How do mountains differ in origin? How mountains are formed and what they are like

So, according to the origin of mountains, there are tectonic, volcanic and erosional (denudation):

Tectonic mountains are formed as a result of the collision of moving parts of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes folds to form on the surface of the earth. This is how folded mountains arise. When interacting with air, water and under the influence of glaciers, the rock layers that form folded mountains lose their plasticity, which leads to the formation of cracks and faults. Currently, folded mountains have been preserved in their original form only in certain parts of the young mountains - the Himalayas, formed during the era of Alpine folding.

With repeated movements of the earth's crust, hardened folds rock break into large blocks, which rise or fall under the influence of tectonic forces. This is how folded block mountains arise. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the Altai mountains. The emergence of these mountains occurred during the Baikal and Caledonian eras of mountain building; in the Hercynian and Mesozoic eras they were subject to repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-block mountains was finally adopted during the Alpine folding.

Volcanic mountains are formed during the process of volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along fault lines in the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

Volcanic There are two types of mountains:

Volcanic cones. These mountains acquired their cone-shaped appearance as a result of the eruption of magma through long cylindrical vents. This type of mountain is widespread throughout the world. These are Fuji in Japan, Mount Mayon in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Misti in Peru, Shasta in California, etc.
Shield volcanoes. Formed by repeated outpouring of lava. They differ from volcanic cones in their asymmetrical shape and small in size.

In the areas globe, where active volcanic activity, entire chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the chain Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin with a length of more than 1600 km. These islands are the tops of underwater volcanoes, whose height from the surface of the ocean floor is more than 5500 meters.

Erosion (denudation) mountains.

Erosion Mountains arose as a result of intensive dissection of stratified plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most mountains of this type are characterized by a table shape and the presence of box-shaped and sometimes canyon-type valleys between them. The last type of valley occurs most often when a lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosional (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyuisky, Tungussky, Ilimsky, etc.). Most often, erosion mountains can be found not in the form of separate mountain systems, but within mountain ranges, where they are formed by the dissection of rock layers by mountain rivers.

Mountains- strongly dissected parts of land, significantly, by 500 meters or more, elevated above the adjacent plains.

The main feature by which mountains are classified is the height of the mountains. So, according to the height of the mountains there are:

Lowlands (low mountains)– mountain heights up to 800 meters above sea level.

Features of low mountains:

The tops of the mountains are round, flat,

· The slopes are gentle, not steep, covered with forest,

· Characteristically, there are river valleys between the mountains.

Examples: Northern Urals, spurs of the Tien Shan, some ridges of Transcaucasia, Khibiny Mountains Kola Peninsula, individual mountains of Central Europe.

Medium mountains (medium or mid-altitude mountains)– the height of these mountains is from 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.

Features of the middle mountains: Medium-altitude mountains are characterized by altitudinal zonation, i.e. change of landscape with change in altitude.

Examples of medium mountains: Mountains of the Middle Urals, Polar Urals, island mountains New Earth, mountains of Siberia and Far East, mountains of the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, Appalachians in North America and etc.

Highlands (high mountains)– the height of these mountains is more than 3000 meters above sea level. These are young mountains, the relief of which is intensively formed under the influence of external and internal processes.

Features of the highlands:

· Mountain slopes are steep, high,

· The peaks of the mountains are sharp, peak-shaped, have a specific name - “Carlings”,

The mountain ridges are narrow, jagged,

· Characterized by altitudinal zones from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the tops.

Examples of highlands: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakorum, Rocky Mountains, etc.

The next characteristic by which mountains are classified is their origin. So, according to the origin of mountains, there are tectonic, volcanic and erosional (denudation):

Tectonic mountains are formed as a result of the collision of moving parts of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes folds to form on the surface of the earth. This is how they arise fold mountains. When interacting with air, water and under the influence of glaciers, the rock layers that form folded mountains lose their plasticity, which leads to the formation of cracks and faults. Currently, folded mountains have been preserved in their original form only in certain parts of the young mountains - the Himalayas, formed during the era of Alpine folding.

With repeated movements of the earth's crust, hardened folds of rock are broken into large blocks, which, under the influence of tectonic forces, rise or fall. This is how they arise fold-block mountains. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the Altai mountains. The emergence of these mountains occurred during the Baikal and Caledonian eras of mountain building; in the Hercynian and Mesozoic eras they were subject to repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-block mountains was finally adopted during the Alpine folding.

