What color are the mountains. Mountains, the difference between mountains in height and origin

Mountains are different: old and young, rocky and gently sloping, domed and peaked. Some of them are covered with dense forests, others - with lifeless stone placers. But in this article we will talk about their height. Which mountains are medium and which are considered high?

Mountain as a landform

First of all, it is worth answering the question of whether this is a positive landform, characterized by a sharp and isolated uplift of the terrain. In any mountain, three main elements are clearly visible:

vertex;
foot;
slope.

Any mountain system of the planet is nothing but a complex system of valleys (depressions) and ridges, consisting of dozens of individual peaks. All of them are external manifestations of the internal (endogenous) forces of the Earth - tectonic movements of the earth's crust and volcanism.

Mountains create the most beautiful and unique landscapes on the surface of our planet. They are distinguished by a peculiar soil cover, unique flora and fauna. But people settle in the mountains extremely reluctantly. According to statistics, about 50% of the earth's population lives at altitudes not exceeding 200 meters above sea level.

Classification of mountains in geomorphology. Mountains medium, low and high

In geomorphological science, it is customary to classify mountains according to a number of criteria: by age, height, geographic location, genesis, shape of vertices, etc.

By their origin they can be tectonic, denudation or volcanic, by age - old or young. Moreover, that mountain system is considered young, the time of formation of which does not exceed 50 million years. By geological standards, this is a very small age.

According to the shape of their top, mountains are:

peaked;
domed;
plateau-like ("canteen").

By height above sea level, geographers distinguish mountains:

low;
medium;
high.

Sometimes in the literature one can also find intermediate high-altitude types, for example, medium-high or medium-low mountains. It should be noted right away that mountains of medium height can be found in any part of the world. However, most of them are in Europe and Asia.

Middle mountains: examples and height

8848 meters - this mark is reached by the highest peak in the world - Chomolungma, or Everest. The absolute height of the middle mountains is much more modest: from 1 to 3 km above sea level.

The most famous examples of such mountain systems are the Carpathians, Appalachians, Tatras, Apennines, Pyrenees, Scandinavian and dragon mountains, Australian Alps, Stara Planina. There are middle mountains and within Russia. These are the Ural Mountains, Eastern Sayan, Sikhote-Alin (pictured below) and others.

An important feature of medium mountains is the presence of altitudinal zonation. That is, the vegetation and landscapes here change with height.

Carpathians

The Carpathians are the largest mountain system in Europe, spanning eight countries. Linguists, explaining the origin of its name, came to the conclusion that this toponym has Proto-Indo-European roots and is translated as “stone”, “rock”.

The Carpathians stretched in an arc of one and a half thousand kilometers, from the Czech Republic to Serbia. And the highest point of this mountain system located on the territory of Slovakia (mountain Gerlakhovski-Shtit, 2654 m). An interesting fact: between the Alps and the extreme eastern spurs of the Carpathians - only 15 kilometers.

The Carpathians are young mountains. They formed in the Cenozoic. However, their outlines are smooth, gentle, which is more typical for older geological structures. This can be explained by the fact that the Carpathians are predominantly composed of soft rocks (chalk, limestone and clay).

The mountain system is divided into three conditional parts: Western, Eastern (or Ukrainian) and Southern Carpathians. It also includes the Transylvanian Plateau. have a fairly high seismicity. Here is the so-called Vrancea zone, which "produces" earthquakes with a force of 7-8 points.

Appalachians

Geomorphologists often refer to the Appalachians as an identical twin of the Carpathians. By appearance they differ little from each other. The Appalachian Mountains are located in the eastern part of North America, within two states (USA and Canada). They stretch from to the Gulf of Mexico in the south. The total length of the mountain system is about 2500 kilometers.

If the European Carpathians are young mountains, then the American Appalachians are the product of earlier Hercynian and Caledonian foldings. They formed about 200-400 million years ago.

The Appalachians are rich in various mineral resources. Coal, asbestos, oil, iron ore are mined here. In this regard, this mountainous region is also very often referred to as the historical "industrial belt" of the United States.

australian alps

It turns out that the Alps are not only in Europe. Residents of the smallest and driest continent can also go hiking in the real Alps. But only in Australia!

This mountain system is located in the southern part of the continent. It is here that the highest point in all of Australia is located - Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m). And on the slopes of these mountains originates the most long river mainland - Murray.

The Australian Alps are stunningly diverse in landscape terms. In these mountains you can meet snow-capped peaks, and deep green valleys, and lakes with the purest water. The slopes of the mountains are decorated with bizarre-looking rocks. The Australian Alps are home to several picturesque national parks and excellent ski resorts.

