Mountains of Ukraine. Mountains of Ukraine - the most beautiful places in the country Other high mountains in the Carpathians
Ukraine is a picturesque country with a very diverse landscape. There are seas, plains, endless fields of black soil, swampy areas, and different types of forests. Also, Ukraine is rich in mountain ranges of the Carpathian Mountains.
The Carpathians are a long and ancient mountain range that covers the territories of several countries: Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Poland and even Austria.
In Ukraine, the Carpathians are a favorite vacation spot for all residents of the country, which is why people come here all year round tourists to go hiking, relax in comfortable hotels in central resorts, conquer steep slopes on snowboards or alpine skiing, drink mineral water and much more.
There are many peaks in the Carpathians that are visible from the main observation platforms; all of them can be conquered without special professional training, but with special tourist equipment.
Mountain map
List of major mountains
The main peaks of the country can be compiled into a list. All of them are not very far from each other, so you can create a route and get around them all in a few weeks. But we recommend dividing it into several trips - the Carpathians make you fall in love at first sight, so you will definitely come back here again.
Mount Dogyaska
Height: 1763 meters above sea level
Location: near. The mountain is located in the center of the Svidovets ridge, and at its foot is the picturesque small glacial lake Dogyaska, in which, due to the annual melting of snow, the water always remains crystal clear and cold.
Walking routes: There are several hiking trails that allow you to climb the mountain and admire the views of the ridge and valley.
Near Lake Dogyaska You can set up a tent city, as you can swim in it on hot summer days. But it should be remembered that only low-growing coniferous trees and shrubs grow at such a height, so there will be a minimum of firewood here.
Mount Bliznitsa
Height: 1881 meters above sea level
Location: near Yasinya village, Ivano-Frankivsk region and the village of Kvasy. This is the most high point Svydovets ridge. It is from here that breathtaking panoramas of the Carpathians open up with their blueberry meadows, curly slopes due to bushes, as well as low fluffy clouds that strive to lie down to rest in one of the lowlands. You will have a view of Eastern Transcarpathia and the Petros and Hoverla mountains. The other hand will flow quickly Cherna Tysa river, which leads to the cozy village of the same name.
Walking routes:
This ridge is rich not only in peaks, but also in their foothills. After all, there are picturesque lakes with clear water, green meadows and fresh sunrises.
Dogyaska was mentioned above, but now we can’t help but mention Lake Apshinets. It is located near Mount Troyaska. Its length is 126 meters and width 100. The lake is quite deep - 3.3 meters, which is a lot for glacial lakes in this region.
Due to the cold water, which does not heat up more than 13 degrees even in summer, fish do not live in it and algae do not grow. Among the inhabitants, only small crustaceans can be found.
Locals say that the lake was formed here where a glacier split, which soon disappeared, leaving behind a bead of crystal water.
Mount Petros
Height: 2020 meters above sea level
Location: from those closest to the top settlements– Yasinya, Lazeshchyna and Kvasy. Petros is the central peak of the northwestern part of the Montenegrin ridge.
Walking routes:
- The first route is from the village of Yasinya
- The second one is from Kvasy along the path up
- Along the ridge from Goverla
- From the village of Lazeshchiny
The mountain has several distinctive features. Firstly, on the way to it there are large boulders that symbolize the name of the mountain, because “petros” is a stone from Greek. At the top there is a tiny wooden church.
The view from Petros is truly breathtaking. Knowledgeable tourist recognizes the neighboring peaks as Hoverla, Bliznitsa and the entire Montenegrin ridge.
In the northeastern part of the ridge is located Lake Nesamovite, which is located at the foot of Mount Turkul. Its depth is 1.5 meters, width 88 meters, long - 45.
It’s the same with all high-mountain lakes - the water here does not warm up more than 13 degrees even on hot summer days, and tall trees do not grow nearby. If you plan to set up a tent camp, collect firewood along the way.
The name of the lake is associated with popular beliefs, because “unnatural” winds blow in this region. Also, legend says that if you throw a stone into the water, the weather will suddenly worsen.
Mount Pop Ivan Chernogorsky
Height: 2028 meters above sea level
Location: near the villages of Dzembronya and Zelene, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
This mountain is main peak Montenegrin ridge and is located in its southeastern part. If you climb it, you can see the neighboring ranges of the Carpathian Mountains, which are already on the territory of Romania.
Walking routes:
- To climb the mountain, you should head up the path from the village of Dzembroni.
- The second route is from the village of Zelenoe along Lake Maricheika.
- From the side of Goverla, moving along the ridge
- From the city of Rakhiv (you should ask the locals for the exact route)
The peculiarity and identification mark of the mountain is an abandoned two-story building. This is an old Polish observatory, which many years ago, namely in 1936-1938, served scientists faithfully. After the Second World War, the observatory was abandoned.
