Amazingly beautiful mountain landscapes can be seen in these wonderful and uniquely beautiful places. The most impressive peaks are the Greater Caucasus Range. This is the territory of the highest and largest mountains in the Caucasus region.

The Lesser Caucasus and the valleys (Riono-Kura Depression) form the Transcaucasus complex.

Caucasus: general description

The Caucasus is located between the Caspian and Black Seas in southwest Asia.

This region includes the mountains of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, as well as the depression between them called the Riono-Kura depression, the coasts of the Black Sea and Caspian seas, the Stavropol upland, a small part of the Caspian lowland (Dagestan) and the Kubano-Priazovsky lowland to the left bank of the Don River on area of ​​its mouth.

The Greater Caucasus Mountains are 1,500 kilometers long, and Elbrus is the highest peak. The length of the Lesser Caucasus mountains is 750 km.

Below we will take a closer look at the Caucasus Range.

Geographical position

In the western part, the Caucasus borders on the Black and Azov seas, in the east - on the Caspian. In the north lies the East European Plain, and the border between it and the Caucasian foothills repeats the latter, which runs along the river. Kuma, the bottom of the Kuma-Manych depression, along the Manych and Vostochny Manych rivers, and then along the left bank of the Don.

The southern border of the Caucasus is the Araks River, beyond which are the Armenian and Iranian Plateaus, and the river. Chorokh. And already across the river the peninsulas of Asia Minor begin.

Caucasus Range: description

The most daring people and climbers have long chosen the Caucasus mountain range, which attracts extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world.

The most important Caucasian ridge divides the entire Caucasus into 2 parts: Transcaucasia and Northern Caucasus. This mountain range stretches from the Black Sea to the shores of the Caspian.

The length of the Caucasus Range is more than 1200 kilometers.

The site, located on the territory of the reserve, represents the highest mountain ranges of the Western Caucasus. Moreover, the heights here are very diverse. Their elevations vary from 260 to more than 3360 meters above sea level.

The wonderful combination of a light, mild climate and amazing scenery makes this place ideal for an active tourist holiday at any time of the year.

The Main Caucasus Range on Sochi territory has the largest peaks: Fisht, Khuko, Lysaya, Venets, Grachev, Pseashkho, Chugush, Malaya Chura and Assara.

Composition of the rocks of the ridge: limestones and marls. There used to be an ocean floor here. Throughout the huge massif one can observe strongly pronounced folding with numerous glaciers, turbulent rivers and mountain lakes.

About the height of the Caucasus ridge

The peaks of the Caucasus Range are numerous and quite varied in height.

Elbrus is the highest point in the Caucasus, which represents the highest peak not only in Russia, but also in Europe. The location of the mountain is such that a variety of nationalities live around it, giving it their own unique names: Oshkhomakho, Alberis, Yalbuz and Mingitau.

The most important mountain in the Caucasus ranks fifth on Earth among mountains formed in a similar way (as a result of a volcanic eruption).

The height of the most gigantic peak in Russia is five kilometers, six hundred and forty-two meters.

More details about the highest peak of the Caucasus

The highest altitude of the Caucasus range is Russia. It looks like two cones, between which (a distance of 3 km from each other) at an altitude of 5200 meters there is a saddle. The highest of them, as already noted, has a height of 5642 meters, the smaller one - 5621 m.

Like all peaks of volcanic origin, Elbrus consists of 2 parts: a 700-meter pedestal made of rocks and a bulk cone (1942 meters) - the result of a volcanic eruption.

The peak is covered with snow starting at an altitude of approximately 3500 meters. In addition, there are glaciers, the most famous of which are Small and Big Azau and Terskop.

The temperature at the highest point of Elbrus is -14 °C. Precipitation here almost always falls in the form of snow and therefore the glaciers do not melt. Due to the good visibility of the peaks of Elbrus from different distant places and at different times of the year, this mountain also has an interesting name - Little Antarctica.

It should be noted that the eastern peak was first conquered by climbers in 1829, and the western peak in 1874.

Glaciers located on the top of Elbrus feed the Kuban, Malka and Baksan rivers.

Central Caucasus: ridges, parameters

Geographically, the Central Caucasus is part of the Greater Caucasus, located between the Elbrus and Kazbek mountains (in the west and in the east). In this section, the length of the Main Caucasian Ridge is 190 kilometers, and if we take into account the meanders, about 260 km.

The border of the Russian state passes through the territory of the Central Caucasus. Behind it are South Ossetia and Georgia.

22 kilometers west of Kazbek (eastern part of the Central Caucasus), the Russian border shifts slightly to the north and runs to Kazbek, skirting the Georgian-owned Terek River valley (upper part).

