The highest peak of Mount Caucasus. The Caucasus Mountains are the highest in Europe: description, photo, video, Caucasus Mountains on the map

Geographical position. On a huge isthmus between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the Taman Peninsula to the Apsheron Peninsula, the majestic mountains of the Greater Caucasus are located.

North Caucasus- this is the southernmost part of the Russian territory. The border of the Russian Federation with the countries of Transcaucasia passes along the ridges of the Main, or Dividing, Caucasian Range.

The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression, on the site of which a sea strait existed in the Middle Quaternary.

The North Caucasus is an area located on the border of the temperate and subtropical zones.

The epithet "most-most" is often applied to the nature of this territory. Latitudinal zonality is replaced here by vertical zoning. For a resident of the plains of the mountains of the Caucasus - a prime example"multi-storey" of nature.

Remember where and what is the name of the extreme southern point of Russia.

Features of the nature of the North Caucasus. The Caucasus is a young mountain structure, formed during the period of Alpine folding. The Caucasus includes: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus belong to Russia.

Rice. 92. Orographic scheme of the Caucasus

Often the Greater Caucasus is presented as a single ridge. In fact, it is a system of mountain ranges. From the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus is the Western Caucasus, from Elbrus to Kazbek - the Central Caucasus, east of Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In the longitudinal direction, an axial zone is distinguished, occupied by the Vodorazdelny (Main) and Lateral ridges.

The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus form the Skalisty and Pastbishny ranges. They have a cuesta structure - these are ridges, in which one slope is gentle, and the other is abruptly ending. The reason for the formation of kuest is the interbedding of layers composed of rocks of different hardness.

The chains of the Western Caucasus begin near the Taman Peninsula. At first, these are not even mountains, but hills with soft outlines. They rise as you move east. Mountains Fisht (2867 m) and Oshten (2808 m) - the highest parts of the Western Caucasus - are covered with snowfields and glaciers.

The highest and most grandiose part of the entire mountain system is the Central Caucasus. Here, even the passes reach a height of 3000 m, only one pass - Krestovy on the Georgian Military Highway - lies at an altitude of 2379 m.

In the Central Caucasus there are the highest peaks - the two-headed Elbrus, an extinct volcano, the highest peak in Russia (5642 m), and Kazbek (5033 m).

The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus is mainly the numerous ridges of the mountainous Dagestan (in translation - the Country of Mountains).

Rice. 93. Mount Elbrus

Various tectonic structures took part in the structure of the North Caucasus. In the south there are folded-block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. It is part of the Alpine geosynclinal zone.

fluctuations earth's crust were accompanied by bends of earth layers, their extensions, faults, ruptures. Magma poured out to the surface along the cracks formed from great depths, which led to the formation of numerous ore deposits.

Uplifts in recent geological periods - Neogene and Quaternary - have turned the Greater Caucasus into a mountainous country. The rise in the axial part of the Greater Caucasus was accompanied by an intensive subsidence of earth layers along the edges of the emerging mountain range. This led to the formation of foothill troughs: in the west of the Indolo-Kuban and in the east of the Terek-Caspian.

The complex history of the geological development of the region is the reason for the richness of the bowels of the Caucasus in various minerals. The main wealth of Ciscaucasia is the oil and gas field. Polymetallic ores, tungsten, copper, mercury, and molybdenum are mined in the central part of the Greater Caucasus.

In the mountains and foothills of the North Caucasus, many mineral springs were discovered, near which resorts were created, which have long received worldwide fame- Kislovodsk, Mineralnye Vody, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Matsesta. The springs are diverse in chemical composition, in temperature, and extremely useful.

Rice. 94. Geological structure of the North Caucasus

The geographical position of the North Caucasus in the south of the temperate zone determines its mild, warm climate, transitional from temperate to subtropical. Here is a parallel 45 ° N. sh., that is, this territory is equidistant from both the equator and the pole. This situation determines the amount of solar heat received: in summer 17-18 kcal per square centimeter, which is 1.5 times more than the European part of Russia receives on average. With the exception of the highlands, the climate in the North Caucasus is mild, warm, on the plains average temperature July everywhere exceeds 20 ° C, and summer lasts from 4.5 to 5.5 months. Average January temperatures range from -10 to +6°C, and winter lasts only two to three months. The city of Sochi is located in the North Caucasus, where the warmest winter in Russia is with a January temperature of +6.1 ° С.

On the map, determine whether there are any obstacles in the foothills of the North Caucasus in the way of arctic air masses, tropical. What atmospheric fronts pass near this area? Analyze on maps how precipitation is distributed in the North Caucasus, explain the reasons for this distribution.

The abundance of heat and light allows the vegetation of the North Caucasus to develop in the north of the region for seven months, in Ciscaucasia - eight, and on the Black Sea coast, south of Gelendzhik - up to 11 months. This means that with the appropriate selection of crops, two crops per year can be obtained here.

The North Caucasus is distinguished by a very complex circulation of various air masses. Various air masses can penetrate into this area.

The main source of moisture for the North Caucasus is the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the western regions of the North Caucasus are characterized by a large amount of precipitation. The annual amount of precipitation in the foothill areas in the west is 380-520 mm, and in the east, in the Caspian Sea, - 220-250 mm. Therefore, in the east of the region there are often droughts and dry winds. However, they are often accompanied by dusty, or black, storms. Storms occur in the spring when the top layers of dry soil, still loosely held together by newly emerged plants, are blown away. strong wind. A cloud of dust rises into the air, covering the sky and the sun.

