Caucasus mountains physical map. The Caucasus is the highest mountains in Russia. The Greater Caucasus Mountains are located between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the Taman to the Absheron Peninsula. From
A report about the Caucasus Mountains, a majestic landmark and highlight of the Caucasus, is presented in this article.
Message about the Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains geographical location
They are spread between Asia and Europe, the Middle and Near East. The mountains of the Caucasus region are divided into 2 systems - the Lesser and Greater Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus is located almost to Baku from Taman and includes the Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. But the Lesser Caucasus is a mountain range near the Black Sea. They are located between the Black Sea and Caspian coasts, covering the territories of such countries - South Ossetia, Russia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Georgia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Translated, their name means “mountains hold up the sky.” Length Caucasus Mountains is 1100 km, and their width is 180 km. The most famous and highest peaks of the system are Mount Elbrus and Kazbek.
How old are the Caucasus Mountains?
The Caucasian mountain system is the same age as the Alps and has a 30-million-year history inscribed in greek myths and biblical lines. According to legend, when Noah released a dove from the ark in search of dry land, it brought Noah a twig from the mountains of the Caucasus system. And the myths indicate that Prometheus, the man who gave fire to people, is chained here.
What do the Caucasus Mountains look like?
The mountains are fraught with many unusual things. On their peaks you can find preserved glaciers. Earthquakes are still observed here, since the Caucasus Mountains are young from a geological point of view.
Their appearance is determined by the relief that is presented in different forms. Mountain peaks with sharp peaks shot up into the sky. With their outlines they look like the walls of a castle with towers, or Egyptian pyramids. In the mountains there are also glaciers, rivers and areas with surfaces heavily damaged by wind erosion.
Climate
Climate mountain system The Caucasus is quite diverse. These places are characterized by pronounced zonality. These mountains are a natural barrier that prevents the movement of air masses, thereby determining the diversity of the climate. The southern and western slopes receive much more precipitation than the northern and eastern slopes. The Caucasus Mountains are located in almost all climatic zones: from humid subtropics with wet and warm winter, dry hot summer to dry continental climate, turning into semi-desert in the east.
Near the foothills there are snowy, cold winters with dry summers, and the higher you go in the mountains, the lower the temperature. At an altitude of 3.5 thousand km. it reaches -4 0 C.
Flora and fauna
The Caucasus Mountains are inhabited by unique animals. Among them are chamois, wild boars, mountain goats, foxes and bears, the mountain jerboa and ground squirrel, and in remote places bears and leopards live. On the way from the foot to the top, meadow alpine grasses and coniferous forests, which are “fed” by rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and mineral springs.
- For the first time, a person climbed the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains system on July 22, 1829.
- There are a lot of species of invertebrate animals in the Caucasus; for example, approximately 1000 species of spiders still live there.
In the Caucasus 6349 species of flowering plants, including 1600 native species.
In the Caucasus many endemic representatives– slightly less than 1,600 species of flora, 32 species of mammals and 3 species of birds.
- Permafrost begins at altitude 3000-3500 m.
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The Greater Caucasus Mountains are located between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the Taman to the Absheron Peninsula. The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kumo-Manych depression, on the site of which in the distant past there was a strait connecting the Black Sea and Caspian sea basins. The Caucasus includes the Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus belong to Russia. These parts are collectively called the North Caucasus.
Orographic map of the Caucasus. The orography of the Greater Caucasus is quite complex, but individual elements can be clearly identified here. From northwest to southeast, the Greater Caucasus can be divided into three parts: Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. The borders between them are Elbrus and Kazbek.
The Central Caucasus has the highest altitude, exceeding m. About 15 of its peaks are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. This is the most mountainous and inaccessible region of Europe and Asia Minor. In the Greater Caucasus, four parallel ridges with a northwestern orientation are clearly defined. The axial ridge of the Greater Caucasus is the Main or Watershed Range.
The highest mountain in the Caucasus is Elbrus. The height of the Western peak is m, the Eastern peak is m...And in their circle there is a two-headed colossus, In a crown of shining ice, Elbrus is huge, majestic White in the blue sky. A.S. Pushkin
Mount Elbrus with two peak craters was formed about a million years ago. It is also called Double-Headed Mountain. The first peak to appear after the eruptions was in the West, and then in the East. The distance between the peaks is 1.5 km. Elbrus is covered with snow and ice, which determines the weather and climate of a large area. There are only 77 glaciers, their area is 144.5 km2.
For the first time, a person climbed to the top of Elbrus in 1829; the pioneer was a Kabardian named Kilar Khashirov, who was the guide of the expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences. And the first person to conquer two peaks at once was the Balkan hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev. A man for his long life visited the great mountain nine times. He first climbed it at the age of forty, his last ascent was in 1909, when he was one hundred and twenty-one years old.
