Caucasus Mountains

Coordinates: 42°30′N 45°00′E / 42.5°N 45°E / 42.5; 45
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the lunar mountain range, see Montes Caucasus.
Caucasus Mountains
Aerial view of the Caucasus Mountains
Highest point
PeakMount Elbrus
Elevation5,642 m (18,510 ft)[1]
ListingSeven Summits
Coordinates43°21′18″N 42°26′31″E / 43.35500°N 42.44194°E / 43.35500; 42.44194
Dimensions
Length1,200 km (750 mi)
Width160 km (99 mi)
Area477,165 km2 (184,234 sq mi) Edit this on Wikidata
Geography
Topographic map
CountriesRussia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia
ContinentEurasia
Range coordinates42°30′N 45°00′E / 42.5°N 45°E / 42.5; 45
Satellite image of the Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus Mountains[a] is a mountain range at the intersection of Asia and Europe. Stretching between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, they are surrounded by the Caucasus region and are home to Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe at 5,642 metres (18,510 ft) above sea level.

The Caucasus Mountains include the

Transcaucasian Highland, which at their western end converges with the highland plateau of Eastern Anatolia. The Caucasus Mountains were part of the Silk Road
.

Geology

Geologically, the Caucasus Mountains belong to the

Cimmerian orogeny at the active margin of the Tethys Ocean while the uplift of the Greater Caucasus is dated to the Miocene during the Alpine orogeny
.

The Caucasus Mountains formed largely as the result of a

Tethys Sea was closed and the Arabian Plate collided with the Iranian Plate and was pushed against it and with the clockwise movement of the Eurasian Plate towards the Iranian Plate and their final collision, the Iranian Plate was pressed against the Eurasian Plate. As this happened, the entire rocks that had been deposited in this basin from the Jurassic to the Miocene were folded to form the Greater Caucasus Mountains. This collision also caused the uplift and the Cenozoic volcanic activity in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.[5]

The entire region is regularly subjected to strong earthquakes from this activity.[6] While the Greater Caucasus Mountains have a mainly folded sedimentary structure, the Lesser Caucasus Mountains are largely of volcanic origin.[7]

The

Kazbek, formed as Pleistocene-Pliocene volcanoes. The Kazbek is no longer active, but the Elbrus erupted in postglacial times and fumarole activity is registered near its summit. Contemporary seismic activity is a prominent feature of the region, reflecting active faulting and crustal shortening. Clusters of seismicity occur in Dagestan and in northern Armenia. Many devastating earthquakes have been documented in historical times, including the Spitak earthquake in December 1988 which destroyed the Gyumri-Vanadzor
region of Armenia.

Notable peaks

define the Greater Caucasus Watershed which marks the continental boundary between Asia and Europe for the region between the Black and Caspian seas. This classification would place Mount Elbrus at the junction with Asia.[4]

The table below lists some of the highest peaks of the Caucasus. With the exception of Shkhara, the heights are taken from Soviet 1:50,000 mapping. The list includes the ten ultras (mountains of more than 1,500 m prominence) and all mountains over 4,500 m height with 300 m prominence. Mount Ararat (5,137 m) in Turkey is just south of the Lesser Caucasus.

Some of the Highest peaks in the Caucasus Mountains
Peak name Elevation
(metres) 		Prominence
(metres) 		Country
Elbrus
5,642
4,741  
 Russia
Dykh-Tau
5,205
2,002  
 Russia
Shkhara
 5,193[b]
1,365  
 Georgia / Russia  
Koshtan-Tau
5,152
822  
 Russia
Pushkin peak
5,100
110  
 Russia
Janga
(Dzhangi-Tau)
5,085
300  
 Georgia / Russia
Mizhirgi
5,047
10  
 Russia
Kazbek
5,034
2,353  
 Georgia / Russia
Katyn-Tau
4,979
240  
 Georgia / Russia
Kukurtlu Dome
4,978
18  
 Russia
Gistola
4,860
320  
 Georgia / Russia
Shota Rustaveli
4,860
c. 50  
 Georgia / Russia
Tetnuldi
4,858
672  
 Georgia
Jimara

