The ridge on which the highest point of the Caucasus is located. The Caucasus Mountains - the impregnable border between Europe and Asia

They are no less famous in the world than the Cordillera, a mountain system stretching along western outskirts North and South America for as much as eighteen thousand kilometers long and 1600 kilometers wide, with the highest peak of Denali at 6190 meters above sea level in North America, as well as Aconcagua - 6963 meters above sea level in South America. Many countries border the Cordillera - Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. No less famous Cordillera mountain system The Himalayas with the highest peak Chogori - 8611 meters above sea level on the border of China and Pakistan and with another peak Lhotse, exceeding a height of eight kilometers on the border of China and Nepal. On globe Tibet is also admired with the highest peak in the world, Everest - 8852 meters above sea level. However, on Earth there are other mountain systems on different continents that attract attention and which thousands and thousands of brave conquerors of peaks strive to climb.

From the legendary Taman to the gray Caspian

Great Caucasian mountains there are essentially two mountain systems - the Greater and Lesser Caucasus in Eurasia. They stretched for more than 1,100 kilometers from northwest to southeast, and more specifically, from the Taman Peninsula in the region and along the Black Sea coast to the Absheron Peninsula near the gray Caspian and near the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The maximum width of the mountain system is 180 kilometers. Compared to the Cordillera, this is almost a ninth, but nevertheless noticeable and being the root cause of the appearance of a subtropical zone in Russia. In which over 15 million of our fellow citizens and guests from near and far abroad improve their health and have a good rest every year. The Greater Caucasus is divided into three parts: Western - from the Black Sea to Elbrus; Central - from Elbrus to Kazbek and finally the Eastern Caucasus - from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea. As for the height above sea level, then at Everest it is 5642 meters, at Kazbek 5033. total area The Great Caucasus Mountains are 1,400 square kilometers. In part, this is the land of eternal snows and glaciers. The area of ​​glaciers goes off scale for 2050 square kilometers. A major center of icing is Mount Elbrus plus the Bezengi wall - 17 kilometers.

The land of five dozen nations

The Great Caucasus Mountains are densely populated. Meaning its foothills. Abkhazians, Ingushs, Ossetians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Adygs (Circassians) and many other nationalities live here, united by a common name - the Caucasian peoples. Most of them are Muslims. But Christians are also widely represented - Ukrainians, Georgians, Russians, Armenians, as well as a noticeable part of Ossetians and Abkhazians. By the way, Armenian and Georgian churches are the oldest in the world. Thanks largely to them, these two peoples of the Great Caucasus have retained their identity, customs and customs. We add to this - the Caucasian peoples for a hundred years were under foreign control - the Turks, Persians, Russians. Now others have gained independence, become sovereign.

twenty-five sky-high peaks

That is how many of them the Great Caucasus has from Elbrus to Dombaya-Ulgena- 4046 meters above sea level. Popular with climbers: Dykhtau - 5204 meters above sea level; Pushkin peak - 5100 m., we have already mentioned Kazbek; Shota Rustaveli - 4960m., Gulchi-Tau - 4447 meters, etc.

The Great Caucasus is abundant in rivers, lakes and waterfalls

Originating at the mountain peaks, some flow into - Bzyb, Kodor, Ingur (Inguri), Rioni, Mzymta, etc. B - the largest Kuban in the Krasnodar Territory. And in the Caspian - Kura, Samur, Terek, Sunzha, Baksan - there are more than two dozen of them in total. Among the majestic Caucasus Mountains, the world famous lake Sevan (Armenia). It is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. Its area is 1240 square kilometers, the depth is from twenty to over eighty meters. 28 rivers flow into the lake, but only one flows out - Hrazdan, a tributary of the Araks. By the way, it will be noticed - both the Caspian and Black Sea the essence of the remnant of the once world ocean Tethys. The names of the Black Sea have changed since ancient times - Khazar, Sugde, Temarun, Cimmerian, Akhshaena, Blue, Tauride, Holy and even Ocean. The current name is due to its color in raging storms. It really does look black. In the old days, he was also fearfully called not hospitable, angry. The Caspian reservoir got its name from the tribes of horse breeders who once lived near its shores - the Caspians. It was also called Girkansky, Dzhurazhansky, Khvalynsky, Derbent - more than seven dozen names in total.