Poets sang the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. The Caucasus is below me. Alone in the heights I stand above the snow at the edge of the rapids; An eagle, rising from a distant peak, Soars motionless along with me. From now on I see the birth of streams and the first movement of menacing collapses. Here the clouds humbly move beneath me; Waterfalls rush through them; Beneath them the cliffs are naked masses; Below there is skinny moss, dry bushes; And there are already groves, green canopies, where birds chirp, where deer gallop. And there people nest in the mountains, And sheep crawl along the grassy rapids, And the shepherd descends to the cheerful valleys... A.S. Pushkin The Terek howls, wild and angry, Between the rocky masses, His cry is like a storm, Tears fly in splashes. But, scattering across the steppe, He took on a wicked appearance And, caressing affably, he murmurs to the Caspian Sea: “Make way, O old sea, Give shelter to my wave! I walked in the open space, It’s time for me to rest. I was born near Kazbek, Nourished by the breast of the clouds, "I was always ready to argue with the alien power of man. I, for your sons' amusement, ruined my native Daryal and, for their glory, brought a whole herd of boulders." M.Yu.Lermontov
The climate of the Caucasus is warm and mild, with the exception of the highlands. In the mountains and foothills there is: Large amounts of precipitation in the mountains. A decrease in the duration of the warm season due to a decrease in air temperature with altitude; at an altitude of 3800 m the border of “eternal ice” passes. Formation of avalanches due to heavy rainfall in winter. Climate diversity due to slope exposure, mountain height, proximity or distance from the sea. The peculiarity of atmospheric circulation, the formation of local winds: foehn (a dry, warm strong wind blowing gustyly from high mountains into valleys) and bora (a cold gusty wind that occurs when a flow of cold air encounters a hill on its way, overcoming which it falls onto a valley).
The rivers of the Caucasus are divided into lowland and mountainous. Stormy mountain rivers are especially numerous; their main source of nutrition is the melt water of glaciers and snowfields in the mountains, so the rivers are always cold. Only in the lower reaches do such large rivers as the Kuban and Terek have a calm flow. Here there are floodplains, vast wetlands covered with reeds and reeds.
TEREK originates on the mountain peak of Zilgahokh in Georgia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 623 km, the basin area is 2 km. The main tributaries are Ardon, Malka, Urukh and Sunzha. Upper Terek.
In the Caucasus Mountains the lower belt is occupied by broadleaf forests, above are beech forests, which turn into mixed ones, then into spruce-fir forests. The upper border of the forest is at an altitude of m. Behind it there are sub alpine meadows, alpine meadows (pictured), then the high mountain belt, glaciers.
The vegetation of the Caucasus is distinguished by its rich species composition and diversity. The number of plant species in the Caucasus is more widespread. Various types of meadows and forests are widespread. Eastern beech, Caucasian hornbeam, Caucasian linden, noble chestnut grow here, and there are also small evergreen trees and large shrubs - boxwood, cherry laurel, Pontine rhododendron, some types of oak and maple, wild persimmon, etc. The most important cultivated plants Caucasian subtropics tea bush and tangerines.
Animal world The fauna of the Caucasus, like its vegetation, is very diverse. In the Caucasus there are brown Caucasian bears, lynxes, forest cats (found up to an altitude of 2000 meters), foxes, badgers, martens, deer, roe deer, wild boars, bison, chamois, mountain goats (turs), small rodents (forest dormouse, vole). Magpies chirp, thrushes whistle, cuckoos crow, jays call to each other, wagtails scurry around streams, woodpeckers tap on the bark of tree trunks. Owls, eagle owls, starlings, crows, goldfinches, kingfishers, tits and other birds fly, and high in the mountains there are Caucasian black grouse and mountain turkeys. You can also see large predators– golden eagle and lamb.
Interesting Facts In the North Caucasus there are the Caucasian and Teberda nature reserves. Unique flora (yew, boxwood, walnut, noble chestnut) and fauna (tur, chamois, Caucasian deer, etc.) are protected here. Modern glaciation is widespread in the Greater Caucasus. The number of glaciers exceeds 2000, the glaciation area is 1424 km2. The glacier of Mount Fisht (2857 m) is the westernmost and lowest located in the Caucasus. The last eruption of Elbrus occurred 1500 years ago, but it is still not considered an extinct volcano. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in the city of Sochi, located in the Krasnodar region. Construction of Olympic facilities and infrastructure is already underway. It is accompanied by protests from environmentalists who fear for the safety of the unique biosphere. North Caucasus.
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains are located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Caucasus is separated from the East European Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. In the territory Russian Federation only the Ciscaucasia and the northern part of the Greater Caucasus are located. The last two parts together are called the North Caucasus. However, for Russia this part of the territory is the southernmost. Here, along the ridge of the Main Ridge, passes state border Russian Federation, behind which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan. The entire system of the Caucasus ridge occupies an area of approximately 2600 m2, with its northern slope occupying about 1450 m2, while the southern slope is only about 1150 m2.
The North Caucasus Mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. In the southern part there are folded block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. They were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which later underwent folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, stretches, ruptures and fractures of the earth's layers. As a result, it poured onto the surface a large number of magma (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits). The uplifts that occurred here in the Neogene and Quaternary periods led to the elevation of the surface and the type of relief that exists today. The rise of the central part of the Greater Caucasus was accompanied by the subsidence of strata along the edges of the resulting ridge. Thus, the Terek-Caspian trough was formed in the east, and the Indal-Kuban trough in the west.