Measures to combat black storms are properly planned forest shelterbelts and high agricultural technology. However, until now, due to black storms, it is necessary to re-sow (re-sow) several tens of thousands of hectares, from which the most fertile soil layer is demolished during dust storms.

The climate of the highlands very different from the plains and foothills. The first main difference is that much more precipitation falls in the mountains: at an altitude of 2000 m - 2500-2600 mm per year. This is due to the fact that the mountains trap air masses, forcing them to rise up. At the same time, the air cools and gives off its moisture.

The second difference in the climate of the highlands is a decrease in the duration of the warm season due to a decrease in air temperature with height. Already at an altitude of 2700 m on the northern slopes and at an altitude of 3800 m in the Central Caucasus there is a snow line, or the border of "eternal ice". At an altitude of over 4000 m, even in July, positive temperatures are very rare.

Remember how much the air temperature decreases when you rise for every 100 m. Calculate how much the air will cool when you rise to a height of 4000 m, if its temperature at the earth's surface is +20 ° С. What happens to the moisture in the air?

In the mountains of the Western Caucasus, due to the abundance of precipitation during the winter, a four-five-meter layer of snow accumulates, and in the mountain valleys, where it is blown away by the wind, up to 10-12 m. The abundance of snow in winter leads to the formation of snow avalanches. Sometimes one awkward movement, even a sharp sound, is enough for a thousand-ton mass of snow to fly down a steep ledge, destroying everything in its path.

Explain why there are practically no avalanches in the mountains of the Eastern Caucasus.

Think about what differences will be observed in the change of altitudinal zones on the western and eastern slopes.

The third difference of the alpine climate is its amazing diversity from place to place in connection with the height of the mountains, the exposure of the slope, proximity or distance from the sea.

The fourth difference is the peculiarity of atmospheric circulation. Cooled air from the highlands rushes down the comparatively narrow intermountain valleys. For every 100 m lowered, the air heats up by about 1°C. Descending from a height of 2500 m, it heats up by 25 ° C and becomes warm, even hot. This is how the local wind - foehn is formed. Hair dryers are especially frequent in spring, when the intensity of the general circulation of air masses increases sharply. Unlike a foehn, when masses of dense cold air invade, a bora is formed (from the Greek boreas - north, north wind), a strong cold downward wind. Flowing over low ridges into an area with warmer rarefied air, it heats up relatively little and “falls” down the leeward slope at high speed. Bora is observed mainly in winter, where the mountain range borders on the sea or a vast body of water. The Novorossiysk Bora is widely known (Fig. 95). And yet, the leading factor in climate formation in the mountains, which greatly affects all other components of nature, is the height, which leads to vertical zonality of both climate and natural zones.

Rice. 95. Scheme of formation of the Novorossiysk bora

The rivers of the North Caucasus are numerous and, like the relief and climate, are clearly divided into flat and mountainous. Stormy mountain rivers are especially numerous, the main source of food for which is snow and glaciers during the melting period. The largest rivers are the Kuban and the Terek with their numerous tributaries, as well as the Bolshoy Egorlyk and Kalaus, which originate in the Stavropol Upland. In the lower reaches of the Kuban and the Terek there are floodplains - vast swampy areas covered with reeds and reeds.

Rice. 96. Altitudinal zonality of the Greater Caucasus

The wealth of the Caucasus is fertile soil. In the western part of Ciscaucasia, chernozems predominate, and in the eastern, more arid part, chestnut soils. The soils of the Black Sea coast are intensively used for orchards, berry fields, and vineyards. The northernmost tea plantations in the world are located in the Sochi region.

In the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed. The lower belt is occupied by broad-leaved forests dominated by oak. Above are beech forests, which with height pass first into mixed, and then into spruce-fir forests. The upper border of the forest is located at an altitude of 2000-2200 m. Behind it, on mountain-meadow soils, there are lush subalpine meadows with thickets of Caucasian rhododendron. They pass into short-grass alpine meadows, followed by the highest belt of snowfields and glaciers.

Questions and tasks

1. On the example of the North Caucasus, show the influence of the geographical location of the territory on the features of its nature.
2. Tell us about the formation of the modern relief of the Greater Caucasus.
3. On the contour map, mark the main geographical features of the area, mineral deposits.
4. Give a description of the climate of the Greater Caucasus, explain how the climate of the foothills differs from the highlands.

The Caucasus Mountains are located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Kuma-Manych depression separates the Caucasus from the East European Plain. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only Ciscaucasia and the northern part of the Greater Caucasus are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. The last two parts together are called the North Caucasus. However, for Russia, this part of the territory is the southernmost. Here, along the crest of the Main Range, the state border of the Russian Federation passes, behind which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan. The entire system of the Caucasus Range occupies an area of ​​approximately 2600 m2, and its northern slope occupies about 1450 m2, while the southern one is only about 1150 m2.

