The formation of mountains is estimated in millions of years. Their occurrence occurs due to the collision of tectonic plates that formed the earth's crust.
Andean Cordillera
What are the longest mountains in the world? Can you do this? You, without hesitation, probably remember the Andes. They are located in South America. Their name from the Inca language is translated as "copper mountains". There are no equal to them on our planet.
For those who do not know what are the longest mountains in the world, it is worth saying that the length of the Andean Cordillera is an unprecedented amount. It is equal to nine thousand kilometers.
This long mountain range originates from the Caribbean Sea. At the same time he comes to Tierra del Fuego itself.
The highest peak of the Copper Mountains
The formation of the Andean Coldillery continues to this day. Sometimes the mountain range makes itself felt by volcanic eruptions. Often there are earthquakes. The formation process is completed by raising rocks.
Huge folds consisting of stone rise to impressive heights.
The highest peak of the Andean Cordillera is considered Mount Aconcagau. Its maximum elevation is 6962 m.
Key Features of the Andean Cordillera
If you are asked a question: “What are the longest mountains in the world and describe them?”, It is worth mentioning another parameter of them. The maximum width of the chain of these unique ranges is seven hundred and fifty kilometers. This value was recorded in the Andean Highlands in the Central Andes. There are places where the width of the Copper Mountain is five hundred kilometers.
But a large area of the Andean Coldrier is occupied by the plateau. It is called Pune. The height of the mountains here averages about four kilometers.
According to experts, Copper Mountain is a relatively young formation. The process of its formation was completed on the order of several million years ago. Fossils began to arise in the Precambrian as well as in the Paleozoic period. It was then that on the place of the vast ocean began to appear patches of land. And for a long period, the area where the Andes are currently located was either the sea or a piece of land.
The longest ridge in the world also serves as a very large watershed between the oceans. In the Copper Mountain is the source of the famous Amazon River. Its tributaries also originate there. The Andean Cordillera serve as the beginning of many large rivers of the South American continent, which flow through Paraguay, Orinoco and the state of Parana.
Climatic conditions
If your task will be concluded in the question: “What are the longest mountains in the world and the temperature zones in which they are located”, then it is worth mentioning their insulating purpose. For the mainland, the Andean Coldiriers serve as a climatic barrier. The fact is that they perfectly isolate the land from the influence of the Atlantic from the west. The mainland ranges are also protected from the Pacific Ocean from the east.
Given the length of the mountain range, it is not at all surprising that the Andes are located in more than one climatic zone. It is subtropical temperate and southern tropical, equatorial, as well as southern and northern subequatorial. The mountain range stretches through all six of the above climatic zones. In this regard, the existing landscape is fundamentally different in different parts of the chain of ridges. The difference in it is also observed due to the precipitation of various amounts of precipitation. If on the western slopes this value is up to ten thousand millimeters, then on the southern slopes it is much less.
Relief separation
If you need to answer the question: “What are the longest mountains in the world and their main components”, then you should describe the regions into which the Andean Cordilleras divide. The relief distinguishes the central, southern and northern Andes. Each region has its own ranges. To the North include the Caribbean, Ecuadorian, as well as the Northwest Andes. The main mountains are separated by the hollows of two rivers - Magdalena and Kauki. In these same areas there are a large number of volcanoes. One of them is Wila. Its height is 5750 m. But the Ruiz volcano reached a mark of 5400 meters.
In the Ecuadorian Andes there is a whole chain of high volcanoes. The most notable giant is Chimborazo. Its highest elevation is 6267 m. Slightly lower than its Kotopakhi (5896 m). This mountain range runs through the territory of seven states located on the South American continent. Among them are Colombia and Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia, Peru and Chile, as well as Argentina. The highest point of the Andes is at 6769 m. It belongs to Mount Huascaran.
The Chilean-Argentinean and Patagonian are divided into the Southern Andes. The highest peak of this part is Tupungato. It rises to 6,800 m. Slightly lower is Mount Medsedario. Its height is 6770 m.
Picturesque slopes
If you are asked: “What are the longest mountains in the world and describe this unique place”, then you should talk about the extraordinary beauty of the chain of ridges. Moreover, this mountain system in each state has its own zest. Thus, in the Venezuelan Andes, shrubs and deciduous forests grow on red soils. Another landscape boasts slopes from the central to the northwestern part of the mountain range. They are covered with equatorial and tropical forests. Here you can find bananas and ficus, a cocoa tree and palm trees, creepers and bamboos. There are also such sections of the Andean Cordillera that are covered with lifeless rocky spaces or mossy swamps. And all that is above four and a half kilometers is snow and eternal ice.
Animal world
The Andes are distinguished by a wide variety of fauna representatives. They are the habitat of alpacas and llamas, pudu deer and chain-tailed monkeys. Here you can see the relict eyeglass bear, sloths, blue foxes, chinchillas and hummingbirds. In other words, those representatives of the animal world that are found in Russia only in the zoo.
The Andes are considered the habitat of more than nine hundred species of amphibians, six hundred species of mammals and two thousand species of birds. A large variety of fish (about 400 species) are also distinguished by local rivers.
Ural mountains
What are the longest mountains in Russia? Ural. This mountain system stretches between the West Siberian and East European plains. The length of the Ural Mountains is almost 2000, and with the Mugodzhary and Nai-Khoi - 2600 km.
What are the longest
mountains of Russia in terms of width? Minimum is 40 km. In some places, the width of the mountain range reaches 150 km.
History of occurrence
The formation of the Ural ranges occurred in the late Paleozoic period. It was an era of intense mountain building. The formation of the massif itself began about three hundred and fifty million years ago. It was a late Devonian. The process was completed almost two hundred million years ago.
In the Ural zones, deformed and often metamorphosed rocks of a mountain type rise above the surface. They are attributed to the Paleozoic era.
Geographical areas
The Ural massif is conditionally divided into five parts. Highlight Southern and Middle. There are North and Subpolar, as well as Polar.
The widest part of the mountain range is the Southern Urals. Its eastern slopes are covered with forest-steppe and a large number of lakes. The landscape on the western side of the south of the mountain range is a steppe. A little north of it is replaced by forests.
The Middle Urals is the lowest and narrowest part of the mountain range. The slopes of the mountains in this zone are covered with coniferous forests.
More severe climate differs Northern Ural. The slopes of the mountains in this zone are covered with forests, in which there are many berries and mushrooms.
The highest region is the Polar Urals. In its central part is the peak of Narodnaya. It rises to 1894 m. A little lower than it, also in the Subpolar Urals, is the Karpinsky Mountain. Its height is 1876 m.
In the tundra zone is located the Polar Urals. In this area of the mountain range, its height and width decrease. The Polar Urals is characterized by a harsh climate. The summer period in this area is short - only a month (from mid-July to mid-August).
Caucasus mountains
This array is divided into two systems. These include the Big, as well as the Small Caucasus. The mountain system extends between the Azov, Black and Caspian seas.
If you are asked: “What are the longest mountains located in the south of Russia”, then you should not hesitate to name the Caucasus Mountains. Their formation was completed in the Tertiary period.
What is the length of the
Caucasus Mountains? The Greater Caucasus extends over more than a thousand one hundred kilometers. It is a picturesque place rich in diverse flora and fauna.
In the mountains of the Caucasus you can meet wild boars, chamois and golden eagles. The massif is the habitat of a rare Caucasian leopard.