The Greater Caucasus is often presented as a single ridge. Actually it's the whole system various ridges, which can be divided into several parts. The Western Caucasus is located from the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus, then (from Elbrus to Kazbek) the Central Caucasus follows, and to the east from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In addition, in the longitudinal direction two ridges can be distinguished: Vodorazdelny (sometimes called the main one) and Bokovaya. On the northern slope of the Caucasus there are the Skalisty and Pastbishchny ridges, as well as the Black Mountains. They were formed as a result of interlayering of layers composed of sedimentary rocks of different hardness. One slope of the ridge here is gentle, while the other ends quite abruptly. As you move away from the axial zone, the height of the mountain ranges decreases.
The chain of the Western Caucasus begins at the Taman Peninsula. At the very beginning, it’s more likely not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise to the east. The highest parts of the North Caucasus are covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the Western Caucasus are Mount Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters). The highest part of the Greater Caucasus mountain system is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach a height of 3 thousand meters, and the lowest of them (Krestovy) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. The highest peaks of the Caucasus are also located here. For example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the double-headed extinct volcano Elbrus is the most high peak Russia.
The relief here is highly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks predominate. The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus consists mainly of the numerous ranges of Dagestan (translated, the name of this region means “ Mountain country"). There are complex branching ridges with steep slopes and deep canyon-like river valleys. However, the height of the peaks here is less than in the central part of the mountain system, but they still exceed a height of 4 thousand meters. The rise of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite frequent earthquakes in this region of Russia are associated with this. To the north of the Central Caucasus, where the magma rising through cracks did not spill out to the surface, low, so-called island mountains formed. The largest of them are Beshtau (1400 meters) and Mashuk (993 meters). At their base there are numerous springs of mineral waters.
The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Terek-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, whose height is 700-800 meters. The Stavropol Upland is dissected by wide and deeply incised valleys, gullies and ravines. At the base of this area lies a young slab. Its structure consists of Neogene formations, covered with limestone deposits - loess and loess-like loams, and in the eastern part also marine sediments of the Quaternary period. Climate regime quite favorable in this area. Quite high mountains serve as a good barrier to cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between two climatic zones– subtropical and temperate. On Russian territory the climate is still moderate, but the above factors contribute to rather high temperatures.
Caucasus Mountains As a result, winters in the Ciscaucasia are quite warm ( average temperature in January it is about -5°C). This is facilitated by warm air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean. On the Black Sea coast, temperatures rarely drop below zero (the average January temperature is 3°C). In mountainous areas the temperature is naturally lower. Thus, the average temperature on the plain in summer is about 25°C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0°C. Precipitation falls into this area mainly due to cyclones arriving from the west, as a result of which its amount gradually decreases to the east.
Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is approximately 7 times lower. Glaciation has developed in the mountains of the North Caucasus, the area of which ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed by the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. Mountain rivers, as usual, are fast-flowing, and in their lower reaches there are wetlands overgrown with reeds and reeds.
The vast majority of the peaks included in the list of the highest mountains in Russia on the map belong to one mountain system - the Greater Caucasus. This huge mountain range is located between the Black and Caspian Seas. The southerners are barely catching up with three Kamchatka hills - Klyuchevskaya, Kamen and Ploskaya Blizhnaya (13th, 18th and 70th places) and two peaks of the Altai Mountains - Belukha and Tavan-Bogdo-Uul (19th and 67th place).
To prevent Russian climbers from getting bored with the monotony, the Mountaineering Federation decided to include in the conditions for receiving the most honorable mountaineering title the conquest of not only the eight highest mountains on the list, but also the assault on Belukha and Klyuchevskaya Sopka.
Shota Rustaveli Peak is one of the peaks that make up the so-called Bezengi Wall - a giant mountain range stretching for 13 km. In addition to the Shota Rustaveli peak, the wall is formed by Dzhangitau (fifth place in the ranking), Katyntau (ninth) and Shkhara (sixth).
9. Katyn-Tau – 4970 m
The Kabardino-Balkarians have a sad legend associated with the name of this mountain. Mountain peak Tetnuld (“white”), one of the most beautiful, invariably arousing the admiration of tourists for its whiteness, decided to abandon its old wife, Katyn (“wife”), for the sake of the young, Dzhangy (“new”, “young”). Perhaps Tetnuld was a climber - the height of Katyn does not reach 5 km, but Dzhangy, or Dzhangitau, ranks fifth in the list of the highest mountains in Russia.
8. Mizhirgi – 5025 m
The list of Russian “five thousand meters” begins with Mizhirga - the highest and most dangerous mountains in Russia, which every climber dreams of climbing. Mizhirgi, despite the modest eighth place in height, the mountain is very capricious and surpasses higher peaks in terms of difficulty.