The North Caucasian mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. In the southern part there are folded-block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. They were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which were later subjected to folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, extensions, ruptures and faults of earth layers. As a result, a large amount of magma poured onto the surface (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits). The uplifts that took place here in the Neogene and Quaternary periods led to the elevation of the surface and the type of relief that exists today. The rise of the central part of the Greater Caucasus was accompanied by the lowering of the layers along the edges of the ridge being formed. Thus, the Terek-Caspian trough was formed in the east, and the Indal-Kuban trough in the west.

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

The chain of the Western Caucasus begins at the Taman Peninsula. At the very beginning, it is rather not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise towards the east. The highest parts of the North Caucasus are covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the Western Caucasus are the Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters) mountains. The highest part of the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach a height of 3 thousand meters, and the lowest of them (Cross) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. Here are the highest peaks of the Caucasus. So, for example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the two-headed extinct volcano Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia.

The relief here is strongly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks prevail. Eastern part The Greater Caucasus is mainly composed of numerous ridges of Dagestan (in translation, the name of this region means " Mountain country"). There are complex branching ridges with steep slopes and deep canyon-like river valleys. However, the height of the peaks here is less than in the central part of the mountain system, but still they exceed the height of 4 thousand meters. The uplift of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite frequent earthquakes in this region of Russia are connected with this. To the north of the Central Caucasus, where the magma rising along the cracks did not spill onto the surface, low, so-called island mountains formed. The largest of them are Beshtau (1400 meters) and Mashuk (993 meters). At their base there are numerous sources of mineral waters.

The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Tersko-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, the height of which is 700-800 meters. The Stavropol Upland is dissected by wide and deeply incised valleys, gullies and ravines. At the base of this area lies a young slab. Its structure is made up of Neogene formations covered with limestone deposits - loess and loess-like loams, and in the eastern part there are also marine deposits of the Quaternary period. The climate in this area is quite favorable. Quite high mountains serve as a good obstacle to the cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between the two climatic zones subtropical and temperate. On the Russian territory, the climate is still moderate, but the above factors contribute to rather high temperatures.

Mountains of the Caucasus As a result, the winters in Ciscaucasia are quite warm (the average temperature in January is about -5°C). This is facilitated by those coming from outside Atlantic Ocean warm air masses. On the Black Sea coast, the temperature rarely drops below zero (the average January temperature is 3°C). Temperatures are naturally lower in mountainous regions. Thus, the average temperature in the plains in summer is about 25°C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0°C. Precipitation in this area falls mainly due to cyclones coming from the west, as a result of which their amount gradually decreases towards the east.

Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is about 7 times lower. In the mountains of the North Caucasus, glaciation is developed, in terms of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich this region ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed during the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. Mountain rivers, as usual, are fast-flowing, and in their lower reaches there are swampy areas overgrown with reeds and reeds.

A report about the Caucasus Mountains, a majestic attraction and a highlight of the Caucasus, is presented in this article.

Message about the Caucasus Mountains

Caucasus mountains geographic location

They are spread between Asia and Europe, the Middle and Near East. The mountains of the Caucasian region are divided into 2 systems - the Lesser and Greater Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus is located almost to Baku from Taman and includes the Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. But the Lesser Caucasus is a mountain range near the Black Sea. They are located between the Black Sea and Caspian coasts, covering the territories of such countries as South Ossetia, Russia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In translation, their name means "mountains hold the sky." The length of the Caucasus Mountains is 1100 km, and their width is 180 km. The most famous and highest peaks of the system are Mount Elbrus and Kazbek.

How old are the Caucasus Mountains?

The Caucasian mountain system is the same age as the Alps and has a 30-million history inscribed in Greek myths and biblical lines. According to legend, when Noah released a dove from the ark in search of land, he brought a twig to Noah from the mountains of the Caucasian system. And the myths indicate that Prometheus, the man who gave fire to people, is chained here.

What do the Caucasus Mountains look like?

The mountains are fraught with many unusual things. On their peaks one can find preserved glaciation. Until now, earthquakes have been observed here, since the Caucasus Mountains are young from a geological point of view.

Their appearance is due to the relief, which is represented by different forms. Mountain peaks with sharp peaks shot up under the very sky. With their outlines, they look either like the walls of a castle with towers, or like the Egyptian pyramids. In the mountains there are also glaciers, rivers and areas with a surface heavily damaged by wind erosion.

Climate

The climate of the mountain system of the Caucasus is quite diverse. These places have a pronounced zonality. These mountains are a natural barrier that prevents the movement of air masses, thereby determining the diversity of the climate. The southern and western slopes receive much more precipitation than the northern and eastern slopes. The Caucasus Mountains are located in almost all climatic zones: from humid subtropics with humid and warm winters, dry hot summers to a dry continental climate, turning into a semi-desert in the east.

Near the foothills, snowy cold winters with dry summers are observed, and the higher the mountains, the lower the temperature. At an altitude of 3.5 thousand km. it reaches -4 0 C.

Flora and fauna

The mountains of the Caucasus are inhabited by unique animals. Among them are chamois, wild boars, mountain goats, foxes and bears, mountain jerboa and ground squirrel, and bears and leopards live in remote places. On the way from the foot to the top, meadow alpine grasses and coniferous forests grow, which “feed” on rivers, lakes, waterfalls, mineral water springs.

