Monte Roraima is a tepui, a table-top mountain, located on the border between Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana. It is the highest of the Pakaraima Mountains, with an elevation of 2,810 meters (9,219 feet). The mountain is surrounded by cliffs that are up to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) high.
The Guiana Highlands is a very unusual mountain range covering parts of Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The highlands are made of ancient sedimentary rock that is over two billion years old and are some of the oldest sedimentary rocks on the planet.
The mountain has a summit area of about 31 square kilometers (12 sq mi). The summit is covered in a dense forest, with many species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world. The mountain is also home to a number of waterfalls, including Angel Falls, which is the world’s highest waterfall by volume.
The mountain is known as a Tepui, which describes a flat-topped mountain with vertical sides. Many waterfalls spill off Roraima, and the other Tepuis; nearly everyone has heard of Angel Falls, which spills off another nearby Tepui. There are many interesting plants that grow on the summit, including many carnivorous plants, i.e., ones that eat insects. There is little soil on top because the constant rains wash it away.
The highest point in Guyana and the highest point of the Brazilian state of Roraima lie on the plateau, but Venezuela and Brazil have higher mountains elsewhere. The triple border point is at 5°12′08″N 60°44′07″W, but the mountain’s highest point is Maverick Rock, 2,810 metres (9,219 ft), at the south end of the plateau and wholly within Venezuela.
Facts about Monte Roraima
Here are some interesting facts about Monte Roraima:
- The mountain is thought to be over 2 billion years old.
- The summit of the mountain is home to a number of endemic species of plants and animals.
- The mountain is a popular destination for hikers and climbers.
- The mountain is a significant landmark in the mythology of the indigenous people of the region.
