Albania, a name not native to the region known as the country of Albania, has been used as a name for several mountainous areas across Europe. The Alpine zone, extending from tree line to the snow line, is followed by the glacial zone, which covers the glaciated areas of the mountain. Scientists have been studying the impact of climate change and water use. [99] Molluscs such as the wood snail live up the snow line. Later the first wave of Romanticism such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and J. M. W. Turner came to admire the Alpine scenery;[138] Wordsworth visited the area in 1790, writing of his experiences in The Prelude (1799). There are over 10 major mountain ranges in Europe, and upwards of 100 minor ranges. "[88] Gentians tend to "appear" repeatedly as the spring blooming takes place at progressively later dates, moving from the lower altitude to the higher altitude meadows where the snow melts much later than in the valleys. [155], Farming has been a traditional occupation for centuries, although it became less dominant in the 20th century with the advent of tourism. As of 2010,[update] the region is home to 14million people and has 120million annual visitors.[6]. Undocumented migrants, visa overstayers, false tourists, asylum seekers, and other clandestine humans, lose their lives crossing the Alps. [155] Villagers celebrate the day the cows are herded up to the pastures and again when they return in mid-September. [149] Massive numbers of refugees entered Italy illegally, by navigating the Alps. [8], In his commentary on the Aeneid of Vergil, the late fourth-century grammarian Maurus Servius Honoratus says that all high mountains are called Alpes by Celts.[9]. [139] During these visits Shelley wrote the poem "Mont Blanc", Byron wrote "The Prisoner of Chillon" and the dramatic poem Manfred, and Mary Shelley, who found the scenery overwhelming, conceived the idea for the novel Frankenstein in her villa on the shores of Lake Geneva amid a thunderstorm. [153], The Alpine regions are multicultural and linguistically diverse. [65][72], The Alps are a classic example of what happens when a temperate area at lower altitude gives way to higher-elevation terrain. 1. [14], The Alps are a crescent shaped geographic feature of central Europe that ranges in an 800km (500mi) arc (curved line) from east to west and is 200km (120mi) in width. The English word Alps comes from the Latin Alpes. [133] By the 19th century more naturalists began to arrive to explore, study and conquer the high peaks. The Caucasus Mountains separate Georgia and Azerbaijan from Russia. Length. [19], The highest portion of the range is divided by the glacial trough of the Rhne valley, from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa on the southern side, and the Bernese Alps on the northern. The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. For example, each year more water is diverted from rivers for snowmaking in the ski resorts, the effect of which is yet unknown. [34] Many of the big Alpine three-thousanders were climbed in the early 19th century, notably the Grossglockner (1800) and the Ortler (1804), although some of them were climbed only much later, such at Mont Pelvoux (1848), Monte Viso (1861) and La Meije (1877). However, the Himalayas are the tallest mountains found on the Earth. France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia. [12] A natural vegetation limit with altitude is given by the presence of the chief deciduous treesoak, beech, ash and sycamore maple. [6] On the rim of the mountains, on the plateaus, and on the plains the economy consists of manufacturing and service jobs whereas in the higher altitudes and the mountains farming is still essential to the economy. The Lauberhorn is the more strenuous downhill race at 4.5km (2.8mi) and poses danger to racers who reach 130km/h (81mph) within seconds of leaving the start gate. [11] The geological subdivision differentiates the Western, Eastern Alps, and Southern Alps: the Helveticum in the north, the Penninicum and Austroalpine system in the centre and, south of the Periadriatic Seam, the Southern Alpine system. Hay is normally brought in twice a year, often also on festival days. The Balkan Mountains are closely connected to the history of Bulgaria, and are considered to have the nation and its people. Some of the Romance dialects spoken in the French, Swiss and Italian alps of Aosta Valley derive from Arpitan, while the southern part of the western range is related to Occitan; the German dialects derive from Germanic tribal languages. The Inn valley is an example of a valley carved by glaciers during the ice ages with a typical terraced structure caused by erosion. The range extends for approximately 491 km from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Biscay, and separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. 10 Major Mountain Ranges of Africa. Monasteries and churches were constructed, even at high Alpine altitudes. By the 6th century BC, the Celtic La Tne culture was well established. 3 major mountain ranges in europe; are the apennines, alps-and pyrenees. Upon reaching the Swiss border, the line of the main chain heads approximately east-northeast, a heading it follows until its end near Vienna. Large mountain ranges may be made up of smaller mountain ranges called subranges. 