Volcanic mountains formed during volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along fault lines in the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

Volcanic there are mountains two types:

Volcanic cones. These mountains acquired their cone-shaped appearance as a result of the eruption of magma through long cylindrical vents. This type of mountain is widespread throughout the world. These are Fuji in Japan, Mount Mayon in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Misti in Peru, Shasta in California, etc.
Shield volcanoes. Formed by repeated outpouring of lava. They differ from volcanic cones in their asymmetrical shape and small size.

In areas of the globe where active volcanic activity occurs, entire chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the chain of Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin, more than 1600 km long. These islands are the tops of underwater volcanoes, whose height from the surface of the ocean floor is more than 5500 meters.

Erosion (denudation) mountains.

Erosion mountains arose as a result of the intensive dissection of stratified plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most mountains of this type are characterized by a table shape and the presence of box-shaped and sometimes canyon-type valleys between them. The last type of valley occurs most often when a lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosional (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyuisky, Tungussky, Ilimsky, etc.). Most often, erosion mountains can be found not in the form of separate mountain systems, but within mountain ranges, where they are formed by the dissection of rock layers by mountain rivers.

Mountains are vast areas of land or ocean floor that are significantly elevated and highly dissected. Based on their appearance, mountains are divided into mountain ranges, chains, ridges and mountainous countries. Separately standing mountains are rare, representing either volcanoes or the remains of ancient destroyed mountains. The morphological elements of mountains are: base, or sole; slopes; peak or ridge (at ridges).

The base of a mountain is the boundary between its slopes and the surrounding area, and it is quite clearly expressed. With a gradual transition from the plain to the mountains, a strip is distinguished, which is called the foothills.

Slopes occupy most of the mountain surface and are extremely varied in appearance and steepness.

The summit is the highest point of a mountain (mountain ranges), the pointed top of a mountain is a peak.

2. Medium-altitude mountains (medium mountains) with heights from 800 to 2000 m. The average steepness of the slopes is 10-25°, the shapes are very diverse. Soft ones are typical for the mountains of the Southern and Kopet-Dag, etc. Pointed, peaked peaks, sharp ridges, steep rocky peaks - the mountains of the Polar Urals, etc.

3. High mountains (highlands) - above 2000 m, slope steepness more than 25°. The high mountain zone is entirely rocky, the ridges are jagged, and characterized by sharp peaks and. Individual mountain peaks rise especially high. For example, greatest height reach in the Himalayas Chomolungma () - 8848 m, Chogori - 8611 m.

Mountains are divided into young and ancient. Young mountains are those that, from a geological point of view, arose relatively recently (Caucasus, etc.). These mountains continue to grow, which is accompanied in some places by... In the ancient mountains, internal processes have long calmed down, while external forces continue to carry out their destructive work, gradually leveling them (Scandinavian mountains, the Urals, etc.). Based on their origin, mountains are divided into tectonic and volcanic. The most common type of mountains is tectonic (up to 90%), resulting from mountain-building movements. Tectonic mountains are divided into folded, block and folded-block.

Folded mountains are mountains that arise in areas of the earth’s crust characterized by great plasticity and mobility. Here, over a long geological time, there is a powerful accumulation of sedimentary rocks, which leads to subsidence of these areas. The emerging counter laterals lead to the crushing of sedimentary strata into folds and a general uplift of the entire region. Moreover, large blocks of the earth’s crust rise in a peculiar way: one slope is steep, and the second is gentle. The uplift is accompanied by the formation of a foothill trough, located nearby and resulting from subsidence. The asymmetrical structure of folded mountainous countries and foothills can be traced in all mountainous countries. In the mountains Greater Caucasus, Alps, Urals, the layers lie obliquely, curved.

The main characteristic feature of folded mountains is their elongation in the form of chains of high mountain ranges over long distances, hundreds and thousands of kilometers.

Block mountains are uplifts of the earth's surface bounded by faults. They consist of layers of rocks folded into folds, have flat surfaces of peaks and steep rocky slopes of valleys. Block mountains arise as a result of faults, i.e. displacement of rocks along a vertical or steeply inclined crack, forming one or several fault steps with a displacement of 1-2 km. This Drakensberg Mountains in Africa, Western and Eastern Ghats in . During faults, peculiar processes occur - horsts and grabens are formed. Horsts are raised sections of the earth’s crust, limited by faults: the Harz Mountains, Tarbagatai Mountains, and the ridges of Central Africa. Grabens are sections of the earth's crust that have been lowered along faults. Many of them house largest lakes Lands (, Great North American, a number of lakes in Africa).

