Middle and low mountains. Types and types of mountains. What types of mountains are there? Signs of classification

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

Let's look at the main types of mountains.

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

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

Features of low mountains:

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

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

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

Features of the middle mountains:

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

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

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

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

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

Features of the highlands:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Volcanic there are mountains two types:

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

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

Erosion (denudation) mountains .

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

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

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

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

Peaked mountain peaks.

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

Examples of mountains with peaked peaks:

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

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

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

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

Plateau-shaped mountain peaks.

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

Examples of plateau-like mountains:

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

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

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

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

Famous mesas:

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

Dome-shaped mountain peaks.

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

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

Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,

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

Examples of mountains with a dome-shaped peak:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let's take a closer look:

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

Mountain country – many mountain systems.

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

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

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

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

Mountains occupy about 24% of all land. The most mountains are in Asia - 64%, the least in Africa - 3%. 10% of the world's population lives in the mountains. And it is in the mountains that most rivers on our planet originate.

Characteristics of mountains

According to their geographical location, mountains are united into various communities that should be distinguished.

. Mountain belts- the largest formations, often stretching across several continents. For example, the Alpine-Himalayan belt passes through Europe and Asia or the Andean-Cordilleran belt, stretching through North and South America.
. Mountain system- groups of mountains and ranges similar in structure and age. For example, the Ural Mountains.

. Mountain ranges- a group of mountains stretched in a line (Sangre de Cristo in the USA).

. Mountain groups- also a group of mountains, but not stretched out in a line, but simply located nearby. For example, the Bear Pau Mountains in Montana.

. Single mountains- unrelated to others, often of volcanic origin (Table Mountain in South Africa).

Natural mountain areas

Natural zones in the mountains are arranged in layers and change depending on the height. At the foothills there is most often a zone of meadows (in the highlands) and forests (in the middle and low mountains). The higher you go, the harsher the climate becomes.

The change of zones is influenced by climate, altitude, mountain topography and their geographical location. For example, the continental mountains do not have a belt of forests. From the base to the summit, the natural areas vary from deserts to grasslands.

Types of mountains

There are several classifications of mountains according to various criteria: structure, shape, origin, age, geographical location. Let's look at the most basic types:

1. By age old and young mountains are distinguished.

Old are called mountain systems whose age is estimated at hundreds of millions of years. Internal processes in them have calmed down, but external processes (wind, water) continue to destroy, gradually comparing them with the plains. The old mountains include the Ural, Scandinavian, and Khibiny mountains (on the Kola Peninsula).

2. Height There are low mountains, middle mountains and high mountains.

Low mountains (up to 800 m) - with rounded or flat tops and gentle slopes. There are many rivers in such mountains. Examples: Northern Urals, Khibiny Mountains, spurs of the Tien Shan.

Average mountains (800-3000 m). They are characterized by a change in landscape depending on the height. These are the Polar Urals, the Appalachians, the mountains of the Far East.

High mountains (over 3000 m). These are mostly young mountains with steep slopes and sharp peaks. Natural areas change from forests to icy deserts. Examples: Pamirs, Caucasus, Andes, Himalayas, Alps, Rocky Mountains.

3. By origin There are volcanic (Fujiyama), tectonic (Altai mountains) and denudation, or erosion (Vilyuisky, Ilimsky).

4. According to the shape of the top mountains can be peak-shaped (Communism Peak, Kazbek), plateau-shaped and table-shaped (Amba in Ethiopia or Monument Valley in the USA), domed (Ayu-Dag, Mashuk).

Climate in the mountains

The mountain climate has a number of characteristic features that appear with altitude.

Decrease in temperature - the higher it is, the colder it is. It is no coincidence that the peaks of the highest mountains are covered with glaciers.

Atmospheric pressure decreases. For example, at the top of Everest the pressure is two times lower than at sea level. This is why water boils faster in the mountains - at 86-90ºC.

The intensity of solar radiation increases. In the mountains, sunlight contains more ultraviolet radiation.

The amount of precipitation is increasing.

High mountain ranges trap precipitation and influence the movement of cyclones. Therefore, the climate on different slopes of the same mountain may differ. On the windward side there is a lot of moisture and sun, on the leeward side it is always dry and cool. A striking example is the Alps, where on one side of the slopes there are subtropics, and on the other, a temperate climate prevails.

The highest mountains in the world

(Click on the picture to enlarge the diagram in full size)

There are seven highest peaks in the world that all climbers dream of conquering. Those who succeed become honorary members of the Seven Peaks Club. These are mountains such as:

. Chomolungma, or Everest (8848 m). Located on the border of Nepal and Tibet. Belongs to the Himalaya mountain system. It has the shape of a triangular pyramid. The first conquest of the mountain took place in 1953.