On the territory of the Central Caucasus there are 5 parallel ridges (oriented along latitudes):

1. Main Caucasus Range (height up to 5203 m, Mount Shkhara).
2. Bokovoy Ridge (height up to 5642 meters, Mount Elbrus).
3. Rocky Ridge (up to 3646 meters high, Mount Karakaya).
4. Pastbishchny Ridge (up to 1541 meters).
5. Lesisty Ridge (height 900 meters).

Tourists and climbers mainly visit and climb the first three ridges.

Northern and Southern Caucasus

The Greater Caucasus, as a geographical object, originates from the Taman Peninsula, and it ends in the region. All subjects of the Russian Federation and countries located in this region belong to the Caucasus. However, in terms of the location of the territories of the constituent entities of Russia, there is a certain division into two parts:

• The Northern Caucasus includes the Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory, North Ossetia, Rostov Region, Chechnya, the Republic of Adygea, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan and Karachay-Cherkessia.
• South Caucasus (or Transcaucasia) - Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan.

Elbrus region

Geographically, the Elbrus region is the westernmost section of the Central Caucasus. Its territory covers the upper reaches of the Baksan River with its tributaries, the area north of Elbrus and the western spurs of Mount Elbrus to the right bank of the Kuban. The largest peak in this area is the famous Elbrus, located to the north and located in the Side Range. The second highest peak is (4700 meters).

The Elbrus region is famous for its large number of peaks with steep ridges and rocky walls.

The largest glaciers are concentrated in the huge Elbrus glacier complex, numbering 23 glaciers (total area - 122.6 sq. km).

Location of states in the Caucasus

1. The Russian Federation occupies part of the territory of the Greater Caucasus and its foothills from the Watershed and Main Caucasus ranges to the north. 10% of the country's total population lives in the North Caucasus.
2. Abkhazia also has territories that are parts of the Greater Caucasus: the region from the Kodori to Gagra ranges, the Black Sea coast between the river. Psou and Enguri, and north of Enguri a small part of the Colchis lowland.
3. South Ossetia is located in the central region of the Greater Caucasus. The beginning of the territory is the Main Caucasian Ridge. The territory extends in a southern direction from it, between the Rachinsky, Suramsky and Lomissky ridges, all the way to the valley of the Kura River.
4. Georgia has the most fertile and populated parts of the country in the valleys and lowlands between the Lesser and Greater Caucasus ranges west of the Kakheti range. The most mountainous areas of the country are Svaneti, a section of the Greater Caucasus between the Kodori and Suram ridges. The Georgian territory of the Lesser Caucasus is represented by the Meskheti, Samsara and Trialeti ranges. It turns out that all of Georgia is within the Caucasus.
5. Azerbaijan is located between the Watershed Range in the north and the Araks and Kura rivers in the south, and between the Lesser Caucasus and the Kakheti Range and the Caspian Sea. And almost all of Azerbaijan (the Mugan Plain and the Talysh Mountains belong to the Iranian Plateau) is located in the Caucasus.
6. Armenia has part of the territory of the Lesser Caucasus (just east of the Akhuryan River, which is a tributary of the Araks).
7. Turkey occupies the southwestern section of the Lesser Caucasus, representing the 4 eastern provinces of this country: Ardahan, Kars, partially Erzurum and Artvin.

The Caucasus Mountains are both beautiful and dangerous. According to some scientists, there is a possibility that in the next hundred years the volcano (Mount Elbrus) may awaken. And this is fraught with catastrophic consequences for nearby regions (Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria).

But, whatever it is, the conclusion follows that there is nothing more beautiful than the mountains. It is impossible to describe all the magnificent nature of this fabulous mountainous country. To experience all this, you should visit these heavenly places of amazing beauty. They are viewed especially impressively from the heights of the Caucasus Mountains.

The Caucasus is a mountain system located in Eurasia between the Black and Caspian seas. The mountain range extends 1,100 km from the Taman Peninsula and Anapa to the Absheron Peninsula near the city of Baku.

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

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

To the north from the foot of the Greater Caucasus stretches an sloping plain, which ends in the Kuma-Manych depression. Its territory is dissected by side ridges and river valleys. The largest rivers in this territory can be considered the river. Kuban and Terek. To the south of the Greater Caucasus are the Colchis and Kura-Araks lowlands.

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

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

Seismic stations operating throughout the Caucasus annually record several hundred tremors. Experts say that some parts of the Caucasus ridge are “growing” by several centimeters per year.

Caucasus in Europe or Asia?

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

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

The highest mountains of the Caucasus

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

How many five-thousanders are there in the Caucasus?

Mountains whose height exceeds five kilometers are usually called Caucasian five-thousanders. From the list presented above, it is clear that The Caucasus has eight mountains of five thousand meters«:

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

The Greater Caucasus Mountains are located between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the Taman to the Absheron Peninsula. The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kumo-Manych depression, on the site of which in the distant past there was a strait connecting the Black Sea and Caspian sea basins. The Caucasus includes the Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus belong to Russia. These parts are collectively called the North Caucasus.