• For the first time, a man climbed the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains on July 22, 1829.
• There are a lot of invertebrate species in the Caucasus, for example, about 1000 species of spiders still live there.

  In the Caucasus 6349 species of flowering plants, including 1600 native species.

  In the Caucasus many endemic representatives- slightly less than 1600 species of flora, 32 species of mammals and 3 species of birds.

• Permafrost starts at altitude 3000-3500 m.

We hope that the report about the Caucasus Mountains helped you prepare for the lesson. And you can leave your message about the Caucasus Mountains through the comment form below.

The mountains of the Caucasus, born in the collision of the Eurasian and Arabian plates, are like a symbol of the mentality of the peoples living next to them. Proud and tall, they stand as a miraculous wall between the Asian and European parts of our continent on land. Mankind has not decided whether to attribute them to Europe or Asia.

The height of the Caucasus Mountains: 5642 m (Great Caucasus) and 3724 m (Little Caucasus).

The length of the Greater Caucasus: 1100 km. small - 600 km.

Cm. geographical position Caucasus Mountains or where they are located and how they are located on the map. To enlarge the map of the Caucasus Mountains, just click on it.

Not crossed by rivers, the Caucasian ranges are called the watershed line. The mountain system of the Caucasus, the same age as the Alps, with a history of thirty million years, is firmly inscribed in the memory of mankind through biblical lines and Greek myths. It was on one of the mountains of the system that a dove released from Noah's ark found a branch, on top of Ararat. The legendary Prometheus, who gave fire to people, was chained to one of the Caucasian rocks.

The Caucasus is divided into two parts, which are called the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. The first stretches from Taman almost to Baku and consists of the Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. One and a half thousand square kilometers of ice, the highest point of Eurasia - Elbrus (the peak of the Caucasus Mountains), an iron mountain, and six mountain peaks, five thousand kilometers high - that's what the Greater Caucasus is.

The Lesser Caucasus is a mountain range near the Black Sea, with peaks up to four kilometers high.

The Caucasus Mountains are located between the Caspian and the Black Sea coasts and simultaneously on the territory of several countries. These are Russia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The climate of the Caucasus is diverse: from typically maritime in Abkhazia, it changes to sharply continental in Armenia.

The Caucasus is inhabited by unique animals - chamois, mountain goats, wild boars, in especially remote and hard-to-reach places you can meet a leopard or a bear.

Alpine meadow grasses, coniferous forests climbing up from the foothills, turbulent rivers, lakes, waterfalls, mineral water springs, the purest air.

It is thanks to such a successful combination of values ​​for human health that the region has a huge number of sanatoriums and resorts.

Rock climbers are attracted by the royal Elbrus and its neighbors - Shkhara, Kazbek, Dzhangitau, Dykhtau and Koshnantau. Among the snows of the Caucasus there is a place for skiers and snowboarders, lovers of hiking and thrills, adherents of rafting, as well as all those who value their health. Terrenkur, Norwegian walking, rock climbing, river rafting, skiing and many other activities active rest offers the Caucasus.

Once having visited the mountains, sung by the "genius of Lermontov", you will remember them for a lifetime.

Video: Wildlife of Russia 4 of 6 Caucasus Mountains.

Video: Hiking in the Caucasus mountains.

They are no less famous in the world than the Cordillera, a mountain system that stretches along the western outskirts of North and South America for as much as eighteen thousand kilometers in length and in width for 1600 kilometers, with the highest peak of Denali at 6190 meters above sea level in North America, in also Aconcagua - 6963 meters above sea level in South America. Many countries border the Cordillera - Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. No less famous is the Cordillera mountain system of the Himalayas with the highest peak Chogori - 8611 meters above sea level on the border of China and Pakistan and with another peak Lhotse, exceeding a height of eight kilometers on the border of China and Nepal. On the globe, Tibet is also admired with the highest peak in the world, Everest - 8852 meters above sea level. However, on Earth there are other mountain systems on different continents that attract attention and which thousands and thousands of brave conquerors of peaks strive to climb.

From the legendary Taman to the gray Caspian

The Great Caucasus Mountains are essentially two mountain systems - the Greater and Lesser Caucasus in Eurasia. They stretched for more than 1,100 kilometers from northwest to southeast, and more specifically, from the Taman Peninsula in the region and along the Black Sea coast to the Absheron Peninsula near the gray Caspian and near the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The maximum width of the mountain system is 180 kilometers. Compared to the Cordillera, this is almost a ninth, but nevertheless noticeable and being the root cause of the appearance of a subtropical zone in Russia. In which over 15 million of our fellow citizens and guests from near and far abroad improve their health and have a good rest every year. The Greater Caucasus is divided into three parts: Western - from the Black Sea to Elbrus; Central - from Elbrus to Kazbek and finally the Eastern Caucasus - from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea. As for the height above sea level, at Everest it is 5642 meters, at Kazbek 5033. The total area of ​​the Great Caucasus Mountains is 1400 square kilometers. In part, this is the land of eternal snows and glaciers. The area of ​​glaciers goes off scale for 2050 square kilometers. A major center of icing is Mount Elbrus plus the Bezengi wall - 17 kilometers.