. Aconcagua(6962 m). It is the highest mountain in the southern hemisphere, located in Argentina. Belongs to the Andes mountain system. The first ascent took place in 1897.

. McKinley- the highest peak in North America (6168 m). Located in Alaska. First conquered in 1913. It was considered the highest point in Russia until Alaska was sold to America.

. Kilimanjaro- the highest point in Africa (5891.8 m). Located in Tanzania. First conquered in 1889. This is the only mountain where all types of Earth's belts are represented.

. Elbrus- the highest peak in Europe and Russia (5642 m). Located in the Caucasus. The first ascent took place in 1829.

. Vinson Massif- the highest mountain in Antarctica (4897 m). Part of the Ellsworth Mountains system. First conquered in 1966.

. Mont Blanc- the highest point in Europe (many attribute Elbrus to Asia). Height - 4810 m. Located on the border of France and Italy, it belongs to the Alps mountain system. The first ascent in 1786, and a century later, in 1886, Theodore Roosevelt conquered the top of Mont Blanc.

. Pyramid of Carstens- the highest mountain in Australia and Oceania (4884 m). Located on the island of New Guinea. The first conquest was in 1962.

Considering the size of Russia's territory, it is obvious that the country has many large and small mountain ranges. Most of them are located in the East Siberian region, usually in the southern and northern parts of the Asian territory of Russia.

In the European part of Russia there are two main mountain ranges - the Greater Caucasus, marking the southwestern border between Asia and Europe, and the Ural Mountains, located on the border of Asia and Europe. Russia's highest mountain, Elbrus at 5,642 meters, is located within the Caucasus range and is the highest point in Europe. The Ural Mountains are much lower, and the highest peak, Narodnaya, has a height of 1,895 meters.

There are four main mountain ranges on the southern side of the Russia map. The westernmost and highest of them is the Altai Range, shared by Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. The highest peak here is Mount Belukha with an altitude of about 4,500 meters. Higher peaks can only be found in Kamchatka and the Caucasus. If you move to the east of the country, a downward trend is noticeable. The Sayan Mountains, which lie west of Lake Baikal, have a maximum height of about 3,500 meters. On the eastern side of the lake there are two main ridges - Yablonovy and Stanovoy, the height of which does not exceed 2,500 meters above sea level. The highest peak of the Stanovoy Range, Golets Skalisty, has a height of 2,467 meters.

The highest mountain range in northern Russia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula. An active stratovolcano, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, with a constantly changing height from 4,750 to 4,850 meters, is the highest mountain peak in Russia outside the Caucasus. Unlike in the south, Russia's northern mountain ranges become smaller as you move west. Near the Kamchatka region, the Kolyma Plateau has a height 1,962 m meters, and the Chersky ridge rises to approximately 3,000 meters above sea level. The somewhat shorter Verkhoyansk Range is located on the eastern banks of the Lena River. On the other hand, between the Yenisei and Lena rivers lies the not very high, but huge Central Siberian Plateau, covering an area of ​​more than 3.5 million km².

Below is a list with a brief description and photo, as well as a table of the ten highest mountain peaks in Russia.

Mountain Elbrus

Elbrus is the highest mountain in both Russia and Europe, reaching 5,642 m in height. Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano and also one of the Seven Summits of the World (the highest mountains in each part of the world). It is located 10 km from the Caucasus mountain range, on the border of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic - subjects of the Russian Federation. The mountain has twenty-three different glaciers on its slopes and has been considered part of the Elbrus National Park since 1986.

Elbrus has two peaks, the smaller of which was first conquered by Kilar Khashirov in July 1829, when he led a scientific expedition at the suggestion of General Emmanuel. The ascent to the high peak dates back to 1874. The expedition was led by the British led by Florence Crawford (1838-1902), Horace Walker (1838-1908), Frederick Gardner, the Swiss Peter Knubel (1832-1919) and their guide Ahiya Sotaev.

Dykhtau

At an altitude of 5,204 m, Dykhtau is the second highest mountain in Russia. Dykhtau is located in the Lateral Range of the Greater Caucasus, on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria - a subject of the Russian Federation. The mountain is located near the border with Georgia, and from it you can see the Bezengi Wall. Dykhtau was first climbed in 1888 by Albert F. Mummery (1855-95) and H. Zarflukh.

Pushkin Peak

Pushkin Peak has a height of 5,100 m and is the third highest mountain in Russia. The mountain peak is located on the border between Georgia and Russia. The peak is located in the Dykhtau mountain range, in the Bezengi region in the central part of the Caucasus range. It was first conquered in 1961 by the Russian team from the Spartak club under the leadership of B. Kletsko.

