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Tierra fria (Spanish for cold land) is a pseudoclimatological term used in Latin America to refer to montaine locations within that realm, where high altitude results in a markedly cooler climate than that encountered in the lowlands at a comparable latitude.
To a climatologist, the term is inaccurate, since the places so designated would hardly be reckoned as having a "cold" climate as the discipline of climatology defines the concept; in reality, the combination of low latitude and high altitude — typically between approximately 1,850 meters (about 6,000 feet) and 3,600 meters (about 12,000 feet) in locations within 10° of the equator — produces a climate that falls into the same category as many oceanic climates found along the west coasts of the continents within the temperate zones — mild temperatures all year round, with monthly averages ranging from about 10°C (50°F) in the coldest months to about 18°C (64.4°F) in the warmest months (at places further poleward the range of altitudes where this climate exists becomes progressively lower).
Beyond the tierra fria is a region known as the puna, or páramos; near the Equator this encompasses places with altitudes of between roughly 3,600 meters (12,000 feet) and 4,500 meters (15,000 feet), representing the tree line and the snow line respectively. Vegetation here resembles that found in the tundra of the polar regions. Still higher is the tierra helada, where permanent snow and ice prevail.
Some of Latin America's largest cities are found in the tierra fria, most notably Bogotá, Colombia, Mexico City, Mexico and Quito, Ecuador, all three cities also being the capitals of those respective countries.
Agriculture in the region resembles that which is conducted in valley areas in the temperate zones, featuring such crops as barley and potatoes.
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