The land of five dozen nations

The Great Caucasus Mountains are densely populated. Meaning its foothills. Abkhazians, Ingushs, Ossetians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Adygs (Circassians) and many other nationalities live here, united by a common name - the Caucasian peoples. Most of them are Muslims. But Christians are also widely represented - Ukrainians, Georgians, Russians, Armenians, as well as a noticeable part of Ossetians and Abkhazians. By the way, Armenian and Georgian churches are the oldest in the world. Thanks largely to them, these two peoples of the Great Caucasus have retained their identity, customs and customs. Let's add to this - Caucasian peoples for a hundred years they were under foreign control - Turks, Persians, Russians. Now others have gained independence, become sovereign.

twenty-five sky-high peaks

That is how many of them the Great Caucasus has from Elbrus to Dombay-Ulgen - 4046 meters above sea level. Popular with climbers: Dykhtau - 5204 meters above sea level; Pushkin peak - 5100 m., we have already mentioned Kazbek; Shota Rustaveli - 4960m., Gulchi-Tau - 4447 meters, etc.

The Great Caucasus is abundant in rivers, lakes and waterfalls

Originating at the mountain peaks, some flow into - Bzyb, Kodor, Ingur (Inguri), Rioni, Mzymta, etc. B - the largest Kuban in the Krasnodar Territory. And in the Caspian - Kura, Samur, Terek, Sunzha, Baksan - there are more than two dozen of them in total. Among the majestic Caucasus Mountains is the world-famous Lake Sevan (Armenia). It is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. Its area is 1240 square kilometers, the depth is from twenty to over eighty meters. 28 rivers flow into the lake, but only one flows out - Hrazdan, a tributary of the Araks. By the way, it will be noticed - both the Caspian and Black Sea the essence of the remnant of the once world ocean Tethys. The names of the Black Sea have changed since ancient times - Khazar, Sugde, Temarun, Cimmerian, Akhshaena, Blue, Tauride, Holy and even Ocean. The current name is due to its color in raging storms. It really does look black. In the old days, he was also fearfully called not hospitable, angry. The Caspian reservoir got its name from the tribes of horse breeders who once lived near its shores - the Caspians. It was also called Girkansky, Dzhurazhansky, Khvalynsky, Derbent - more than seven dozen names in total.

And about one more unique water body of the Great Caucasus - the Zeygalan waterfall, which is fantastic in terms of natural beauty (otherwise it is also called the Great Zeygelan waterfall). It is located in North Ossetia in the valley of the Midagrabindon River, seven kilometers south of the village of Dzhimara. The height of the fall is 600 meters. Translated from Ossetian - "falling avalanche". It is one of the ten most grandiose and famous waterfalls in the world. It pushes back fellow Gavarni in France - 422 meters high and Krimml in Austria - 380 meters. It originates from under the hanging glacier at an altitude of 650-700 meters. The peak flow occurs in the summer months of July-August. In winter it dries up and is marked only by ice smudges on the rocks. The waterfall area is part of the Kazbek-Dzhimarai mountain junction, the largest not only in North Ossetia, but in the entire Great Caucasus. The place is delightful in its beauties - on the slopes of the mountains, a sea of ​​​​flowers, herbs, aromas of alpine meadows are dizzy. But you should be careful - the waterfall is dangerous for people: rockfalls happen, sometimes pieces from a melting glacier fly from above. Nevertheless, the waterfall is actively visited. Tourists shoot a grandiose panorama of the waterfall with a camera or TV camera.

Flora and fauna of the Great Caucasus

As for the flora, it is represented by almost six and a half thousand flowering plants. Of these, 166 are unique to mountains. The subtropics are famous for dozens of palm species. Relic juniper and pistachio grow here; Pitsunda pine, oaks, hornbeams, mimosa, tulip tree, magnolias, bamboo - you can’t list all the tree species. Individual patriarchal oaks over a thousand years old. Tourists are advised to walk in the juniper groves. Especially for those with asthma or bronchitis. The breath of juniper kills all microbes and viruses in a person in minutes. A day, two, three walks, and you seem to be born again! This is also facilitated by sea air, thickly infused with salts of bromine, calcium, potassium, etc.

As for the fauna of the Great Caucasus Mountains, it is also rich and diverse here. You will also come across wild boars (beware of mothers and fathers with cubs: the fangs of males are sharp, and there were cases when a meeting with wild boars ended in serious injuries or, worse, death!). There are also chamois, mountain goats, and bears. Once lived both lynxes and leopards. Asiatic lions and tigers. The Caucasian bison became extinct in 1925. The last elk was killed in 1810. A great variety of invertebrates - only spiders in a thousand species. The Great Caucasus is also the habitat of golden eagles, which are caught by poachers and sold abroad for big money. They like to hunt with golden eagles in the Caucasus itself, and in Kazakhstan, and in Kyrgyzstan, and in Saudi Arabia, in other regions and countries of the planet.

Stele of the Soaring Eagle

It appeared in 2013 near the resort villages and Supsekh, not far from Varvarovka, from where the Turkish Stream gas pipeline originates, and was opened as a race for the Day of Russia. Nine kilometers from Anapa. The authors are the sculptor V. Polyakov in collaboration with the architect Y. Rysin.

