Cordillera de Talamanca

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Waterfall in the Cordillera de Talamanca

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The Cordillera de Talamanca ( Talamanca Mountain Range ) is the largest and highest mountain range of Costa Rica and extends from the province of Cartago (in the north ) to the Volcan Baru in Panama ( in the southeast ). The highest mountain in Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripo ( 3820 m) is located in the Cordillera de Talamanca. Much of the mountain range is located in the La Amistad National Park.

The name goes back to the Talamanca indigenous expression Talamalka, which means in the Miskito language " place of blood".

Geology

Unlike other mountains in Costa Rica is the Cordillera de Talamanca not volcanic in origin, but a tertiary fracture and fold mountains, formed by the collision of the Cocos and the Caribbean plate.

Forests and population

Much of the area is covered by rainforests.

To the east of the mountain range (also Cordillera Central ) sets as the Serranía de Tabasara continued. There, the indigenous people of the Guaymí lives.