Which mountains are high. Mountains - Types and types of mountains

What kind of mountains are there?

There were times when mountains were considered mysterious and dangerous place... However, many of the mysteries associated with the emergence of mountains have been unraveled over the past two decades thanks to a revolutionary theory - plate tectonics. Mountains are elevated areas of the earth's surface that rise steeply above the surrounding area.

The peaks in the mountains, in contrast to the plateau, occupy a small area. Mountains can be classified according to different criteria:

Geographical location and age, taking into account their morphology;

Features of the structure, taking into account the geological structure.

Mountains in the first case are divided into mountain systems, cordeliers, single mountains, groups, chains, ridges.

The name of the Cordelier comes from the Spanish word that means "chain". The cordeliers include groups of mountains, ridges and mountain systems of different ages. In the West North America The Cordelier region includes the Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Cascade Mountains, Rocky Mountains, and many small ranges between the Sierra Nevada in Nevada and Utah and the Rocky Mountains.

The cordeliers of Central Asia (you can read more about this part of the world in this article) include, for example, the Tien Shan, Kanlun and the Himalayas. Mountain systems are made up of groups of mountains and ranges that are similar in origin and age (Appalachians, for example). The ridges consist of mountains that stretch in a narrow long strip. Solitary mountains, usually of volcanic origin, are found in many parts of the world.

The second classification of mountains is compiled taking into account the endogenous processes of relief formation.

VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS.

Volcanic cones are widespread in almost all regions of the world. They are formed due to accumulations of debris of rocks and lava, erupted through vents by forces that operate deep in the bowels of the Earth.Illustrative examples of volcanic cones are Shasta in California, Fujiyama in Japan, Mayon in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico.Ash cones have a similar structure, but they are composed mainly of volcanic slag, and they are not so tall. There are such cones in northeastern New Mexico and near Lassen Peak.During repeated eruptions of lava, shield volcanoes are formed. They are somewhat less tall and not as symmetrical as volcanic cones.

The Aleutian and Hawaiian Islands have many shield volcanoes. Volcanic chains occur in long, narrow stripes. Where the plates that lie at the ridges stretching along the bottom of the oceans diverge, magma, seeking to fill the crevice, rises upward, eventually forming new crystalline rock.Sometimes magma piles up on the seabed - thus, underwater volcanoes appear, and their tops rise above the surface of the water as islands.

If two plates collide, one of them raises the second, and that, being pulled deep into the oceanic cavity, melts to a state of magma, part of which is pushed to the surface, creating chains of islands of volcanic origin: for example, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines arose like this.

The most popular chain of such islands is the Hawaiian Islands, with a length of 1600 km. These islands were formed as a result of the movement to the northwest of the Pacific Plate over the hot spot of the earth's crust. A hot spot in the earth's crust is a place where a hot mantle stream rises to the surface, which melts the oceanic crust moving above it. If we count from the surface of the ocean, where the depths are about 5500 m, then some of the peaks of the Hawaiian Islands will be among the highest mountains in the world.

FOLDING MOUNTAINS.

Most experts today believe that the cause of folding is the pressure that occurs when tectonic plates drift. The plates on which the continents rest move only a few centimeters per year, but their convergence causes the rocks at the edges of these plates and the layers of sediment on the ocean floor that separate the continents to gradually rise up the ridges of mountain ranges.Heat and pressure are generated when the plates move, and under their influence, some layers of the rock deform, lose strength and, like plastic, bend into giant folds, while others, more durable or not so heated, break and often break off from their base.

During the mountain building phase, heat also produces magma near the layer that underlies the continental crust. Huge tracts of magma rise and, hardening, form the granite core of the folded mountains.Evidence of past collisions of continents is the old folded mountains, which stopped growing a long time ago, but have not yet had time to collapse.For example, in the east of Greenland, in the northeast of North America, in Sweden, in Norway, in the west of Scotland and Ireland, they appeared at a time when Europe and North America (for more information about this continent, see this article), converged and became one huge continent.

