Mount Roraima

Thumbnail: Mount Roraima

Tall, millions of years old rock plateau.

Category: Land elevations
Location: View in Maps
Views: 104
Date added: 04-11-2024

Place overview

Mount Roraima (Spanish: Monte Roraima) is the highest of the Pacaraima chain of table mountains in South America. It is located at the junction of Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. A characteristic large flat-topped mountain surrounded by cliffs 400–1,000 m high. The highest point of Mount Roraima is located on the southern edge of the cliff at an elevation of 2,810 m in Venezuela, and another protrusion at an elevation of 2,772 m (9,094 ft) at the junction of the three countries in the north of the plateau is the highest point in Guyana. The name Mount Roraima came from the native Pemon people. Roroi in the Pemon language means "blue-green", and ma means "great".

Leaching caused by intense rainfall has shaped the peculiar topography of the summit, and the geographical isolation of Mount Roraima has made it home to much endemic flora and fauna. Western exploration of Mount Roraima did not begin until the 19th century, when it was first climbed by a British expedition in 1884. Yet despite subsequent expeditions, its flora and geology remain largely unknown. The privileged setting and relatively easy access and climbing conditions on the south side of the cliffs make Mount Roraima a popular destination for hikers.

Mount Roraima is located in the northern part of South America, the Pacaraima Mountains in the eastern part of the Guyana Plateau, Brazil in the east accounting for 5% of its area, Guyana in the north accounting for 10%, and Venezuela in the south and west accounting for 85%. Access to Mount Roraima from the Venezuelan side is close to the road and relatively easy; however, for both Brazil and Guyana the area is completely isolated and can only be reached by a few days of forest hikes or small local airstrip.

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Place location

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Gallery

View the source gallery here: Mount Roraima Wikimedia