The Eastern Andes, is the easternmost of the three main branches of the Andes mountain range in Colombia. It begins near the border with Ecuador and stretches northward over 600 miles, passing through the departments of Nariño, Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Santander, and Norte de Santander, before tapering off into the Serranía del Perijá near the Venezuelan border. Its highest summit is Ritacuba Blanco, located in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy in the department of Boyacá, which rises to 17,749 feet (5,410 meters) and is Colombia’s second-highest peak after Pico Cristóbal Colón. The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy National Park is one of the few places in Colombia where visitors can see glaciers, though these are rapidly retreating. A significant portion of Colombia’s agricultural output comes from the temperate and cool zones of the Eastern Andes, where the elevation provides ideal conditions for crops that do not thrive in the hot lowlands. The region is known for producing potatoes, onions, maize, peas, beans, strawberries, and other vegetables, as well as flowers and dairy products. The highland plains and terraced slopes are intensively cultivated, often by smallholder farms using traditional methods. The range is also home to important páramo ecosystems, especially the Páramo de Sumapaz, considered the largest páramo in the world. These high-altitude moorlands are critical for water regulation and biodiversity, serving as a major source of freshwater for urban centers including Bogotá.