The lake of this region - Brebeneskul. It is considered the highest mountain lake in Ukraine - 1801 meters above sea level. Its depth is 2.8 meters, width – 44, and length 134 meters. In summer you can swim here, but the water will not be warm. But it amazes with its turquoise crystal clear water.
Also, if you walk from the Dragobrat ski resort along the ridge past Mount Stog, then after several passes in the valley you can see another lake - Vorozheska. It is hidden from prying eyes by mountains and steep cliffs, but around it there is a real oasis. That is why it is one of the most favorite places for hikers. In summer, the entire coast is lined with tents, and in the evenings laughter and songs can be heard from all sides. Some – the bravest ones – even swim at night.
If you walk through the forest, you can come to a kolyba where cheese is made. Vorozheska is a great place for tourists, as there is a lot of wood for a fire. In midsummer the forests are full of blueberries and raspberries.
The highest mountain in Ukraine is Hoverla
Height: 2061 meters above sea level
Location: the mountain is located on the Chornohora ridge, between the Transcarpathian and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The Romanian border is only 17 km from the mountain.
Walking routes:
The name of the mountain comes from Romanian language, in which “goverla” means “difficult elevation.” According to the second version, the name is Hungarian and means “snowy mountain”. It is not surprising that the Hungarians named the highest point in Ukraine this way, because almost the whole year its peak is covered with snow.
The foot of the mountain is surrounded by coniferous and juniper forests. Nearby is one of the main attractions of this region - Prutsky waterfall. At the top of Goverla, many tourists leave memorial signs– ribbons, fabrics, wardrobe elements. Many bring Ukrainian flags here as a symbol of their first peak.
Legends about Hoverla
One of the folk legends says that many years ago a girl Hoverla and a guy Prut lived in the Carpathians. They fell in love with each other, but the girl’s father, the Terrible Molfar, was against their union. He decided to hide his daughter, thereby turning her into a mountain, and in order to disenchant his beloved, Prut needs to climb the mountain with the first rays of dawn.
Prut set off on his journey, but did not have time - he sat down in the forest and began to cry. The Prut waterfall continues to cry to this day, but Hoverla remains a mountain. But the main thing is that they still stayed together.
There are many similar legends about the love of a guy and a girl, as well as their interpretations. Believe it or not, these stories are truly magical and make you look at this peak differently.
Holidays in the Carpathians
The Carpathians are a popular tourist center that attracts not only Ukrainians, but also foreigners. There are winter ski resorts with good infrastructure and ancient estates. Also, in the Carpathians there are many waterfalls, rivers and passes.
And what is the value of Carpathian cuisine with its banosh and mushroom soup?
You can come to the Carpathians as a hiker to hike to one of the lakes with backpacks, or conquer one of the peaks. And lovers of a comfortable holiday will appreciate the many hotels with swimming pools and saunas, as well as rental bicycles, ATVs, many souvenir markets and kolbs with delicious food.
The Carpathians are waiting for guests!
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Photos requested by Google and Yandex
The Carpathians are a mountain system in eastern Central Europe, in Ukraine, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia and Austria. It extends from the outskirts of Bratislava to the Iron Gate for 1500 km, forming a convex arc, closing the Middle Danube Plain.
The Carpathians are one of the main watersheds in Europe between the Baltic and Black Seas. They are divided into two subprovinces - the Outer Carpathians (Western and Eastern) and the Inner Carpathians (Western and Eastern). Orographically, the Western Carpathians, the Eastern Carpathians (part of which are the so-called Ukrainian Carpathians), the Southern Carpathians, the Western Romanian Mountains and the Transylvanian Plateau are distinguished.
The prevailing heights of the Carpathians are 800-1200 m, highest height- 2655 m (Mount Gerlakhovsky Shtit in the Tatras), in Ukraine - Mount Hoverla (2061 m). The greatest width is 430 km. The area of this mountain system is 24,000 km². The Carpathians contain up to 20% of all forests in Ukraine. The Carpathian Mountains are relatively young, formed during the Alpine era of mountain building and are more than 25,000,000 years old.
The name “Carpathians” has the same root as the Armenian Քար (Qar) - stone, Պատ (Pat) - wall. The ancient Polish word "karpa" means significant unevenness, pitfalls, significant trunks or roots. From the possible Dacian meaning - "mountains", the name of the tribe - "carps" - "those who live in the mountains" - inhabited the Carpathians during the Roman Empire. The Celtic-Illyrian word "Karn" meant "stone" or "pile of stones". The striking similarity of the name of the mountains can be traced with the name of the island of Karpathos between Cyprus and Rhodes.
Another name - the Sarmatian Mountains - appears in the works of ancient and medieval geographers. In Ptolemy, from the name of the Celtic tribe Bastarnae, who lived here, the Carpathian mountains were called - lat. Alpes Bastarnidae.
