Llanos

{{redirect|Los Llanos|the Chilean region|Los Llanos, Chile}} [[Image:Los Llanos Colombia by David.png|thumb|right|300px|The Llanos in [[Colombia]].]] [[File:La Gran Sabana.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Llanos in [[Venezuela]]]] The '''Llanos''' ({{IPA-es|ˈʝanos}} or {{IPA-es|ˈʎanos|}}, ''The [[Plain]]s'') is a vast [[tropical grassland]] [[plain]] situated to the east of the [[Andes]] in [[Colombia]] and [[Venezuela]], in northwestern [[South America]]. It is an [[ecoregion]] of the [[Flooded grasslands and savannas]] [[Biome]]. The Llanos' main river is the [[Orinoco]], which forms part of the border between Colombia and Venezuela and is the major river system of Venezuela. ==Climate== The climate change of the Llanos is extreme. During the [[wet season|rainy season]] from May to October, parts of the Llanos can flood up to a meter. This turns the [[woodland]]s and [[grassland]] into a temporary [[wetland]], comparable to the [[Pantanal]] of central South America. This flooding also makes the area unique for its wildlife. The area supports around 70 species of [[water bird]]s, including the [[Scarlet Ibis]]. A large portion of the distribution of the [[White-bearded Flycatcher]] is in the Llanos. ==Agriculture== The flooding also makes the area unfit for most agriculture before the advent of modern, [[Industrial Revolution|industrial]] farming technology. Therefore, during the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spanish colonial era]], the prime economic activity of the area came from the herding of millions of heads of [[cattle]]. The term ''[[llanero]]'' ("plainsman") became synonymous with the cowhands that took care of the herds, and had some cultural similarities to the compare to the [[gaucho]]s of the [[Pampas]] or the ''[[Cowboy|vaqueros]]'' of [[Spanish Texas|Spanish]] and [[Mexican Texas]]. The area slopes gradually away from the highland areas that surround it; elevation [[above mean sea level|above sea level]] in the llanos area never exceeds 200 meters. ===In Colombia=== *[[Acacias, Meta]] *[[Arauca, Arauca]] *[[Gaviotas]] *[[Mani, Casanare]] *[[Orocue]] *[[Paz de Ariporo]] *[[Puerto Carreño]] *[[Puerto Inirida]] *[[Puerto López, Meta]] *[[San José del Guaviare]] *[[Saravena]] *[[Tame, Arauca|Tame]] *[[Villavicencio]] *[[Yopal]] ===In Venezuela=== *[[Acarigua]] *[[Araure]] *[[Barinas, Venezuela|Barinas]] *[[Calabozo]] *[[Caripito]] *[[El Tigre]] *[[Guanare]] *[[Maturín]] *[[Puerto Ayacucho]] *[[Sabaneta, Barinas|Sabaneta]] *[[San Carlos, Cojedes|San Carlos]] *[[San Fernando de Apure]] *[[Tucupita]] *[[Valle de la Pascua]] ==See also== * [[History of Colombia]] * [[History of Venezuela]] [[:Category:Ecoregions of South America|Index: Ecoregions of South America]] ==External links== {{commons category}} [http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=30235 Dawn on the Plains] Photo Feature, ''Havana Times'', Oct 1, 2010. [http://www.llanera.com/musica/ The llanos music] [http://www.llanera.com/regiones/ The llanos of Colombia and Venezuela] [http://www.sanmartinmeta.com Los Llanos de Colombia] [http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0709_full.html Ecoregion NT0709 (WWF)] {{Geographical Regions of Venezuela}} {{coord missing|Venezuela}}