Consider the following countries: I. Bolivia II. Brazil III. Colombia IV. Ecuador V. Paraguay VI. Venezuela. Andes mountains pass through how many of the above countries?

Answer: (c) Only four

Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Statement by statement

1. ✓ YES The Andes split into two ranges around the Altiplano plateau, where La Paz sits.

2. ✗ NO Brazil is Amazon lowland and the Brazilian highlands — no Andes.

3. ✓ YES The Andes fan out into three ranges in Colombia.

4. ✓ YES Quito and the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” (Cotopaxi, Chimborazo) are Andean.

5. ✗ NO Paraguay is landlocked lowland (the Chaco), east of the Andes.

6. ✓ YES The Andes end in the Cordillera de Mérida in western Venezuela.

The idea

The Andes run 7,000 km along the western edge of South America through 7 countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Why the others are wrong

(a) Counts only Colombia and Ecuador (“the equatorial Andes”). Bolivia and Venezuela have them too.

(b) Four, not three — Venezuela is often forgotten.

(d) Adds Brazil or Paraguay — lowland countries east of the Andes.

The trap

Venezuela is thought of as a Caribbean country and gets dropped. The Andes’ northern tip is in western Venezuela.