Formation of the Carpathian Mountains
Even before the formation of the Carpathian geosyncline, on the site of the modern mountain structure of the Carpathians and their foothills in the Paleozoic era, there was a strand of mountains connecting the Świętokrzytski and Sudeten Mountains with Dobrudzha. This ancient strand is called Prakarpatamy. Due to the movement of the earth's crust, the Prakarpaty Mountains were destroyed, and at the beginning of the Mesozoic era, an almost flat territory, close to the platform, arose in their place.
The significant accumulation of sedimentary strata within the Carpathian geosyncline is closely related to the activity of the Tethys sea basins, which for a long time separated two ancient continents - Gondwana in the south, and Laurasia in the north.
Only at the end of the Mesozoic era did the ocean recede, and mountains, plains and sea depressions began to appear in its place. It is believed that the pool Mediterranean Sea and the deep waters of the Black and Caspian Seas are its remnants. The remaining territories during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras were covered by the formation of a mountain chain, which includes the Apennines, Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians, Balkans, Crimea, Caucasus, Pamirs, etc. This grandiose mountain range, elongated in the latitudinal direction, makes up the Alpine folded belt . Within its borders, the Carpathians occupy one of the central positions.
The process of formation of the Carpathian mountain structure took place gradually. The intense deflection of the earth's crust within the Carpathian geosyncline was accompanied by the active accumulation of sedimentary strata within its boundaries. Their formation took place due to the destruction of mountain structures in the southwestern part of the Russian Platform, the Kielce-Sandomierz Ridge, the Sudetenland, Prakarpat, Dobrudzha, and the Marmarosh massif.
During the Cenozoic era, the modern territory of the Carpathians was under the reservoirs of the Paleogene sea. Based on the distribution and structure of sedimentary rocks, it is possible to establish geographical features basin, its contours and seabed morphology. In limestone strata it happens a large number of remains of marine organisms - corals, sea lilies, various shells and the like. They were deposited at the bottom of warm, open, and shallow pools. These were precisely the conditions that existed at the beginning of the formation of the Paleogene sea. In sandstones, next to fossil marine fauna, there are plant remains that indicate the proximity of land and the coastal nature of sand deposits.
Beginning at the end of the Mesozoic era, the upward movements of the Alpine orogeny developed during the Cenozoic era. At the end of the Paleogene period, the axial parts of the future mountain systems of the Alps, Carpathians, and Caucasus began to form.
At that time, individual islands, and then entire islands, began to protrude from the sea. The largest of them were the modern Chivchin Mountains and the Rakhiv crystalline massif. To the north and northwest of this massif, among the expanses of water, the outlines of the Carpathian Mountains became increasingly clear. They were constantly subject to erosion, but mountain-building processes were active. Therefore, at the end of the Paleogene period, two mountain ranges were clearly formed in place of the geosyncline, which correspond to the current Outer Carpathians.
At that time there was sea on both sides of the Outer Carpathians. Here the mountain range passed within the framework of the modern Beskids, Gorgany and Bukovinian Carpathians. To the northeast of the Outer Carpathians, in the territory of the Carpathian region, further raged sea pool. Thick sedimentary strata were deposited at its bottom due to the erosion of the southwestern wing of the Russian Platform and increased mountain range Outer Carpathians.
The Inner Carpathians were represented by the Pieniny and Maramory cliffs. To the southwest of them passed the Transcarpathian internal trough with the Virgolat-Gutyn volcanic ridge. Even further south, in the area of the Beregovo lowlands, the Pripanonsky deep connector lies, separating the Carpathians from the Hungarian intermountain basin.
There was a sea basin between the inner and outer Carpathians at the end of the Paleogene period. He was the last one within the Carpathian Mountains. During its existence, significant layers of sand deposits have accumulated here.
Other coatings appear differently. Magursky stretches out in a narrow strip in the upper reaches of the Uzha River basin, Sub-Silesky runs in another strip in the area between the Upper Dniester and Stryi rivers, in the vicinity of the village of Rozluch and south of the city Turks. Here is the low-mountain central part of the Carpathian Mountains, dominated by dome-shaped peaks and gentle slopes suitable for agricultural use. This part of the mountains is called Verkhovyna.
To the south of the Silesian cover is located Duklyansky - the high-mountain Poloninsky part of the Carpathian Mountains. Peculiar covers can be traced in the southwestern part of the Ukrainian Carpathians. They are represented by the Rakhov, Porkulets and Chernogorsk nappes (thrusts). Here are the highest mountains in the Ukrainian Carpathians - Hoverla, Petros, Pop Ivan and others.