Finally

Now you know which mountains are medium and which are high. Geomorphologists distinguish three types of mountain systems according to height. The middle mountains have a height of 1000 to 3000 meters above sea level. The Carpathians, Appalachians, Australian Alps - these are the most striking examples of such mountain systems in the world.

General concept. A mountain is usually called any sharply pronounced uplift, in which one can relatively easily distinguish the sole, slopes and top. Separate mountains are extremely rare. Most often, mountains are combined into large groups, and their bases closely merge, forming a common skeleton, or basement of mountains, clearly rising above the neighboring flat areas.

Based on the location of the mountains in the plan, there are separate mountains, mountain ranges and mountain ranges. The first, i.e., isolated mountains, as already mentioned, are relatively rare and are either volcanoes or the remains of ancient destroyed mountains. The second, i.e., mountain ranges, are the most common type of mountain regions.

mountain ranges usually consist not of one, but of many rows of mountains, sometimes very closely spaced. An example would be the Main Caucasian Range, along the northern slope of which at least four more or less clearly defined rows of mountains are distinguished. Other mountain ranges have a similar character.

mountain ranges are vast mountain uplifts, 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 strongly dissected massif is the Khan-Tengri mountain range.

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

Mountains are classified according to their height. low(below 1 thousand g), medium(between 1 and 2 thousand) m) And high(over 2000 m). When it comes to mountain ranges or mountainous areas, they usually distinguish: lowlands, midlands And highlands. Timan ridge, Salair ridge, as well as the foothills of many mountainous countries can serve as examples of shallow mountains. The Urals, the mountains of Transbaikalia, the Sikhote-Alin and many others can serve as examples of the middle mountains in our USSR.

The types of mountains identified on the basis of their height are also characterized by relief features. So, for example, high mountains are characterized by sharp peaks, jagged ridges and deeply incised valleys (Fig. 235, 1). The highlands are also characterized by snow peaks and glaciers. Mountains of medium height (or middle mountains) usually have rounded and, as it were, smoothed peaks and soft outlines of ridges (Fig. 235, 2). The same, only even more smoothed forms are characteristic of the lowlands. But here the relative height is already of great importance. If the individual mountains of the lowlands do not rise above the total surface above 200 m, they are no longer called mountains, but hills.

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

1) tectonic mountains,

2) volcanic mountains,

3) erosional mountains.

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

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

Mountains consisting of a single fold (anticline) are comparatively very rare. More often, mountain ranges consist of many parallel folds. In addition, the folds are usually much shorter in length than the ridges, due to which there can 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 (the Urals, the Greater Caucasus, the Cordillera).

Fold 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 Caucasus Range is about 1,000 km long). km, Ural over 2 thousand km). Most often, large ridges (in plan) are arched and less often rectilinear.

Examples of arched ridges are the Alps, the Carpathians, the Himalayas; examples of rectilinear are the Pyrenees, the Main Caucasian Range, 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 ranges are the Pamir-Alay mountains, Southern Urals and many others. Instead of the word branching, many authors use the word virgation. In cases where the branches of the ridges depart at a very sharp angle or are parallel to each other, the term "echelon" arrangement of the ridges is sometimes used.

The folds that appeared on the surface of the Earth, 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 elevated parts of folded mountains, are destroyed first. The rapid destruction of anticlines is partly facilitated by the fracturing characteristic of kinks. Therefore, with a strong destruction of folds, valleys often appear in place of anticlines. (anticlinal valleys), and in place of synclines - mountain ranges. And the steeper the folds, the more intense the destruction of the anticlines. As a result, the observed forms of mountains do not always correspond to structural forms, i.e., forms determined by anticlines and synclines.

In those cases where mountain chains and ridges arise in place of the wings of the anticline, the dip of the layers usually occurs only in one direction. The structure of such mountain ranges is called monoclinal. The ridges or chains of mountains that arose on the site of the wings of the destroyed anticline are called cuestami, cuest ridges, or cuest chains. For cuestas, slope asymmetry is typical. The cuest relief is wide; distributed on all continents. An example is the northern foothills of the Caucasus.

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

Significantly more widespread fold-block mountains. The history of the formation of folded-blocky mountains is rather complicated. Consider, as an example, the main stages in 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, under the influence of the internal forces of the Earth, broke into pieces, with some parts rising and others sinking. As a result, a complex mountainous country arose, the ranges of which are located in various directions. Examples of folded-block mountains in our USSR are the mountains of the Tien Shan, Transbaikalia, the Bureya Mountains, and many others.

volcanic mountains we are already quite familiar with. Let us only note the special nature of the destruction of volcanic mountains under the action of external agents.

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

Below the snow line, the main disruptors are rain torrents. They cut through potholes and ravines that radiate 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, the barrancos are numerous and shallow, but then their depth increases. As a result of the growth of the outer and inner barrancos, the crater expands, the volcano gradually lowers and takes the form of a saucer, surrounded by a more or less elevated shaft.

