Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps | |
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Maja Jezercë in Albania | |
Elevation | 2,694 m (8,839 ft) |
Coordinates | 45°N 17°E / 45°N 17°E |
Dimensions | |
Length | 645 km (401 mi) NW-SE |
Area | 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi) |
Geography | |
Topography and relief of the Dinarides
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Countries | Mesozoic era |
Type of rock | Sedimentary |
The Dinaric Alps (
The Dinaric Alps extend for approximately 645 kilometres (401 mi) along the western Balkan Peninsula from the
The Dinaric Alps are one of the most rugged and extensive mountainous areas of Europe, alongside the
Name
The Dinarides are named after Mount
Geology
The Dinaric Karst region is built mostly of
The partially submerged western Dinaric Alps form the numerous islands and harbors along the Croatian coast.
Rivers in Dinaric karst
The most extensive example of limestone mountains in Europe are those of the Karst of the Dinaric Alps. Here, all the characteristic features are encountered again and again as one travels through this wild and underpopulated country. Limestone is a very porous rock, yet very hard and resistant to
and forming underground labyrinths of channels and shafts. The roofs of some of these caverns may eventually fall in, to produce great perpendicular-sided gorges, exposing the surface to the water once more.The Dinaric rivers carved many canyons characteristic for Dinaric Alps, and in particular karst. Among the largest and most well known are the
Only along the Dinaric gorges is communication possible across the Karst, and roads and railways tunnel through precipitous cliffs and traverse narrow ledges above roaring torrents. A number of springs and rivers rise in the Dinaric range, including
Human activity
Ruins of fortresses dot the mountainous landscape, evidence of centuries of war and the refuge the Dinaric Alps have provided to various armed forces. During the Roman period, the Dinarides provided shelter to the
The area remains underpopulated, and forestry and mining remain the chief economic activities in the Dinaric Alps. The people of the Dinaric Alps are on record as being the tallest in the world, with an average male adolescent height of 185.6 cm (6 ft 1.1 in).[11] The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have the highest recorded average of any single country, with 183.9 cm average for men and 171.8 cm for women.[12][13][14]
Mountain passes
The main mountain passes of the Dinaric Alps are:[15]
- Postojna Gate (Postojnska vrata), Slovenia (606 m or 1,988 ft),
- Vratnik pass, Croatia (700 m or 2,297 ft)
- Debelo brdo, Serbia (1,094 m or 3,589 ft)
- Knin Gate (Kninska vrata), Croatia (about 700 m or 2,297 ft)
- Vaganj, Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina (1,137 m or 3,730 ft)
- Ivan-Saddle (Ivan-sedlo), Bosnia-Herzegovina (967 m or 3,173 ft)
- Kupres Gate (Kupreška vrata), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1,384 m or 4,541 ft)
- Čemerno, Bosnia-Herzegovina (1,329 m or 4,360 ft)
- Crkvine, Montenegro (1,045 m or 3,428 ft)
- Čakor, Montenegro (1,849 m or 6,066 ft)
Tunnels
Major tunnels transversing the Dinaric Alps include:
- Tuhobić Tunnel, Croatia
- Sveti Rok Tunnel, Croatia
- Mala Kapela Tunnel, Croatia
- Sveti Ilija Tunnel, Croatia
Mountains and plateaus
The mountains and plateaus within the Dinarides are found in the following regions:
Albania
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
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Italy
Kosovo
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Montenegro
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Serbia
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Slovenia
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References
- ^ "Dinaric". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Profile, dictionary.reference.com; accessed 25 August 2015.
- ^ "Visit Dinaric Alps".
- ^ .
- ^ Bibcode:2015EGUGA..1710058G.
- .
- S2CID 55108896.
- S2CID 134665429. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "C.Michael Hogan, "Diocletian's Palace", A. Burnham ed, 6 October 2007". The Megalithic Portal. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- S2CID 21572417.
- PMID 16168365.
This study contributes to an update of average heights among European populations. Our investigation covering 2705 boys and 2842 girls aged 17 years, shows that, contrary to the general belief, adolescents of the Dinaric Alps are, on average, the tallest in Europe. With an average height of 185.6 cm, they are taller than Dutch adolescents (184 cm on average).
- ^ Stevo Popović; Gabriela Doina Tanase; Duško Bjelica (2015). "Body Height and Arm Span in Bosnian and Herzegovinian Adults" (.pdf). mjssm.me. Montennegro Journal of Sports Sci. Medicine 4 (2015) 1: Original scientific paper. pp. 29–36. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Countries with the Tallest Average Heights".
- ^ "BiH na prvom mjestu liste zemalja s najvišim ljudima u svijetu".
- ^ Summitpost. Dinaric Alps: Passes in the Dinaric Alps, Retrieved 19 November 2008
- ^ Dinaric Alps, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.
External links
- Discover Dinarides Project Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- Environment for People in the Dinaric Arc Project Archived 29 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- Via Dinarica Trail - Mega-trail across highest peaks of Dinaric Alps