Caribbean natural region
| Caribbean region | |
|---|---|
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|
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Neotropic |
| Biome | Marine, Dry Forest, Rainforest, Montane Forest, Páramo, Desert, Wetlands |
| Geography | |
| Country |
 Colombia
|
| Oceans or seas | Caribbean Sea |
| Rivers | Sinú, Magdalena, Ranchería |
| Climate type | Tropical |
| Conservation | |
| Global 200 | Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Ciénaga Grande |
The Caribbean region is mostly lowland plains extending from the northern reaches of the Colombian Andes to the Caribbean Sea that are characterized by a variety of ecosystems including: humid forests, dry forests, savannas, wetlands and desert. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta rise from the plains to snow-capped peaks, separated from the Andes as an isolated area of high biodiversity and endemism. It contains one of the largest marshes in Colombia, the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta. The main river is the Magdalena which is fully navigable in the region and a major path for the flow of shipments to and from inland Colombia.
The Caribbean region contains 6 subregions which differ in certain natural aspects.
The Guajira Peninsula is the most northerly point of South America and mostly desertic due to the rain shadow of the high Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and is only crossed by the Ranchería River with no other major water courses in the area; thus water is scarce. A small mountain range, the Serranía de Macuira, is located in the tip of the peninsula and contains a unique dwarf cloud forest completely surrounded by desert. Large estuaries near Riohacha are protected as the SFF Los Flamencos which is meant to protect the habitat for the American flamingo.
The Magdalena River basin extends from the Andes through the Magdalena River valley and into the Caribbean plains, where major tributaries integrate into the floodplain. The massive Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is situated between the delta and the base of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
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Wikipedia