(Jimari)
4,780
840  
 Georgia / Russia
Ushba
4,710
1,143  
 Georgia
Dumala-Tau
4,682
332  
 Russia
Gora Uilpata
4,649
1300  
 Russia
Tikhtengen
4,618
768  
 Georgia / Russia
Ailama
4,547
1,067  
 Georgia / Russia
Tiutiun-Tau
4,540
380  
 Russia
Jailik
4,533
926  
 Russia
Salinan
4,508
621  
 Russia
Tebulosmta
4,499
2,145  
 Georgia / Russia
Mount Bazardüzü
4,466
2,454  
 Azerbaijan / Russia
Mount Shan
4,451
1,775  
 Georgia / Russia
Tepli
4,431
1,144  
 Russia
Diklo
4,285
843  
 Georgia / Russia
Mount Shahdagh
4,243
1,102  
 Azerbaijan
Gora Addala
Shukgelmezr
4,152
1,792  
 Russia
Gora Dyultydag
4,127
1,834  
 Russia
Aragats
4,090
2,143  
 Armenia
Deavgay
4,016
1,251  
 Russia

Climate

Aishkho Pass, Caucasus Nature Reserve

The climate of the Caucasus varies both vertically (according to elevation) and horizontally (by latitude and location). Temperature generally decreases as elevation rises. Average annual temperature in

Kazbek at an elevation of 3,700 metres (12,100 ft), average annual temperature falls to −6.1 °C (21.0 °F). The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range are 3 °C (5.4 °F) colder than the southern slopes. The highlands of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
are marked by sharp temperature contrasts between the summer and winter months due to a more continental climate.

Precipitation increases from east to west in most areas. Elevation plays an important role in the Caucasus and mountains generally receive higher amounts of precipitation than low-lying areas. The north-eastern regions (

Ajaria. The precipitation of the Lesser Caucasus Mountain Range (Southern Georgia, Armenia, western Azerbaijan), not including the Meskheti Range
, varies from 300-800 mm (31.50 in) annually.

The Caucasus Mountains are known for the high amount of snowfall, although many regions which are not located along the windward slopes do not receive nearly as much snow. This is especially true for the Lesser Caucasus Mountains which are somewhat isolated from the moist influences coming in from the

Avalanches
are common from November to April.

Snow cover in several regions (Svaneti and northern Abkhazia) may reach 5 metres (16 ft). The Mt. Achishkho region, which is the snowiest place in the Caucasus, often records snow depths of 7 m (23 ft).

Landscape

Juta Valley in Georgia, on the southern slopes of Greater Caucasus.

The Caucasus Mountains have a varied landscape which changes according to elevation and distance from large bodies of water. The region contains

alpine meadows in the south (mainly in Armenia and Azerbaijan
).

The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains are covered by

coniferous and mixed forests (spruce, fir and beech) taking over at higher elevations. The alpine zone on the southern slopes may extend up to 2,800 metres (9,200 ft) above sea level while the glacier
/snow line starts at 3,000–3,500 metres (9,800–11,500 ft).

The northern and western slopes of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains are characterized both by

volcanic lakes, volcanic cones
and other features. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains lack the type of glaciers and glacial features that are common on the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range.

History

Further information: History of the Caucasus and Russian conquest of the Caucasus

Crossing the Caucasus Mountain range was an important section of the northern arm of the

Jvari Pass at 2379 m and above the Darial Gorge on the Georgian Military Road, Mamison Pass on the Ossetian Military Road at 2911 m, and Roki Tunnel
at 2310 m.

Image gallery

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Native names:
    pronounced [kʼafkʼasioni]
    • Armenian: Կովկասյան լեռներ, Kovkasyan leṙner
    pronounced [kɔvkɑsjɑn lɛrˈnɛɾ]
  2. ^ The elevation and coordinates given here are taken from a DGPS survey by Peter Schoen and Boris Avdeev, in association with "GeoAT".. It was carried out in July 2010 and "made available". November 2010. in November 2010.
    Some sources, including the
    Elbrus
    . The true [maximum] elevation is on higher ground, still further east along the Shkhara ridge.

References

  1. ^ "Topographic map of Mount Elbrus". opentopomap.org. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  2. ISBN 978-90-481-2641-5
    .
  3. ISSN 1674-9871
    .
  4. ^
    OCLC 671359683
    , retrieved 2021-01-09
  5. ^ Adamia, Shota; Zakariadze, Guram; Chkhotua, Tamar; Sadradze, Nino; Tsereteli, Nino; Chabukiani, Aleksandre; Gventsadze, Aleksandre (January 2011). "Geology of the Caucasus: A Review" (PDF). Turkish J. Earth Sci. 20: 489–544.
  6. doi:10.1029/96JB03736
    .
  7. doi:10.1016/0040-1951(89)90297-7
    .
  8. ^ "Mt. Elbrus". NASA Earth Observatory. NASA. 7 July 2003. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  9. ^ Durn, Sarah (2023-03-02). "The Stark Beauty of Tushetian Shepherds' Journey Across Georgia's Caucasus Mountains". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-03-08.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caucasus mountains.
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