Folded block mountains appeared on the site of sections of the earth's crust that underwent mountain building in the distant past, but, collapsing, they turned into hilly plains. The soil in these areas has lost its plasticity and acquired rigidity and stability. Then these areas underwent repeated mountain building, which was accompanied by faults, faults, uplifts and lowerings of individual blocks (revived mountains). These are mountains with flat tops and steep cliffs— Ural, Ridges, Central French Massif, Eastern Mountains, etc.

Volcanic mountains are composed of products (bulk) and are isolated formations. In their height, volcanic mountains are not inferior to tectonic ones. Thus, the highest on Earth Aconcagua () has a height of 6960 m.

Erosion mountains are formed as a result of tectonic uplifts and their subsequent deep dissection by watercourses. The modern relief of eroded mountains was created mainly by the activity of flowing waters.

Relief value in economic activity person is very large. Choosing a place of settlement, planning cities, the most convenient places for the construction of nuclear power plants is accompanied by a detailed study of the terrain, especially in areas

There are many types and types of mountains* Mountains differ in structure, shape, age, origin, height, geographical location etc

Let's look at the main types of mountains.

The main feature by which mountains are classified is the height of the mountains. So, according to the height of the mountains there are:

Lowlands (low mountains) – mountain heights up to 800 meters above sea level.

Features of low mountains:

  • The tops of the mountains are round, flat,
  • The slopes are gentle, not steep, covered with forest,
  • Characteristically, there are river valleys between the mountains.

Examples: Northern Urals, spurs of the Tien Shan, some ridges of Transcaucasia, Khibiny Mountains on the Kola Peninsula, individual mountains of Central Europe.

Medium mountains (medium or mid-altitude mountains) – the height of these mountains is from 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.

Features of the middle mountains:

  • Medium-altitude mountains are characterized by altitudinal zonation, i.e. change of landscape with change in altitude.

Examples of medium mountains: The mountains of the Middle Urals, the Polar Urals, the mountains of the island of Novaya Zemlya, the mountains of Siberia and the Far East, the mountains of the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, the Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, the Appalachians in North America, etc.

More examples of medium mountains (added at the request of visitors):

  • more than half of the territory Altai mountains(800-2000 meters),
  • mid-mountain ridges of the Eastern Sayans,
  • Aldan Highlands (height up to 2306 meters),
  • medium-altitude ridges of the Chukotka Plateau,
  • Orulgan ridge as part of the Verkhoyansk ridge (height - up to 2409 meters),
  • Chersky ridge (the highest point is Mount Chingikan with a height of 1644 meters),
  • Sikhote-Alin (the highest point is Mount Tordoki-Yani with a height of 2090 meters),
  • High Tatras (highest point - Mount Gerlachovsky Štit, 2655 m),
  • mid-mountain ridges of Transbaikalia (Daursky (up to 1526 m), Malkhansky (up to 1741 m), Dzhidinsky (up to 2027 m), Olekminsky Stanovik (average ridge height - from 1000 to 1400 m, maximum - 1845 m), Vitim Plateau (height from 1200 up to 1600 m) etc.).

Highlands (high mountains) – the height of these mountains is more than 3000 meters above sea level. These are young mountains, the relief of which is intensively formed under the influence of external and internal processes.

Features of the highlands:

  • The mountain slopes are steep, high,
  • The peaks of the mountains are sharp, peak-shaped, and have a specific name - “Carlings”,
  • The mountain ridges are narrow, jagged,
  • It is characterized by altitudinal zones from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the tops.

Examples of highlands: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakorum, Rocky Mountains, etc.

The next characteristic by which mountains are classified is their origin. So, by origin, mountains are tectonic, volcanic and erosive. (denudation):

are formed as a result of the collision of moving sections of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes folds to form on the surface of the earth. This is how they arise fold mountains. When interacting with air, water and under the influence of glaciers, the rock layers that form folded mountains lose their plasticity, which leads to the formation of cracks and faults. Currently, folded mountains have been preserved in their original form only in certain parts of the young mountains - the Himalayas, formed during the era of Alpine folding.

With repeated movements of the earth's crust, hardened folds of rock are broken into large blocks, which, under the influence of tectonic forces, rise or fall. This is how they arise fold-block mountains. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the Altai mountains. The emergence of these mountains occurred during the Baikal and Caledonian eras of mountain building; in the Hercynian and Mesozoic eras they were subject to repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-block mountains was finally adopted during the Alpine folding.

formed during volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along fault lines in the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

Volcanic there are mountains two types:

Volcanic cones. These mountains acquired their cone-shaped appearance as a result of the eruption of magma through long cylindrical vents. This type of mountain is widespread throughout the world. These are Fuji in Japan, Mount Mayon in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Misti in Peru, Shasta in California, etc.
Shield volcanoes. Formed by repeated outpouring of lava. They differ from volcanic cones in their asymmetrical shape and small size.

