Euro Mountains Russia: Exploring the Ural Range
The Ural Mountains, often referred to as the “Euro Mountains” in Russia, form a natural border between Europe and Asia, stretching over 1,500 miles (2,500 kilometers) from the Arctic Ocean to the Caspian Sea. This vast mountain range offers a diverse landscape, rich in natural resources and steeped in geological history.
The Urals are divided into five distinct sections: the Polar Urals, Nether-Polar Urals, Northern Urals, Central Urals, and Southern Urals. Each section boasts unique characteristics, from the glaciated peaks of the Polar Urals to the rolling hills of the Southern Urals. The highest peak, Mount Narodnaya, stands at 6,217 feet (1,895 meters) in the Nether-Polar Urals. This area, along with the Polar Urals, is characterized by an alpine environment with glaciers and permafrost.
The Northern Urals feature flattened summits, remnants of ancient eroded surfaces uplifted by tectonic activity. Weathering has created vast “seas of stone” on the mountain slopes. The Central Urals are lower in elevation, with smooth summits and isolated rock outcrops. The Southern Urals consist of parallel ridges, culminating in Mount Yamantau at 5,380 feet (1,640 meters).
The geological history of the Ural Mountains dates back to the Hercynian orogeny around 250 million years ago. This period of mountain building created a high mountainous region that was later eroded. Alpine folding then resulted in the formation of the modern Ural Mountains. The range is composed of various rock types, including ancient metamorphic rocks like gneisses, quartzites, and schists, as well as sedimentary rocks such as sandstones and limestones.
The western slopes of the Urals are characterized by sedimentary rocks and karst topography, featuring caves, basins, and underground streams. The eastern slopes exhibit volcanic layers interspersed with sedimentary strata. The Central and Southern Urals have broad peneplained foothills with granite outcrops and uniquely shaped buttes.
The Ural Mountains are a crucial watershed, dividing rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean and the Caspian Sea. The Pechora River drains the western slopes into the Barents Sea, while rivers on the eastern slopes, including the Tobol and Iset, belong to the Ob River system, flowing into the Kara Sea. The Kama and Ural rivers drain into the Caspian Sea basin.
The rivers and lakes of the Urals are influenced by the region’s topography and climate. Rivers in the upper reaches flow slowly through wide troughs before cutting through ridges in narrow valleys as they descend to the plains. The western slopes generally have higher water flow than the eastern slopes due to variations in precipitation and evaporation. Many lakes, particularly in the Southern and Central Urals, offer recreational opportunities and some contain medicinal muds used for therapeutic purposes. Lake Bolshoye Shchuchye, the deepest lake in the Urals, is located in the Polar Urals and reaches a depth of 446 feet (136 meters).