7. Kazbek – 5034 m
This is one of the most beautiful peaks of the Greater Caucasus Range. Her image appears on many covers of travel magazines, photographs, postcards and stamps. A lonely white peak of a regular conical shape (Kazbek was once a volcano) stands out sharply against the background of green foothills. Unfortunately, due to the difficult geopolitical situation, ascents to Kazbek are no longer as frequent as they once were.
6. Shkhara – 5068 m
One of the most beloved peaks by climbers, and the highest mountain in the central part of the Caucasus range. You can climb it via a wide variety of routes, and several peaks will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding places from new points of view.
According to the results of recent measurements, Shkhara can move from sixth place to third - according to the latest data, its height is 5193.2 m. However, there is no doubt about which is the highest mountain in Russia - first place is ahead of all the others with a margin of almost half a kilometer.
5. Dzhangitau – 5085 m
Like Mizhirgi, Dzhangitau is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous peaks. Just three years ago, an experienced climber fell from its slopes (with fatal results), and a couple of years before that, a climbing group had to be rescued by helicopter.
4. Pushkin Peak – 5100 m
Most often they prefer to climb Pushkin Peak from the south side. However, experienced rock climbers prefer the northern side - in addition to a slightly more difficult route, you can admire the enchanting beauty of the surrounding nature.
3. Koshtantau – 5152 m
Koshtantau opens the top three among the highest mountains in Russia. Sometimes she is merciful to climbers and gives them beautiful weather, making the ascent easy and enjoyable. However, this rarely happens; Most often, the capricious beauty prefers to dress up in an icy robe, which makes the ascent much more difficult.
The conquest of Costantau began with a tragedy - two English climbers and their Swiss guides died while trying to climb it. Since then, several routes have been laid up the mountain, but they all have increased difficulty– from 4B to 6A (for comparison: the lowest category is 1B, the highest is 6B, and category 6A is in second place, up to 6B).
2. Dykhtau – 5204 m
The poetic genius of the Balkar people decided to rest on the name Dykhtau. Translated from this language, the name simply means “steep mountain.” It's almost like a nickname.
The mountain looks harsh - the granite-gneiss rocks that make up Dykhtau are dark in color. And in contrast to the white snow and clouds (located at a lower altitude than the peak), they look especially gloomy.
The difficulty of climbing the mountain corresponds to its seriousness appearance— there are more than ten routes to the double peaks of Dykhtau, but even the simplest of them belongs to category 4A, above average.
1. The highest mountain in Russia – Elbrus, 5642 m
On the border between the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia is the Side Range of the Caucasus Mountains, where Elbrus, the highest mountain in Russia, is located. Elbrus has two peaks - western and eastern; the difference between them is 21 m.
This is not an easy mountain; it is a legacy of those times when the young Caucasus Mountains were still fire-breathing. Elbrus is a huge volcano, fortunately, extinct a long time ago. Over the past tens of thousands of years, Elbrus has been covered with a shell of ice of enormous thickness - in some places it reaches 250 m, which is equal to the height of an eighty-story building.
Despite the terrifying height (Elbrus is considered the most high mountain not only in Russia, but also in Europe, and is also among the top ten), the mountain’s character is not evil and the path to the top has long been found. The first ascent of Elbrus took place in the first third of the 19th century. Since then, whoever has been there! People climbed not only on foot, but also on horses, motorcycles and cars. They carried ATVs and even 75-kilogram barbells. And since the early 1990s, regular competitions have been taking place in high-speed climbing of the snow giant. From the foot to the top of Elbrus the journey takes exactly 3 hours 28 minutes 41 seconds.
List of 80 highest mountain peaks in Russia
The table shows mountain peaks with a height of at least 4000 meters and located on the territory of the Russian Federation.