21 (30 October 2008), pp. [43] Similarly the peaks in eastern Switzerland extending to western Austria (Helvetic nappes) consist of thin-skinned sedimentary folding that detached from former basement rock. [159][160], The Alps are one of the more popular tourist destinations in the world with many resorts such as Oberstdorf, in Bavaria, Saalbach in Austria, Davos in Switzerland, Chamonix in France, and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy recording more than a million annual visitors. Data and maps. [6][93], The largest mammal to live in the highest altitudes are the alpine ibex, which have been sighted as high as 3,000m (9,800ft). Historically, the Alps were used to determine the borders of political and administrative gangs, but the Peace of Utrecht was the first significant body of treaty that considered geographical conditions. The Russian troops broke out, mauled the French troops, and retreated through the Panix Pass. Good opportunities to see local people celebrating the traditional culture occur at the many fairs, wine festivals, and firefighting festivals which fill weekends in the countryside from spring to autumn. [147], The Alps, Adolf Hitler, and improbable powerful organizations have been subject to crime fiction. Food is passed from the kitchen to the stube, where the dining room table is placed. [12], At these higher altitudes, the plants tend to form isolated cushions. [137] Jean-Jacques Rousseau presented the Alps as a place of allure and beauty, in his novel Julie, or the New Heloise, published in 1761. The Chteau de Chillon is preserved as an example of medieval architecture. Several of Europe's mountain ranges are highlighted below. Guests, such as Rudolf Hess, stayed over, sleeping in tents or over the garage. "[127] Leonardo da Vinci was fascinated by variations of light in the higher altitudes, and climbed a mountainscholars are uncertain which one; some believe it may have been Monte Rosa. Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme, snowfall, snowpack, glaciation, and river runoff, Almabtrieb, Alpabzug, Alpabfahrt, Dsalpes, December 13, 1916 Marmolada-mountain-avalanche, January 13, 2016 Les-Deux-Alpes avalanche, "Le Mont-Blanc passe de 4.810 mtres 4.808,7 mtres", "Vte, e jsou Alpy i v Maarsku? Erzberg in Styria furnishes high-quality iron ore for the steel industry. Standing stones have been found in the Alpine areas of France and Italy. "Regional tectonics: from the Rhine graben to the Po plain, a summary of the tectonic evolution of the Alps and their forelands". In fact the Caucasus Mountains, in a twisted geographic sense, mark the beginning origins of the Caucasian race. Schmid, Stefan M. (2004). In mosson in Valais, Switzerland, dinosaur tracks were found in the 1970s, dating probably from the Triassic Period. In 2007, the new 34.57km-long (21.48mi) Ltschberg Base Tunnel was opened, which circumvents the 100 years older Ltschberg Tunnel. Here, the definition of Western Europe includes: Austria. The range continues onward toward Vienna, Austria, and east to the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia.[16][17][18]. At altitudes between 1,000 and 3,000m (3,300 and 9,800ft), snowfall begins in November and accumulates through to April or May when the melt begins. [69], The rivers form lakes, such as Lake Geneva, a crescent-shaped lake crossing the Swiss border with Lausanne on the Swiss side and the town of Evian-les-Bains on the French side. "Impact of Climatic Change on Water and Natural Hazards in the Alps". [102] Spiders, such as the large wolf spider, live above the snow line and can be seen as high as 400m (1,300ft). 18, no. When Coleridge travelled to Chamonix, he declaimed, in defiance of Shelley, who had signed himself "Atheos" in the guestbook of the Hotel de Londres near Montenvers,[141] "Who would be, who could be an atheist in this valley of wonders". Europe is rich with mountain ranges--large groups of mountains that are connected--creating monumental landscapes. [64] Although the area is only about 11% of the surface area of Europe, the Alps provide up to 90% of water to lowland Europe, particularly to arid areas and during the summer months. The mountain range has a length of approximately 1,200 km and stretches between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Visitors can get a glimpse of the rich customs of the Alps at public Volksfeste. Because of his work he came to be known as the "father of the ice-age concept" although other naturalists before him put forth similar ideas. [155], Cheesemaking is an ancient tradition in most Alpine countries. [100], Some of the species of moths and insects show evidence of having been indigenous to the area from as long ago as the Alpine orogeny. The Apennine Mountains are a range consisting of several sub-ranges that run parallel to each other for approximately 1,200 km, along the length of peninsular Italy. Haymaking is an important farming activity in mountain villages that have become somewhat mechanized in recent years, although the slopes are so steep that scythes are usually necessary to cut the grass. Seven bear skulls from the cave may have been buried by the same prehistoric people. "St. Maurice," The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. Evidence of human habitation in the Alps goes back to the Palaeolithic era. The lowest zone is the colline zone, which exists between 500 and 1,000m (1,600 and 3,300ft), depending on the location. While the location and manner of his death suggests that tzi was traveling. 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