And about one more unique water body of the Great Caucasus - the Zeygalan waterfall, which is fantastic in terms of natural beauty (otherwise it is also called the Great Zeygelan waterfall). He is located in North Ossetia in the valley of the river Midagrabindon, seven kilometers south of the village of Jimara. The height of the fall is 600 meters. Translated from Ossetian - "falling avalanche". It is one of the ten most grandiose and famous waterfalls in the world. It pushes back fellow Gavarni in France - 422 meters high and Krimml in Austria - 380 meters. It originates from under the hanging glacier at an altitude of 650-700 meters. The peak flow occurs in the summer months of July-August. In winter it dries up and is marked only by ice smudges on the rocks. The waterfall area is part of the Kazbek-Dzhimarai mountain junction, the largest not only in North Ossetia, but in the entire Great Caucasus. The place is delightful in its beauties - on the slopes of the mountains, a sea of ​​​​flowers, herbs, aromas of alpine meadows are dizzy. But you should be careful - the waterfall is dangerous for people: rockfalls happen, sometimes pieces from a melting glacier fly from above. Nevertheless, the waterfall is actively visited. Tourists shoot a grandiose panorama of the waterfall with a camera or TV camera.

Flora and fauna of the Great Caucasus

As for the flora, it is represented by almost six and a half thousand flowering plants. Of these, 166 are unique to mountains. The subtropics are famous for dozens of palm species. Relic juniper and pistachio grow here; Pitsunda pine, oaks, hornbeams, mimosa, tulip tree, magnolias, bamboo - you can’t list all the tree species. Individual patriarchal oaks over a thousand years old. Tourists are advised to walk in the juniper groves. Especially for those with asthma or bronchitis. The breath of juniper kills all microbes and viruses in a person in minutes. A day, two, three walks, and you seem to be born again! This is also facilitated by sea air, thickly infused with salts of bromine, calcium, potassium, etc.

As for the fauna of the Great Caucasus Mountains, it is also rich and diverse here. You will also come across wild boars (beware of mothers and fathers with cubs: the fangs of males are sharp, and there were cases when a meeting with wild boars ended in serious injuries or, worse, death!). There are also chamois, mountain goats, and bears. Once lived both lynxes and leopards. Asiatic lions and tigers. The Caucasian bison became extinct in 1925. The last elk was killed in 1810. A great variety of invertebrates - only spiders in a thousand species. The Great Caucasus is also the habitat of golden eagles, which are caught by poachers and sold abroad for big money. They like to hunt with golden eagles in the Caucasus itself, and in Kazakhstan, and in Kyrgyzstan, and in Saudi Arabia, in other regions and countries of the planet.

Stele of the Soaring Eagle

It appeared in 2013 near the resort villages and Supsekh, not far from Varvarovka, from where the Turkish Stream gas pipeline originates, and was opened as a race for the Day of Russia. Nine kilometers from Anapa. The authors are the sculptor V. Polyakov in collaboration with the architect Y. Rysin.

The monument is made of cold bronze, which guarantees its durability and which is not afraid of any weather changes. A soaring eagle with a wide wingspan and head proudly raised to the sky means the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains. In front of the stele there is a platform for vehicles. Tourists, and them here, passing to others resort villages Big and Small Utrish, thousands and thousands are sure to stop and take pictures or film the monument on a video camera. By the way, the "Soaring Eagle" offers a stunning view of Anapa and the bays, in which the city is freely spread out (in ancient times it bore the mysterious ancient Greek name Gorgippia, and the slave trade was actively conducted in it, its own coins were minted, and representatives of the nobility from different regions Caucasians came and sailed here for white-faced brides!). IN good weather the coast is visible up to the bank of Mary Magdalene, which is near the village - and where divers come and flock not only from all over Russia, but also from abroad. So, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin from the foothills and, in particular, from Bald Mountain with a height of only 319 meters above sea level, other hills are even lower. The foothills enter the very beginning of the Semisamsky ridge, which is part of the chain of the Caucasus Mountains. And Bald Mountain is called because of the absence of any vegetation on it at all. No, no, herbs and flowers are found there. But not more. Let us remind you once again - from the center of Anapa to Bald Mountain is nine kilometers, and from the outskirts of the city it is three times less. And with your hand, as they say, file up to the Small and. And these places are well known to tourists.