As for the 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 the deluvial cloaks, last much longer. Laccoliths freed from the cover of uplifted sedimentary rocks are called opened(or prepared) laccoliths.

erosional mountains. By the name of erosional mountains we mean mountains that have arisen mainly as a result of the erosive activity of flowing waters. Such mountains can arise as a result of the dismemberment of plateaus and flat uplands by rivers. Many interfluve mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyuysky, Tungussky, Ilimsky, etc.) can serve as an example of such mountains. They are characterized by table forms and valleys of a box-like, and in some cases even a canyon-like type. The latter are especially characteristic of a 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 dismemberment of these ranges by mountain streams and rivers.

Vertical zonality of landforms in the mountains. Each ridge, each mountain range often differs from each other in its relief forms. It suffices to compare, for example, the shapes of peaks and ridges with the high mountains of the middle mountains. The former are distinguished by sharp peaks 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 zone of mountains located above the snow line, water is predominantly in a solid state (i.e., in the state of snow and ice). It is clear that there can be neither streams nor rivers, and consequently, the erosive activity of flowing waters will be absent. But on the other hand, there are snows and ices that lead tirelessly and in the highest degree kind of work.

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

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

Landforms 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 line. The rarefied transparent air favors the heating of steep slopes devoid of snow cover. Clouds that temporarily cover the sun lead to their rapid cooling. Thus, here, at high altitudes, the rocks that make up the mountains are subject not only to daily, but also to more frequent temperature fluctuations. The latter creates exceptionally favorable conditions for frosty weathering, and the presence of steep slopes helps the weathering products to quickly roll down and expose the rock surface for further weathering.

The frosty weathering in the mountains is greatly assisted by winds, the speed of which, as is known, increases significantly with height. Therefore, the winds here are able to blow off (and blow out of the cracks) not only small dust particles, but also larger fragments.

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 frosty weathering, highly elevated areas take the form of sharp peaks, peaks and scales, which gives the crests of mountain ranges a jagged shape.

In those cases where the rocks are homogeneous, the pointed peaks eventually round off and become flat. As a result of the same frosty weathering, entire "seas" of rocks and stones accumulate on their surface. On the slopes, and especially on the steep ones, the products of frosty weathering slide down in huge "stone streams", forming colossal screes; Screes that are below the snow line are washed away by flowing waters. Screes that descend into the feeding areas of glaciers and to the edges of glaciers are carried away by glaciers. This is how the steep slopes of high mountains are unloaded from the products of frost weathering.

In high mountains, in addition to frosty weathering, as already mentioned, snow and ice are doing a huge destructive job.

We have already spoken enough about what forms of relief arise as a result of glacial and steam-forming activity. These forms within the highlands will be dominant. Above the modern snow line, sharp peaks, peaks and jagged ridges with kars and glacial cirques are usually striking. At the snow line there are glacial valleys with moraines and kars. Even lower - traces of ancient glaciers and punishment, at the bottom of which are lakes or swamps or just a catchment funnel.

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

Landforms of low and middle mountains. Let us now turn to the lower parts of the mountains, which, according to their heights and dominant forms, can be attributed to the low and middle mountains. There is no longer any permanent snow or glaciers.

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

In the mountains of medium height, frosty weathering is much less pronounced, which occurs only in the cold periods of the year. True, here chemical and organic weathering proceeds 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, as a result of which weathering products more often remain in place and delay further weathering. In the same areas where the rocks come to the surface, they quickly weather and take on various, sometimes very characteristic forms.

If above the snow line the main destroyer was frosty weathering, snow and ice, then here the main destroyers are flowing waters.

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

The rivers of the mountains are distinguished by a large slope of their channels, a rapid flow, an abundance of rapids, cascades and waterfalls, which determines their enormous destructive power. Finally, it should be noted that mountain rivers, fed by melt waters of snow and glaciers, in summer time daily they have a large rise in the water level, which also increases their destructive power. All this taken together leads to the fact that the slopes of the mountains are cut through big amount transverse valleys. The latter often have the character of gorges. Gorges, depending on the strength of the rocks that make up their slopes, can be very deep and narrow. But, no matter how strong the rocks, the steep slopes of the gorges are still gradually destroyed, 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 of destroying the mountains is done by rivers. The upper reaches of the mountain streams, crashing into the slopes, reach the watershed ridges. Here they meet the headwaters of the rivers of the opposite slope, and little by little their valleys unite and cut the ridges of the mountains apart. With the further work of the rivers, the mountain ranges break up into separate mountains, which in turn break up into parts. Thus, in the place of mountain ranges, as a result of the work of flowing waters alone, hilly countries can be obtained. The lower the mountains become, the more deposited their slopes become, and the rivers flowing down the slopes can no longer have the same destructive power. Nevertheless, the rivers continue their work. They deposit destruction products at the bottom of valleys, fill depressions and wash away slopes. In the end, the mountains can be destroyed to the ground, and in their place there will be a leveled, slightly hilly surface. Only rare surviving, isolated mountains still remind of the once mountainous country that was here. These remaining free-standing mountains are called residual mountains, or mountain-witnesses(Fig. 237 a, b, c). The leveled, slightly hilly surface remaining in the place of the mountains is called a peneplain, or simply a leveled surface.