During the process of mountain building, the Pre-Carpathian marginal trough, and then the Transcarpathian internal trough, are filled with sedimentary strata. Mountain rivers destroyed weakly resistant sediments and continuously transported pebbles, sand, and silt into the basin. The sea within the troughs gradually became shallower, and subsequently retreated completely. In closed basins, intense evaporation of moisture occurred, which led to the precipitation of salts. In the Carpathian region they were mined by two potash plants: Stebnitsky and Kola.
Volcanism
The long process of formation of the Carpathian Mountains was accompanied by new manifestations of volcanism, which continued until the beginning of the Quaternary period (about 1.5-2 million years ago). Traces of recent volcanic activity can still be observed in the area of Vinogradov, Vyshkov, Tyachev, where the Tisza valley crosses the Virgolat-Gutinsky volcanic ridge. In the center of the city of Khust rises the cone of an extinct volcano. On its top, in the first half of the 14th century, a fortified castle was built to keep the salt miners in obedience and to protect the Maramora salt mines. This castle was often attacked by the Tatars. Last time in 1717, the Crimean Khan Girey arrived here.
There are cones of extinct volcanoes in the vicinity of Uzhgorod, Mukachevo, Beregovo. Near Vishkov, volcanic craters are better preserved.
A chain of so-called buried volcanoes is exposed in the area of the villages of Dobroni, Drisina and Shalanok. The volcanic rocks in this chain are mainly andesites. Their exits are known in the area of the villages of Drisiny and Shalanok. Along the southern edge of the Transcarpathian internal trough there are thick layers of liparites. On the surface they are exposed on large area in Beregovsky district. These volcanic eruptions began in the Paleogene and ended at the end of the Miocene (about 15,000,000 years ago). Therefore, a significant part of them is covered by sedimentary rocks of the Pliocene.
The recent volcanic activity of the Virgolat-Gutin volcanic ridge is evidenced by mineral springs, and in the Kaliman-Harghita mountains, including hot springs.
Active processes in the upper mantle of the Earth near the Carpathians are evidenced by earthquakes, the last of which took place on March 4, 1977 in the Vrancea mountains on the territory of the then Socialist Republic Romania.
Glaciation
During the Quaternary period, the Carpathians underwent partial glaciation. It covered the high mountain ranges of Chernogora and Svydovets, Pop Ivan Maramorshsky. Its relics can be traced in the form of cars, glacial cirques, and moraine deposits in the valleys of mountain streams.
Within the middle mountains, there was no glaciation, but frosty weathering of rocks occurred. Weathered stone placers can be observed on the slopes of Gorgana.
Geological structure and minerals
The Carpathians form the northeastern branch of the Alpine folded geosynclinal region of Europe. There are a number of large structural elements of northwest-southeast strike, separated by thrusts: the Pre-Carpathian foredeep, the Outer Carpathians, the Inner Carpathians, the Transcarpathian back trough.
In the Inner Carpathians on the territory of Ukraine, the Marmarosh crystalline massif and the Podhale zone are distinguished. According to the strike of the main structural elements of the Carpathians, zones with a specific set of minerals are distinguished.
In the Cis-Carpathian trough - native sulfur, gas (Dashavskoye, Kosovskoye and other deposits), oil (Boryslavskoye, or Babchenkivskoye deposits), ozokerite (Borislavskoye deposit), rock and potassium salts (Kalush-Golinskoye, Stebnitskoye and other deposits) . It is estimated that there are about 35 billion tons of salt deposits in the Carpathian region.
In the Transcarpathian trough - rock salt (Solotvyno deposit), gas, brown coal (Ilnitsky, Krivsky deposits), zeolites. Neogene volcanism is associated with mercury (Bolshoy Shayan, Borkut), vein gold-polymetallic and barite (Begansky deposit) ores, alunite, kaolins, perlite, bentonite clays (Gorbske deposit).
In the front part, the Outer Carpathians are known for oil deposits, in the Marmaro massif - deposits of dolomite, limestone, marble, and raw materials for stone casting. In the metamorphic complex, manifestations of stratiform pyrite-polymetallic, copper-pyrite, barite and ferromanganese ores are known.
Mineral waters are common in the Carpathians, carbonated waters are common on the southwestern slopes of the Carpathians and Transcarpathia (Svalyava, Polyana-Kvasova deposits). In the zone of junction of the Cis-Carpathian trough with the East European Platform there are deposits of nitrogen sulfate waters.
In the Inner Zone of the Cis-Carpathian Trough, brines of chloride (sulfate-chloride) composition (Morshin) and a special, rare type of slightly mineralized water with a high content of organic substances (Truskavets) are common.
In the Transcarpathian trough, thermal and subthermal waters of high mineralization are common and are used for medicinal and thermal energy purposes.
Gold reserves are represented by the Beregovskoye and Muzhievskoye gold-polymetallic deposits. The latter was put into industrial development in 1999, and in the same year, Zakarpatpolymetally LLC was created on the basis of the Muzhievsky State Gold and Polymetallic Combine.