Orographic map of the Caucasus. The orography of the Greater Caucasus is quite complex, but individual elements can be clearly identified here. From northwest to southeast, the Greater Caucasus can be divided into three parts: Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. The borders between them are Elbrus and Kazbek.

The Central Caucasus has the highest altitude, exceeding m. About 15 of its peaks are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. This is the most mountainous and inaccessible region of Europe and Asia Minor. In the Greater Caucasus, four parallel ridges with a northwestern orientation are clearly defined. The axial ridge of the Greater Caucasus is the Main or Watershed Range.

The highest mountain in the Caucasus is Elbrus. The height of the Western peak is m, the Eastern peak is m...And in their circle there is a two-headed colossus, In a crown of shining ice, Elbrus is huge, majestic White in the blue sky. A.S. Pushkin

Mount Elbrus with two peak craters was formed about a million years ago. It is also called Double-Headed Mountain. The first peak to appear after the eruptions was in the West, and then in the East. The distance between the peaks is 1.5 km. Elbrus is covered with snow and ice, which determines the weather and climate of a large area. There are only 77 glaciers, their area is 144.5 km2.

For the first time, a person climbed to the top of Elbrus in 1829; the pioneer was a Kabardian named Kilar Khashirov, who was the guide of the expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences. And the first person to conquer two peaks at once was the Balkan hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev. The man visited the great mountain nine times during his long life. He first climbed it at the age of forty, his last ascent was in 1909, when he was one hundred and twenty-one years old.

Poets sang the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. The Caucasus is below me. Alone in the heights I stand above the snow at the edge of the rapids; An eagle, rising from a distant peak, Soars motionless along with me. From now on I see the birth of streams and the first movement of menacing collapses. Here the clouds humbly move beneath me; Waterfalls rush through them; Beneath them the cliffs are naked masses; Below there is skinny moss, dry bushes; And there are already groves, green canopies, where birds chirp, where deer gallop. And there people nest in the mountains, And sheep crawl along the grassy rapids, And the shepherd descends to the cheerful valleys... A.S. Pushkin The Terek howls, wild and angry, Between the rocky masses, His cry is like a storm, Tears fly in splashes. But, scattering across the steppe, He took on a wicked appearance And, caressing affably, he murmurs to the Caspian Sea: “Make way, O old sea, Give shelter to my wave! I walked in the open space, It’s time for me to rest. I was born near Kazbek, Nourished by the breast of the clouds, "I was always ready to argue with the alien power of man. I, for your sons' amusement, ruined my native Daryal and, for their glory, brought a whole herd of boulders." M.Yu.Lermontov

The climate of the Caucasus is warm and mild, with the exception of the highlands. In the mountains and foothills there is: Large amounts of precipitation in the mountains. A decrease in the duration of the warm season due to a decrease in air temperature with altitude; at an altitude of 3800 m the border of “eternal ice” passes. Formation of avalanches due to heavy rainfall in winter. Climate diversity due to slope exposure, mountain height, proximity or distance from the sea. The peculiarity of atmospheric circulation, the formation of local winds: foehn (a dry, warm strong wind blowing gustyly from high mountains into valleys) and bora (a cold gusty wind that occurs when a flow of cold air encounters a hill on its way, overcoming which it falls onto a valley).

The rivers of the Caucasus are divided into lowland and mountainous. Stormy mountain rivers are especially numerous; their main source of nutrition is the melt water of glaciers and snowfields in the mountains, so the rivers are always cold. Only in the lower reaches do such large rivers as the Kuban and Terek have a calm flow. Here there are floodplains, vast wetlands covered with reeds and reeds.

TEREK originates on the mountain peak of Zilgahokh in Georgia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 623 km, the basin area is 2 km. The main tributaries are Ardon, Malka, Urukh and Sunzha. Upper Terek.

In the Caucasus Mountains, the lower belt is occupied by broad-leaved forests, higher are beech forests, which turn into mixed, then spruce-fir forests. The upper border of the forest is at an altitude of m. Behind it there are subalpine meadows, alpine meadows (pictured), then the high mountain belt, glaciers.

The vegetation of the Caucasus is distinguished by its rich species composition and diversity. The number of plant species in the Caucasus is more widespread. Various types of meadows and forests are widespread. Eastern beech, Caucasian hornbeam, Caucasian linden, noble chestnut grow here, and there are also small evergreen trees and large shrubs - boxwood, cherry laurel, Pontine rhododendron, some types of oak and maple, wild persimmon, etc. The most important cultivated plants of the Caucasian subtropics are the tea bush and tangerines.