If the areas of low and middle mountains are in a dry climate (in deserts and semi-deserts), then the wind becomes of great importance in the formation of small forms. The wind, as already mentioned, helps weathering, carrying away particles of loose rocks formed. 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 takes place so quickly that if the mountains ceased to experience uplift, then they would all 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 for a very long time. So, for example, if the Ural Mountains, which arose 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 uplift of mountains proceeds more slowly than their destruction. Under these conditions, the height cannot increase, but can only decrease. When the uplift of mountains is faster than destruction, then the mountains rise.

To understand the nature of each of the mountains we study, it is necessary to turn Special attention for the following points:

1. For folded mountains - the time of the first folds and the time of the formation of the last folds. For blocky - the state of this mountain 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 cracks.

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

3. The state and life of the mountains in the post-glacial period.

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

The second, i.e., the state of the mountains at 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 landforms of mountains.

The state of the mountains in the post-glacial period largely determines the nature of the details of the forms. Climate is of the utmost importance in this case. So, for example, in a cold climate, frosty weathering, the work of snow and ice can take place at all heights. Therefore, here not only high mountains, but also mountains of medium height have alpine forms (the Anadyr, Koryak, etc. ranges).

By age, mountains are young and old. However, one should distinguish between the geological and geomorphological age of the mountains. Geological age is the time of the first formation of a folded structure. Geomorphological age is the time of the last formation of mountainous relief. In nature, there are mountains that formed as folded structures in the Caledonian era, but their topography was formed in the Quaternary under the influence of new orogenic movements. Geomorphologically ancient mountains long time are subject to destruction. In relief, they most often appear as peneplains, or remnant mountains. The relief forms of the ancient mountains are soft, with gentle slopes.

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

- 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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Mountains differ in height, shape, age, origin, geographic location, etc. The article provides a description of the listed types of mountains.

Mountains by height

lowlands

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

Peculiarities:

The tops of the mountains are rounded, flat,
The 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 Kola Peninsula, Separate Mountains Of Central Europe.

Middle mountains

Middle mountains (medium or medium-altitude mountains) - the height of these mountains is from 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.

For medium-altitude mountains, altitudinal zonality is characteristic, i.e. change of landscape with a change in altitude.

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

highlands

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.

Peculiarities:

The slopes of the mountains are steep, high,
The peaks of the mountains are sharp, peaked, have a specific name - "carlings",
The ridges of the mountains are narrow, jagged,
Characterized by altitudinal zonality from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the peaks.

Examples: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakorum, Rocky Mountains, etc.

Mountains in shape

According to the nature of the summit endings, mountains are: peak-shaped, dome-shaped, plateau-shaped, etc.

Peaked mountain peaks

The peaks of the mountains are the peaks of the mountains, shaped like peaks, from where the name of this species came from. mountain peaks. Inherent mainly in young mountains with steep rocky slopes, sharp ridges and deep crevices in river valleys.

Examples of peaked mountains:

Communism Peak (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)

domed mountain peaks

Dome-shaped, that is, rounded, the shape of the top can take:

Laccoliths - not formed volcanoes in the form of a hill with a core of magma inside,
Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,
Small areas of land that have undergone tectonic uplift of a domed character and, under the influence of erosion processes, have taken on a mountainous image.

Examples of mountains with a domed top:

Black Hills (USA). This area has undergone dome uplift and much 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.
Ai-Nikola (Ukrainian Ai-Nikola, Crimean Tatar Ay Nikola, Ai Nikola) is a domed outcast mountain, the southeastern spur of Mount Mogabi near the western outskirts of the village of Oreanda. Composed of Upper Jurassic limestones. Height - 389 meters above sea level.
Kastel (Ukrainian Kastel, Crimean Tatar Qastel, Kastel) is a 439 m high mountain 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 - stone blocks, sometimes reaching 3-5 m in diameter.
Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain (Ukrainian Ayu-Dag, Crimean Tatar Ayuv Dağ, Ayuv Dag) - a mountain on south coast 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 laccolith.
Kara-Dag (Ukrainian Kara-Dag, Crimean Tatar. Qara dağ, Kara dag) is a mountain-volcanic massif, Crimea. The maximum height is 577 m (Mount Svyataya). It is a strongly destroyed volcanic form with a domed top.
Mashuk is a remnant magmatic mountain (laccolith mountain) in the central part of Pyatigorye in the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, in the north-eastern part of the city of Pyatigorsk. The height is 993.7 m. The top has a regular domed shape.

