Sayans - the mountain belt of Siberia. They are divided into two systems: Western and Eastern. At the same time, they are perpendicular to each other. According to scientists, the Sayans are young mountains that are no more than 400 million years old. Some of the rocks from which they are formed are of volcanic origin. As a result of the inspection of the place and the excavations, it was suggested that the ocean was located here earlier. This is evidenced by petrified algae in the rocks.
Mountains of Russia - Sayan Mountains
The climate in the mountains formed several million years ago and still has not changed. When the ice age "ruled" the world, the Sayans were completely covered in snow. Small valleys and slopes formed next to them, usually due to falling fragments. After global warming began, the glaciers, thawing, contributed to the formation of various lakes.
Sayan where are they? The eastern part reaches the southern coast of Lake Baikal. Mountains enter the belt of orogenesis, which is called the Central Asian. This geological material is considered the oldest in Russia. Also, these mountains are in no way inferior to the Alps: neither in beauty, nor in size, nor in height.
To this day, several mountain peaks have an ice cover. Snowfields are also frequent, which are accumulations of snow of different sizes in places where the sun does not reach.
The Sayan Mountains on the map of Russia can be seen if you look at the south of Siberia. They are located both in the Federation and in Mongolia. In fact, the Sayan Mountains are two connecting mountain systems that differ in relief and have a clear border line. The intersection point is the Central Sayan Mountains.
Western Sayan
What is the height of this mountain belt? The Sayan Mountains in the west rise 3 thousand meters. The length is 650 km. The neighbor in the southwest is Altai. The ridges of the mountain system are quite steep slopes, rugged terrain, a large accumulation of stones.
The western ranges are elongated in an upright position. In the southwest, the ridge is called Saljur, in the center - Saylyg-Khem-Taiga, the area near the Yenisei coast is called the Sayan.
It also affects the height of the slopes. The Sayan Mountains, for example, near the border of the forest forms an alpine alpine relief. For him, the typical characteristic will be low and steep slopes, deep-bottomed carri.
Mid-mountainous relief prevails in the south and north. The ridges here are flat, gentle. Also around the mountains there are many river valleys that are already overgrown with taiga.
Winter is frosty, spring comes late. Snow melt usually occurs at the end of May. Summer does not last long, many cold winds blow. Often there was snowfall in July-August. There are many earthquakes in September.
The hollows cool faster, so the mountains often have a higher temperature than the basins.
East Sayan
And what is the height in the east? The Sayan mountains there reach 3491 m. This system of mountains stretches through Southern Siberia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk Region, Buryatia and Tyva.
Eastern Sayan begins near the Yenisei and ends off the shores of Lake Baikal. The mountain system is located in a sharply continental climate zone. Winter is constantly frosty and long, and summer is short and cold. In January, the minimum temperature is -25 ° C, and in July - +12 ° C. A different amount of precipitation falls on each slope (from 300 mm to 800 mm per year).
Near the mountains are glaciers and rivers. Lakes formed as a result of melting ice. Near the Tunkinsky Loach, a large accumulation of minerals was discovered.
To protect the environment, created parks and reserves located near the mountains.
Flora and fauna
The Sayan Mountains, photos of which are widely represented in the article, are rich in forests, the prevailing trees in which are spruce, cedar, fir. They are located at an altitude of 1500 m. Often there are deciduous-cedar plantings.
The climate is harsh: cold winters, strong winds and cool summers prevail. The relief, as a rule, is rugged, but in some places it is leveled, covered with tundra. In places where there is enough moisture, there are meadows and small shrubs sprout.
Here the berries grow: raspberries, currants, strawberries, strawberries and others.
From animals you can often see wolves, bears, elks, squirrels, hares. Woodpeckers, hazel grouse, wood grouse, jays - all these birds are found in forests located on the slopes.
Rivers and tourism
Sayany mountains, a map of which fully shows their splendor, attracts tourists. Since the system captures almost all of Siberia, it is difficult not to notice it. That is why it is often visited by climbers from different countries. The most attractive places (besides the mountains themselves) are small rivers, lakes and waterfalls. In these parts of the world is wildlife that has suffered little at the hands of man. There are also nature reserves here.
The Sayan Mountains (see photo below) are rich in rivers. They have a mixed diet with a predominance of snow and rain. All of them belong to the Yenisei basin, and their origins are Big and Small Yenisei. The most vibrant and beautiful river can be called Biy-Khem. Its length is 600 km. Due to its picturesque landscapes, it is the most visited and popular in these parts.
Altai mountains
One of the most beautiful mountain ranges are considered Altai. This system, in which fairly high peaks are located, is divided by rivers and hollows. What is her height? The Sayan and Altai mountains are not very different from each other, but they have different heights. What do you think is the higher mountain range - Altai or Sayans? We will talk about this a bit later.
Relief and geological features
The relief that characterizes Altai is rarely found in mountain systems. Here it is easy to meet scree and landslides, ridges and hills, pits and carlings, peaks and valleys with hollows.
Scientists claim that the Altai Mountains were formed in the Caledonian age. And also in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic era experienced a second rise. Several centuries ago, the bottom of the mountains was compressed for natural reasons, thus the formation of a mountainous country.
Which mountains are higher: Sayan Mountains or Altai?
Western Sayan stretches for 600 km. Its total height is 3976 m. The summit is Mongun-Taiga. East Sayan takes up much more space, its width reaches 1 thousand km, and its height is 3491 m. The main mountain is Munku-Sardyk.
The main ridge of the Western Sayan is the watershed Sayan ridge. Its highest point is considered to be the peak of Kyzyl-Taigu, whose height reaches 3121 m.
Combining, all the mountains of the Sayan Mountains form a gigantic complex of “white lands” and “proteins”. In certain places “nodes” appear, their centers are the Grandiose (height 2982 meters) and Munku-Sardyk.
Mount Belukha - the peak of the Altai Mountains. Here is the beginning of the Katun River. The name was formed due to the fact that the mountain is constantly covered in snow: from the very beginning to the end. The border of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan passes through the Belukha massif.
Belukha is located on the Katunsky ridge. The height of the mountain is 4509 km. More than half of the glaciers of this ridge are concentrated on it. This means that almost the entire mountain is covered with ice. Winter is cold, summer is short and rainy. In January, the temperature can reach -48 , in March it rises to -5 .
Altai is slightly higher than the Sayan mountain range . This is evidenced by the characteristics of both mountain systems and their central peaks.