Kazbek

With a height of 5,033 m, Kazbek is the fourth highest mountain in the Russian Federation. It is located in the Khokh mountain range, which is part of the Lateral Range of the Greater Caucasus and lies directly on the border between the Kazbegi Municipality in Georgia and the Russian Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. There are several small glaciers on Kazbek. The first ascent of the mountain took place in 1868, with the participation of three members of the London Alpine Club: Douglas Freshfield (1845-1934), Adrian Moore (1841-87) and S. Tucker, as well as their guide, the Frenchman Francois Devoissoud (1831-1905) .

Gestola

Gestola is the fifth highest mountain in Russia, with a peak height of 4,860 m. Gestola is located in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, right on the border with Svaneti (Georgia) and Karbardino-Balkaria (Russian Federation). The slopes of the mountain are covered with a huge amount of ice and also consist of glaciers, the most prominent of which is the Adishi Glacier.

Shota Rustaveli Peak

Shota Rustaveli Peak, with a height of 4,859 m, is the sixth highest point in Russia. The mountain belongs to the Greater Caucasus Range and has glaciated slopes, as well as valleys in the vicinity of which there are glaciers. Despite the fact that the mountain was named after the famous Georgian poet and statesman Shota Rustaveli, it is sought after by both countries as it extends the border into Karbardino-Balkaria (Russia) and the province of Svaneti (Georgia).

Jimara

Dzhimara has a height of 4,780 m and is the seventh highest mountain in Russia. The mountain is located on the Khokh mountain range, which belongs to the Greater Caucasus Range. Dzhimara is located in the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania, right on the border with Georgia.

Wilpata

The peak of Wilpata is located at an altitude of 4,649 m and is part of the Caucasus Range in North Ossetia-Alania. Little is known about this mountain, and its peak has never been conquered before.

Sauhokh

With a height of 4,636 m, Mount Saukhokh ranks ninth in the list of “Highest Mountains of Russia”. Mount Saukhokh is located on the Caucasus Range in North Ossetia-Alania. Little is known about this mountain since it has not been conquered.

Kukurtli-Kolbashi

Kukurtli-Kolbashi is the tenth highest mountain in Russia with an altitude of 4,624 m (according to other sources 4,978 m) above sea level. It is located in the Caucasus mountain range on the territory of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. There is very little information about this mountain, and until now its peak has not been conquered.

Table of the highest mountain peaks in Russia

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

Definition

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

All mountains can be divided by origin:

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

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

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

Types of mountains by height

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

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

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

Mountains of the Middle Urals

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

Polar Urals

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

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

• Ngetenape - 1,338 m.
• Payer (approximately 1,500 m) is the highest peak of the Polar Urals.
• Harnaurdy-Keu (1,246) - located in the Tyumen Region near the border of the Komi Republic. From the language of the Komi-Zyryan peoples, the name of the mountain is translated as “a steep peak from where a small eagle fell.”
• Hanmei (1333) is a beautiful northern mountain. Surprisingly, there is a river with the same name.

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

Mountains of Eastern Siberia and the Far East

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

Scandinavian mountains

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

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

Carpathians

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

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

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

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

Australian Alps

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

Appalachia

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

New Earth

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

Mountains vary in height, shape, age, origin, geographical location, etc. The article provides a description of the listed types of mountains.

Mountains by height

Lowlands

Low mountains or low mountains - mountain heights up to 800 meters above sea level.

Peculiarities:

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

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

Srednegorye

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

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

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

Highlands

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

Peculiarities:

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

Examples: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakoram, Rocky Mountains, etc.

Mountains by shape

According to the nature of the summit endings, mountains are: peak-shaped, dome-shaped, plateau-shaped, etc.

Peaked mountain peaks

Peaked mountains are pointed mountain peaks that are shaped like peaks, hence the name of this type of mountain peak. They are characteristic mainly of young mountains with steep rocky slopes, sharp ridges and deep crevices of river valleys.

Examples of mountains with peaked peaks:

• Peak Communism (mountain system - Pamir, height 7495 meters)
• Pobeda Peak (Tian Shan mountain system, height 7439 meters)
• Mount Kazbek (mountain system - Pamir, height 7134 meters)
• Pushkin Peak (mountain system - Caucasus, height 5100 meters)

Domed mountain peaks

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

• Laccoliths are unformed volcanoes in the form of a hill with a magma core inside,
• Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,
• Small areas of land that have undergone a dome-shaped tectonic uplift and, under the influence of erosion processes, have taken on a mountainous appearance.