At Big Utrish one of the main attractions of the beginning of the Great Caucasus is a dolphinarium on the high seas and with a theater. IN high season There are several performances every day. Artists are sea animals. Towards the end of a kind of performance, bottlenose dolphins deftly jump onto the platform and willingly take pictures with everyone or filmed on a television camera. You can hug them heartily, kiss them or swim in the waters of the dolphinarium. Meanwhile, the seal, leaning on its tail, recklessly applauds the audience with its flippers. On the Big Utrish, according to legends, the hero Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks, who gave people the sacred fire and thereby caused fierce anger from the main god of Olympus, Zeus the Thunderer. Zeus ordered the disobedient to be chained to a rock with strong chains, and a bloodthirsty eagle flew to the martyr to torment his liver with sharp claws. True, residents of neighboring Sochi Anapa object, de Prometheus was chained in the Eagle Rocks area near the former capital of the 2014 Winter Olympics. And they even built a monument to the hero - Prometheus is standing on a mountain with chains torn in his hands, and he has a proud look of a winner! And yet, the assertion of the Sochi residents raises doubts: Eagle Rocks are located far from the sea, near a fast river. But in the museum under open sky in the center of Anapa "Gorgippia" they found a crypt with frescoes of the exploits of another mythological hero - Hercules. And from the myths Ancient Greece it is known for certain that it was Hercules who freed Prometheus from the chains. He drove the bloodthirsty eagle away. Who is right and who is wrong - let the experts decide. But in Anapa, which is no less than two and a half thousand years old, they stubbornly believe that the rock of Prometheus is still located on Bolshoi Utrish. In their opinion, another legend is irrefutable - de the Argonauts, led by their brave captain Jason, sailed past the rocks of the Big Utrish in search of the Golden Fleece. These are the secrets shrouded in the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains near Anapa and the stele of the Soaring Eagle.

Peaks from Novorossiysk to Gelendzhik

Today there are five resort areas: Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Anapa and Taman. From each of them to the other, as they say, within easy reach. And all of them stretched along the Black Sea coast with the exception of Taman, which also has access to Sea of ​​Azov. And the Black Sea coast is mostly protected by mountains. Except for Anapa, where, as we have noticed, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin, but in general the municipality goes from the sea to the steppe expanses. And only in the region of Novorossiysk, as a continuation of the Semisamsky ridge with Lysa Gora, the foothills gradually rise, passing into the Markotkhsky ridge or on the Adygsky to Markotkh, stretching from Novorossiysk towards Gelendzhik for more than ninety kilometers. The most high mountain towering over Novorossiysk - sugar loaf(558 meters above sea level). Gradually rising, the Markotkhsky ridge in some places goes up more than 700 meters. It consists of limestone, sandstone, clay, but its main component is marl, which is used to make cement. This is especially noticeable near Novorossiysk - factories for the production of this type of building materials are operating, and dust is around the pillar. Markotkhsky ridge, we note, runs parallel to and south of the Main Caucasian ridge. There are many sights between Novorossiysk and Anapa. In particular, the natural monument is the Sheskharis juniper forest. We talked about the healing properties of the relic juniper above, therefore we will not repeat ourselves, we only emphasize that it is especially useful in the treatment of asthma and bronchi. From Anapa to Novorossiysk directly 40 kilometers, along the highway - 52. You can overcome them in a little more than forty minutes. And if you drive another 14 kilometers towards Gelendzhik, then you will find yourself on the Abrau Peninsula, at the southern end of which is Bolshoi Utrish with its famous dolphinarium on the high seas and a theater. But the main feature of the peninsula is undoubtedly the place Abrau-Dyurso, nestled among the mountains and part of the municipality of the resort city of Novorossiysk.

Specific estate of Russian sovereigns

The village has a double name -. And this has its own reason. One village is located in the mountains, among fantastically beautiful nature. There is a river of the same name and the largest freshwater lake in the Caucasus with the same name as the village. With a population of about three thousand, living like in paradise. Mild climate, warm winters and vineyards, vineyards, vineyards. Lake Abrau is 3100 meters long, 630 meters wide, 8 to 11 meters deep, by the way, there are fish in it. Gorgeous embankment - with gazebos, benches. In summer, the water is warm, and you can swim in the lake with pleasure. But you can plunge into the Black Sea. At the second village of the royal estate - Durso. Today there are recreation centers and health resorts where you can relax and get medical treatment.