Since ancient times, oil, which was previously called “brine,” was extracted within the Carpathian region. They used it only for lubricating carts with shingles. Subsequently, kerosene, which was used in kerosene lamps (for lighting), began to be removed from brine. Intensive oil production began in the middle of the 19th century, when methods for obtaining and using its light fractions were discovered. The first powerful wells appear at the fields near Borislav, Tustanovichi, Mraznitsa, and Bykov.
The most ancient rocks found in the Carpathians originated 1.2 billion years ago.
Anyone who has been to the Ukrainian Carpathians at least once will always remember their peaks.
Rapidly rocky, covered with juniper or snow-capped - high mountains beckon in any weather or season. And that's why.
We bring to your attention the TOP 10 Carpathian peaks. By the way, 9 out of 10 are stretched in a chain along the Montenegrin ridge, and only one lies beyond its borders.
Bretskul (Breskul)
First on the list: Mount Breskul. Height - 1,911 m. It is located near Goverly and has a dome-shaped shape, which is probably why it got its name from the Hutsul dialect “Bretskul” - “swollen”, “convex”. Good to know: not far from the summit there is a lake of the same name.
Like Breskul, the mountain belongs to the Chernogora massif. Height - 1933 m. Located on the border of Transcarpathian and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The peak of Turkul has a triangular shape, and from the very top there is an amazing view of the Montenegrin ridge. Turkul also has a fresh reservoir - a heartbreaking lake, one of the most famous Carpathian lakes.
Marmarosi is a unique high-mountain massif, not at all similar to Montenegro. It is not for nothing that this place is called the “Hutsul Alps”: sharply dissected slopes, sharp rocky ledges, numerous cliffs and significant differences in elevation Ukrainian Marmaros and the European Alps provide similarities.
Menchul is a mountain located on the border of Transcarpathia and Ivano-Frankivsk region. Height - 1998 m. The slopes of Menchul are gentle.
Interesting fact: In 2009, one of the public organizations of Ivano-Frankivsk was going to artificially increase the mountain by 2.5 meters, so that it would be included in the list of Ukrainian 2,000-meter mountains. Plans are plans, and Menchul, as before, has 1998 m..
Mount Rebra is the lowest of the Carpathian two-thousanders, with a height of 2001 m. Once upon a time, the Polish-Czechoslovak border lay here, as evidenced by the remains of barbed wire, trenches, and marked posts on the spine.
Gutin Tomnatik
Gutin Tomnatik is the next two-thousander of Montenegro. The height of the peak is 2018 m. The mountain is located in the Rakhiv region in Transcarpathia. Is part of the Carpathian biosphere reserve. On the way to Gutin Tomnatik you can go to Brebeneskul - the highest mountain lake in Ukraine.
Petros is a “thunderstorm mountain”, one of the most visited peaks of the Carpathians, and one of the most dangerous. Height - 2020 m. Petros stands immediately behind Hoverla, the mountains are separated by a deep and long saddle, which makes Petros almost a separate peak. The mountain is often shrouded in clouds, lightning often strikes the peak, and a stray storm wind twists the metal amulets installed on it into a spiral.
Black Mountain
Second Pop Ivan - Montenegrin, a mountain with a height of 2028 m is also often called Black Chora or White Elephant. Both names have a right to exist: at dawn, the slopes of Pop Ivanu really become coal black, and the peak is called “White Elephant” because of the huge stone observatory located on it. Pop Ivan becomes especially picturesque in winter, when snow covers the observatory. You can spend the night on the road to Pop Ivan on the quiet lake Maricheika, located in the thick of the forest below the peak.
Brebeneskul
Brebeneskul is the second highest peak of the Carpathians. Height - 2032 m. The slopes of the mountain are steep and rocky. Often snow remains on them until summer. In the basin between the towns of Brebeneskul and the towns of Gutin Tomnatik there is the high-mountain lake Brebeneskul.
Hoverla is the highest peak in Ukraine. Its height is 2061 m above sea level. One of the most popular tourist sites in the Carpathians. The name translated from Hungarian means “snow mountain”. At the top there is a stone monument in the shape of a trident and capsules with soil from all regions of Ukraine.
The Carpathians stretch in a huge arc for 1500 km from Bratislava to the Iron Gates. The Eastern Carpathians within Ukraine are called Ukrainian, or Wooded. They extend 280 km in length and 100-110 km in width. The Ukrainian Carpathians region is located in the southwest of the country.
The emergence of the Carpathians is due to Alpine mountain-building processes.
The absolute heights of the mountain system range from 120-400 m at the foot to 500-800 m in the intermountain basins and 1500-2000 m along the main ridges. All the highest peaks - Hoverla, Petros, Brebeneskul, Pop Ivan - are concentrated in the Chernogora massif.
