What kind of low mountains are there? Mountains as barriers

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

Characteristics of mountains

By geographical location mountains are united into different communities that must be distinguished.

. Mountain belts — 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 areas in the mountains they 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, Khibiny (on 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. This is the Polar Urals, Appalachians, mountains 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, which appear with height.

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.

Decreases atmospheric pressure. 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.

Intensity increases solar radiation. 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). This is the highest mountain in 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 most high mountain 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 an island New Guinea. The first conquest was in 1962.

So, according to the origin of mountains, there are tectonic, volcanic and erosional (denudation):

Tectonic mountains are formed as a result of collision of moving parts 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 rock break into large blocks, which rise or fall under the influence of tectonic forces. 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 located, as a rule, along fault lines in the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

Volcanic There are two types of 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 Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin with a length of more than 1600 km. 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 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.

The highest mountains in the world have different names, but at the same time they can be called briefly - Seven Peaks - a term that appeared in 1985 at the suggestion of Richard Bass (the man who was the first to conquer all seven peaks) and united the seven highest peaks on each continent. This association is not equal to the ranking of the highest mountains in the world, most of which are located in Nepal. This list is made up of mountains, each of which is the highest on its continent.

The highest peak in North America is located in Alaska and is the center National Park Denali. The summit of Mount McKinley is 6194 meters away from the ground. This mountain is the third in the world in terms of topographic position, surpassed only by Everest and Aconcagua. And if you take into account the ratio of base to peak, then McKinley is the highest mountain in the world. The mountain got its name in honor of the American president, and the Indian name - Denali - means “great”.

Part of the Andes and with a height of 6959 meters, Mount Aconcagua is considered the highest peak South America. The mountain is located in the Argentine province of Mendoza and is 15 km from the border with Chile. The name of the mountain comes from the Quechua words for “stone guardian.”

Europe – Mount Elbrus (Russia)

Elbrus is an inactive volcano with a height of 5642 meters, which is located in Caucasus mountains on the border of Russia and Georgia.

Elbrus has several other names, the most romantic of which, translated from Adyghe and Kabardino-Circassian, means “mountain that brings happiness.”

Asia – Mount Everest (Nepal/China)

The world's highest mountain, Everest, is located exactly on the border of Nepal and China. Everest is part of the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. This is where the highest mountains in the world are located. The height of Everest is 8848 meters. Everest attracts all climbers of the world and this is understandable. Technically, Everest's routes are not very difficult, but they add challenges such as altitude sickness, extreme winds and disgusting weather conditions. The name Everest is English - in honor of the head of the geodetic service who first told the European community about this peak. The mountain has the Tibetan name Chomolungma (divine mother of life) and the equivalent Nepalese name Sagarmatha (mother of the gods).

The highest mountain on the African continent is an extinct volcano, the highest point of which is 5895 meters away from sea level. Moreover, Kilimanjaro has three peaks, two of which are extinct, and the third may well wake up. Kilimanjaro erupted 360,000 years ago, but volcanic activity at Kibo Peak (the highest of the three) was seen 200 years ago, indicating that the volcano is potentially active. In Swahili, the name Kilimanjaro means "sparkling mountain".

The highest point of Oceania is also the highest mountain in the world, which is located on an island. Puncak Jaya is located in the west of the island of New Guinea. The height of Mount Puncak Jaya, also called simply Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid, is 4884 meters. The name of the mountain means "mountain of victory" in Indonesian.

Antarctica - Mount Vinson

The seventh of the highest mountains in the world received its name in honor of Carl Vinson, an eminent American politician. The Vinson Mountains are part of the Ellsworth Mountains and have a high point 4,892 meters above sea level.

Seven mountains, each unique in its origin and beauty, attract climbers from all over the world. Climbers who have conquered the Seven Peaks are united in an informal community.

- Peak-shaped mountain peaks;
- Plateau-shaped mountain peaks;
- Dome-shaped mountain peaks.

- Mountain belts;
- Mountain countries;
- Mountain systems;
- Mountain ranges;
- Mountain groups;
- Single mountains.

Let's consider all the listed types and types of mountains in more detail.

Types and types of mountains by height:

Main sign, 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: Mountains of the Middle Urals, Polar Urals, island mountains New Earth, mountains of Siberia and the Far East, mountains of the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, Appalachians in North America etc.

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

more than half of the territory 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 height ridge - from 1000 to 1400 m, maximum - 1845 m), Vitim Plateau (height from 1200 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.

Types and types of mountains by origin.

Next sign The way 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 located, as a rule, 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.

Types and types of mountains according to the shape of the peak.

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.

Added at the request of visitors:

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 domed top:

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.

Mountain systems occupy about forty percent of the surface of our planet: they can be seen on every continent, on many islands and on the ocean floor. The fewest ranges are found on the Australian continent, and almost all the mountain ranges of Antarctica are reliably hidden under ice.