The village of Abrau is known in the world for its exquisite taste of Russian champagne. At the origins of its production was Prince Lev Golitsyn. And the baton was picked up, as it is not surprising, by Joseph Stalin, who ordered the production of domestic champagne in southern regions country and in Abrau in particular. And such an indication of his was contained in a government decree of 1936. As for the production of champagne under the patronage of Golitsyn, its first batch was produced in 1898. And two years later, a powerful winery appeared in Abrau. A highway was laid from Novorossiysk to the village. Now in Abrau there is a museum of famous wines, as well as a company store where tourists can buy Russian champagne under the Abrau-Durso brand, dry wines and even cognac if they wish. A lot of entertainment on the coast in Durso - water attractions, "bananas", "pills", you can rush through the waves with a breeze on jet skis. And in Abrau, horseback riding along the local foothills is popular, mountain tourism, including jeeping or extreme trips, but already on mountain bikes.

Markoth near Gelendzhik

To the famous no less than Anapa, a resort from Novorossiysk, the distance is mere trifles - directly three dozen kilometers, ten kilometers more along the highway. The trip will take somewhere a little over forty minutes. And now you will see the longest embankment in the world - 14 kilometers. With the graceful figure of the bride from white marble, which is clearly visible from the height of the Markoth Range at 762 meters above sea level. Translated from the Adyghe "Markotkh" literally means "berry places", and here you can collect really tasty blackberries in buckets. It pricks, it's true, but what is called "you can't even catch a fish from a pond without difficulty!". There are several high peaks in the vicinity of Gelendzhik - Shakhan near the Zhane River (700 meters above sea level); Pshada - 741 meters near the river of the same name and 43 kilometers long, flowing into the Black Sea; Gebius - 735 meters above sea level. The Markothsky Range itself stretches along the Gelendzhik Bay - charmingly beautiful from a bird's eye view, and even more so from the tops of the surrounding mountains. The resort is famous for its Safari Park, where lions, tigers, bears and other animals live in natural conditions. You can watch their life from a chair cableway. At the top of the Mrkotkh Ridge - a fantastic forest - with a goblin, a mermaid on the branches of a tree, Baba Yaga and others fairy tale characters. From the observation deck you can clearly see yachts and other vessels in the bay, gulls, cormorants, petrels hovering over blue sea with white crests.

And the mountains are getting higher, and the mountains are getting steeper!

And this is true if you go from Gelendzhik to the Bolshoi - the southern capital of Russia, stretching along the Black Sea coast for as much as one hundred and forty-five kilometers. Only one city in the world is longer former capital past Winter Olympic Games, in which our team triumphantly won and which amazed the planet with their colorful opening and closing ceremonies - the capital of Mexico, Mexico City - 200 kilometers. And in the native Fatherland, Sochi is ahead of Volgograd in length, stretching along great river Volga for more than 90 kilometers. So about the height of the local mountains. Having overcome the distance from Gelendzhik to Sochi of 246 kilometers in almost four hours (the game is worth the candle!), You can climb, including as part of excursion groups, one of the surrounding peaks. You can start small - Mount Akhun - 663 meters above sea level. And then the height the mountains will go on the rise: Sugar, fifteen kilometers from the city - 1555 meters; Przegishva - 2216 meters; Big Weaver - 2368 meters; Achishkho - 2391 meters; Bzerli peak - 2482 meters; Perevalnaya South - 2503 meters; stone pillar- 2509 meters; Pshekho-Su - 2743 meters; Oshten - 2804 meters; Fisht - 2853 meters; Peak Kozhevnikov - 3070 meters; Peak Needle - 3168 meters; Sugar Pseashkho - 3189 meters; Atheist - 3256 meters and finally the highest peak of the entire Kuban Tsakhvoa - 3346 meters above sea level. This is not so little, considering that the highest peak of the Great Caucasus Mountains and even Europe is Elbrus, 5642 meters above sea level.