Plateau mountain peaks

The tops of mountains having a flat shape are called plateau-shaped.

Frontal ridge (English) front range listen)) is a mountain range in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, adjoining the Great Plains from the west. The ridge stretches from south to north for 274 km. The highest point is Mount Grace Peak (4349 m). The ridge is composed mainly of granites. The peaks are plateau-like, the eastern slopes are gentle, the western slopes are steep.
Khibiny (kild. Umptec) is the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. The geological age is about 350 million years. The peaks are plateau-like, the slopes are steep with individual snowfields. At the same time, not a single glacier was found in the Khibiny. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).
Amba (translated from Amharic - Mountain fortress) - the name of flat-topped hills and mesas in Ethiopia. They consist mainly of horizontal sandstones and layers of basalt. This is what determines the flat-topped shape of the mountains. Ambas are located at an altitude of up to 4,500 m.

Mountains by age

By age, the mountains are divided into:

young mountains,
Old (ancient) mountains.

Young mountains were formed during the last 50 million years. In these mountain systems, internal processes are developing very actively, accompanied by the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and sometimes even volcanic activity. The youngest mountains on Earth are mountains belonging to the mainland and island rings. Pacific Ocean. The Caucasus Mountains are recognized as the youngest mountains in Russia. Here is the highest mountain in Russia - Elbrus (5642 m). (In the picture on the left: Himalayas - young mountains, geological age ca. 38 million years)

Features of young mountains:

the process of growth of young mountains is still ongoing,
relief is sharp, strongly dissected,
peaks of the ridges are sharp,
the slopes of the mountains are steep and high,
high absolute heights,
significant amplitude of heights,
the valleys of numerous rivers are presented in the form of gorges, gorges,
young mountains are characterized by the development of glaciers.

Examples of young mountains are:

Alps,
Caucasian mountains,
Carpathians,
Kopet-Dag,
Pamir,
Mountains of Kamchatka.

Old (ancient) mountains are several hundred million years old. They differ in that the internal processes in them have long subsided, while the external processes that affect the destruction of the mountains are still active. This will continue until the relief is completely leveled. On many modern plains there are areas where, by all indications, there were once ancient mountains. From these mountains, only the roots, covered with a thick layer of sedimentary rocks, remained in the depths.

Features of old (ancient) mountains:

were heavily damaged
have less contrasting relief,
elevation changes are small
gentle slopes,
the river valleys are well developed.

Examples of old (ancient) by age mountains are:

Ural Mountains,
Timan,
Yenisei Ridge,
Khibiny (Kola Peninsula, geological age about 350 million years).

Origin

Tectonic mountains are formed as a result of the collision of mobile sections of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes the formation of folds on the surface of the earth. This is how folded mountains are formed. 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. At present, folded mountains in their original form have been preserved 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 rock break into large blocks, which, under the influence of tectonic forces, rise or fall. So there are folded-block mountains. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the mountains of Altai. The emergence of these mountains fell on the Baikal and Caledonian epochs of mountain building, in the Hercynian and Mesozoic epochs they underwent repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-blocky mountains was finally accepted during the Alpine folding.

Volcanic mountains are formed by volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along the fault lines of the earth's crust or at the boundaries of the lithospheric plates.

Volcanic mountains are 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 mountains 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 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 peaks of underwater volcanoes, the height of which is more than 5500 meters from the surface of the ocean floor.

Erosive (denudation) mountains

Erosion mountains arose as a result of intensive dismemberment of layered plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most of the mountains of this type are characterized by a table shape and the presence of box-shaped and sometimes canyon-shaped valleys between them. The last type of valleys occurs most often when a lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosion (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyui, Tungus, Ilim, 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.

By geographic location

On this basis, it is customary to group mountains into mountain systems, ridges, mountain ranges and single mountains.

Mountain belts are the largest formations. Allocate the Alpine-Himalayan mountain belt, stretching through Europe and Asia, and the Andean-Cordillera mountain belt, passing through North and South America.

Mountain country - many mountain systems.

Mountain system - mountain ranges and groups of mountains that are similar in origin and have the same age (for example, the Appalachians)

Mountain ranges - interconnected mountains, elongated in a line. For example, the mountains of Sangre de Cristo (North America).

Mountain groups - also interconnected mountains, but not elongated in a line, but forming a group of indefinite shape. For example, Mount Henry in Utah and Bear Po in Montana.