In areas of the globe where active volcanic activity occurs, entire chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the chain of Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin, more than 1600 km long. These islands are the tops of underwater volcanoes, whose height from the surface of the ocean floor is more than 5500 meters.

Erosion (denudation) mountains .

Erosion mountains arose as a result of the intensive dissection of stratified plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most mountains of this type are characterized by a table shape and the presence of box-shaped and sometimes canyon-type valleys between them. The last type of valley occurs most often when a lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosional (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyuisky, Tungussky, Ilimsky, etc.). Most often, erosion mountains can be found not in the form of separate mountain systems, but within mountain ranges, where they are formed by the dissection of rock layers by mountain rivers.

Another sign of mountain classification is the shape of the peak.

By the nature of the apical endings there are mountains: peak-shaped, dome-shaped, plateau-shaped, etc.

Peaked mountain peaks.

Peaked mountain peaks- these are pointed mountain peaks, shaped like peaks, which is where the name of this species comes from mountain peaks. They are characteristic mainly of young mountains with steep rocky slopes, sharp ridges and deep crevices of river valleys.

Examples of mountains with peaked peaks:

Peak Communism (mountain system – Pamir, height 7495 meters)

Pobeda Peak (Tian Shan mountain system, height 7439 meters)

Mount Kazbek (mountain system – Pamir, height 7134 meters)

Pushkin Peak (mountain system - Caucasus, height 5100 meters)

Plateau-shaped mountain peaks.

Mountain tops that are flat in shape are called plateau-shaped.

Examples of plateau-like mountains:

Front Range(English) FrontRange) - mountain range in the southern Rocky Mountains of the United States, adjacent to the Great Plains on the west. The ridge stretches from south to north for 274 km. The highest point is Mount Grays Peak (4349 m). The ridge is composed mainly of granites. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the eastern slopes are gentle, the western slopes are steep.

Khibiny(kild. Umptek) - the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. Geological age is about 350 million years. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the slopes are steep with isolated snowfields. At the same time, not a single glacier was discovered in the Khibiny Mountains. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).

Amby(translated from Amharic as Mountain Fortress) is the name of the flat-topped hills and mesas in Ethiopia. They consist mainly of horizontal sandstones and layers of basalt. This determines the flat-topped shape of the mountains. Ambas are located at an altitude of up to 4,500 m.

A variety of mountains with plateau-like peaks are the so-called mesas(German) Tafelberg, Spanish Mesa- in the lane table) – mountains with a truncated flat top. The flat top of these mountains is usually composed of a durable layer (limestone, sandstone, traps, hardened lava). The slopes of mesa mountains are usually steep or stepped. Table mountains arise when stratified plains (for example, the Turgai Plateau) are dissected by flowing waters.

Famous mesas:

  • Amby, (Ethiopia)
  • Elbe Sandstone Mountains, (Germany)
  • Lilienstein, (Germany)
  • Buchberg, (Germany)
  • Koenigstein, (Germany)
  • Tafelberg (Thule), (Greenland)
  • Ben Bulben, (Ireland)
  • Etjo, (Namibia)
  • Gamsberg, (Namibia)
  • Grootberg, (Namibia)
  • Waterberg, (Namibia)
  • Szczelinec Wielkiy, (Poland)
  • Kistenstöckli, (Switzerland)
  • Tafelberg (Suriname)
  • Tepui, (Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana)
  • Monument Valley, (USA)
  • Black Mesa (USA)
  • Table Mountain, (South Africa)
  • Dining room (mountain, Caucasus).

Dome-shaped mountain peaks.

The dome-shaped, that is, rounded, shape of the top can be taken by:

Laccoliths are unformed volcanoes in the form of a hill with a magma core inside,

Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,

Small areas of land that have undergone a dome-shaped tectonic uplift and, under the influence of erosion processes, have taken on a mountainous appearance.

Examples of mountains with a domed top:

Black Hills (USA). The area was subject to dome uplift and much of the sedimentary cover was removed by further denudation and erosion. As a result, the central core was exposed. It consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks.

