Major mountain system between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea; bounded S by Turkey and Iran; comprises the Greater Caucasus and the Lesser Caucasus; generally accepted as the physical boundary between Europe (N) and Asia (S); extends c.1120 km/700 mi SE; in the W is Mt Elbrus (5642 m/18 510 ft), highest point in the Kavkaz range; in the E the range widens to over 160 km/100 mi.
empty-cells:show">| Caucasus Mountains | |
|---|---|
| Character: | High Mountains |
| Type: |
Range Of Fold Mountains with
Volcano Cones and Stratovolcanoes |
| Location: |
Eurasia between
Black and Caspian sea |
| Countries: |
Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Georgia, Russia |
| Length / Width: | 1.100 km / 160 km |
| Highest mountain: | Elbrus 5.642 m (18,506 feet) |
| Largest city: | Baku |
| Largest river: | Kura |
The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black and the Caspian sea in the Caucasus region.
The Caucasus Mountains are made up of two separate mountain systems:
the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The highest peak in the Caucasus range is Mount Elbrus in the Greater Caucasus, which rises to a height of 18,506 feet (5,642 meters) above sea level. The entire region is regularly subjected to strong earthquakes from this activity, especially as the fault structure is complex with the Anatolia/Turkey and Iranian Blocks flowing sidewise, which prevents subduction of the advancing plate edge and hence the lack of volcanoes on the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range (though minor dome structures, such as Mount Elbrus and Mount Kazbek do exist).Geographical Affiliation
It is unclear whether the Caucasus Mountains are a part of Europe or Asia.
The current official course of the border was defined by the Swedish officer and geographer Philip Johan von Strahlenberg, who suggested the border follow the peaks of the Urals, and then the lower Emba and the coast of the Caspian Sea, before passing through the Kuma-Manych Depression, which lies 300 km north of the Caucasus Mountains.
Another possible point of view is that the border of Europe and Asia runs through the Caucasus Mountains itself, in particular along the water divide between the northern and the southern flank.
| Peak Name | Elevation (m) | Prominence (m) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbrus | 5,642 | 4,741 | Russia |
| Dykh-Tau | 5,205 | 2,002 | Russia |
| Shkhara | 5,201 | 1,365 | Russia/Georgia |
| Koshtan-Tau | 5,152 | 822 | Russia |
| Jangi-Tau (Janga) | 5,059 | 300 | Russia/Georgia |
| Kazbek | 5,034 | 2,353 | Russia/Georgia |
| Pushkin | 5,033 | 110 | Russia/Georgia |
| Katyn-Tau | 4,979 | 240 | Russia/Georgia |
| Shota Rustaveli | 4,860 | c.50 | Russia/Georgia |
| Tetnuld | 4,858 | 672 | Georgia |
See also: List of the most prominent mountains in the Caucasus
Climate
The climate of the Caucasus varies both vertically (according to elevation) and horizontally (by latitude and location). The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range are 3 degrees (Celsius) colder than the southern slopes. The southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range receive higher amounts of precipitation than the northern slopes. Annual precipitation in the Western Caucasus ranges from 1000-4000mm (39-157 inches) while in the Eastern and Northern Caucasus (Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ossetia, Kakheti, Kartli, etc) precipitation ranges from 600-1800mm (23.6-70.9 inches). The precipitation of the Lesser Caucasus Mountain Range (Southern Georgia, Armenia, western Azerbaijan), not including the Meskheti Range, varies from 300-800mm (11.8-31.5 inches) annually.
The Caucasus Mountains are known for the high amount of snowfall, although many regions which are not located along the windward slopes do not receive nearly as much snow. This is especially true for the Lesser Caucasus Mountains which are somewhat isolated from the moist influences coming in from the Black Sea and receive considerably less precipitation (in the form of snow) than the Greater Caucasus Mountains.
The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains are covered by oak, hornbeam, maple, and ash forests at lower elevations while birch and pine forests take over at higher elevations.
The northern and western slopes of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains are characterized both by Colchian and other deciduous forests at lower elevations while mixed and coniferous forests (mainly spruce and fir) dominate at higher elevations. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains lack the type of glaciers/glacial features that are common on the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range.
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