The climate of the Carpathians is determined geographical location mountains and significant altitude above sea level. Their territory is influenced by continental and sea air of temperate latitudes, and sometimes arctic air masses penetrate here. The climate of the Carpathians is very humid with relatively low annual temperatures. The January temperature in the Carpathian region is -4C. ^ - 3 ° C, in Transcarpathia - (-2 ° C), and in the mountains - (-6 ° ... - 12 ° C). Winter is mild and snowy. In the Carpathians there are significant deviations from average temperatures.
Average July temperatures in the Carpathian region are + 18 ° ... + 19 ° C, Transcarpathia - +20 ° C, in the mountains - + 7 ° ... + 13 ° C. Precipitation in the foothills is 900 mm, in the upper reaches of the mountains - up to 1000 -1500 mm.
Many rivers originate in the Carpathians: Prut, Dniester, Tisa, Limnitsa, Cheremosh, Latoritsa, Uzh, Tereblya, Nadvirnyanskaya and Solotvinskaya Bystritsy.
The soils in the Carpathians are varied and, accordingly, climatic conditions placed with vertical belts. In the Carpathian region, soddy-podzolic soils were formed, above 1200-1400 m - brown mountain-forest soils, at an altitude of 1500-1600 m - gray-brown, above 1600 m (under subalpine meadows) - mountain-meadow soils.
Soddy-podzolic soils predominate in the Transcarpathian Lowland. The flora of the Carpathians is characterized by great diversity. Mountains occupy only 6.1% of the territory of Ukraine, and 1,950 species of flowering plants and 10 species of conifers grow on their slopes. The vegetation of the Carpathians changes with the heights. hundredth. In the foothills there are mixed forests consisting of oak, hornbeam, and spruce. At an altitude of 600 to 1200 m there are beech and beech-spruce forests. Above 1200 m, spruce-spruce trees predominate, which in the Pidverkhovina zone are replaced by spruce trees. The tops of the mountains (above 1500 m) are covered with alpine meadows with short grass and large bright flowers.
In the Carpathians, Neogene relics are protected: yew berry, floating water chestnut, European pine, Scots pine, goat juniper, white ash, beautiful feather grass.
The unique nature of the Carpathians determines the richness and originality of the fauna. A typical representative of oak and beech forests is the wild boar, and a typical representative of the broad-leaved Carpathian forests is the roe deer and red deer. Valuable fur-bearing animals are the brown hare, fox, pine marten, and ermine. The badger has become rare in the Carpathians. The number of predatory animals such as wolves, lynxes and wild cats has also decreased.
IN hunting farms successfully restore bison - representatives of past eras.
The world of birds is rich and diverse - swallows, storks, starlings, turtle doves, cuckoos, orioles, willowbirds, godwits, finches and dozens of other birds.
More than 1,500 nature reserves have been created in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The largest among them is the Carpathian PNP.
The Crimean mountainous physical-geographical country is located in the south of the Crimean Peninsula. It stretches along the northern coast of the Black Sea for 180 km from Cape Chersonesos to the city of Feodosia. The Crimean Mountains are a folded-block system of the Alpine geosynclinal zone. The formation of the Crimean folded region began in the Mesozoic era. In the Cenozoic, on the verge of the Paleogene and Neogene periods, as a result of Alpine folding, the mountainous Crimea rose to a height of more than 1500 m. Then erosional dismemberment of the southern slopes of the mountains and incision of river valleys occurred. New uplifts in Crimea were observed at the end of the Neogene - the beginning of the Anthropocene and were accompanied by significant faults.
The Crimean Mountains consist of three parallel ridges - the main, internal and external, gradually decreasing from south to north and extending from southwest to northeast. Such strands with asymmetrical slopes - long and gentle and steep and short, which cuts
These layers are called kusstams. The main ridge is formed by Triassic and Jurassic shales, limestones, sandstones and conglomerates. Internally - Cretaceous and Paleogene limestones. The structure of the mountainous Crimea also involves igneous rocks that cooled near the surface in the bowels of the earth. Outcrops of these hard rocks formed the exotic mountains of Ayu-Dag, Kastel, etc.
The region of mountainous Crimea with a temperate continental climate covers the highest Main Range and foothills. Here the air temperature is the same and is -8 ° ... - 9 ° C in January, + 15 ° ... + 16 ° C in July, and the amount of precipitation is different: in the foothills - 400-500 mm, on the Main Strand - 900-1200 mm.
The climate of the southern coast of Crimea is subtropical Mediterranean, with positive temperatures throughout the year. The annual precipitation is 350-550 mm, the maximum of which occurs in the winter months. Therefore, summers here are hot and dry.
Surface and underground runoff are formed in the Crimean Mountains. The rivers here are short, their valleys are canyon-like in places. Many rivers in the mountainous part of Crimea dry up for a long period or turn into groundwater. Largest rivers- Salgir, Alma, Belbek, Chernaya. All rivers of Crimea originate in the mountains.