Mountains are parts of the earth's crust that, as a result of the movement of tectonic plates, volcanic eruptions, or other processes occurring within the planet, have risen to a significant height and began to rise above the plains. The height of some hills is small and amounts to about three hundred meters, others rise more than eight thousand meters above sea level. The type of mountains is extremely diverse: it can be a single peak, or it can be a long mountain range, which includes hundreds and even thousands of cones.

Considering that the structure of the mountains is ten percent sedimentary, and ninety percent igneous and metamorphic rocks (appearing as a result of changes in the structure of sedimentary and volcanic rocks), geologists often discover mineral deposits inside them and under the mountain.

The mountain relief consists of several parts:

Mountain (hill) – a low or high cone-shaped mountain, consisting of a peak, slopes and a base (the place where the slopes merge with the surrounding territory);
Ridges are strongly elongated mountain heights, the slopes of which, on the one hand, are often gentle, and on the other, steep. They are also watersheds because they channel water from rivers flowing downhill from different sides slopes in opposite directions. For example, the Rocky Mountains extend from the north to the southeast, and their length is about five thousand kilometers, due to which the Rocky Mountains are a watershed between the basins of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans;

A saddle is a depression of relief between two hills located near each other, usually the beginning of two valleys that go downhill in different directions;
A hollow is an open, slightly inclined, downhill depression in the relief, which below forms a drainage line when the slopes merge;
Basin - located below sea level, a cone-shaped depression, which is characterized by a bottom, slopes and an edge line - the place where the slopes meet the surface.

Formation theory

Throughout the history of their development, people have put forward a variety of theories about how exactly the mountains of the world were formed. At first these were myths, legends and tales, then the versions began to be more substantiated. For example, it has been suggested that mountain systems arose due to movement under ocean floor a substance that causes its surface to arch, which causes the earth's crust to swell along the edges of the ocean.

This hypothesis did not explain in any way the presence of mountain systems inside the continent. Then they considered the version that the Earth is constantly decreasing in volume, and this happens in leaps and bounds and leads to deformation of the surface, where folds are formed, some of which rise above the surface, and the other goes downhill.

Later, the idea emerged that the mountain system was formed during continental drift. The idea was not bad, but it did not explain the reason for the movement of the continents, so it was forgotten. Instead, another hypothesis arose, suggesting that there are currents inside the Earth that cause the earth’s crust to rise and fall (going downhill), affecting the planet’s topography. Despite the fact that many people liked the idea, no scientific evidence was found to support it.

The modern hypothesis of the formation of mountains arose in the middle of the last century, when the movement of lithospheric plates was proven, during the collision of which a thinner plate goes under the neighboring one, forming hills on earth's surface. This theory was combined with previous versions, it explained a lot and was accepted as the main one.

Age of the mountains

Based on the theory of the movement of tectonic plates and soil analyses, it was found that each mountain system was formed at one time. The age of young ranges ranges from 50 to 80 million years, while old mountain systems appeared more than a hundred million years ago (for comparison, the age of our planet is about four and a half billion years).

Young mountain ranges (Rocky Mountains, Himalayas) are interesting because they internal processes are still developing.

For example, due to the constant collision of the Indian and Asian plates, the high mountains of the Himalayas grow by five centimeters per year. This process is always accompanied by earthquakes, and in some cases – volcanic eruptions. A young, growing mountain system is easily recognizable by its sharply defined relief, consisting of alternating peaks and protrusions, the sharp shape of the peaks, and the presence of very steep and high slopes that complicate both the ascent and descent from the mountain.

The ancient mountain system differs from the younger one in that all processes inside it have long ceased, while external processes that cause erosion continue to affect the surface of the Earth. Interesting fact: geologists have discovered more than one area on the plains where there was previously a mountain system, from which only roots remained, securely hidden under a thick layer of sedimentary rocks. The most ancient hills on Earth were recognized as the remains of mountains that are located in the Hudson Bay area: they appeared almost simultaneously with our planet.

As for the ancient mountains, which time has not erased from the face of the Earth (for example, the Ural or Scandinavian), they can be recognized primarily by their height, not exceeding one and a half thousand meters, gentle slopes, and also by severe erosion. If in young mountains water streams flow in narrow gorges, then rivers old mountain flow along a well-defined wide river valley.

It is not uncommon for older mountain ranges to include younger formations. For example, the Rocky Mountains, which appeared as a result of a tectonic shift from 80 to 50 million years ago, are a young part of the Western Cordillera, which began to form more than 120 million years ago. It should be noted that the Rocky Mountains are still growing, so earthquakes and post-volcanic events are common in the region where they are located.