Fauna The fauna of the Caucasus, like its vegetation, is very diverse. In the Caucasus there are brown Caucasian bears, lynxes, forest cats (found up to an altitude of 2000 meters), foxes, badgers, martens, deer, roe deer, wild boars, bison, chamois, mountain goats (turs), small rodents (forest dormouse, vole). Magpies chirp, thrushes whistle, cuckoos crow, jays call to each other, wagtails scurry around streams, woodpeckers tap on the bark of tree trunks. Owls, eagle owls, starlings, crows, goldfinches, kingfishers, tits and other birds fly, and high in the mountains there are Caucasian black grouse and mountain turkeys. You can also see large predators - the golden eagle and the lamb.

Interesting facts In the North Caucasus there are the Caucasian and Teberda nature reserves. Unique flora (yew, boxwood, walnut, noble chestnut) and fauna (tur, chamois, Caucasian deer, etc.) are protected here. Modern glaciation is widespread in the Greater Caucasus. The number of glaciers exceeds 2000, the glaciation area is 1424 km2. The glacier of Mount Fisht (2857 m) is the westernmost and lowest located in the Caucasus. The last eruption of Elbrus occurred 1500 years ago, but it is still not considered an extinct volcano. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in the city of Sochi, located in the Krasnodar region. Construction of Olympic facilities and infrastructure is already underway. It is accompanied by protests from environmentalists who fear for the safety of the unique biosphere of the North Caucasus.

State budgetary educational institution secondary general education school No. 509, Moskovsky district

city ​​of St. Petersburg

ABSTRACT

in the discipline "Geography"

on the topic of: « Caucasus Mountains».

Completed by: students of grade 8 “A”

Gaisyonok Yulia

Akhmedova Rukiyat

Head: geography teacher

Kovaleva Natalya Nikolaevna

St. Petersburg 2012

1. Introduction. ………………………………… ………………………...........3

2. Main part

2.1 Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains………………………...4

2.2Physico-geographical location……………………………..5

2.3Climate…………………………………………………………………………………7

2.4 Rivers and lakes………………………………………………………...8

2.5 Fauna ………………………………………………………..9

2.6Flora…………………………………………………......11

3.Conclusion………………………………………………………..12

4. References…………..…………………………………….…..13

5..Appendix 1………………………………………………………14

6.Appendix 2……………………………………………………….16

1. Introduction

Since ancient times our Russian Parnassus

Drawn to unfamiliar countries
And most of all, only you, Caucasus,
It rang like a mysterious fog.

S.A. Yesenin

This is an amazing land, one of the most interesting regions of the globe. Combining unique landscapes and becoming home to hundreds of nationalities, it is truly a unique region of the world. The North Caucasus is my homeland , which I love.

The pride of the Caucasus is its mountains! Without mountains, the Caucasus is not the Caucasus. The mountains are unique, majestic and inaccessible. The Caucasus is amazingly beautiful. He's so different. You can look at the mountains for hours.

The Caucasus Mountains are the great divide between Europe and Asia. The Caucasus is a narrow strip of land between the Black and Caspian seas. It amazes with the incredible diversity of climate, flora and fauna.

Green hills and alpine meadows of the Caucasus, salt deserts, miniature sand dunes give way to high mountains. Caucasian landscapes are not inferior in beauty to any region on the planet.

The Greater Caucasus mountain range is home to many pastures, forests, and amazing natural wonders. More than 2 thousand glaciers descend through narrow gorges. A chain of large mountains stretches from northwest to southeast for almost one and a half thousand kilometers. The main peaks exceed 5 thousand meters and significantly influence the weather in the regions.

The clouds that form over the Black Sea rain, hitting the mountain peaks of the Caucasus. On one side of the ridge there is a harsh landscape, and on the other there is lush vegetation. Here you can find more than 6 and a half thousand plant species, a quarter of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The purpose of our essay is to study the natural features of the Caucasus Mountains.

The material can be used in geography lessons when studying the topic “North Caucasus”.

2. Base part

2.1 Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains

A long time ago, when the earth was still very young, a huge plain stretched on the site of the modern territory of the Caucasus. The huge Nart heroes lived here in peace and love. They were kind and prudent, they greeted day and night with joy, they knew neither evil, nor envy, nor deceit. The ruler of this people was the gray-haired giant Elbrus, and he had a beautiful son Beshtau, and his son had a charming bride, the beautiful Mashuki. But they had an evil envious person - Korshun. And he decided to harm the sledges. He prepared a terrible potion in which he mixed the teeth of a wolf, the tongue of a boar and the eyes of a snake. At a big celebration, he added a potion to all the Narts' drinks. And having drunk it, they acquired the greed of a boar, the anger of a wolf and the cunning of a snake. And from that time on the happy and carefree life of the Narts ended. The father decided to take his young bride away from his son and, sending him on a hunt, wanted to forcefully marry Mashuki. But Mashuki resisted Elbrus. And in a fierce battle she lost her wedding ring. He saw Beshtau’s ring and hurried to help the bride. And a terrible life-and-death battle ensued, and half of the Narts fought on the side of Elbrus, and the other half on the side of Beshtau. And the battle lasted for several days and nights, and all the sledges died. Elbrus chopped his son into five parts, and the son, delivering the final blow, dismembered his father’s gray head into two halves. Mashuki came out onto the battlefield after the battle and did not see a single living soul. She approached her lover and plunged a dagger into her heart. Thus the life of a great and old people stopped.