| Place | Vertex | Height, m | The subject of the Russian Federation | Mountain system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5642 | Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia | Greater Caucasus | |
| 2 | 5204 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 3 | 5152 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 4 | 5100 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 5 | 5085 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 6 | 5068 | Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia), Svaneti (Georgia) | Greater Caucasus | |
| 7 | 5034 | North Ossetia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus | |
| 8 | 5025 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 9 | 4970 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus | |
| 10 | 4860 | Kabardino-Balkaria, Georgia | Greater Caucasus | |
| 11 | Gestola | 4860 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 12 | Jimara | 4780 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 13 | Klyuchevskaya Sopka | 4750 | Kamchatka Krai | East Ridge |
| 14 | Wilpata | 4646 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 15 | Sauhokh | 4636 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 16 | Kukurtli-Kolbashi | 4624 | Karachay-Cherkessia | Greater Caucasus |
| 17 | Maylihoh | 4598 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 18 | Stone | 4575 | Kamchatka Krai | East Ridge |
| 19 | Belukha | 4509 | Altai | Altai Mountains |
| 20 | Sallynngantau | 4507 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 21 | Tebulosmta | 4492 | Chechnya, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 22 | Sugan | 4489 | North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 23 | Bazarduzu | 4466 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 24 | Chanchakhi | 4461 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 25 | Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi | 4454 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 26 | Shan | 4452 | Ingushetia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 27 | Warmth | 4431 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 28 | Chatyntau | 4411 | Karachay-Cherkessia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 29 | Adai-Khokh | 4408 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 30 | Songuti | 4405 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 31 | Tyutyubashi | 4404 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 32 | Vologata | 4396 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 33 | Karaug | 4364 | North Ossetia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 34 | Adyrsubashi | 4349 | ||
| 35 | Laboda | 4313 | North Ossetia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 36 | Bachakhi | 4291 | ||
| 37 | Diklosmta | 4285 | Greater Caucasus | |
| 38 | Caucasus Peak | 4280 | Greater Caucasus | |
| 39 | Jorashti | 4278 | ||
| 40 | Bzhedukh | 4271 | ||
| 41 | Comito | 4261 | Chechnya | Greater Caucasus |
| 42 | Sullukolbashi | 4251 | ||
| 43 | Kayaartybashi | 4250 | ||
| 44 | Bashiltau | 4248 | ||
| 45 | Zeygalankhoh | 4244 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 46 | Zaromag | 4203 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 47 | Donchentykhoh | 4192 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 48 | Kalota | 4182 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 49 | Denunciation | 4179 | Chechnya, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 50 | Addala-Schuchgelmeer | 4151 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 51 | Chkalov Peak (Anchobala-anda) | 4150 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 52 | Pukhgarty-Kom | 4149 | ||
| 53 | Syrkhibarzond | 4148 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 54 | Shalbuzdag | 4142 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 55 | Tseyakhoh | 4140 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 56 | Fitnargin | 4134 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 57 | Dyultydag | 4127 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 58 | Tsmiakomhokh | 4117 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 59 | Barrels | 4116 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 60 | Musostau | 4110 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 61 | Baidukov Peak (Kasaraku-meer) | 4104 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 62 | Bishnei Jenolshob | 4104 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 63 | Belyakov Peak (Belengi) | 4100 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 64 | Chimismeer | 4099 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 65 | Chachkhokh | 4098 | North Ossetia, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 66 | Tsunklyata | 4084 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 67 | Tavan-Bogdo-Ula | 4082 | Altai | Altai Mountains |
| 68 | Maistismta | 4081 | Chechnya, Georgia | Greater Caucasus |
| 69 | Charundag | 4080 | Dagestan, Azerbaijan | Greater Caucasus |
| 70 | Flat Middle | 4057 | Kamchatka Krai | East Ridge |
| 71 | Taklik | 4049 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 72 | Dombay-Ulgen | 4046 | Karachay-Cherkessia, Republic of Abkhazia | Greater Caucasus |
| 73 | Gockley | 4046 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 74 | Kurmutau | 4045 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 75 | Archon | 4040 | North Ossetia | Greater Caucasus |
| 76 | Izhenameer | 4025 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 77 | Dougie | 4020 | Dagestan, Azerbaijan | Greater Caucasus |
| 78 | Deavgay | 4016 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
| 79 | Kezgenbashi | 4013 | Kabardino-Balkaria | Greater Caucasus |
| 80 | Balial | 4007 | Dagestan | Greater Caucasus |
State budget educational institution Secondary secondary school No. 509, Moskovsky district
city of St. Petersburg
ABSTRACT
in the discipline "Geography"
on the topic of: « Caucasus Mountains».
Completed by: students of grade 8 “A”
Gaisyonok Yulia
Akhmedova Rukiyat
Head: geography teacher
Kovaleva Natalya Nikolaevna
St. Petersburg 2012
1. Introduction. ………………………………… ………………………...........3
2. Main part
2.1 Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains………………………...4
2.2Physico-geographical location……………………………..5
2.3Climate…………………………………………………………………………………7
2.4 Rivers and lakes………………………………………………………...8
2.5 Fauna ………………………………………………………..9
2.6Flora…………………………………………………......11
3.Conclusion………………………………………………………..12
4. References…………..…………………………………….…..13
5..Appendix 1………………………………………………………14
6.Appendix 2……………………………………………………….16
1. Introduction
Since ancient times our Russian Parnassus
Drawn to unfamiliar countries
And most of all, only you, Caucasus,
It rang like a mysterious fog.
S.A. Yesenin
This amazing land, one of the most interesting regions globe. Combining unique landscapes and becoming home to hundreds of nationalities, it is truly a unique region of the world. The North Caucasus is my homeland , which I love.
The pride of the Caucasus is its mountains! Without mountains, the Caucasus is not the Caucasus. The mountains are unique, majestic and inaccessible. The Caucasus is amazingly beautiful. He's so different. You can look at the mountains for hours.
The Caucasus Mountains are the great divide between Europe and Asia. The Caucasus is a narrow strip of land between the Black and Caspian seas. It amazes with the incredible diversity of climate, flora and fauna.
Green hills and alpine meadows of the Caucasus, salt deserts, miniature sand dunes give way to high mountains. Caucasian landscapes are not inferior in beauty to any region on the planet.