The famous ski resort "Krasnaya Polyana"

It is located in the middle reaches of the mountain river Mzymta, which is translated from the Adyghe - "mad", uncontrollable", "indomitable" - there are other interpretations. It flows into the Black Sea. It is 39 kilometers long. Above the gorge above it is the famous pedestrian suspension bridge the longest in the world. From it, extreme lovers jump into the abyss on an elastic cable. Here is a popular attraction - giant swing with a pendulum swing of half a kilometer. From the west near Mount Achishkho, from the east - the Aibga ridge. Fisht Peak is also in the vicinity, after which the stadium was named, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in 2014 were held. Krasnaya Polyana is a ski resort that can compete with its counterparts in the same Switzerland or in others. mountainous places planets. More than a million compatriots and foreign guests rest here every year. They have more than a hundred kilometers of snow trails at their disposal. different levels difficulty - 6 green, 8 blue, 16 red and 6 black. Experienced skiers and beginners and children can feel comfortable on them. Among independent ski resorts- "Rosa-Khutor", "Alpika-Service", "Gorki Gorod" and GTZ "Gazprom". Skiing during the day, discos, karaoke in the evening, pleasant evenings in cafes, restaurants, casinos. There will be enough places for everyone - hotels, guest houses, you can rent a cottage. There are no problems with transport. Adler is forty kilometers away. You can fly there by direct flights from many regions of Russia. And then rail transport with the famous "Swallows", or regular buses, even faster personal cars. The road will not seem tedious to you. Especially with such fantastic natural beauties! By the way, in Krasnaya Polyana there are enough bases for renting skis, snowboards, sleds and so on.

Arriving in Sochi for rest and treatment (it receives more than five million tourists a year, not including those who prefer snow slopes, operating from November to April inclusive, and sometimes taking the beginning of May), be sure to visit Olympic Park. It is located near the Black Sea. With the stadium "Fisht" and other sports facilities built for the White Olympics. All of them unique architecture. Ice Palace reminiscent of the Peking Opera - in the form of an icy drop. And the Olympic cauldron! She looks like the Firebird from a Russian folk tale. In the Olympic Park there is a Formula 1 track, and the competition for pilots leaves no one indifferent. Fans come from all parts of the world and remain in great delight. The park has its own "Disneyland" with dozens of rides. Souvenirs, including the mascots of the Games, can be bought as a keepsake in local places. Just keep in mind - you can't get around the park in one day. It covers an area of ​​almost two hundred hectares. IN Imereti lowland. Do not go around it in a day and on electric cars: there are so many sights in it. natural beauty Tuapse

Famous resort town located between Gelendzhik and Sochi. From southern capital Russia is 117 kilometers away - less than two hours away. From Gelendzhik - 129 kilometers, a little over two hours drive. Protecting the resort from evil northern winds mountains with an average height of 1352 to 1453 meters above sea level. But there are exceptions - the top of Chessy ascended to the sky at 1839 meters. Among the attractions are Mount Semiglavaya, the Wolf Gorge, the rock of Alexander Kiselev, protruding into the sea and named after the artist. In the city itself - subtropical plants. in the foothills and locals and tourists are happy to collect European blackberries. In the resort area there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, children's health camps. IN seaport moored and cargo, and passenger ships. You can rent a yacht, go to the open sea on it, go fishing, swim in the clearest water or sunbathe on the deck. Tourists love to arrange picnics during boat trips.

Republic of Adygea

It is part of the South Federal District with the capital Maykop with a population of half a million. Part of the North Caucasian economic region. It is surrounded on all sides by the Krasnodar Territory. There are forty-five auls in the republic, there are villages, villages, farms. From the streets of Maykop, the Main Caucasian Range is clearly visible. Sights - Lago-Naki plateau, popular with tourists. Ten waterfalls Rufabgo - each with its own name. Rivers Kuban, Belaya, Laba. The Belaya River is 260 kilometers long. And it is fed by mountain streams and springs of Fisht, Oshten and Abago. granite canyon four kilometers long and two hundred meters deep. Sahrai waterfalls. Mountain Lake Pseudonach. Often visited by tourists are the Devil's Finger rock, Monk, Big Weaver, Trident, Camel, Una-Koz ridge. The mountains are quite high, we recall that the top of Fisht ascended to 2868 meters above sea level. It was her name that was given to the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in 2014 took place, so striking with their colorfulness and originality inherent in the Russian mentality.