Groundwater includes karst water, which often comes to the surface in the form of springs that feed rivers.
The soil cover of the Crimean Mountains is very variegated and changes with altitude. Soddy-carbonate mountain-forest-steppe soils are common in the foothills, and brown soils are common on the southern coast of Crimea. On northern slopes The main ridge, occupied by forest vegetation, has brown forest soils, and on the tops of the plateau (yaylakh) there are developed mountain-meadow soils. The southern slope of the Main Crimean Ridge does not have a continuous soil cover - it is interrupted here by rocks and stone scree.
The vegetation of the Crimean Mountains is characterized by significant forest development; The distribution of vegetation shows vertical zonality. The foothills are a strip of Crimean forest-steppe, which consists of an alternation of steppe with areas of forest. Here grows fluffy, rocky and ordinary oak, field maple,
birch bark, from shrubs - turf, eastern hornbeam, hawthorn, rose hips, from herbs - feather grass, fescue.
On the northern slope of the Main Ridge, up to 700 m above sea level, sessile oak, maple, ash, linden, and hornbeam predominate. Higher up, to an altitude of 1300 m, there are beech forests with an admixture of hornbeam, birch, and linden. At the upper border there are small areas of pine forests. On the mountain plateaus, only small areas of beech and pine forest have been preserved. The main area of the yayla is occupied by mountain meadows and meadow steppes. Alpine violet, St. John's wort, immortelle, sedge, and fescue are widespread here.
The southern coast of Crimea is characterized by shrub thickets consisting of "korzhidereva", shrubby forms of downy oak and eastern hornbeam. The modern look is formed by cypress, cedar, laurel, and magnolia. Thanks to favorable soil and climatic conditions, it is possible to grow subtropical crops: almonds, figs, persimmons, pomegranates.
The fauna of the Crimean mountains is diverse. The forests are inhabited by deer, roe deer, mouflon (a wild relative of the domestic sheep from the island of Corsica), stone marten, badger, fox, hare, squirrel. Birds: black vulture, eagle owl, jay, tit, wren, nightingale, seagull, swan, heron.
Very beautiful nature, warm climate and sea make South coast Crimea is one of the best resort areas.
The most famous nature reserve sites Mountain Crimea are the following nature reserves: Crimean, Yalta, Karadag, "Cape Martyan", as well as the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.
The mountains of Ukraine consist of the Crimean mountain ranges and the Carpathian mountain ranges. In these places there are hundreds and thousands of places of interest, to which tourists flock both from neighboring countries and from all over the world. The beauty of the mountain ranges amazes the eye, tired of boring city life, and the unique feeling that arises when climbing a mountain is unforgettable. The mountains of Ukraine are shrouded in many legends and secrets, which makes them even more attractive.
Carpathians
In the southwest of the country are the Ukrainian Carpathians, which are part of a mountain system passing through the territory of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Austria and including Ukraine. Mountain system The Carpathian Mountains are original in that ancient forests, unique to the central part of Europe, have been preserved on its slopes. The mountains themselves are “soft” mountain peaks without rocky protrusions - meadows on which no forest grows. In summer, the mountain landscape is complemented by numerous flocks of sheep.
One of the most remarkable places in the Ukrainian Carpathians is the Synevyr natural park, which houses the most beautiful and largest mountain lake in Ukraine with the same name Synevyr or “eye of the sea”. On the territory of the reserve there are recreation centers that provide all the conditions for a comfortable pastime.
The predominant Ukrainian population living in the Carpathians has specific features of life, language and culture. Ethnic groups such as Hutsuls, Bukovynians, Boykos, and Lemkos live here.
Also in the Carpathians, tourists are attracted by the charming Carpathian waterfalls: Yaremchansky (12 m), Serebristye (5 and 2 m), Trufanets (36 m), Manyavsky (20 m), Shepit (14 m) and others.
Mount Goverla
Mount Hoverla in the Carpathians is the highest mountain peak in Ukraine. Its height is 2061 m. It is located on the border of the Ivano-Frankivsk and Transcarpathian regions on the Chornohora massif. In addition to Hoverla, there are four more peaks with a height of more than 2000 m - Rebra (2002 m), Gutin Tomnatik (2013 m), Petros (2020 m), Pop-Ivan Chernogorsky (2028 m). Hoverla translated from Hungarian means “Snow Mountain”, since its top is indeed usually covered with snow, sometimes even in the middle of summer.
Form highest mountain The Carpathians are cone-shaped. The top of Goverla is a small flat platform from which you can admire the opening landscape. From here you can see the entire Montenegrin ridge. Hoverla is covered with alpine meadows, shrub heaths, and in some places - stone screes.