Solitary mountains - mountains not associated with other mountains, often of volcanic origin. For example, Mount Hood in Oregon and Rainier in Washington.

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Types and types of mountains. What are mountains?

In this article we will answer the question: what are the mountains? There are many types and types of mountains on Earth. Mountains differ in structure, shape, age, origin, height, geographical location, etc.

Consider the main types of mountains.

The classification of mountains by age is presented in the previous paragraph of this article.

Types and types of mountains. What are mountains? Signs of classification.

Consider all the listed types and types of mountains in more detail.

Types and types of mountains by height:

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

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

Features of lowlands:

The tops of the mountains are rounded, flat,
The 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, individual mountains of Central Europe.

Middle mountains (medium or medium-altitude mountains) - the height of these mountains is from 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.

Medium mountains features:

For medium-altitude mountains, altitudinal zonality is characteristic, i.e. change of landscape with a change in altitude.

Examples of medium mountains: The mountains of the Middle Urals, the Polar Urals, the mountains of the island of Novaya Zemlya, the mountains of Siberia and the Far East, the mountains of the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, the Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, the 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 ranges of the Eastern Sayan,
Aldan Highlands (height up to 2306 meters),
mid-altitude ridges of the Chukchi Highlands,
the 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, 2090 meters high),
High Tatras (The highest point is Mount Gerlachovsky Shtit, 2655 m),
mid-mountain ranges of Transbaikalia (Daursky (up to 1526 m), Malkhansky (up to 1741 m), Dzhidinsky (up to 2027 m), Olekminsky Stanovik (the average height of the ridge is from 1000 to 1400 m, the maximum is 1845 m), the Vitim plateau (height from 1200 up 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.

Highlands features:

The slopes of the mountains are steep, high,
The peaks of the mountains are sharp, peaked, have a specific name - "carlings",
The ridges of the mountains are narrow, jagged,
Characterized by altitudinal zonality from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the peaks.

Highlands examples: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakorum, Rocky Mountains, etc.

Types and types of mountains by origin.

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

formed as a result of the collision of moving parts of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes the formation of folds on the surface of the earth. This is how folded 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. At present, folded mountains in their original form have been preserved 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 rock break into large blocks, which, under the influence of tectonic forces, rise or fall. This is how fold-block mountains. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the mountains of Altai. The emergence of these mountains fell on the Baikal and Caledonian epochs of mountain building, in the Hercynian and Mesozoic epochs they underwent repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-blocky mountains was finally accepted during the Alpine folding.

formed during volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along the fault lines of the earth's crust or at the boundaries of the lithospheric plates.

Volcanic mountains are 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 mountains 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 globe where active volcanic activity occurs, entire chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the chain of Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin with a length of more than 1600 km. These islands are the peaks of underwater volcanoes, the height of which is more than 5500 meters from the surface of the ocean floor.

Erosive (denudation) mountains .

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

Another feature of the classification of mountains is the shape of the peak.

By the nature of the vertex endings mountains are: peaked, dome-shaped, plateau-shaped, etc.

Added at the request of visitors:

Peaked mountain peaks.

Peaked mountain peaks- these are the pointed peaks of the mountains, shaped like peaks, from where the name of this type of mountain peaks came from. Inherent mainly in young mountains with steep rocky slopes, sharp ridges and deep crevices in river valleys.

Examples of peaked mountains:

Communism Peak (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-like mountain peaks.

The tops of mountains that have a flat shape are called plateau-like.

Examples of plateau mountains:

Frontal ridge(English) Front Range listen)) is a mountain range in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, adjoining the Great Plains from the west. The ridge stretches from south to north for 274 km. The highest point is Mount Grace Peak (4349 m). The ridge is composed mainly of granites. The peaks are plateau-like, the eastern slopes are gentle, the western ones are steep.

Khibiny(kild. Umptec listen)) is the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. The geological age is about 350 million years. The peaks are plateau-like, the slopes are steep with individual snowfields. At the same time, not a single glacier was found in the Khibiny. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).

Amby(translated from Amharic - Mountain fortress) - the name of flat-topped hills and mesas in Ethiopia. They consist mainly of horizontal sandstones and layers of basalt. This is what 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 lane. table) - mountains with a truncated flat top. The flat top of these mountains is usually composed of a solid layer (limestone, sandstone, traps, hardened lava). The slopes of mesas are usually steep or stepped. Table mountains arise when flowing waters dissect layered plains (for example, the Turgai plateau).