This huge mountain range, due to education Atlantic Ocean, exploded later, about 100 million years ago. First, a lot of big mountain systems were folded, however, in the course of further development, their structure became significantly more complicated.Zones of initial folding are limited by geosynclinal belts - huge troughs in which sediments accumulated, mainly in shallow oceanic formations.Folds are often visible in mountainous terrain on exposed cliffs, but not only there. Synclines (deflections) and anticlines (saddles) are the simplest of folds. Some folds are inverted (recumbent).Others are displaced in relation to their base so that the upper parts of the folds are extended - sometimes for several kilometers, and they are called covers.

GLOBE MOUNTAINS.

Many large mountain ranges were formed as a result of tectonic uplift that occurred along the faults in the earth's crust. The Sierra Nevada Mountains in California are a huge horst about 640 km long and 80 to 120 km wide.The eastern edge of this horst was raised the highest, where Mount Whitney reaches 418 m above sea level.To a large extent, the modern appearance of the Appalachians has developed as a result of several processes: the primary folded mountains were exposed to denudation and erosion, and then rose along the faults.In the Great Basin, between the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east, there is a series of blocky mountains.Long narrow valleys run between the ridges, they are partially filled with sediments brought in from adjacent blocky mountains.

DOME-SHAPED MOUNTAINS.

domed mountains In many areas, areas of land that have undergone tectonic uplift, under the influence of erosion processes have taken on a mountainous form. In those areas where the uplift took place on a relatively small area, and was domed, domed mountains were formed. Black Hills is a prime example of such mountains, which are about 160 km across.This area has undergone a domed uplift, and most of the sedimentary cover has been removed by further denudation and erosion.The central core was exposed as a result. It consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks. It is surrounded by ridges that are composed of more persistent sedimentary rocks.

RESIDUAL PLATES.

remnant plateaus Due to the action of erosion-denudation processes, a mountain landscape is formed in the place of any elevated territory. Its appearance depends on its original height. With the destruction of a high plateau, like Colorado, for example, a highly dissected mountainous relief was formed.The Colorado Plateau, hundreds of kilometers wide, was raised to a height of about 3000 m. Erosion-denudation processes have not yet had time to completely transform it into a mountainous landscape, but within some large canyons, for example, the Grand Canyon of the river. Colorado, mountains several hundred meters high arose.These are erosive remnants that have not yet been denuded. With the further development of erosion processes, the plateau will acquire an increasingly pronounced mountainous appearance.In the absence of re-uplift, any territory will eventually be leveled and turned into a plain.

General concept. Any sharply expressed uplift is usually called a mountain, at which it is relatively easy to distinguish the bottom, slopes and top. Detached mountains are extremely rare. Most often, the mountains are combined into large groups, and their bases merge closely, forming a common frame, or the base of the mountains, clearly rising above the neighboring plain areas.

Based on the location of the mountains in the plan, separate mountains, mountain ranges and mountain ranges are distinguished. The first, that is, detached mountains, as already mentioned, are relatively rare and represent either volcanoes or the remains of ancient destroyed mountains. The latter, i.e. mountain ranges, are the most common type of mountainous areas.

Mountain ranges usually consist not of one, but of many rows of mountains, sometimes located very closely. As an example, we can point to the Main Caucasian ridge, according to north slope which is distinguished by at least four more or less clearly defined series of mountains. Other mountain ranges have a similar character.

Mountain ranges represent vast mountain rises, equally developed both in length and in width.

Large mountain ranges are rare. Most often they form separate sections of mountain ranges. An example of a large, highly dissected massif is the Khan-Tengri mountain range.

The height of the mountains is always measured vertically from the bottom to the top, or from the ocean level and also to the top. The height from the sole to the top is called relative. The height from ocean level to the top - absolute. Absolute altitude makes it possible to compare the heights of mountains regardless of where they are located. In geography, absolute heights are almost always given.

Depending on the height, the mountains are divided into low(below 1 thousand f), average(from 1 to 2 thousand. m) and high(above 2 thousand. m). When it comes to mountain ranges or mountainous areas, they are usually distinguished: low mountains, middle mountains and highlands. Examples of shallow mountains are the Timan ridge, the Salair ridge, as well as the foothills of many mountainous countries. The Urals, the Transbaikal mountains, Sikhote-Alin and many others can serve as examples of middle mountains in the USSR.

