Sierra Madre Oriental | Mountain Range, North America | Britannica

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Quick Summary

The Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range located in eastern Mexico, running parallel to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This range is part of the larger Sierra Madre mountain system.1

Key features include: * Location: Eastern Mexico, parallel to the Gulf coast. * Elevation: Summit elevations are typically around 7,000 feet (2,100 meters), with some peaks exceeding 10,000 feet, such as Cerro Peña Nevada.2 * Topography: Characterized by steep-walled, narrow valleys, some aligned north to south. It provides gateways from the Gulf lowlands to the plateau.2 * Vegetation: Lower elevations, particularly in the southern parts, feature lush, broad-leaved tropical growth due to adequate rainfall.3

The range's geological structure is composed of folded sedimentary strata, and it becomes a striking range south of Monterrey.2

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4 Britannica Sources

1. Sierra Madre - Physiography of the Sierra Madre
2. Definition of Sierra Madre Oriental
3. Sierra Madre - Plant and animal life
4. Sierra Madre - Study and exploration

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major reference

• In Mexico: Physiographic regions

  The Sierra Madre Oriental, a range of folded mountains formed of shales and limestones, is situated on the eastern side of the Mexican Plateau. Often considered an extension of the Rocky Mountains (which are cut by the Rio Grande but continue in New Mexico and western…

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Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

• In Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

  …are the mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental, many of which are more than 7,000 feet (2,100 metres) above sea level and have pine and oak forests on the lower slopes; the Huasteca Canyon ecological park near Monterrey; and the 82-foot (25-metre) Cola de Caballo (Spanish: “Horse Tail”) waterfalls, southwest…

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elevation

• In Nuevo León

  …is crossed by the southeastward-running Sierra Madre Oriental, which has an average elevation of 5,000 feet (1,500 metres). The extreme north consists of the plain along the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte). The arid and semiarid climate of the northern half of the state supports only cacti and shrubs.…

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Sierra Madre

• In Sierra Madre

  …Occidental (to the west), the Sierra Madre Oriental (to the east), and the Sierra Madre del Sur (to the south). These ranges enclose the great central Mexican Plateau, which itself is a part of the system—although the northern portion of the plateau also is considered to be part of the…

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