Dagestan - a country of mountains

There is also a popular saying about this. It is especially often used in speeches on December 11, when the whole world celebrates International Mountain Day. And the highest of the peaks of the Great Caucasus here - Shalbuzdag - 4150 meters above sea level. In July and August, there is a real pilgrimage to her: here is the grave of the righteous Suleiman. The mountain resembles a pyramid with a jagged top. There is a belief that if you climb it, all desires and dreams will come true. And thousands of tourists are trying to do it. But the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, stretches directly along the Tarki-Tau mountain - unique natural monument from a mountain monolith. It is also well known because in 1722 the army of Peter the Great entered Tarki. The top of the Great Caucasus under the name of Bazarduzu is considered the most south point Russia. She ascended to a height of 4466 meters above sea level. The first ascent to it was made in 1935.

You can talk about the mountains of Dagestan for a long time. But it has another unique attraction - just fifteen kilometers from Makhachkala, its capital, the gray-haired Caspian splashes - the largest closed reservoir on Earth, the largest on the planet drainless lake at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Its area is 371 thousand square kilometers. The depth is more than a kilometer. It is home to more than 140 species of fish, of which the most famous is the beluga, which, if you meet, will get scared: is it really a shark?! There are sturgeons that produce black caviar and species such as bream, asp, bleak, river eel, spike, burbot - you can’t list them all! The great Russian river Volga, 3530 kilometers long, flows into the Caspian Sea (lake), off the coast of which a 300,000-strong Nazi army led by Field Marshal Paulus was taken prisoner near Stalingrad. Every year, thousands and thousands of tourists, both our compatriots and foreigners, come to rest to the Caspian Sea. In particular, there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, and children's health camps near Makhachkala. True, the shores of the Caspian have not yet been very well developed, but a course has been taken to create another popular resort area here. And what? white fine sand, pure water- sunbathe, swim, catch a fish, boil a fragrant fish soup out of it on the shore!

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It is divided into two mountain systems: the Greater Caucasus and the Lesser Caucasus. The Caucasus is often divided into the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the border between which is drawn along the Main, or Dividing Range. Greater Caucasus, which occupies a central position in the mountain system. The Greater Caucasus stretches for more than 1100 km from the northwest to the southeast, from the Anapa region and the Taman Peninsula to the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian coast, near Baku. Max Width The Greater Caucasus reaches in the region of the Elbrus meridian (up to 180 km). In the axial part is located the Main Caucasian (or Dividing) Range, to the north of which a number of parallel ranges (mountain ranges) extend, including a monoclinal (kuest) character (see Greater Caucasus). Southern slope of the Greater Caucasus for the most part consists of echelon-shaped ridges adjacent to the Main Caucasian ridge. Traditionally, the Greater Caucasus is divided into 3 parts: the Western Caucasus (from the Black Sea to Elbrus), the Central Caucasus (from Elbrus to Kazbek) and the Eastern Caucasus (from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea).

The most famous peaks - Mt. Elbrus (5642 m) and Mt. Kazbek (5033 m) are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. The Greater Caucasus is a region with a large modern glaciation. The total number of glaciers is about 2050, their area is approximately 1400 km 2 . More than half of the glaciation of the Greater Caucasus is concentrated in the Central Caucasus (50% of the number and 70% of the glaciation area). major centers glaciations are Mount Elbrus and the Bezengi wall (with the Bezengi glacier, 17 km). From the northern foot of the Greater Caucasus to the Kuma-Manych depression, Ciscaucasia extends with vast plains and uplands. To the south of the Greater Caucasus are the Colchis and Kura-Araks lowlands, the Inner Kartli plain and the Alazan-Avtoran valley [the Kura depression, within which the Alazan-Avtoran valley and the Kura-Araks lowland are located]. In the southeastern part of the Caucasus - the Talysh mountains (up to 2477 m high) with the adjacent Lankaran lowland. In the middle and in the west of the southern part of the Caucasus is the Transcaucasian Highlands, which consists of the ranges of the Lesser Caucasus and the Armenian Highlands (Aragats, 4090 m). The Lesser Caucasus is connected to the Greater Caucasus by the Likhi Ridge, in the west it is separated from it by the Colchis Lowland, in the east by the Kura Depression. The length is about 600 km, the height is up to 3724 m. The mountains near Sochi - Achishkho, Aibga, Chigush (Chugush, 3238 m), Pseashkho and others (Krasnaya Polyana resort area) - will host participants in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

The Caucasus Mountains are located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Kuma-Manych depression separates the Caucasus from the East European Plain. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only Ciscaucasia and the northern part of the Greater Caucasus are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. 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 Range, the state border of the Russian Federation passes, behind which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan. The entire system of the Caucasus Range occupies an area of ​​approximately 2600 m2, and its northern slope occupies about 1450 m2, while the southern one is only about 1150 m2.