The types of mountains, distinguished by their height, are also characterized by the features of the relief. For example, high mountains are characterized by sharp peaks, jagged ridges and deeply incised valleys (Fig. 235, 1). The highlands are also characterized by snowy peaks and glaciers. Mountains of medium height (or middle mountains) usually have rounded and seemingly smoothed peaks and soft outlines of ridges (Fig. 235, 2). The same, only even smoother forms are characteristic of low mountains. But here the relative height is already of great importance. If individual mountains of low mountains do not rise above the total surface above 200 m, then they are no longer called mountains, but hills.

Finally, the mountains are also divided according to their origin. This division by origin is especially important for us, for it largely determines the character, structure, and location of the mountains. Depending on the origin (genesis), there are:

1) tectonic mountains,

2) volcanic mountains,

3) erosional mountains.

We will analyze each of these types of mountains separately. Tectonic mountains, in turn, are subdivided into folded, folded-block and table-block.

Folded mountains. Recall that folded mountains we call those mountains in which folding clearly predominates. Folded mountains are found on all continents and many islands and are perhaps the most common, and the folded mountains are the highest in height.

Mountains consisting of one fold (anticline) are relatively very rare. More often, mountain ranges are composed of many parallel folds. In addition, the folds are usually much shorter in length than the ridges, due to which there may be several folds along the line of one ridge.

The very shape of the fold (in plan) largely predetermines the elongated shape of the ridges of the folded mountains. Indeed, most of the folded mountains have a characteristic shape (Ural, Greater Caucasus, Cordillera).

Folded mountains usually consist of a series of parallel mountain ranges. In most cases, mountain ranges are located very close to one another, and, merging at the bases, form a wide and powerful mountain range. Mountain ranges stretch for hundreds, and sometimes thousands of kilometers (the Caucasian ridge is about 1 thousand. km, Ural over 2 thousand km). Most often, large ridges (in plan) are arched and less often rectilinear.

Examples of arcuate ridges are the Alps, Carpathians, Himalayas; examples of rectilinear ones are the Pyrenees, the Main Caucasian ridge, the Urals, the southern part of the Andes, etc.

It is not uncommon for mountain ranges to branch out and even diverge like a fan. Examples of branching ridges are the Pamir-Alai mountains, the South Urals and many others. Instead of the word forking, many authors use the word virgation. In cases where the branches of the ridges branch off at a very acute angle or are located parallel to each other, the term "echelon" arrangement of ridges is sometimes used.

The folds on the Earth's surface, under the influence of weathering, the work of flowing waters, the work of ice and the activity of other agents, immediately begin to collapse. Anticlines, as the most uplifted parts of folded mountains, are destroyed in the first place. The rapid destruction of anticlines is partly facilitated by the fracturing characteristic of the kinks. Therefore, with strong destruction of folds, valleys often appear in place of anticlines (anticlinal valleys), and in place of synclines there are mountain ranges. And the steeper the folds, the more intense the destruction of the anticlines is. As a result, the observed forms of mountains do not always correspond to structural forms, i.e., to forms caused by anticlines and synclines.

In cases where mountains, chains and ridges appear in place of the wings of an anticline, the strata usually fall in only one direction. The structure of such mountain chains is called monoclinal. The ridges or chains of mountains that have arisen on the site of the wings of the destroyed anticline are called cuestami, cuesta ridges, or cuesta chains. Asymmetry of slopes is typical for cuestas. The cuesta relief is wide; distributed on all continents. An example is the northern foothills of the Caucasus.

Table-block mountains are relatively rare. They arise in place of lowland countries broken by faults, most often composed of horizontally lying strata. The elevated areas form mountains, usually of the table type. The degree of elevation of the sites can be different (from tens of meters to thousands of meters). It is difficult to notice any regularity in the distribution of uplifts and subsidences. A typical example of table-block mountains is part of the Jura Mountains (Table Jura), as well as the Black Forest, Vosges, and some parts of the Armenian Highlands. An example of raising table molds to a lower height is Samarskaya Luka. There are many very high mesas in southern Africa.