The monument is made of cold bronze, which guarantees its durability and which is not afraid of any weather changes. A soaring eagle with a wide wingspan and head proudly raised to the sky means the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains. In front of the stele there is a platform for vehicles. Tourists, and here they are, passing to other resort villages of Bolshoi and Maly Utrish, thousands and thousands will definitely stop and take pictures or film the monument on a video camera. By the way, the "Soaring Eagle" offers a stunning view of Anapa and the bays, in which the city is freely spread out (in ancient times, he wore a mysterious ancient Greek name Gorgippia, and the slave trade was actively conducted in it, their own coins were minted, and representatives of the nobility from different regions of the Caucasus came and sailed here for white-faced brides!). In good weather, the coast is visible right up to the bank of Mary Magdalene, which is near the village - and where divers come and flock not only from all over Russia, but also from abroad. So, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin from the foothills and, in particular, from Bald Mountain with a height of only 319 meters above sea level, other hills are even lower. The foothills enter the very beginning of the Semisamsky ridge, which is part of the chain of the Caucasus Mountains. And Bald Mountain is called because of the absence of any vegetation on it at all. No, no, herbs and flowers are found there. But not more. Let us remind you once again - from the center of Anapa to Bald Mountain is nine kilometers, and from the outskirts of the city it is three times less. And with your hand, as they say, file up to the Small and. And these places are well known to tourists.

Near Bolshoi Utrish, one of the main attractions of the beginning of the Great Caucasus is a dolphinarium on the high seas and with a theater. During the high season, several performances are given daily. Artists are sea animals. Towards the end of a kind of performance, bottlenose dolphins deftly jump onto the platform and willingly take pictures with everyone or filmed on a television camera. You can hug them heartily, kiss them or swim in the waters of the dolphinarium. Meanwhile, the seal, leaning on its tail, recklessly applauds the audience with its flippers. On the Big Utrish, according to legends, the hero Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks, who gave people the sacred fire and thereby caused fierce anger from the main god of Olympus, Zeus the Thunderer. Zeus ordered the disobedient to be chained to a rock with strong chains, and a bloodthirsty eagle flew to the martyr to torment his liver with sharp claws. True, residents of neighboring Sochi Anapa object, de Prometheus was chained in the Eagle Rocks area near the former capital of the 2014 Winter Olympics. And they even built a monument to the hero - Prometheus is standing on a mountain with chains torn in his hands, and he has a proud look of a winner! And yet, the assertion of the Sochi residents raises doubts: Eagle Rocks are located far from the sea, near a fast river. But in the museum under open sky in the center of Anapa "Gorgippia" they found a crypt with frescoes of the exploits of another mythological hero - Hercules. And from the myths Ancient Greece it is known for certain that it was Hercules who freed Prometheus from the chains. He drove the bloodthirsty eagle away. Who is right and who is wrong - let the experts decide. But in Anapa, which is no less than two and a half thousand years old, they stubbornly believe that the rock of Prometheus is still located on Bolshoi Utrish. In their opinion, another legend is irrefutable - de the Argonauts, led by their brave captain Jason, sailed past the rocks of the Big Utrish in search of the Golden Fleece. These are the secrets shrouded in the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains near Anapa and the stele of the Soaring Eagle.

Peaks from Novorossiysk to Gelendzhik

Today there are five resort areas: Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Anapa and Taman. From each of them to the other, as they say, within easy reach. And all of them stretched along the Black Sea coast with the exception of Taman, which also has access to Sea of ​​Azov. And the Black Sea coast is mostly protected by mountains. Except for Anapa, where, as we have noticed, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin, but in general the municipality goes from the sea to the steppe expanses. And only in the region of Novorossiysk, as a continuation of the Semisamsky ridge with Lysa Gora, the foothills gradually rise, passing into the Markotkhsky ridge or on the Adygsky to Markotkh, stretching from Novorossiysk towards Gelendzhik for more than ninety kilometers. The highest mountain towering over Novorossiysk is Sugarloaf (558 meters above sea level). Gradually rising, the Markotkhsky ridge in some places goes up more than 700 meters. It consists of limestone, sandstone, clay, but its main component is marl, which is used to make cement. This is especially noticeable near Novorossiysk - factories for the production of this type of building materials are operating, and dust is around the pillar. Markotkhsky ridge, we note, runs parallel to and south of the Main Caucasian ridge. There are many sights between Novorossiysk and Anapa. In particular, the natural monument is the Sheskharis juniper forest. ABOUT healing properties relic juniper we told above, therefore we will not repeat ourselves, we only emphasize that it is especially useful in the treatment of asthma and bronchi. From Anapa to Novorossiysk directly 40 kilometers, along the highway - 52. You can overcome them in a little more than forty minutes. And if you drive another 14 kilometers towards Gelendzhik, then you will find yourself on the Abrau Peninsula, at the southern end of which is Bolshoi Utrish with its famous dolphinarium on the high seas and a theater. But the main feature of the peninsula is undoubtedly the place Abrau-Dyurso, nestled among the mountains and part of the municipality of the resort city of Novorossiysk.

Specific estate of Russian sovereigns

The village has a double name -. And this has its own reason. One village is located in the mountains, among fantastically beautiful nature. There is a river of the same name and the largest freshwater lake in the Caucasus with the same name as the village. With a population of about three thousand, living like in paradise. Mild climate, warm winters and vineyards, vineyards, vineyards. Lake Abrau is 3100 meters long, 630 meters wide, 8 to 11 meters deep, by the way, there are fish in it. Gorgeous embankment - with gazebos, benches. In summer, the water is warm, and you can swim in the lake with pleasure. But you can plunge into the Black Sea. At the second village of the royal estate - Durso. Today there are recreation centers and health resorts where you can relax and get medical treatment.

