Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains


        David Bennington
        Bennington 1
        Mr. Macintosh
        Environmental Science CP9
        HR. 5     1/6/96


The Ural Mountains are a rugged spine across Russia, running 1,300 miles
from the fringe of the Arctic in the North, to the bend of the Ural River in the
South. Traditionally they form a boundary between Europe and Asia. The north-
south course of the Urals is relatively narrow, varying from about 20 to 90
miles in width, but it cuts across the vast latitude landscape regions of the
Eurasian landmass, from Arctic waste to semidesert; the Urals also are part of
the Ural economic region, a highly developed industrial complex closely tied to
the mineral-rich Siberian region, and are the home of people with roots reaching
deep into history.

Physical Features

        The Urals divide into five sections.   The northernmost Polar Urals
extend some 240 miles from Mount Konstantinov Kamen in the north-east to the
Khulga River the southeast; most mountains rise to 3300-3600 feet above sea
level, although the highest peak, Mount Payer reaches 4829 ft. The next stretch,
the Nether-Polar Urals, extends for more than 140 miles south to the Shchugor
River. This section contains the highest peaks of the entire range, including
Mount Narodnaya which reaches 6217 ft. and Mount Karpinsk Which is 6161 ft.
        These first two sections are typically Alpine and are Strewn with
Glaciers and are heavily marked with permafrost. Farther south come the Northern
Urals, which stretch for more than 340 miles to the Usa River in the south; most
mountains top 3300 feet, and the highest peak, Mount Telpos-Iz, rises 5305 ft.
Many of the summits are flattened, the remnants of the ancient Peneplains
uplifted by geographically tectonic movements. In the north, intensive
weathering has resulted in vast "seas of stone" on mountain slopes and summits.
The lower Central Urals extend more than 200 miles to the Ufa river, rarely
exceeding 1600 ft., although... [continues]

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