Significantly widespread use folded-block the mountains. The history of the formation of folded-block mountains is rather complicated. Let us consider, as an example, the main stages of the development of Altai. First, on the site of modern Altai (at the end of the Paleozoic), a high folded mountainous country arose. Then the mountains gradually collapsed and the country became a hilly plain. In the Tertiary period, this leveled section of the earth's crust broke into pieces under the influence of the internal forces of the Earth, with some parts rising and others sinking. As a result, a complex mountainous country has emerged, the ridges of which are located in very different directions. Examples of folded-block mountains in our USSR are the Tien Shan, Transbaikalia, Bureinsky mountains and many others.

Volcanic mountains we are already familiar enough. Let us only note the special nature of the destruction of volcanic mountains under the influence of external agents.

The peaks of high volcanoes, like the peaks of other high mountains, are subject to vigorous processes of physical weathering. Here, as in other mountains, under the influence of sharp temperature fluctuations, powerful accumulations of rocks, stones and blocks are formed. Just like in other mountains, "stone streams" descend along the slopes. The only difference is that "stone streams" descend not only along the outer slopes of the cone, but also along the inner slopes of the crater. On higher volcanic mountains, glaciers develop, the destructive work of which is already known to us.

Below the snow line, the main destroyers are rain streams. They cut through potholes and ravines, radially diverging from the edges of the crater along the inner (crater) and outer slopes (Fig. 236). These erosion grooves on the outer and inner slopes of the volcano are called barrancos. At first, barrancos are numerous and shallow, but then their depth increases. As a result of the growth of external and internal barrancos, the crater expands, the volcano gradually lowers and takes the form of a saucer surrounded by a more or less raised wall.

As for laccoliths, they first lose their outer cover, consisting of sedimentary rocks. First, this cover is destroyed at the top, then on the slopes, at the base, the remnants of the cover, together with deluvial cloaks, last much longer. Laccoliths freed from the cover of raised sedimentary rocks are called uncovered(or prepared) laccoliths.

Erosional mountains. By the name of erosional mountains, we mean mountains that have arisen mainly as a result of the erosional activity of flowing waters. Such mountains can arise as a result of the dissection of plateaus and flat elevations by rivers. Many interfluvial mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyui, Tunguska, Ilimsk, etc.) can serve as an example of such mountains. They are characterized by table forms and valleys of the box-like type, and in some cases even of the canyon-like type. The latter are especially characteristic of the dissected lava plateau.

Much more often mountains of erosional origin are observed within the middle mountains. But these are no longer independent mountain systems, but parts of mountain ranges that have arisen as a result of the dissection of these ranges by mountain streams and rivers.

Vertical zoning of landforms in the mountains. Each ridge, each mountain range often differ from each other in its relief forms. It is enough to compare, for example, the shapes of the peaks and ridges to the high mountains of the middle mountains. The former are distinguished by sharp tops and jagged ridges, while the latter, on the contrary, have soft, calm outlines of both peaks and ridges (Fig. 235).

This striking difference is due to many reasons, but the most important of them is their height above sea level, or, more precisely, the climatic conditions that exist at different heights. In the area of ​​the mountains, located above the snow line, water is predominantly in a solid state (that is, in a state of snow and ice). It is clear that there can be no streams or rivers, and, consequently, the erosional activity of flowing waters will be absent. But on the other hand, there is snow and ice, which carry on tireless and highly original work.

The situation is completely different in the lower zones, where flowing waters are the main agents. It is clear that the relief forms of high mountains arising under certain conditions will differ sharply from the forms of mountains arising under other conditions.

As you rise up, the physical and geographical conditions do not change immediately, but with more or less gradualness. It is clear that the relief forms due to different physical and geographical conditions will also change gradually. Let us dwell on the landforms of the three most typical zones: high mountains, middle mountains and low mountains.

Relief forms of high mountains. Frosty weathering, the work of snow and ice - these are the main factors that most affect mountains that rise above the snow border. Thin, transparent air favors heating of steep slopes devoid of snow cover. The clouds that temporarily obscure the sun lead to their rapid cooling. Thus, here, at high altitudes, the rocks that make up the mountains are exposed not only to daily, but also to more frequent temperature fluctuations. The latter creates extremely favorable conditions for frost weathering, and the presence of steep slopes helps the weathering products to quickly slide down and expose the surface of rocks for further weathering.