Types of mountains

The answer to the question of what types of mountains there are is not as simple as it seems: mountain ranges differ not only in age, but also in structure, origin, shape, location, height:

In terms of altitude, low mountains are characterized by heights of up to 800 meters, middle mountains – up to 3 thousand meters and high mountains – more than 3 thousand meters. The height of the mountains in some cases can reach incredible proportions. For example, the height of Everest, which for a long period was listed in reference books as the highest mountain in the world, is almost nine kilometers. Recently this primacy was called into question when at the bottom Pacific Ocean, a large mountain was discovered that exceeds the size of Chomolungma: the height of the inactive Mauna Kea volcano from its base to its summit exceeds ten kilometers.
By origin - volcanic, tectonic or erosional (erosion of plains by strong river flows, for example, canyons and mesas consisting of limestone, basalt, sandstone).
At the top, a young high mountain usually has a peak-shaped, pointed shape. The top of the mountain can have a plateau-shaped, dome-shaped or rounded shape, which is typical both for old, heavily destroyed volcanoes and for areas where a large mountain has arisen as a result of plate collisions.

Zoning

If the hill itself is not high, then the nature of the mountain at its base and at the top is not particularly different. True, it largely depends on which group you belong to. altitudinal zone she relates. For example, the characteristics of mountains continental type implies complete absence forests

But when describing the low and middle elevations of the coastal type, one cannot fail to mention the presence of a forest landscape and meadows. If we are talking about a mountain with a height of more than three thousand meters, it is worth considering: in order to climb to its peak, you need to overcome absolutely all the belts of our planet. Therefore, the weather in the mountains differs significantly from the climate of the adjacent plains.

This is explained by the fact that the temperature drops by six degrees with each kilometer traveled. In addition, atmospheric pressure decreases, the level of solar radiation increases and the amount of precipitation changes. Accordingly, such weather in the mountains also affects nature.

Exactly how many belts a high mountain will have depends largely on what climatic zone it is located (mountain ranges near the equator have greatest number zonal belts). It is also important at what height these zones will be located and how the slopes are located: on the sunny side they are usually lower. Geologists divide altitudinal zones into several parts.

Nival altitude belt

Only a high mountain can boast of having a nival belt: in the tropics it begins at an altitude exceeding 6.5 km above sea level. m., the further north it is, the lower it is located (ascending and descending from the mountain is quite difficult and is often fraught with death).

This zone is characterized by the presence of glaciers and eternal snow (the Rocky Mountains or the Himalayas, which include the world’s highest mountain, Everest), while the surface not covered with snow is subject to severe erosion, primarily weathering. The vegetation here is extremely sparse - lichens and a few herbs. There are also few animals: sometimes predators wander here, rodents are found, birds fly in and some types of insects can be seen.

Mountain-tundra altitudinal belt

Winter in the mountain-tundra zone is long, summer is short and cold. Average temperatures do not exceed +9°C. A strong wind constantly blows here, and the soil often freezes (only lichens, mosses, and low shrubs grow). This belt is not typical for all mountains: in warm latitudes it is absent; instead, an alpine or subalpine belt is located at this level.

Alpine altitudinal zone

The alpine belt is typical for mountains of the coastal type, and is almost never found in sharply continental latitudes. In the Himalayas it is located at an altitude exceeding 3.6 kilometers, in the Alps and Andes - 2.2 kilometers. In summer short period Meadows bloom here profusely, but winter is long and the slopes are completely covered with snow.

Desert-steppe belt

Characteristic of mountains that are located in desert and semi-desert areas of tropical latitudes and in temperate zones. In drier areas it is located above the subalpine zone, in more humid regions it is located above the mountain forest zone. The landscape of this zone is first characterized by the presence of steppe, then semi-desert and desert.

Subalpine altitudinal zone

In this zone, meadows are mixed with small areas of forests. Sometimes geologists combine this zone with the alpine zone and call it the mountain-meadow belt.

Mountain-forest altitudinal belt

The mountain-forest belt is characterized by the presence of forest landscapes, while there is an extremely large amount of vegetation here and all its types largely depend on the latitude where the mountain is located. This belt goes downhill.

Human life in the mountains

Despite the fact that people settle mainly in the lowlands, at the base of the mountain, they long ago learned to benefit from almost the entire mountain surface and learn to make the most of relatively small spaces. For example, in the Alps (the highest mountain is Mont Blanc with a height of 4810 m), at the foot you can often see grape and garden plots, middle part sown with agricultural crops, and alpine meadows graze cattle.

In these same mountains thanks a large number minerals, salt and precious metals, the mining industry is developed, paper and pulp are harvested from the forest, hydroelectric power stations were built on the banks of the rivers.

People also actively use the mountains located on the American continent. A striking example are the Rocky Mountains (the largest mountain in the range is Elbert, 4.4 km high). The Rocky Mountains hide in their depths huge reserves of coal, lead, zinc, silver, shale, oil and natural gas. Despite the fact that relatively few people live here (four people per square kilometer, and the population of only a few cities exceeds fifty thousand),

The Rocky Mountains have extremely developed agriculture and forestry industries. Americans and Canadians successfully use mountain lands for grazing livestock and growing crops.

The Rocky Mountains are now an extremely popular place among tourists: there are huge number national parks, among them is Yellowstone, famous for its geysers and geothermal springs.