Ai-Nikola(Ukrainian Ai-Nikola, Crimean Catholicate. Ay Nikola, Ai Nikola) - a domed outlier mountain, the southeastern spur of Mount Mogabi near the western outskirts of the village of Oreanda. It is composed of Upper Jurassic limestones. Height - 389 meters above sea level.

Castel(Ukrainian Kastel, Crimean Catholicate. Qastel, Kaastel) - a mountain 439 m high on the southern outskirts of Alushta, behind the Professor's Corner. The dome of the mountain is covered with a forest cap, and chaos has formed on the eastern slope - stone blocks, sometimes reaching 3-5 m in diameter.

Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain(Ukrainian Ayu-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Ayuv Dağ, Ayuv Dag) - mountain on South Coast Crimea, located on the border of Big Alushta and Big Yalta. The height of the mountain is 577 meters above sea level. This is a classic example of a laccolith.

Kara- Dag (Ukrainian Kara-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Qara dağ, Kаara dag) - mountain-volcanic massif, Crimea. Maximum height - 577 m (Mount Holy). It is a heavily destroyed volcanic form with a dome-shaped top.

Mashuk- remnant magmatic mountain (laccolith mountain) in the central part of Pyatigorye in the Caucasus Mineralnye Vody, in the northeastern part of the city of Pyatigorsk. The height is 993.7 m. The peak has a regular dome shape.

Different types of mountains are also divided by geographical location. On this basis, it is customary to group mountains into mountain systems, ridges, mountain ranges and single mountains.

Let's take a closer look:

Mountain belts - the largest formations. There are the Alpine-Himalayan mountain belt, stretching across Europe and Asia, and the Andean-Cordilleran mountain belt, passing through North and South America.

Mountain country – many mountain systems.

Mountain system – mountain ranges and groups of mountains that are similar in origin and of the same age (for example, the Appalachians)

Mountain ranges – mountains connected to each other, elongated in a line. For example, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (North America).

Mountain groups – also interconnected mountains, but not stretched out in a line, but forming a group of indefinite shape. For example, Mount Henry in Utah and Bear Paw in Montana.

Single mountains – mountains not connected to other mountains, often of volcanic origin. For example, Mount Hood in Oregon and Rainier in Washington.

Mountains fascinate almost everyone with their beauty. Surprisingly, they are all different. They may differ in location, presence of vegetation, and origin. There are also low, high and even medium mountains. But what is it? How is their height determined? What are the average mountains? Let's try to figure it out.

Definition

In general, a mountain is a landform that protrudes strongly above the ground. It has slopes, foothills and maybe a peak. This is all part of the microrelief, which also includes passes, valleys, glaciers and moraines (depending on the type).

All mountains can be divided by origin:

  • Tectonics arise as a result of the collision of lithospheric plates. In this case, a folded hill is formed, consisting of stone folds. After a long time, exposed to air, winds, glaciers and water, they become less durable, faults and cracks appear. The Himalayas are considered the youngest mountains of this type, which have still retained their original strength. Interestingly, the old folded hills are modified if the plates continue to move, then the layers overlap each other, forming blocks. Such mountains are called folded-block mountains.
  • Volcanic ones appear as a result of volcanic eruptions. That is, the flowing magma (lava) hardens, forming a hill. This usually happens at fracture sites in the earth's crust, where it is easiest for lava to erupt. These mountains are divided into volcanic cones and shield volcanoes.
  • Erosion mountains (or, in other words, denudation mountains) arose as a result of regular erosion by water. In simple words, the rock layers were washed by flowing water for a very long time and intensively, which is why mountains were formed. As a rule, they are part of other mountain range systems.

Mountains are also divided according to the shape of their peaks: peak-shaped, plateau-shaped and dome-shaped. They usually have different origins, so they differ in shape. Pike-shaped - young Rocky Mountains, dome-shaped - often volcanic.

According to position, they are distinguished: mountain belts, ridges, countries, systems, groups and single mountains.

Types of mountains by height

Mountains that are medium, low, and high are called low mountains, mid mountains, and high mountains, respectively. They differ in height:

  • Low mountains are highlands up to only 800 meters above sea level. These include hills. However, in fact, in geography, uneven terrain above 500 m is considered mountains.
  • But the highlands reach more than 3,000 meters above sea level! Such mountains are usually very young. These include the Tien Shan, the Alps, the highest mountain in the world, Everest (Qomolangma) and others.
  • The middle mountains, which we will consider in our article, can be from 800 meters to 3 kilometers in height. These also include many ridges. The most interesting thing is that such mid-mountain areas are usually characterized by a change in landscape depending on the altitude. That is, the foot can be grassy, ​​and the peak can be rocky and covered with snow, for example.