Winds provide considerable help to frosty weathering in the mountains, the speed of which, as is known, increases significantly with height. Therefore, the winds here are capable of blowing away (and blowing out of the cracks) not only small dust particles, but also larger debris.

The variety of rocks that make up the mountains leads to uneven weathering. As a result, areas composed of more durable rocks turn out to be highly elevated above the general level of areas composed of less durable rocks.With further frost weathering, highly elevated areas take the form of sharp peaks, peaks and scales, which gives the ridges of mountain ranges a jagged shape.

In cases where the rocks are homogeneous, the pointed peaks eventually round out and become flat. Whole "seas" of rocks and stones accumulate on their surface as a result of the same frosty weathering. On the slopes, and especially on the steep ones, the products of frost weathering in huge "stone streams" slide down, forming colossal talus; The debris below the snow line is washed away by flowing waters. The talus descending in the area of ​​glacier feeding and on the edges of the glaciers are carried away by the glaciers. This is how the steep slopes of high mountains are unloaded from the products of frosty weathering.

In the high mountains, in addition to frosty weathering, as already mentioned, snow and ice are doing an enormous destructive work.

We have already talked enough about what forms of relief arise as a result of glacial and vapor-forming activity. These forms will be dominant within the highlands. Above the modern snow line, sharp peaks, peaks and jagged ridges with karas and glacial circuses are usually conspicuous. The snow line has glacial valleys with moraines and kars. Even below there are traces of ancient glaciers and kars, at the bottom of which there are lakes or swamps or just a drainage funnel.

Highland relief forms were first studied in the Alps. Hence, all the high mountains with sharp peaks, peaks, sharp jagged ridges, crushes, snows and glaciers began to be called mountains. alpine type. Along with this, all forms characteristic of high mountains are often called in geographical literature alpine forms.

Relief forms of low and middle mountains. Let us now turn to the lower parts of the mountains, which, in terms of heights and dominant forms, can be attributed to low and medium mountains. There are no eternal snows or glaciers here anymore.

Sometimes, however, there may be traces of ancient glaciers, more or less altered by the work of flowing waters and other agents. These are usually dilapidated trogs, punishments and circuses, along the bottom of which lakes and rivers are located. Remnants of moraines, smoothed rocks and typical glacial boulders have been preserved in some places.

In mountains of medium altitude, frost weathering is much less pronounced, which takes place only in cold periods of the year. True, chemical and organic weathering proceeds here more intensively, but the area of ​​distribution of this weathering is much smaller. This happens because the slopes of the mountains we characterize are more sloping, due to which the weathering products often remain in place and delay further weathering. In the same areas where rocks come to the surface, they quickly erode and acquire various, sometimes very characteristic forms.

If above the snow line the main destroyers were frost weathering, snow and ice, then here the main destroyers are flowing waters.

The mountains are generally characterized by a large number of rivers and all kinds of watercourses. Even in desert countries, the mountains are always rich in water, because the amount of precipitation usually increases with height. The Tien Shan and Pamir-Alai mountains in Central Asia, from where such powerful rivers as the Syr-Darya and Amu-Darya receive their food, can be very indicative in this respect.

The rivers of the mountains are distinguished by a large slope of their channels, a turbulent current, an abundance of rapids, cascades and waterfalls, which determines their enormous destructive power. Finally, it should be noted that mountain rivers, fed by melted snow and glaciers, in the summer have a large rise in the water level every day, which also increases their destructive power. All this taken together leads to the fact that the slopes of the mountains are cut by a large number of transverse valleys. The latter often have the character of gorges. Gorges, depending on the strength of the rocks composing their slopes, can be very deep and narrow. But, no matter how strong the rocks are, the steep slopes of the gorges are nevertheless gradually destroyed, they become sloping and the gorges turn into ordinary wide valleys.

