{{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]
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{{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}}