Famous mesas:

Amby, (Ethiopia)
Elbe Sandstone Mountains, (Germany)
Lilienstein, (Germany)
Buchberg, (Germany)
Königstein, (Germany)
Tafelberg (Thule), (Greenland)
Ben Bulben, (Ireland)
Etjo, (Namibia)
Gamsberg, (Namibia)
Grootberg, (Namibia)
Waterberg, (Namibia)
Szczelinec the Great, (Poland)
Kistenstöckli, (Switzerland)
Tafelberg (Suriname)
Tepui, (Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana)
Monument Valley, (USA)
Black Mesa (USA)
Table Mountain, (South Africa)
Dining room (mountain, Caucasus).

domed mountain peaks.

Dome-shaped, that is, rounded, the shape of the top can take:

Laccoliths - unformed volcanoes in the form of a hill with a core of magma inside,

Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,

Small areas of land that have undergone tectonic uplift of a domed character and, under the influence of erosion processes, have taken on a mountainous image.

Examples of mountains with a domed top:

Black Hills (USA). This area has undergone dome uplift and much 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.

Ai-Nikola(Ukrainian Ai-Nikola, Crimean Tatar Ay Nikola, Ai Nikola) - a domed outcast mountain, the southeastern spur of Mount Mogabi near the western outskirts of the village of Oreanda. Composed of Upper Jurassic limestones. Height - 389 meters above sea level.

Castel(Ukrainian Kastel, Crimean Tatar Qastel, Kastel) - 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 - stone blocks, sometimes reaching 3-5 m in diameter.

Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain(Ukr. Ayu-Dag, Crimean Tatar. Ayuv Dağ, Ayuv Dag) - 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 laccolith.

Kara- Dag (Ukrainian Kara-Dag, Crimean Tatar. Qara dağ, Qara dag) is a mountain-volcanic massif, Crimea. The maximum height is 577 m (mountain Svyataya). It is a strongly destroyed volcanic form with a domed top.

Mashuk- remnant magmatic mountain (mountain-laccolith) in the central part of Pyatigorye on the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, in the north-eastern part of the city of Pyatigorsk. The height is 993.7 m. The top has a regular domed shape.

Types and types of mountains by geographical location.

Different types of mountains are also separated by geographical location. On this basis, it is customary to group mountains into mountain systems, ridges, mountain ranges and single mountains.

Let's take a closer look:

mountain belts are the largest formations. Allocate the Alpine-Himalayan mountain belt, stretching through Europe and Asia, and the Andean-Cordillera mountain belt, passing through North and South America.

Mountain country - many mountain systems.

mountain system - mountain ranges and groups of mountains that are similar in origin and have the same age (for example, the Appalachians)

mountain ranges - interconnected mountains, elongated in a line. For example, the mountains of Sangre de Cristo (North America).

mountain groups - also interconnected mountains, but not elongated in a line, but forming a group of indefinite shape. For example, Mount Henry in Utah and Bear Po in Montana.

Solitary mountains - mountains not connected with other mountains, often of volcanic origin. For example, Mount Hood in Oregon and Rainier in Washington.

Mountains fascinate almost everyone with their beauty. Surprisingly, they are all different. They can differ in location, presence of vegetation, and origin. There are also low, high and even medium mountains. But what is it? How is their height determined? What mountains are average? Let's try to figure it out.

Definition

In general, a mountain is a landform that protrudes strongly above the ground. It has slopes, foothills and maybe a peak. All this is part of the microrelief, which also includes passes, valleys, glaciers and moraines (depending on the type).

All mountains can be divided by origin:

Tectonic arise as a result of the collision of lithospheric plates. In this case, a folded hill is formed, consisting of stone folds. After a long time, exposed to the action of air, winds, glaciers and water, they become less durable, faults and cracks appear. The Himalayas are considered the youngest mountains of this type, which have still retained their original strength. Interestingly, the old folded uplands are modified if the plates continue to move, then the layers overlap each other, forming blocks. Such mountains are called folded-blocky.
Volcanic appear as a result of volcanic eruptions. That is, the outflowing magma (lava) hardens, forming a hill. This usually happens at the breaks in the earth's crust, where lava is most easily erupted. These mountains are divided into volcanic cones and shield volcanoes.
Erosion mountains (or, in other words, denudation) arose as a result of regular erosion by water. In simple words, the stone layers were washed by flowing water for a very long time and intensively, and therefore mountains were formed. As a rule, they are part of systems of other mountain ranges.

Mountains are also divided according to the shape of their peaks: peaked, plateau-shaped and domed. They usually have different origins, so they differ in forms. Peaked - young rocky mountains, domed - more often volcanic.

By position, they distinguish: mountain belts, ridges, countries, systems, groups and single mountains.