If the height of the mountains does not exceed the height of the snow line, then all the main work on the destruction of the mountains is done by the rivers. The upper reaches of mountain streams, cutting into the slopes, reach the watershed ridges. Here they meet with the upper reaches of the rivers on the opposite slope, and their valleys gradually join and cut the ridges of the mountains into parts. With the further work of the rivers, the mountain ranges break up into separate mountains, which, in turn, fall apart. So, in the place of mountain ranges, as a result of the work of flowing waters alone, hilly countries can turn out. The lower the mountains become, the more their slopes are deposited, and the rivers flowing from the slopes can no longer have the same destructive force. Nevertheless, the rivers continue to work. They deposit the products of destruction at the bottom of the valleys, carry depressions and wash away the slopes. Ultimately, the mountains can be destroyed to the ground, and in their place will be a leveled, slightly hilly surface. Only rare preserved, detached mountains still remind of the once mountainous country that was here. These remaining detached mountains are called outlier mountains, or mountain witnesses(Fig. 237 a, b, c). A leveled, slightly hilly surface that remains in place of the mountains is called a peneplain, or simply a leveled surface.

If areas of low and medium mountains find themselves in a dry climate (in deserts and semi-deserts), then in the formation of small forms, wind becomes of great importance. The wind, as already mentioned, helps weathering, carrying away the particles of the formed loose rocks. In addition, in desert countries, the wind often carries sand. Under the blows of grains of sand, resistant rocks are polished, while less resistant rocks are destroyed.

The process of destruction of mountains occurs so quickly that if the mountains ceased to experience uplift, then all of them would be destroyed to the ground within one or two geological periods. But this does not happen, because under the influence of the internal forces of the Earth, the growth of mountains (uplift) usually continues very much long time... So, for example, if Ural mountains, which emerged as a high mountainous country at the end of the Paleozoic era, did not experience further uplifts, they would have disappeared long ago. But thanks to repeated uplifts, despite continuous destruction, these mountains continue to exist.

When mountains are destroyed, two cases are possible. The first case: the rise of mountains proceeds more slowly than their destruction. Under these conditions, the height cannot increase, but can only decrease. When mountains rise faster than destruction, then mountains rise.

To understand the nature of each mountain we study, it is necessary to pay special attention to the following points:

1. For folded mountains - the time of the appearance of the first folds and the time of the formation of the last folds. For block - the state of this mountainous country before the onset of faults and the time of the first and last movements of the layers of the earth's crust along the fractures.

2. The state of the mountains by the beginning of the ice age and during the period of glaciation.

3. Condition and life of mountains in the post-glacial time.

The first, in addition to the age of the mountains, gives us an idea of ​​the main large forms and the location of the ridges themselves. In addition, here we learn about the nature of the rocks and the ways of their occurrence, which is of great importance in the further formation of the mountains.

The second, that is, the state of the mountains by the beginning of the ice age and during the period of glaciation, is especially important for those mountains that were subjected to glaciation. Glaciers, depending on their nature ( continental ice, valley glaciers, etc.) can greatly change even large forms of mountain relief.

The state of the mountains in the postglacial period largely determines the nature of the details of the forms. In this case, the climate is of the greatest importance. So, for example, in a cold climate, frost weathering, the work of snow and ice can take place at all altitudes. Therefore, here not only high mountains, but also mountains of medium height have alpine forms (the Anadyrsky, Koryaksky ridges, etc.).

Young and ancient mountains are distinguished by age. However, the age of the mountains should be distinguished geological and geomorphological. Geological age is the time of the first formation of the folded structure. Geomorphological age is the time of the last formation of the mountainous relief. In nature, there are mountains that were formed as folded structures in the Caledonian era, but their relief was formed in the Quaternary time under the influence of new orogenic movements. Geomorphologically ancient mountains are subject to destruction for a long time. In relief, they most often appear as peneplains, or mountains-outliers. The relief forms of the ancient mountains are soft, with gentle slopes.

The slopes in a fairly humid climate are covered with a thick mantle of deluvial-eluvial formations. The river valleys are well developed. Young mountains have a great height, a highly dissected surface, the amplitude of the heights in them is large. Valleys often have the character of gorges, gorges. As a rule, modern glaciers develop on them. The relief of young mountains is characterized by sharp, steep: forms. The Caucasus Mountains are an example of such mountains.