The North Caucasian mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. Located in the southern part fold-block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. They were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which were later subjected to folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, extensions, ruptures and faults of earth layers. As a result, a large number of magma (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits). The uplifts that took place 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 lowering of the layers along the edges of the ridge being formed. Thus, the Terek-Caspian trough was formed in the east, and the Indal-Kuban trough in the west.

Often the Greater Caucasus is presented as the only 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) follows the Central Caucasus, and to the east from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In addition, two ridges can be distinguished in the longitudinal direction: Vodorazdelny (sometimes called the main one) and Lateral. On the northern slope of the Caucasus, the Rocky and Pasture Ranges, as well as the Black Mountains, are distinguished. They were formed as a result of the interbedding of layers composed of sedimentary rocks of different hardness. One slope of the ridge here is gentle, and the other breaks off rather 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 is rather not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise towards the east. The highest parts North Caucasus covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the Western Caucasus are the Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters) mountains. The highest part of the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach a height of 3 thousand meters, and the lowest of them (Cross) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. Here are the highest peaks of the Caucasus. So, for example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the two-headed dormant volcano Elbrus is indeed the highest peak in Russia.

The relief here is strongly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks prevail. The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus is mainly numerous ridges Dagestan (in translation, 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 still they exceed the height of 4 thousand meters. The uplift of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite frequent earthquakes in this region of Russia are connected with this. North of Central Caucasus, where the magma rising along the cracks did not spill onto 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 sources of mineral waters.

The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Tersko-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, the height of which 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 is made up of Neogene formations covered with limestone deposits - loess and loess-like loams, and in the eastern part there are also marine deposits of the Quaternary period. The climate in this area is quite favorable. Quite high mountains serve as a good obstacle to the cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between the two climatic zones subtropical and temperate. On Russian territory The climate is still temperate, but the above factors contribute to fairly high temperatures.

Mountains of the Caucasus As a result, winters in Ciscaucasia are quite warm ( average temperature in January is about -5°С). This is facilitated by those coming from outside Atlantic Ocean warm air masses. On Black Sea coast temperature rarely drops below zero mark(average January temperature 3°С). Temperatures are naturally lower in mountainous regions. Thus, the average temperature in the plains in summer is about 25°C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0°C. Precipitation in this area falls mainly due to cyclones coming from the west, as a result of which their amount gradually decreases towards the east.

Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is about 7 times lower. In the mountains of the North Caucasus, glaciation is developed, in terms of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich this region ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed during the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. mountain rivers, as usual, are fleeting, and in their lower reaches there are swampy spaces overgrown with reeds and reeds.

The Caucasus is a mountain system located in Eurasia between the Black and Caspian Seas. Mountain chain extends for 1100 km from the Taman Peninsula and Anapa to the Absheron Peninsula near the city of Baku.

It is customary to divide this territory according to several criteria: into the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, as well as into the Western (from the Black Sea to Elbrus), Central (from Elbrus to Kazbek) and Eastern (from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea). The mountain system reaches its greatest width in the central part (180 km). The mountain peaks of the Central Caucasus are the highest on the Main Caucasian (Dividing) Range.

The most famous mountain peaks of the Caucasus are Mount Elbrus (5642 m) and Mount Kazbek (5033 m). Both peaks are stratovolcanoes. Moreover, Kazbek is considered to be extinct, which cannot be said about Elbrus. The opinions of experts on this matter vary. The slopes of the two highest mountains of the Caucasus are covered with snow and glaciers. The Central Caucasus accounts for up to 70% of modern glaciation. For more than a century of observations of the glaciers of the Caucasus, their area has significantly decreased.

To the north, from the foot of the Greater Caucasus, an inclined plain extends, which ends with the Kumo-Manych depression. Its territory is dissected by lateral ridges and river valleys. by the most major rivers this area can be considered Kuban and Terek. To the south of the Greater Caucasus are the Colchis and Kura-Araks lowlands.

