Not everyone is able to say without hesitation which mountains divide Europe and Asia. In order to correctly answer this question, it is necessary to begin to note that Eurasia is the largest continent on the planet. It is customary to divide it into two continents - Europe and Asia. From an economic point of view, from ancient times to the present day, the border between them plays a very important role for moving from East to West and in the opposite direction. According to the ancient Greeks, it passed through the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Starting from the fifth century BC, it was considered the Don River and the Kerch Strait. This opinion was held by Ptolemy, so this doctrine was quite firmly established and lasted until the eighteenth century. This article will discuss what divides Europe and Asia in the modern sense.
First official division
In the scientific literature, the mainland was officially divided into two continents for the first time by the Swedish famous scientist Philip Johann von Stralenberg in 1730. Answering in his writings the question of which mountains divide Europe and Asia, he clearly noted that this is the Ural Range. Along with this, the scientist focused on the fact that besides him, the border passes through the river of the same name, the Caucasus, the Yugorsky Shar Strait, the Caspian, Black and Azov Seas. Many authoritative researchers of that time supported such an idea, which they wrote about in their works. There is an opinion that V. N. Tatishchev, the founder of many local cities and settlements, proposed this idea to Stralenberg. Now in more detail about which mountains divide Europe and Asia.
The formation of the Ural mountains
The Urals not only represent a naturally formed border between adjacent continents, but also serve as a watershed of the eastern and western basins. The formation of the mountains began about 350 million years ago, in other words, in the Paleozoic era, and lasted approximately 150 million years. The total length of the ridge exceeds the mark of two thousand kilometers. As for its width, it varies in different sections from forty kilometers to one hundred and fifty. The very name "Ural" in translation from the Bashkir language means "elevation" or "height". Speaking about the mountains that separate Europe and Asia, one cannot fail to note the interesting historical fact that on the very first Russian map they were called the “Big Stone” and depicted as a large belt, from where a significant number of rivers began. Due to the fact that the ridge is quite old, its peaks are not very high. The first official documentary memory of him is in The Tale of Bygone Years and dates from the eleventh century. The Urals are geographically customary to divide into the Polar, Subpolar, Northern, Central and Southern parts.
Natural resources
Now in the Urals you can find a large number of different minerals and minerals. There are copper and iron ores, cobalt, nickel, zinc, oil, coal and even precious stones with gold. In this regard, since the days of the Soviet Union, the mountains between Europe and Asia are considered the largest metallurgical and mining base of the state. This is not surprising, because 48 of the 55 types of minerals that were mined at that time in the whole country were found here. Many of them, including precious and semi-precious, are located in close proximity to the earth's surface. There are also several minerals that are found exclusively here. A striking example of this is the dark emerald cook. This should also include rich forest resources. It should be noted that in the middle and southern parts of the mountains excellent conditions were created for agriculture.
Climate
The Urals are characterized by a typical mountain climate, under which rainfall is distributed unevenly. Natural conditions here can vary greatly even within the same zone. The explanation for this is quite simple. The fact is that the mountains separating Europe and Asia play the role of a kind of climatic barrier. Due to the large amount of precipitation in the western part, the climate here is milder and more humid. As for the eastern region of the ridge, the opposite is true - it is dry due to lack of precipitation.
Obelisks
Local obelisks located on the border between Asia and Europe deserve separate words. They began to install here in the nineteenth century. The first monuments were monuments in the form of steles made of wood and having a rectangular shape. Mandatory signs were put on them, which were called “Asia” and “Europe”. In order to ensure the safety of the obelisks, small guardhouses were erected next to them, in which, as a rule, forest walkers lived. Individual monuments boast their own unique history. For example, a monument located near Mount Berezovaya appeared in 1807. Thirty years later, in connection with a visit to the site by the imperial delegation, the wooden structure was replaced by a marble one, with the emblem of the king.
Ural river border
The river separating Europe and Asia is the Urals. Its total length is about two and a half thousand kilometers. It should be noted that in its basin there are about eight thousand rivers of various sizes. At the source of the Urals are five large springs located at an altitude of 637 meters above sea level. Combining in a swampy valley, they form a fairly powerful stream. The idea of using the river as a border between two continents was proposed by the Russian scientist V.N. Tatishchev mentioned above.
Istanbul
The only city on the planet that is located simultaneously on two continents is Turkish Istanbul. The history of this metropolis has more than two and a half thousand years. All these years, it has been of great commercial importance due to its geographical location. The Mediterranean Sea, dividing Europe and Asia, also separates them from Africa. It is here that through the Bosphorus Strait the Sea of Marmara is connected to the Black Sea. The continents are divided in the same way. The very location of the modern city of Istanbul was often called the gateway connecting the Silk Road with the Old World.
Expedition 2010
In April 2010, an expedition was initiated and conducted by the Russian Geographical Society, the main task of which was to determine the true origin of the border between Asia and Europe. In the course of the work, scientists found that the axis of the Ural Range is lost in the Zlatoust region and is sprayed onto several lines. These are some parallel arrays. In this regard, they suggested that it is not entirely reasonable to consider the Ural River as the boundary . In their opinion, it should be laid along the Caspian lowland, and more precisely - along its eastern edge. However, the research of Russian scientists to this day remains not considered by the relevant authority - the Geographical International Union.
conclusions
From all of the above, we can safely conclude that the Ural Mountains are the main border between Asia and Europe. One of the proofs of this is even the fact that on their different sides the fauna and flora are noticeably different. In addition, a big difference arises even in the directions and characters of the rivers.