- A source-

Polovinkin, A.A. Fundamentals of General Geography / A.A. Polovinkin. - M .: State educational and pedagogical publishing house of the Ministry of education of the RSFSR, 1958. - 482 p.

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The mountains- highly dissected parts of the land, significantly, by 500 meters or more, raised above the adjacent plains.

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

Low mountains (low mountains)- the height of the mountains is up to 800 meters above sea level.

Features of low mountains:

The tops of the mountains are rounded, flat,

Slopes are gentle, not steep, overgrown with forest,

· The presence of river valleys between the mountains is characteristic.

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

Medium mountains (medium or medium 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 high-altitude zonation, i.e. change of landscape with a change in height.

Examples of middle mountains: Mountains of the Middle Urals, Polar Ural, mountains of the island New earth, mountains of Siberia and Of the Far East, the mountains of the Apennine and Iberian peninsulas, the Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, the Appalachians in North America, 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.

Highlands features:

The slopes of the mountains are steep, high,

· Peaks of mountains are sharp, peaked, have a specific name - "carling",

The ridges of the mountains are narrow, serrated,

· Characteristic is the high-altitude zoning from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the tops.

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

The next sign by which mountains are classified is their origin. So, by origin, the mountains are tectonic, volcanic and erosional (denudation):

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

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

Volcanic mountains formed during volcanic eruptions. They are located, as a rule, along the fault lines of the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

Volcanic there are mountains of two types:

Volcanic cones. These mountains acquired a 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 Fujiyama in Japan, Mayon mountains in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Misty 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 world where active volcanic activity occurs, whole chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the Hawaiian island chain of volcanic origin with a length of more than 1600 km. These islands are the tops of underwater volcanoes, the height of which is more than 5500 meters from the surface of the ocean floor.

Erosional (denudation) mountains.

Erosional mountains have arisen as a result of intense dissection of stratal plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most mountains of this type are characterized by a table form and the presence of valleys between them of a box-like and sometimes canyon-like type. The latter type of valleys occurs most often when the lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosion (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyui, Tunguska, Ilimsk, etc.). Most often, erosional 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 is a term that appeared in 1985 at the suggestion of Richard Bass (the man who first conquered all seven peaks) and united the seven highest peaks on each continent. This association is not equal to the rating 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 top of Mount McKinley is 6194 meters from the ground. This mountain is the third in the world in terms of topographic position, it was overtaken only by Everest and Aconcagua. And if you take into account the ratio of the base to the 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 away from the border with Chile. The name of the mountain comes from the words in the language of the Quechua people "stone guard".

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 is translated from Adyghe and Kabardino-Circassian means "mountain that brings happiness."

Asia - Mount Everest (Nepal / China)

The highest mountain in the world, Everest, is located exactly on the border of Nepal and China. Everest is part of the Himalayas - the highest mountain range in the world. It is here that the highest mountains in the world are located. The height of Everest is 8848 meters. Everest attracts all climbers in the world and this is understandable. Technically, Everest's routes are not very difficult, but they add to them problems such as altitude sickness, strong 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 (the divine mother of life) and the equivalent Nepalese Sagarmatha (mother of the gods).

The highest mountain on the African continent is an extinct volcano, the highest point of which is 5895 meters distant from sea level. Moreover, Kilimanjaro has three peaks, two of which are extinguished, 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, suggesting that the volcano is potentially active. In Swahili, the name Kilimanjaro means "sparkling mountain".

The highest point of Oceania is also the tallest mountain in the world and is located on the island. Punchak Jaya is located in the west of the island New Guinea... The height of Punchak-Jaya Mountain, which is also called simply Jaya or Karstenza Pyramid, is 4884 meters. The name of the mountain in Indonesian means "mountain of victory".

Antarctica - Mount Vinson

The seventh of the highest mountains in the world got its name in honor of Carl Vinson, an American eminent politician. Mountain range Vinson is part of the Ellsworth Mountains and has a highest point 4892 meters from sea level.

Seven mountains, each of which is unique in its origin and beauty, beckon climbers from all over the world. The climbers who have conquered the Seven Peaks are united in an informal community.