The Greater Caucasus mountain range is home to many pastures, forests, and amazing natural wonders. More than 2 thousand glaciers descend through narrow gorges. A chain of large mountains stretches from northwest to southeast for almost one and a half thousand kilometers. The main peaks exceed 5 thousand meters and significantly influence the weather in the regions.
The clouds that form over the Black Sea rain, hitting the mountain peaks of the Caucasus. On one side of the ridge there is a harsh landscape, and on the other there is lush vegetation. Here you can find more than 6 and a half thousand plant species, a quarter of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The purpose of our essay is to study the natural features of the Caucasus Mountains.
The material can be used in geography lessons when studying the topic “North Caucasus”.
2. Base part
2.1 Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains
A long time ago, when the earth was still very young, a huge plain stretched on the site of the modern territory of the Caucasus. The huge Nart heroes lived here in peace and love. They were kind and prudent, they greeted day and night with joy, they knew neither evil, nor envy, nor deceit. The ruler of this people was the gray-haired giant Elbrus, and he had a beautiful son Beshtau, and his son had a charming bride, the beautiful Mashuki. But they had an evil envious person - Korshun. And he decided to harm the sledges. He prepared a terrible potion in which he mixed the teeth of a wolf, the tongue of a boar and the eyes of a snake. At a big celebration, he added a potion to all the Narts' drinks. And having drunk it, they acquired the greed of a boar, the anger of a wolf and the cunning of a snake. And from that time on the happy and carefree life of the Narts ended. The father decided to take his young bride away from his son and, sending him on a hunt, wanted to forcefully marry Mashuki. But Mashuki resisted Elbrus. And in an evil battle she lost hers wedding ring. He saw Beshtau’s ring and hurried to help the bride. And a terrible life-and-death battle ensued, and half of the Narts fought on the side of Elbrus, and the other half on the side of Beshtau. And the battle lasted for several days and nights, and all the sledges died. Elbrus chopped his son into five parts, and the son, delivering the final blow, dismembered his father's gray head into two halves. Mashuki came out onto the battlefield after the battle and did not see a single living soul. She approached her lover and plunged a dagger into her heart. Thus the life of a great and old people stopped.
And in this place the Caucasian mountains now rise: the helmet from the head of Beshtau - Mount Zheleznaya, the ring of Mashuki - Mount Koltso, five peaks - Mount Beshtau, nearby - Mount Mashuk and far, far from the others - the gray-haired or simply snow-covered handsome Elbrus. [2]
2.2Physico-geographical location
The Caucasus Mountains form a natural border between Europe and Asia, located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Caucasus is separated from the East European Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. On the territory of the Russian Federation there are only Ciscaucasia and the northern part of the Greater Caucasus. The last two parts together are called the North Caucasus. However, for Russia this part of the territory is the southernmost. Here, along the crest of the Main Ridge, lies the state border of the Russian Federation, beyond which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The North Caucasus Mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. These mountains were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which later underwent folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, stretches, ruptures and fractures of the earth's layers. As a result, large amounts of magma poured onto the surface (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits).
The Greater Caucasus is often presented as a single ridge. In fact, this is a whole system of various ridges, which can be divided into several parts. The Western Caucasus is located from the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus, then (from Elbrus to Kazbek) the Central Caucasus follows, and to the east from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In addition, in the longitudinal direction two ridges can be distinguished: Vodorazdelny (sometimes called the main one) and Bokovaya. On the northern slope of the Caucasus there are the Skalisty and Pastbishchny ridges, as well as the Black Mountains. They were formed as a result of interlayering layers composed of sedimentary rocks of different hardness. One slope of the ridge here is gentle, while the other ends quite abruptly. As you move away from the axial zone, the height of the mountain ranges decreases.
The Western Caucasus chain begins at Taman Peninsula. At the very beginning, it’s more likely not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise to the east. The highest parts of the North Caucasus are covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the western Caucasus are Mount Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters). The highest part of the Greater Caucasus is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach an altitude of 3000 meters, and the lowest of them (Krestovy) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. The highest peaks of the Caucasus are also located here. For example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the double-headed extinct volcano Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia. The relief here is highly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks predominate.
The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus consists mainly of the numerous ridges of Dagestan (the name of this region means “mountainous country”). There are complex branching ridges with steep slopes and deep canyon-like river valleys. However, the height of the peaks here is less than in the central part of the mountain system, but they still exceed a height of 4 thousand. meters. The rise of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite related to this frequent earthquake in this region of Russia. To the north of the Central Caucasus, where the magma rising through cracks did not spill out to the surface, low, so-called island mountains formed. The largest of them are Beshtau (1400 meters) and Mashuk (993 meters). At their base there are numerous springs of mineral waters.
The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Terek-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, whose height is 700-800 meters.
Fig.1 Dagestan. Red Mountain.
2.3Climate
The climate in this area is quite favorable. Quite high mountains serve as a good barrier to cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between two climatic poles - subtropical and temperate. On Russian territory the climate is still moderate, but the above factors contribute to high temperatures.