And in this place the Caucasian mountains now rise: the helmet from the head of Beshtau - Mount Zheleznaya, the ring of Mashuki - Mount Koltso, five peaks - Mount Beshtau, nearby - Mount Mashuk and far, far from the others - the gray-haired or simply snow-covered handsome Elbrus. [2]

2.2Physico-geographical location

The Caucasus Mountains form a natural border between Europe and Asia, located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Caucasus is separated from the East European Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. On the territory of the Russian Federation there are only Ciscaucasia and the northern part of the Greater Caucasus. The last two parts together are called the North Caucasus. However, for Russia this part of the territory is the southernmost. Here, along the crest of the Main Ridge, lies the state border of the Russian Federation, beyond which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The North Caucasus Mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. These mountains were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which later underwent folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, stretches, ruptures and fractures of the earth's layers. As a result, large amounts of magma poured onto the surface (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits).

The Greater Caucasus is often presented as a single ridge. In fact, this is a whole system of various ridges, which can be divided into several parts. The Western Caucasus is located from the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus, then (from Elbrus to Kazbek) the Central Caucasus follows, and to the east from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In addition, in the longitudinal direction two ridges can be distinguished: Vodorazdelny (sometimes called the main one) and Bokovaya. On the northern slope of the Caucasus there are the Skalisty and Pastbishchny ridges, as well as the Black Mountains. They were formed as a result of interlayering layers composed of sedimentary rocks of different hardness. One slope of the ridge here is gentle, while the other ends quite abruptly. As you move away from the axial zone, the height of the mountain ranges decreases.

The chain of the Western Caucasus begins at the Taman Peninsula. At the very beginning, it’s more likely not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise to the east. The highest parts of the North Caucasus are covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the western Caucasus are Mount Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters). The highest part of the Greater Caucasus is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach an altitude of 3000 meters, and the lowest of them (Krestovy) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. The highest peaks of the Caucasus are also located here. For example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the double-headed extinct volcano Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia. The relief here is highly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks predominate.

The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus consists mainly of the numerous ridges of Dagestan (the name of this region means “mountainous country”). There are complex branching ridges with steep slopes and deep canyon-like river valleys. However, the height of the peaks here is less than in the central part of the mountain system, but they still exceed a height of 4 thousand. meters. The rise of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite frequent earthquakes in this region of Russia are associated with this. To the north of the Central Caucasus, where the magma rising through cracks did not spill out to the surface, low, so-called island mountains formed. The largest of them are Beshtau (1400 meters) and Mashuk (993 meters). At their base there are numerous springs of mineral waters.

The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Terek-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, whose height is 700-800 meters.

Fig.1 Dagestan. Red Mountain.

2.3Climate

The climate in this area is quite favorable. Quite high mountains serve as a good barrier to cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between two climatic poles - subtropical and temperate. On Russian territory the climate is still moderate, but the above factors contribute to high temperatures.

As a result, winters in the Ciscaucasia are quite warm (the average temperature in January is about -5 ° C) This is facilitated by warm air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean. On the Black Sea coast, the temperature rarely drops below zero (the average temperature in January is 3 ° C). In mountainous areas the temperature is naturally lower. So, the average temperature on the plain in summer is about 25 ° C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0 ° C.

Precipitation in this area mainly falls due to cyclones arriving from the west, as a result of which its amount gradually decreases to the east. Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is approximately 7 times lower.

Glaciation has developed in the mountains of the North Caucasus, the area of ​​which ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed by the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. Mountain rivers, as usual, are fast-flowing, and in their lower reaches there are wetlands overgrown with reeds and reeds.

The most dangerous natural phenomena that occur in these places are landslides, mountain falls and earthquakes.

