Sierra Madre Occidental

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Geographical view to Mexico and its mountain ranges Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre del Sur

The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico and the extreme southwest of the United States, extending 1500 km from southeast Arizona (south and east of Tucson) southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins with the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Eje Volcánico Transversal of central Mexico. These mountains are generally considered to be part of the much larger American cordillera. Sierra Madre means "Mother Range"

The highest point is probably Cerro Mohinora, located at 25°57′N, 107°03′W. Different sources cite its altitude as either 3250 m or 3300 m. However, other mountains at 26°03′N, 106°25′W and 23°12′N, 104°57′W are of very similar altitude and may possibly be higher.

The range is home to the Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests, noted for their high biodiversity and large number of endemic species.

The mountains are home to several indigenous nations speaking Uto-Aztecan languages, including the Tarahumara in the central portion of the range, and the Huichol in the southern part of the range.

[edit] See also

• Madrean pine-oak woodlands
• Madrean sky islands
• Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests

[edit] External links

• Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak woodlands (World Wildlife Fund)

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