As a result, winters in the Ciscaucasia are quite warm (the average temperature in January is about -5 ° C) This is facilitated by warm air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean. On the Black Sea coast, the temperature rarely drops below zero (the average temperature in January is 3 ° C). In mountainous areas the temperature is naturally lower. So, the average temperature on the plain in summer is about 25 ° C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0 ° C.
Precipitation in this area mainly falls due to cyclones arriving from the west, as a result of which its amount gradually decreases to the east. Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is approximately 7 times lower.
Glaciation has developed in the mountains of the North Caucasus, the area of which ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed by the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. Mountain rivers, as usual, are fast-flowing, and in their lower reaches there are wetlands overgrown with reeds and reeds.
The most dangerous natural phenomena hazards that occur in these places are landslides, rockfalls and earthquakes.
2.4 Rivers and lakes
The rivers of the Caucasus belong to the basin of the Caspian (Kura with Araks, Sulak, Terek, Kuma), Black (Rioni, Inguri, etc.) and Azov (Kuban) seas. Flow distribution and river regime depend mainly on climatic conditions and relief. The Greater Caucasus is characterized by rivers with long (about 6 months) flood in the warm part of the year; They are fed by eternal snow and ice and seasonal snow that melts late in the highlands. The regime of rivers starting in the highest ridges and massifs of the Transcaucasian Highlands (Aragats, Zangezur ridge, Murovdag) and in those areas is close to this type southern slope Greater Caucasus, where there are no glaciers. The remaining rivers of the Transcaucasian Highlands are characterized by spring floods. On the rivers of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, along with spring floods, summer floods are typical. The rivers of Ciscaucasia, with the exception of those flowing from the Greater Caucasus, have spring floods and winter freeze-up, become very shallow in the summer, and sometimes dry up. The Stavropol region is artificially watered from the river. Kuban. The rivers of the Caucasus, starting in areas without stable snow cover, are characterized by floods from heavy rains and rapid melting of snow. An additional source of their nutrition is groundwater. Floods occur throughout the year (Black Sea coast south of Sochi, Colchis lowland, etc.), in warm season(in the leading ridges of the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus, in the Terek basin) and in the cold half of the year (the western tip of the Greater Caucasus and the northern part of the Black Sea coast). Many rivers in the Eastern and parts of the Central Caucasus are characterized by mudflows. The advanced limestone ranges of the Greater Caucasus have karst rivers, which in some places disappear underground and reappear on the surface. Their regime, like the rivers of the volcanic region of the Armenian Highlands, is regulated due to their large participation in nutrition groundwater. Large rivers receiving tributaries from different regions have a combined regime. Majority large rivers The upper reaches of the Caucasus are mountainous in nature and flow in trough valleys and gorges, while in the lower reaches they flow more calmly in wide valleys.
The lower reaches of the Kura, Kuban and Rioni are navigable. The waters of many rivers are used to irrigate the arid regions of the Ciscaucasia, the Kura Depression and the Middle Araks Basin. Many hydroelectric power stations have been built on the rivers of the Caucasus (Mingachevirskaya and Zemo-Avchalskaya on the Kura, Khramskaya, Rionskaya, a number of hydroelectric power stations on the rivers of the Greater Caucasus).
Of the lakes in the Caucasus, the largest is Sevan. There are many tar lakes in the highland region of the Greater Caucasus; There are also dammed, karst and other lakes. On the coasts of the seas there are estuary lakes. Most lakes are fresh, but in the arid regions of the eastern Caucasus they are salty.
2.5Fauna
Animal world The Caucasus is very diverse, which is due to significant spatial variability within its ecological conditions and the history of the formation of the faunal complex. There is a significant group of endemics here: Caucasian and Dagestan aurochs (stone goats), Caucasian hamster, Promethean mouse, Caucasian black grouse, Caucasian snowcock, etc. The degree of endemism is especially high in upper parts mountains Ancient representatives live in the forests deciduous forests: bison, red deer, wild boar, pine marten. The fauna of Ciscaucasia developed mainly in pre-Quaternary times.
The steppes of Western and Middle Ciscaucasia are inhabited by the same animals as the steppes of the Russian Plain. Common here are the small ground squirrel, the large jerboa, the hamster, the mole vole, the brown hare, steppe ferret, in some places the ferret has been preserved, the number of foxes and wolves is large. Animals of semi-deserts and deserts live in the Terek-Kuma Lowland Central Asia and Kazakhstan: corsac fox, ground hare, woolly jerboa, long-eared hedgehog, combed and midday gerbils, etc. Found steppe antelope- saiga. There are also endemics here: the Nogai jerboa, the Cis-Caucasian gerbil, and the small vole.
Reptiles are abundant in the Ciscaucasia ( steppe viper, boa constrictor, snakes, green and steppe lizards, etc.) Typical birds include the steppe lark, quail, eagles, harrier, kite, kestrel; there are bustards, demoiselle cranes, and little bustards.