2.4 Rivers and lakes

The rivers of the Caucasus belong to the basin of the Caspian (Kura with Araks, Sulak, Terek, Kuma), Black (Rioni, Inguri, etc.) and Azov (Kuban) seas. The distribution of flow and river regime depend mainly on climatic conditions and topography. The Greater Caucasus is characterized by rivers with long (about 6 months) flood in the warm part of the year; They are fed by eternal snow and ice and seasonal snow that melts late in the highlands. The regime of rivers starting in the highest ridges and massifs of the Transcaucasian Highlands (Aragats, Zangezur ridge, Murovdag) and in those areas of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus where there are no glaciers is close to this type. The remaining rivers of the Transcaucasian Highlands are characterized by spring floods. On the rivers of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, along with spring floods, summer floods are typical. The rivers of Ciscaucasia, with the exception of those flowing from the Greater Caucasus, have spring floods and winter freeze-up, become very shallow in the summer, and sometimes dry up. The Stavropol region is artificially watered from the river. Kuban. The rivers of the Caucasus, starting in areas without stable snow cover, are characterized by floods from heavy rains and rapid melting of snow. An additional source of their nutrition is groundwater. Floods occur throughout the year (the Black Sea coast south of Sochi, the Colchis lowland, etc.), during the warm season (in the leading ridges of the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus, in the Terek basin) and in the cold half of the year (the western tip of the Greater Caucasus and the northern part of the Black Sea coast) . Many rivers in the Eastern and parts of the Central Caucasus are characterized by mudflows. The advanced limestone ranges of the Greater Caucasus have karst rivers, which in some places disappear underground and reappear on the surface. Their regime, like the rivers of the volcanic region of the Armenian Highlands, is regulated due to the large participation of groundwater in the nutrition. Large rivers receiving tributaries from different regions have a combined regime. Most of the large rivers of the Caucasus in the upper reaches are mountainous in nature and flow in trough valleys and gorges, while in the lower reaches they flow more calmly in wide valleys.

The lower reaches of the Kura, Kuban and Rioni are navigable. The waters of many rivers are used to irrigate the arid regions of the Ciscaucasia, the Kura Depression and the Middle Araks Basin. Many hydroelectric power stations have been built on the rivers of the Caucasus (Mingachevirskaya and Zemo-Avchalskaya on the Kura, Khramskaya, Rionskaya, a number of hydroelectric power stations on the rivers of the Greater Caucasus).

Of the lakes in the Caucasus, the largest is Sevan. There are many tar lakes in the highland region of the Greater Caucasus; There are also dammed, karst and other lakes. On the coasts of the seas there are estuary lakes. Most lakes are fresh, but in the arid regions of the eastern Caucasus they are salty.

2.5Fauna

Animal world The Caucasus is very diverse, which is due to significant spatial variability within its ecological conditions and the history of the formation of the faunal complex. There is a significant group of endemics here: Caucasian and Dagestan aurochs (stone goats), Caucasian hamster, Promethean mouse, Caucasian black grouse, Caucasian snowcock, etc. The degree of endemism is especially high in the upper parts of the mountains. The forests are home to ancient representatives of broad-leaved forests: bison, red deer, wild boar, and pine marten. The fauna of Ciscaucasia developed mainly in pre-Quaternary times.

The steppes of Western and Middle Ciscaucasia are inhabited by the same animals as the steppes of the Russian Plain. Common here are the small gopher, the large jerboa, the hamster, the mole vole, the brown hare, the steppe ferret, in some places the banded ferret is preserved, and the number of foxes and wolves is high. The Terek-Kuma Lowland is inhabited by animals of the semi-deserts and deserts of Central Asia and Kazakhstan: the corsac fox, the ground hare, the hairy jerboa, the long-eared hedgehog, the combed and midday gerbils, etc. There is a steppe antelope - the saiga. There are also endemics here: the Nogai jerboa, the Cis-Caucasian gerbil, and the small vole.

Reptiles are abundant in the Ciscaucasia (steppe viper, boa constrictor, snakes, green and steppe lizards, etc.). The most common birds are the steppe lark, quail, eagles, harrier, kite, kestrel; bustards, demoiselle cranes, little bustards are also found.

The reed thickets of the Terek and Sulak deltas are inhabited by the jungle cat (Fig. 2), jackals, and wild boars. In the deltas of these rivers and the Kuban there are many waterfowl and marsh birds.

Fig.2 Jungle cat

The Greater Caucasus is inhabited mainly by forest and alpine animals. In the broad-leaved forests there are deer, Siberian roe deer, wild boars, badgers, Caucasian squirrels, dormouse, and many wood mice. Stone marten and wildcat live in many areas.

The species composition of birds is very rich. The most numerous are jays, finches, nuthatches, owls, etc. In winter, squirrels migrate to dark coniferous forests. The pine marten is associated with coniferous forests. Birds, rodents and shrews feed on fir and spruce seeds. In the Colchis forests of the southwestern slope there are Persian squirrel, European roe deer, small badger, and jackal.