The village of Abrau is known in the world for its exquisite taste of Russian champagne. At the origins of its production was Prince Lev Golitsyn. And the baton was picked up, surprisingly, by Joseph Stalin, who ordered the production of domestic champagne in the southern regions of the country and in Abrau, in particular. And such an indication of his was contained in a government decree of 1936. As for the production of champagne under the patronage of Golitsyn, its first batch was produced in 1898. And two years later, a powerful winery appeared in Abrau. A highway was laid from Novorossiysk to the village. Now in Abrau there is a museum of famous wines, as well as a company store where tourists can buy Russian champagne under the Abrau-Durso brand, dry wines and even cognac if they wish. There are many entertainments on the coast in Durso - water rides, "bananas", "pills", you can rush through the waves on jet skis with a breeze. And in Abrau, horseback riding along the local foothills, mountain tourism, including jeeping or extreme trips, but already on mountain bikes, are popular.

Markoth near Gelendzhik

To the famous no less than Anapa, a resort from Novorossiysk, the distance is mere trifles - directly three dozen kilometers, ten kilometers more along the highway. The trip will take somewhere a little over forty minutes. And now you will see the longest embankment in the world - 14 kilometers. With a graceful figure of a bride made of white marble, which is clearly visible from the height of the Markoth Range at 762 meters above sea level. Translated from the Adyghe "Markotkh" literally means "berry places", and here you can collect really tasty blackberries in buckets. It pricks, it's true, but what is called "you can't even catch a fish from a pond without difficulty!". There are several high peaks in the vicinity of Gelendzhik - Shakhan near the Zhane River (700 meters above sea level); Pshada - 741 meters near the river of the same name and 43 kilometers long, flowing into the Black Sea; Gebius - 735 meters above sea level. The Markothsky Range itself stretches along the Gelendzhik Bay - charmingly beautiful from a bird's eye view, and even more so from the tops of the surrounding mountains. The resort is famous for its Safari Park, where lions, tigers, bears and other animals live in natural conditions. You can also watch their life from the chairlift. At the top of the Mrkotkh Ridge there is a fantastic forest with a goblin, a mermaid on the branches of a tree, Baba Yaga and other fairy tale characters. From the observation deck, yachts and other vessels in the bay, gulls, cormorants, petrels, soaring over the blue sea with white crests of waves, are clearly visible.

And the mountains are getting higher, and the mountains are getting steeper!

And this is true if you go from Gelendzhik to the Bolshoi - the southern capital of Russia, stretching along the Black Sea coast for as much as one hundred and forty-five kilometers. There is only one city in the world longer than the former capital of the last Winter Olympic Games, in which our team triumphantly won and which amazed the planet with their colorful opening and closing ceremonies - the capital of Mexico, Mexico City - 200 kilometers. And in the native Fatherland, Sochi is ahead of Volgograd in length, stretching along great river Volga for more than 90 kilometers. So about the height of the local mountains. Having overcome the distance from Gelendzhik to Sochi of 246 kilometers in almost four hours (the game is worth the candle!), You can climb, including as part of excursion groups, one of the surrounding peaks. You can start small - Mount Akhun - 663 meters above sea level. And then the height of the mountains will increase: Sugar, fifteen kilometers from the city - 1555 meters; Przegishva - 2216 meters; Big Weaver - 2368 meters; Achishkho - 2391 meters; Bzerli peak - 2482 meters; Perevalnaya South - 2503 meters; Stone pillar - 2509 meters; Pshekho-Su - 2743 meters; Oshten - 2804 meters; Fisht - 2853 meters; Peak Kozhevnikov - 3070 meters; Peak Needle - 3168 meters; Sugar Pseashkho - 3189 meters; Atheist - 3256 meters and finally the highest peak of the entire Kuban Tsakhvoa - 3346 meters above sea level. This is not so little, considering that the highest peak of the Great Caucasus Mountains and even Europe is Elbrus, 5642 meters above sea level.

The famous ski resort "Krasnaya Polyana"

It is located in the middle reaches of the mountain river Mzymta, which is translated from the Adyghe - "mad", uncontrollable", "indomitable" - there are other interpretations. It flows into the Black Sea. It is 39 kilometers long. Over the gorge above it, the famous pedestrian suspension bridge is the most longest in the world. From it, extreme sports lovers jump into the abyss on an elastic cable. Here, a popular attraction is a giant swing with a pendulum span of half a kilometer. From the west near Mount Achishkho, from the east - the Aibga ridge. Immediately in the vicinity is Fisht peak, in honor of which was named the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games were held in 2014. Krasnaya Polyana is a ski resort that can compete with its counterparts in the same Switzerland or in other mountainous places on the planet. They have at their disposal more than a hundred kilometers of snow slopes of various difficulty levels - 6 green, 8 blue, 16 red and 6 black. Experienced skiers and beginners and children can feel it. Among independent ski resorts- "Rosa-Khutor", "Alpika-Service", "Gorki Gorod" and GTZ "Gazprom". Skiing during the day, discos, karaoke in the evening, pleasant evenings in cafes, restaurants, casinos. There will be enough places for everyone - hotels, guest houses, you can rent a cottage. There are no problems with transport. Adler is forty kilometers away. You can fly there by direct flights from many regions of Russia. And then rail transport with the famous "Swallows", or regular buses, even faster personal cars. The road will not seem tedious to you. Especially with such fantastic natural beauties! By the way, in Krasnaya Polyana there are enough bases for renting skis, snowboards, sleds and so on.