Types of mountains by height

The medium, low and high mountains are called, respectively, low mountains, middle mountains and high mountains. They differ in height:

The low mountains are hills up to 800 meters above sea level. Hills are one of them. However, in fact, in geography, relief irregularities above 500 m are considered mountains.
But the highlands reach more than 3,000 meters above sea level! Such mountains are usually very young. These include the Tien Shan, the Alps, the highest mountain in the world, Everest (Chomolungma) and others.
The middle mountains, which we will consider in our article, can be from 800 meters to 3 kilometers in height. They also include many ridges. The most interesting thing is that such middle mountains are usually characterized by a change in landscape depending on the height. That is, the foot can be grassy, and the peak can be rocky and covered with snow, for example.

Now let's move on to a more detailed consideration of some well-known "representatives" of the middle mountains.

Mountains of the Middle Urals

This part of Russia is famous for its nature. In addition, there is an abundance of malachite and various colored stones and a lot of lakes, rivers and streams. The mountains here are mostly low (up to 800) meters. Such a lowland stretches almost along the entire Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. But in the northernmost Urals (north of Nizhny Tagil) there are already higher mountains. These include Oslyanka with a height of 1,119 meters, Kachkanar (878 m), on the Basegi ridge in the Perm region there is a peak of 994 m.

Polar Ural

It includes the Komi Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Here the chain continues Ural mountains. In the very north of the Urals, the ridges reach where greater height than in the middle. The hills have clear signs of the influence of glaciation - pointed peaks, transition to the so-called moraines, which consist of ice.

In the Polar Urals, almost all ridges are high, on average they reach from 1,000 to 1,500 meters: Ochenyrd, Top of Stones, Kuutzh-Saurey. And the highest mountains include:

Ngetenape - 1338 m.
Payer (approximately 1,500 m) is the highest peak Polar Urals.
Kharnaurdy-Keu (1,246) - located in the Tyumen Region near the border of the Komi Republic. From the language of the Komi-Zyryan peoples, the name of the mountain is translated as "a steep peak from which a small eagle fell."
Hanmei (1 333) - beautiful northern mountain. Surprisingly, there is a river with the same name.

An interesting fact is that in the Polar Urals, due to its northern location and cold, there are a lot of glaciers and mountains made of ice. For the same reason, the ridges themselves are sharp, and inside them there are often many reservoirs and snowfields.

Mountains of Eastern Siberia and the Far East

Despite the fact that these parts are located nearby, the snowy, relatively mild climate of Primorye and the severely cold weather of Yakutia meet here almost all year round. A mountain range stretches here, which is quite difficult to get to, so it has not been fully explored. Most high points- this is a ridge with the peak of Pobeda (3,147 m) and Suntar-Khayata with the peak of Mus-Khai (2,959 m).

scandinavian mountains

Another representative of the middle mountains. They are located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in the territories of Norway and Sweden. The total length is 1,700 kilometers. These mountains arose as a result of a collision of lithospheric plates, and experts estimate their age at 480 million years! For a long time they were subjected to the action of glaciers and erosion by water, which formed them as we see them now.

Due to the humid climate, the foothills of the Scandinavian Mountains have very dense vegetation, there are swampy, shrubby and forest (mainly coniferous) zones. There are many fast-flowing rivers that do not freeze even in winter. There are in this middle mountains and glaciers, which are considered the highest on the European continent. And the highest point of the Scandinavian mountains is Galdhepiggen, which is located in Norway. Its height is 2469 meters.

Carpathians

This is also a large mountain system. A significant part of the Carpathians is located in Romania, and the rest - in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is also interesting that part of this mountain system is located next to the Alps (they are separated by only 14 km).

Basically, the height of the peaks of the Carpathians is from 800 to 1,200 meters, which, of course, is called the middle mountains. Basins are often found here, mud volcanoes, river valleys. There are a large number of divisions in the Carpathians ( mountain ranges): Beskids, Slovak midlands, Tatras and many others. Unlike the mountains of the Middle and Polar Urals, as well as the Scandinavian ones, it is relatively warm here, there are no glaciers, so the views are picturesque and green on almost the entire mountain system.

There are several versions of the translation of the name Carpathians from different languages - overflow, stone massif and rocks.

The highest mountains here are Hoverla (2,061 m) and Gerlachovsky Shtit (2,655 m).

australian alps

Another middle ground. Oddly enough, but there are Alps not only in Europe, but also in Australia. They are part of the Great Dividing Range. The highest point here and throughout the country is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m). There is almost always snow on its top.

Appalachians

The length of this mountain system is more than 2,500 kilometers. It stretched throughout North America (that is, across the USA and Canada). The Appalachians are defined as rolling plateaus, but there are mountain ranges as well. The highest point - famous mountain Washington (1916 m).

New Earth

In this deserted cold archipelago in the Northern Arctic Ocean there are mountains, since the entire territory of the islands is very rocky in itself. The highest points are in the center of the land, and highest mountain doesn't even have a name.