The reed thickets of the Terek and Sulak deltas are inhabited by the jungle cat (Fig. 2), jackals, and wild boars. In the deltas of these rivers and the Kuban there are many waterfowl and marsh birds.
Fig.2 Jungle cat
The Greater Caucasus is inhabited mainly by forest and alpine animals. In the broad-leaved forests there are deer, Siberian roe deer, wild boars, badgers, Caucasian squirrels, dormouse, and many wood mice. Lives in many areas stone marten and a forest cat.
The species composition of birds is very rich. The most numerous are jays, finches, nuthatches, owls, etc. In winter, squirrels migrate to dark coniferous forests. The pine marten is associated with coniferous forests. Birds, rodents and shrews feed on fir and spruce seeds. In the Colchis forests of the southwestern slope there are Persian squirrel, European roe deer, small badger, and jackal.
Dark coniferous forests and high mountain meadows are characterized by seasonal migrations of many animals. Deer and wild boars live in subalpine meadows in summer, but in winter, when the depth of snow in the forest is half that in the meadows, they migrate to coniferous forests. Turs and chamois graze in the high-mountain meadows in the summer, and spend the winter on the rocky slopes of the forest belt. The leopard lives in mountain forests (Fig. 3), making a den in rock crevices, but it hunts chamois and aurochs in high-mountain meadows. The Caucasian grouse spends a significant part of its time in rhododendron thickets.
Fig.3 Leopard
Alpine meadows are habitats of the Caucasian snowcock, Promethean mouse, common, gray and bush voles. Among the birds that live here are: chough, horned lark, snow finch (Fig. 3).
Fig.3 Reel
2.6
Vegetable world
Vegetation cover The Caucasus is also very diverse. Floristic elements of European forests and vegetation of the Eurasian highlands, Eastern European steppes and Western Asian deserts, as well as complex plant communities of the Mediterranean, took part in its formation. The Greater Caucasus is associated with significant regional endemism and the distinctive nature of plant groups. There are about 550 endemic species within its borders. The highest percentage of endemics is among plants in high mountains and rocky habitats. Among the plant groups, the most distinctive are the vegetation of the mountain xerophytes of Dagestan and the relict Colchis broad-leaved forests that extend into Russia on their northwestern edge.
Western and Central Ciscaucasia in the recent past was covered with steppe vegetation. Now it has survived only in fragments, mainly on slopes inconvenient for plowing.
The steppes of the plains and foothills are a direct continuation of the steppes of the south of the Russian Plain. Forb-fescue-feather grass steppes predominated. On the eastern slope of the Stavropol Upland they were replaced by tussock-grass (fescue-feather grass and fescue) steppes. Closer to the foothills, on the Kuban, Kabardian, Ossetian and other sloping plains, in the elevated southwestern part of the Stavropol Upland and in the Mineralovodchesky region, mixed-grass meadow steppes with areas of forests of oak, ash, and hornbeam (forest-steppe) were widespread. Highland steppes are confined to the dry slopes of the mountains, more diverse in species composition than the steppes of the plains. Grass-wormwood semi-deserts are widespread in the Eastern Ciscaucasia. Solyanka vegetation is common on saline soils. The western and southern outskirts of the Terek-Kuma Plain are occupied by dry wormwood-cereal steppes. In the dry mountainous regions of the Greater Caucasus, upland xerophytic vegetation is widespread, represented by groups such as frigana and shiblyak.
In the Greater Caucasus Mountains, the largest areas are occupied by forests. Bottom part The forest belt is represented by forests with a predominance of oak or beech. Dark coniferous forests are common in the upper part. In the southern regions of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, there are depleted relict Colchis broad-leaved forests. Above the forests in the mountains, subalpine and alpine meadows are common.
3. Conclusion.
So leave unnecessary disputes -
I have already proven everything to myself:
The only things better than mountains are mountains,
Which no one has ever been to!
The nature of the Caucasus is rich and varied, and the beauty of its landscapes is unique. Bare rocks, eternal snow and glaciers. Highlands, dense coniferous and lush deciduous forests covering the mountains, open steppe and semi-desert plains with cracked soil dried out from the sun's heat and abundantly filled with moisture subtropical forests and plantations - all of this is located next to each other, creating striking contrasts.
The Caucasus Mountains are one of the parts southern borders our country. Here it is observed great variety natural areas due to altitudinal zone, special microclimates are formed, which is why they occur in nature interesting views flora and fauna.
Historically, this territory was home to a large number of peoples and their national color arouses the interest of many tourists.
List of used literature:
1.Caucasus. http://sir35.narod.ru/Caucas/1_080817.htm
2.Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains www. http://sasw.chat.ru/rasskazi2.htm
3.Regional reviews of nature in Russia http://www.ecosystema.ru/08nature/world/geoussr/3-5-4.htm#68jiv
4.North Caucasus http://geography.kz/slovar/severnyj-kavkaz/
Annex 1
Rivers of the Caucasus
Rice. 1 Kuma River
Rice. 2 Rioni River
Rice. 3 Terek River
Fig.4 Kura River
Appendix 2