Arriving in Sochi for rest and treatment (it receives more than five million tourists a year, not including those who prefer snow slopes that operate from November to April inclusive, and sometimes taking the beginning of May), be sure to visit the Olympic Park. It is located near the Black Sea. With the stadium "Fisht" and other sports facilities built for the White Olympics. All of them have unique architecture. The Ice Palace resembles the Beijing Opera - in the form of an icy drop. And the Olympic cauldron! She looks like the Firebird from Russian folk tale. In the Olympic Park there is a Formula 1 track, and the competition for pilots leaves no one indifferent. Fans come from all parts of the world and remain in great delight. The park has its own "Disneyland" with dozens of rides. Souvenirs, including the mascots of the Games, can be bought as a keepsake in local places. Just keep in mind - you can't get around the park in one day. It covers an area of ​​almost two hundred hectares. In the Imeretinskaya lowland. Do not go around it in a day and on electric cars: there are so many sights in it. Natural beauty of Tuapse

Famous resort town located between Gelendzhik and Sochi. It is 117 kilometers away from the southern capital of Russia - less than two hours away. From Gelendzhik - 129 kilometers, a little over two hours drive. The mountains that protect the resort from the evil northern winds, on average, are from 1352 to 1453 meters above sea level. But there are exceptions - the top of Chessy ascended to the sky at 1839 meters. Among the attractions are Mount Semiglavaya, the Wolf Gorge, the rock of Alexander Kiselev, protruding into the sea and named after the artist. In the city itself - subtropical plants. in the foothills and locals and tourists are happy to collect European blackberries. In the resort area there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, children's health camps. Both cargo and passenger ships moor in the seaport. You can rent a yacht, go to the open sea on it, go fishing, swim in the clearest water or sunbathe on the deck. Tourists love to arrange picnics during boat trips.

Republic of Adygea

It is part of the Southern Federal District with the capital Maykop, with a population of half a million. Part of the North Caucasian economic region. Surrounded on all sides Krasnodar Territory. There are forty-five auls in the republic, there are villages, villages, farms. From the streets of Maykop, the Main Caucasian Range is clearly visible. Sights - Lago-Naki plateau, popular with tourists. Ten waterfalls Rufabgo - each with its own name. Rivers Kuban, Belaya, Laba. The Belaya River is 260 kilometers long. And it is fed by mountain streams and springs of Fisht, Oshten and Abago. The granite canyon is four kilometers long and two hundred meters deep. Sahrai waterfalls. Mountain lake Pseudonakh. Often visited by tourists are the Devil's Finger rock, Monk, Big Weaver, Trident, Camel, Una-Koz ridge. The mountains are quite high, we recall that the top of Fisht ascended to 2868 meters above sea level. It was her name that was given to the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in 2014 took place, so striking with their colorfulness and originality inherent in the Russian mentality.

Dagestan - a country of mountains

On this account, there are folk saying. It is especially often used in speeches on December 11, when the whole world celebrates International Mountain Day. And the highest of the peaks of the Great Caucasus here - Shalbuzdag - 4150 meters above sea level. In July and August, there is a real pilgrimage to her: here is the grave of the righteous Suleiman. The mountain resembles a pyramid with a jagged top. There is a belief that if you climb it, all desires and dreams will come true. And thousands of tourists are trying to do it. But the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, stretches directly along the Tarki-Tau mountain - a unique natural monument from a mountain monolith. It is also well known because in 1722 the army of Peter the Great entered Tarki. The top of the Great Caucasus under the name of Bazarduzu is considered the most south point Russia. She ascended to a height of 4466 meters above sea level. The first ascent to it was made in 1935.

You can talk about the mountains of Dagestan for a long time. But it has another unique attraction - just fifteen kilometers from Makhachkala, its capital, the gray-haired Caspian splashes - the largest closed reservoir on Earth, the largest drainless lake on the planet at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its area is 371 thousand square kilometers. The depth is more than a kilometer. It is home to more than 140 species of fish, of which the most famous is the beluga, which, if you meet, will get scared: is it really a shark?! There are sturgeons that produce black caviar and species such as bream, asp, bleak, river eel, spike, burbot - you can’t list them all! The great Russian river Volga, 3530 kilometers long, flows into the Caspian Sea (lake), off the coast of which a 300,000-strong Nazi army led by Field Marshal Paulus was taken prisoner near Stalingrad. Every year, thousands and thousands of tourists, both our compatriots and foreigners, come to rest to the Caspian Sea. In particular, there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, and children's health camps near Makhachkala. True, the shores of the Caspian have not yet been very well developed, but a course has been taken to create another popular resort area here. And what? White fine sand, clear water - sunbathe, swim, catch a fish, cook fragrant fish soup from it on the shore!

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