in the last 1.8 million years.
  • Three of them seem to have erupted in the last 360 years, making it Canada's most volcanically active region.
  • The ecozone is woody in 65.5% of its area. Montane Cordillera's environment is controlled by fire.
  • The Western Cordillera is lightly populated, with just a few thousand inhabitants.
  • The fact that the mountains run north-south is the fundamental cause for the region's low population.
  • Mule Deer, Stone Sheep, Grizzly Bear, Rocky Mountain Elk, and Black Bear are common in lush meadow habitats and stunted spruce woods known as krummholz.
  • In the midrange and higher elevations, species such as Mountain Goat, Moose, Caribou, and Mule Deer can be spotted easily. They even come closer to the cities and enter houses.
  • The Steller’s jay, sage thrasher, white-throated swift, black-billed magpie, red-winged blackbird, cedar waxwing, house finch, purple finch, Cassin's finch, brown creeper, and American dipper are all among the songbirds frequently seen on the Montane Cordillera.
  • Flinch is the most commonly found bird in the Cordillera region. These are small birds and can survive the weather here.
  • Cordillera is the finest and principal source of highland vegetables.
  • You can get lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, and other greens.
  • The area is particularly famous for its delicious strawberries and aromatic coffee.
  • The Pacific Cordillera is home to famous mountain ranges such as the Canadian Rockies, the Skagit Range of the North Cascades, and the Coast Mountains.
  • The popular Sunshine Coast and Sea-to-Sky Corridor, are key tourist attractions and the geographical base of a substantial amount of British Columbia's economy.
  • There are many other winter sports as well in the region that attracts adventurers from all over the world.
  • The Coast Mountains are composed of igneous and metamorphic rock resulting from an arc volcanism episode related to the convergence of the Kula and Farallon Plates around 100 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny.
  • Cordillera music is defined by two distinct sound characteristics of music devices based on their varied materials.
  • The first are made of bamboo (flutes and musical instruments), and others, constructed of metal (gongs).

What provinces are in the Cordillera Region?

The Cordillera is a mountain range on Canada's west coast that comprises British Columbia,  southwest Alberta, the Yukon, and a portion of the North West Territories.

  • A mountain range system is typically made up of a number of more or less consecutive chains (from the ancient Spanish cordillera, 'cord,' or 'little rope').
  • The Cordilleras may be found in both the Americas and Eurasia.
  • The North American Cordillera, also known as the Western Cordillera of North America, Western Cordillera, or Pacific Cordillera. It is a portion of the American Cordillera, a mountain chain system (cordillera).
  • It stretches along the western coast of the Americas (Pacific coast).
  • Much of the terrain west of the Great Plains is covered by the North America Cordillera.
  • Encompasses mountain ranges, intermontane basins, and plateaus.
  • In Western Canada/Northwestern Canada, the Western United States, and Mexico.
  • It is interesting to know that a part of it can be found in the arctic circle as well.
  • The exact boundaries of this cordillera and its subregions, or the names of its various characteristics, may differ.
  • These depend on nation or jurisdiction definitions, as well as a scientific discipline.
  • Cordillera is a highly noteworthy subject in the scientific field of physical geography.
  • The North America Cordillera, which runs from Alaska to Mexico's southern border, has some of the continent's highest peaks.
  • Rugged mountains that stretch north to south may be found in the Pacific Coast Ranges in the west, the Nevadan belt in the middle (which includes the Sierra Nevada), and the Laramide belt in the east (including the Rocky Mountains).
  • The lumber business is the best known in the region. There are numerous trees that encourage this business.
  • Adventure sports are the latest trend in bringing in tourists from all over the world.
  • Nature lovers too find paradise here, you can spend time in the open and enjoy camping. Lone travelers are safe in the region.

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Written by Sakshi Thakur

Bachelor of Science

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Sakshi ThakurBachelor of Science

Sakshi is a skilled content writer with extensive experience in the education industry. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for helping others, she has developed a reputation for excellence in academic content writing. She has worked with esteemed professionals such as Mr. Kapil Raj, a professor of History of Science at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, further enhancing her knowledge and expertise. Sakshi is well-versed in the latest developments in e-learning and has a deep understanding of how to engage students and make learning fun and accessible. In her spare time, she indulges in her creative passions, including painting, embroidery, and listening to soft music. She also enjoys exploring new cultures and traveling, which helps her broaden her perspectives and inspire her writing. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Science from Panjab University.

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Fact-checked by Pratiti Nath

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology, Masters of Science specializing in Biotechnology

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Pratiti NathBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology, Masters of Science specializing in Biotechnology

A Master's in Biotechnology from Presidency University and a Bachelor's in Microbiology from Calcutta University. Pratiti holds expertise in writing science and healthcare articles, and their inputs and feedback help writers create insightful content. They have interests in heritage, history, and climate change issues and have written articles for various websites across multiple subjects. Their experience also includes working with eco-friendly startups and climate-related NGOs.

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