Crimean mountains
The most famous mountains of Ukraine in Crimea are Roman-kosh, Ai-Petri, Demerdzhi and Chatyr-dag. The Crimean Mountains are located in the south of Crimea and extend in three ridges in the west from Cape Aya in Balaklava to Feodosia in the east. The highest point of the Main Ridge (yayla), stretching along the Black Sea, is Mount Roman-Kosh with a height of 1545 m.
In the Crimean mountains there are waterfalls popular among tourists: Dzhur-Dzhur (the noisiest, 15 m), Arpatsky (10 m), Golovkinsky waterfall (12 m), Su-Uchkhan (25 m), Most high waterfall in the mountains of Ukraine - this is Uchan-Su (90 m), which is located on the Crimean river of the same name. Translated from the Tatar language, Uchan-Su means “flying water.”
Ai-Petri
The main ridge of the Crimean Mountains is divided into yaylas - massifs with a hilly surface. Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla, rising to a height of 1234 m, can be reached by highway from Yalta or by cable car from Miskhor. The Ai-Petrinsky teeth form 4 large ones 12-15 meters high and a number of small steep peaks.
Not far from the Upper Station cable car there is a large bazaar that provides a huge selection of all kinds of oriental sweets and entertainment for tourists. All conditions for active rest: horseback riding, camel riding, mountain biking, paragliding, etc. are available.
Popular among tourists are the Ai-Petrinsky meridian, that is, a stone globe showing accurate geodetic data, an observation deck on the Shishko rock, a weather station, and the Trekhglazka cave, equipped for excursions.
Ayu-dag (Bear Mountain)
The shape of Mount Ayu-Dag (or Bear Mountain) is characteristic of laccoliths - the so-called “failed volcanoes”. Its dome-shaped top is believed to be formed by the cooling of magma deep within the earth's crust. It was as if the volcano did not have enough energy to throw out hot substances from the bowels of the earth and, exhausted, it froze on the surface like a stone mushroom. Ayu-Dag is no different in height - 577 m, but the area of the mountain is impressive - 5.4 km2.
Bear Mountain is a state nature reserve. It juts out into the sea and forms a cape, clearly visible from almost all sides of the southern coast. Thanks to this, it has long served as a reference point for sailors. At the beginning of the first millennium, the ancient geographer Strabo, in his notes about shopping centers coast of Crimea mentions Bear Mountain called Kriumetopon, or “Ram’s forehead”. This name has long been used in geographical maps. However, already to the inhabitants of the Middle Ages this mountain resembled a gigantic bear, which bent down to the sea in order to drink water.
Mount Demerdzhi
On the eastern border of the Alushta amphitheater is the Valley of Ghosts and chaos on the slopes of Mount Demerdzhi. The mountain is dotted with wonderful stone sculptures that resemble either people or animals. On the southern part of the mountain, from the side of the trolleybus route, one of the bizarre stones resembles a female bust, which tourists call “the profile of Catherine the Second.”
Demerdzhi rises 1240 m above sea level. Its top forms a flat plane, covered with thick and tall grass. Silence reigns all around, noisy roads are left far behind. In the west, from the top of Demerdzhi, Bear Mountain is visible, and even further away the jagged crown of Ai-Petri is visible in the bluish haze. In the east you can discern the long, flat Cape Meganom, in front of which is located the cone-shaped rock Sokol, reminiscent of a sugarloaf, near the New World, near Sudak.
Roman-Kosh
The highest point of the Ukrainian mountains in Crimea - Roman-Kosh - is located in the Babugan-yayla massif. The height of the mountain is 1545 meters, composed of limestone. Roman-Kosh is currently included in the territory of the Crimean nature reserve. The wonderful silence and tranquility that reigns at the top of Roman-kosh involuntarily makes you think about the eternal. In the valleys of the mountain you can meet graceful roe deer and deer.
Roman-Kosh is especially beautiful in the evening, when the rays of the setting sun illuminate this amazing mountain with a golden light, which is far from the bustling Ai-Petri and well-trodden Demerdzhi. Experienced travelers believe that only here can one experience the real peace and grandeur of the Crimean Mountains.
Some facts about the mountains of Ukraine
- The Ukrainian Carpathians consist of several parallel ridges that stretch from northwest to southeast for about 270 km.
- The Crimean Mountains stretch from west to east for 180 km.
- The mountains of Ukraine occupy 5% of the country's territory
- In the Carpathians, volcanic activity continued until the end of the Neogene (25-2 million years ago) and the beginning of the Quaternary period.
- In the Carpathian Mountains, average temperatures in January range from -2 to -5°C (at the peaks below -10°C), in July - +17+20°C (at the peaks up to +4+5°C. Precipitation ranges from 600 to 2,000 mm per year.
- In the Crimean Mountains, the average temperature in January is -4°C, and in July - +16°C.