Now let’s move on to a more detailed consideration of some famous “representatives” of the midlands.

Mountains of the Middle Urals

This part of Russia is famous for its nature. In addition, there is an abundance of malachite and various colored stones and a lot of lakes, rivers and streams. The mountains here are mostly low (up to 800) meters. Such low mountains stretch across almost the entire Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. But in the northernmost Urals (north of Nizhny Tagil) there are already higher mountains. These include Oslyanka with a height of 1,119 meters, Kachkanar (878 m), on the Basegi ridge in Perm region there is a peak at 994 m.

Polar Urals

It includes the Komi Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region. The chain continues here Ural mountains. In the very north of the Urals, the ridges reach much higher heights than in the middle part. The hills have clear signs of the influence of glaciation - pointed peaks, transition into the so-called moraines, which consist of ice.

In the Polar Urals, almost all the ridges are high, on average they reach from 1,000 to 1,500 meters: Ochenyrd, Top of the Stones, Kuutzh-Saurey. And the highest mountains include:

  • Ngetenape - 1,338 m.
  • Payer (approximately 1,500 m) is the most high peak Polar Urals.
  • Harnaurdy-Keu (1,246) - located in the Tyumen Region near the border of the Komi Republic. From the language of the Komi-Zyryan peoples, the name of the mountain is translated as “a steep peak from where a small eagle fell.”
  • Hanmei (1,333) - beautiful northern mountain. Surprisingly, there is a river with the same name.

Another interesting fact is that in the Polar Urals, due to its northern location and cold, there are a lot of glaciers and mountains made of ice. For the same reason, the ridges themselves are sharp, and inside them there are often many reservoirs and snowfields.

Mountains of Eastern Siberia and the Far East

Despite the fact that these parts are located nearby, there is a snowy, relatively mild climate of Primorye and the harshly cold weather of Yakutia almost all year round. There is a mountain range here, which is quite difficult to get to, so it is not fully explored. The most high points- this is a ridge with the peak Pobeda (3,147 m) and Suntar-Khayata with the peak Mus-Khai (2,959 m).

Scandinavian mountains

Another representative of the middle mountains. They are located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in the territories of Norway and Sweden. Total length- 1,700 kilometers. These mountains arose as a result of the collision of lithospheric plates, and their age is estimated by experts at 480 million years! For a long time they were exposed to glaciers and erosion by water, which formed them as we see them now.

Thanks to the humid climate, the foothills of the Scandinavian mountains have very dense vegetation, with swampy, shrubby and forested (mainly coniferous) areas. There are many rivers with fast currents that do not freeze even in winter. There are also glaciers in this middle mountain region, which are considered the highest on the European continent. And the highest point of the Scandinavian mountains is Galhepiggen, which is located in Norway. Its height is 2,469 meters.

Carpathians

This is also a large mountain system. A significant part of the Carpathians is located in Romania, and the rest is in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is also interesting that part of this mountain system is located next to the Alps (they are separated by only 14 km).

Basically, the height of the peaks of the Carpathians is from 800 to 1,200 meters, which, naturally, is called mid-mountain. Basins are often found here, mud volcanoes, river valleys. The Carpathians have a large number of divisions ( mountain ranges): Beskydy Mountains, Slovak Middle Mountains, Tatra Mountains and many others. Unlike the mountains of the Middle and Polar Urals, as well as the Scandinavian ones, it is relatively warm here, there are no glaciers, so the views are picturesque and green throughout almost the entire mountain system.

There are several versions of the translation of the name Carpathians from different languages ​​- overflowing the banks, a rock mass and rocks.

The highest mountains here are Hoverla (2,061 m) and Gerlakhovsky Shtit (2,655 m).

Australian Alps

Another mid-mountain one. Oddly enough, but the Alps are not only in Europe, but also in Australia. They are part of the Great Dividing Range. The highest point here and in the whole country is Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m). There is almost always snow on its top.

Appalachia

The length of this mountain system is more than 2,500 kilometers. It stretches throughout North America (that is, the USA and Canada). The Appalachian Mountains are defined as a rolling plateau, but there are also mountain ranges. Highest point - famous mountain Washington (1,916 m).

New Earth

This deserted, cold archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has mountains, since the entire territory of the islands itself is very rocky. The highest points are in the center of the land, and highest mountain doesn't even have a name.

 

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