Passes and Transportation

Passes through the Andes are high and difficult to approach, but several are used by railways, roads, or both. Uspallata Pass on the Chile-Argentina border is followed by the Pan American Highway. Railroads have been built at great heights in the Andes to bring out valuable minerals, especially in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Most traffic in the mountains, however, is carried on unpaved roads and trails, mainly by burros and llamas. Principal cities are linked by airlines.