Dark coniferous forests and high mountain meadows are characterized by seasonal migrations of many animals. Deer and wild boars live in subalpine meadows in summer, but in winter, when the depth of snow in the forest is half that in the meadows, they migrate to coniferous forests. Turs and chamois graze in the high-mountain meadows in the summer, and spend the winter on the rocky slopes of the forest belt. The leopard lives in mountain forests (Fig. 3), making a den in rock crevices, but it hunts chamois and aurochs in high-mountain meadows. The Caucasian grouse spends a significant part of its time in rhododendron thickets.

Fig.3 Leopard

Alpine meadows are habitats of the Caucasian snowcock, Promethean mouse, common, gray and bush voles. Among the birds that live here are: chough, horned lark, snow finch (Fig. 3).

Fig.3 Reel

2.6
Vegetable world

Vegetation cover The Caucasus is also very diverse. Floristic elements of European forests and vegetation of the Eurasian highlands, Eastern European steppes and Western Asian deserts, as well as complex plant communities of the Mediterranean, took part in its formation. The Greater Caucasus is associated with significant regional endemism and the distinctive nature of plant groups. There are about 550 endemic species within its borders. The highest percentage of endemics is among plants in high mountains and rocky habitats. Among the plant groups, the most distinctive are the vegetation of the mountain xerophytes of Dagestan and the relict Colchis broad-leaved forests that extend into Russia on their northwestern edge.

Western and Central Ciscaucasia in the recent past was covered with steppe vegetation. Now it has survived only in fragments, mainly on slopes inconvenient for plowing.

The steppes of the plains and foothills are a direct continuation of the steppes of the south of the Russian Plain. Forb-fescue-feather grass steppes predominated. On the eastern slope of the Stavropol Upland they were replaced by tussock-grass (fescue-feather grass and fescue) steppes. Closer to the foothills, on the Kuban, Kabardian, Ossetian and other sloping plains, in the elevated southwestern part of the Stavropol Upland and in the Mineralovodchesky region, mixed-grass meadow steppes with areas of forests of oak, ash, and hornbeam (forest-steppe) were widespread. The dry slopes of the mountains are associated with upland steppes, which are more diverse in species composition than the steppes of the plains. Grass-wormwood semi-deserts are widespread in the Eastern Ciscaucasia. Solyanka vegetation is common on saline soils. The western and southern outskirts of the Terek-Kuma Plain are occupied by dry wormwood-cereal steppes. In the dry mountainous regions of the Greater Caucasus, upland xerophytic vegetation is widespread, represented by groups such as frigana and shiblyak.

In the Greater Caucasus Mountains, the largest areas are occupied by forests. The lower part of the forest belt is represented by forests with a predominance of oak or beech. Dark coniferous forests are common in the upper part. In the southern regions of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, there are depleted relict Colchis broad-leaved forests. Above the forests in the mountains, subalpine and alpine meadows are common.

3. Conclusion.

So leave unnecessary disputes -
I have already proven everything to myself:
The only things better than mountains are mountains,
Which no one has ever been to!

The nature of the Caucasus is rich and varied, and the beauty of its landscapes is unique. Bare rocks, eternal snow and glaciers. Highlands, dense coniferous and lush deciduous forests covering the mountains, open steppe and semi-desert plains with dry, cracked soil from the sun's heat, abundantly saturated with moisture, subtropical forests and plantations - all this is located next to each other, creating striking contrasts.

The Caucasus Mountains are one of the parts of the southern borders of our country. There is a wide variety of natural zones here due to the altitudinal zones, special microclimates are formed, which is why interesting species of flora and fauna are found in nature.

Historically, this territory was home to a large number of peoples and their national color arouses the interest of many tourists.

List of used literature:

1.Caucasus. http://sir35.narod.ru/Caucas/1_080817.htm

2.Legend about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains www. http://sasw.chat.ru/rasskazi2.htm

3.Regional reviews of nature in Russia http://www.ecosystema.ru/08nature/world/geoussr/3-5-4.htm#68jiv

4.North Caucasus http://geography.kz/slovar/severnyj-kavkaz/

Annex 1

Rivers of the Caucasus

Rice. 1 Kuma River

Rice. 2 Rioni River

Rice. 3 Terek River

Fig.4 Kura River

Appendix 2

The Caucasus Mountains stretch along the southern border of the Russian Plain. This is the largest of the mountain structures bordering the Russian Plain in the south. Only the Ciscaucasia and part of the Greater Caucasus (northern slopes) are located within Russia. Russia's borders with Azerbaijan and Georgia run mainly along the crest of the Main Caucasus Range.

The Ciscaucasia covers a vast area south of the Russian Plain between the Black and Azov Seas in the west and the Caspian Sea in the east. The border of the Russian Plain and the Ciscaucasia is the Kuma-Manych depression. At the base of the Ciscaucasia relief there is a platform of Paleozoic age, which is covered with younger sedimentary rocks. The relief of Ciscaucasia is generally flat. The largest relief forms here are the Stavropol Upland, the Caspian Lowland, and the Kuban-Azov Plain. The Ciscaucasia region is rich in oil and flammable gas deposits.