Examples of mountains with a dome-shaped peak:

• Black Hills (USA). The area was subject to dome uplift and much of the sedimentary cover was removed by further denudation and erosion. As a result, the central core was exposed. It consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks.
• Ai-Nikola (Ukrainian Ai-Nikola, Crimean tat. Ay Nikola, Ai Nikola) is a domed outlier mountain, the southeastern spur of Mount Mogabi near the western outskirts of the village of Oreanda. It is composed of Upper Jurassic limestones. Height - 389 meters above sea level.
• Kastel (Ukrainian Kastel, Crimean Catholicate. Qastel, Kaastel) is a mountain 439 m high on the southern outskirts of Alushta, behind the Professor’s Corner. The dome of the mountain is covered with a forest cap, and chaos has formed on the eastern slope - boulders of stone, sometimes reaching 3-5 m in diameter.
• Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain (Ukrainian Ayu-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Ayuv Dağ, Ayuv Dag) is a mountain on the southern coast of Crimea, located on the border of Big Alushta and Big Yalta. The height of the mountain is 577 meters above sea level. This is a classic example of a laccolith.
• Kara-Dag (Ukrainian Kara-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Qara dağ, Kаara dag) is a mountain-volcanic massif, Crimea. Maximum height - 577 m (Mount Holy). It is a heavily destroyed volcanic form with a dome-shaped top.
• Mashuk is a remnant magmatic mountain (laccolith mountain) in the central part of Pyatigorye on the Caucasian Mineral Waters, in the northeastern part of the city of Pyatigorsk. The height is 993.7 m. The peak has a regular dome shape.

Plateau-shaped mountain peaks

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

• Front Range Front Range) is a mountain range in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, adjacent to the Great Plains on the west. The ridge stretches from south to north for 274 km. The highest point is Mount Grays Peak (4349 m). The ridge is composed mainly of granites. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the eastern slopes are gentle, the western slopes are steep.
• Khibiny (Kild. Umptek) is the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. Geological age is about 350 million years. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the slopes are steep with isolated snowfields. However, not a single glacier was discovered in the Khibiny Mountains. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).
• Amba (translated from Amharic as Mountain Fortress) is the name of the flat-topped hills and mesas in Ethiopia. They consist mainly of horizontal sandstones and layers of basalt. This determines the flat-topped shape of the mountains. Ambas are located at an altitude of up to 4,500 m.

Mountains by age

By age, mountains are divided into:

• Young mountains,
• Old (ancient) mountains.

Young mountains formed over the last 50 million years. In these mountain systems, internal processes are very actively developing, accompanied by the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and sometimes even volcanic activity. The youngest mountains on Earth are those belonging to the continental and island rings of the Pacific Ocean. The Caucasus Mountains are recognized as the youngest mountains in Russia. Here is the highest mountain in Russia - Elbrus (5642 m). (In the picture on the left: The Himalayas are young mountains, geological age about 38 million years)

Features of the young mountains:

• the process of growth of young mountains is still ongoing,
• the relief is sharp, highly dissected,
• the peaks of the ridges are sharp,
• the mountain slopes are steep and high,
• high absolute altitudes,
• significant height amplitude,
• the valleys of numerous rivers are presented in the form of gorges, gorges,
• Young mountains are characterized by the development of glaciers.

Examples of young mountains are:

• Alps,
• Caucasus Mountains,
• Carpathians,
• Kopet-Dag,
• Pamir,
• Mountains of Kamchatka.

Old (ancient) mountains are several hundred million years old. They differ in that the internal processes in them have long since died down, while the external processes that influence the destruction of the mountains are still active. This will continue until the relief is completely leveled. On many modern plains there are areas where, by all indications, there were once ancient mountains. From these mountains, only roots remained in the depths, covered with a thick layer of sedimentary rocks.

Features of old (ancient) mountains:

• were heavily damaged,
• have less contrasting relief,
• the elevation differences are small,
• gentle slopes,
• The river valleys are well developed.

Examples of old (ancient) mountains are:

• Ural mountains,
• Timan,
• Yenisei Ridge,
• Khibiny (Kola Peninsula, geological age approximately 350 million years).

By origin

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

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

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

There are two types of volcanic mountains:

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

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

Erosion (denudation) mountains

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

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

By geographical location

On this basis, it is customary to group mountains into mountain systems, ridges, mountain ranges and single mountains.

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

Mountainous country - many mountain systems.

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

Mountain ranges are interconnected mountains stretched out in a line. For example, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (North America).

Mountain groups are also mountains connected to each other, but not elongated in a line, but forming a group of indefinite shape. For example, Mount Henry in Utah and Bear Paw in Montana.

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