The Caucasus Mountains can be considered young. They were formed in the era of Alpine folding about 28-23 million years ago. Their formation is due to the movement of the Arabian lithospheric plate to the north to the Eurasian one. The latter, pressed by the African plate, moves several centimeters a year.

Tectonic processes in the depths of the Caucasus continue to this day. Geological structure Elbrus speaks of the great activity of the volcano in the recent past. Several powerful earthquakes occurred in the Caucasus in the 20th century. The most devastating was the earthquake in Armenia in 1988.

Seismic stations operating throughout the Caucasus annually register several hundred earthquakes. Experts say that some sections of the Caucasus Range "grow" by several centimeters per year.

Caucasus in Europe or in Asia?

This issue should be considered more in political and historical aspects. The Caucasus Mountains are located in the center of the Eurasian Plate, so the division can only be conditional. The border between Europe and Asia was proposed by the Swedish officer and geographer F. Stralenberg in 1730. The border that passed along Ural mountains and the Kuma-Manych depression was accepted by many scientists.

Despite this, several alternative proposals were proposed at different times, which justified the division of Europe and Asia along the Caucasus Mountains. Despite ongoing disputes, Elbrus is still considered the highest point in Europe. The history of the region suggests the special position of the Caucasus at the crossroads between European and East Asian cultures.

The highest mountains of the Caucasus

• Elbrus (5642 m). KBR, KChR. The highest point in Russia
• Dykhtau (5204 m). CBD
• Koshtantau (5122 m). CBD
• Pushkin Peak (5100 m). CBD
• Dzhangitau (5058 m). CBD
• Shkhara (5201 m). CBD. The highest point of Georgia
• Kazbek (5034 m). The highest point of North Ossetia
• Mizhirgi Western (5022 m). CBD
• Tetnuld (4974 m). Georgia
• Katyntau (4970 m). CBD
• Peak Shota Rustaveli (4960 m). CBD
• Gestola (4860 m). CBD
• Jimara (4780 m). Georgia, North Ossetia
• Ushba (4690 m). Georgia, North Ossetia
• Gulchitau (4447 m). CBD
• Tebulosmta (4493 m). The highest point of Chechnya
• Bazarduzu (4466 m). The highest point of Dagestan and Azerbaijan
• Shan (4451 m). The highest point of Ingushetia
• Adai-Khokh (4408 m). North Ossetia
• Diclosmta (4285 m). Chechnya
• Shahdag (4243 m). Azerbaijan
• Tufandag (4191 m). Azerbaijan
• Shalbuzdag (4142 m). Dagestan
• Aragats (4094). The highest point of Armenia
• Dombay-Ulgen (4046 m). KCHR

How many five-thousanders are in the Caucasus?

It is customary to call Caucasian five-thousanders mountains whose height exceeds five kilometers. From the list above, it is clear that Caucasus eight mountains "five-thousanders«:

• Elbrus(5642 m) is a dormant volcano and the highest mountain in Russia. The mountain consists of two peaks Western (5642 m) and Eastern (5621 m), connected by a saddle (5416 m).
• Dykhtau(5204 m) - mountain peak of the Lateral Range of the Greater Caucasus. The mountain consists of two peaks (both over 5000 m high), connected by a steep narrow saddle. The first ascent to the mountain took place in 1888. To date, about ten routes have been laid to the top of Dykhtau with a difficulty of 4A (according to the Russian classification).
• Koshtantau(5122 m) - a mountain peak on the border of Bezengi and mountainous area Balkaria.
• Pushkin Peak(5100 m) - being part of the Dykhtau mountain range, it is a separate peak. Named after A.S. Pushkin to the 100th anniversary of his death.
• Dzhangitau(5058 m) - a mountain peak in the central part of the Greater Caucasus. There are three peaks in the Dzhangitau massif, all of which have a height of more than five kilometers.
• Shkhara(5201 m) - a mountain peak of the Central Caucasus, which is part of the Bezengi wall.
• Kazbek(5034 m) is an extinct stratovolcano, the easternmost five-thousander of the Caucasus. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1868.
• Mizhirgi Western(5022 m) - a mountain peak as part of the Bezengi wall. The name of the mountain is translated from Karachay-Balkar as "connecting".