In winter and autumn, the entire Ciscaucasia region is characterized by increased atmospheric pressure, so northeastern and eastern winds predominate here. In winter, Ciscaucasia is dry and windy. In winter, warm air masses from the Atlantic enter the western part of the region. This causes severe thaws, which can give way to snowfalls and blizzards. Summer in the Ciscaucasia is hot. This area is characterized by different humidity levels in the western and eastern parts. The Stavropol Upland serves as a barrier to westerly winds from the Atlantic.

If to the west of the elevation the average annual precipitation is 500 mm, at the elevation itself - 600 mm, then to the east the annual amount decreases to 300-400 mm and below. The largest amount of precipitation falls in June. Such differences lead to the fact that it is in the west of the Ciscaucasia that the main river systems are concentrated, the largest of which is the Kuban. The Ciscaucasia region is located almost entirely in the steppe region with chernozem and chestnut soils. They are almost completely open. Sunflowers, winter wheat and corn, and rice are grown here; Horticulture and viticulture are widely developed. This is one of the main breadbaskets of the country (80% of the entire territory of the Ciscaucasia is agricultural land).

The Greater Caucasus Range is a grandiose mountain rise consisting of numerous ridges and spurs. It stretches from northwest to southeast from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. The highest peak of the Caucasus (in Russia) is Mount Elbrus (5642 m). Once upon a time, in its place there was the Tethys Ocean, connecting the Black Sea with the Caspian Sea. At its bottom, intense magmatic activity took place; part of the magma penetrated into the earth's crust. There was an intensive process of accumulation of rocks of sedimentary origin. All these rocks were folded and complicated by faults, faults and thrusts. Numerous volcanoes (for example, Elbrus) were active during the Alpine orogeny and experienced vertical uplift, which also involved other areas. As a result, modern mountains arose.

The part of the Greater Caucasus that lies within Russia is entirely in a temperate climate. Winter and summer temperatures here vary depending on the location of the territory. The territory of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus warms up best. Here in summer the temperature averages +24°C, and in winter - from +1°C to 5°C. In high mountain areas, summers are cooler (+12°C) and winters are colder (-12°C). Maximum precipitation also falls on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus - 1500 mm per year; near the Caspian coast, they fall almost 4 times less. Such a large amount of precipitation in the west of the Greater Caucasus is explained by the influence of westerly winds, which deposit precipitation on the windward slopes of the mountains. Modern glaciation has developed in the Greater Caucasus.

Many rivers (for example, Terek) begin in the mountains. Many of them are fed by rain and glaciers. The mountainous terrain of the Greater Caucasus determines the development of altitudinal zones. The forest-steppe rises to a height of 100 m. Above it, up to a height of 600 m, beech-oak forests grow on mountain brown soils. With height, the oak begins to disappear. Above 1200-1500 m, coniferous forests, consisting of Caucasian fir and spruce, begin to predominate. Dry-loving pine forests grow in the valleys of the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus Range. From 2000 m subalpine and alpine meadows begin. Subalpine meadows are distinguished by high and dense grass with thickets of rhododendron bushes. Alpine meadows are short-grass meadows with an admixture of sedges and cereals. These meadows are excellent pastures. Above the alpine meadows there are belts of snow and ice.

The altitudinal zone of the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus Range differs from the western one. In the west, in conditions of good humidity and warmth, forests grow that have the features of humid subtropics. These forests consist of broad-leaved species: chestnut, oak, beech, hornbeam with evergreen undergrowth and vines. The undergrowth consists of cherry laurel, boxwood, and yew. In the east, at the foot of the northern slopes, there are semi-deserts and dry steppes (they form in conditions of low moisture). These semi-deserts and steppes rise high into the mountains. The forest belt is not clearly defined here. Only in the mountain valleys do pine forests and beech groves grow; dark coniferous forests do not grow here.

The richness and diversity of its resources are associated with the diversity of natural conditions of the Caucasus. The dry steppes and semi-deserts of the eastern Caucasus are pastures for fine-wool sheep. The subsoil contains ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Beech, spruce, fir, oak and pine are harvested in mountain forests. Large resorts of national importance are connected to the Black Sea coast (Sochi) and mineral springs (Kislovodsk, Mineralnye Vody). On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, subtropical agriculture is developed: tea, citrus fruits, walnuts, peaches, grapes. Rivers coming down from the mountains carry a large supply of energy. The waters of these rivers also flow into irrigation canals.

There are several nature reserves in the Caucasus Mountains: in Dagestan, North Ossetia, and others.