| Alps | |
| Range | |
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| Countries | Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Liechtenstein |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Mont Blanc (Italian: Monte Bianco) |
| - elevation | 4,808 m (15,774 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
 Digital relief of the Alps
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The Alps (French: Alpes; German: Alpen; Italian: Alpi; Romansh: Alps; Slovene: Alpe) is the name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west. The Pennine Alps (also Valais Alps) are a Mountain range in the western part of the Alps. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Romansh (also spelled Romansch, Rumants(ch or Romanche) is one of the four official languages of Switzerland, along with German, Slovene or Slovenian ( slovenski jezik or slovenščina, not to be confused with Slovenčina) is a South Slavic language A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The word "Alps" was taken via French from Latin Alpes (meaning "the Alps"), which may be influenced by the Latin words albus (white) or altus (high) or more likely a Latin rendering of a Celtic or Ligurian original. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. The Ligurian language was spoken in pre-Roman times and into the Roman era by an ancient people of north-western Italy and south-eastern France known as the Ligures
The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), on the Italian-French border. Mont Blanc Massif The Mont Blanc ( French for white mountain) or Monte Bianco ( Italian 'White Mountain' also All the main peaks of the Alps can be found in the list of mountains of the Alps and list of Alpine peaks by prominence. This is a list of Mountains of the Alps, ordered by Elevation. This is a list of the mountains of the Alps, ordered by their Topographic prominence.
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Geography
Subdivision
The Alps are generally divided into the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps. The Grossglockner (Veliki Klek Großglockner also Glockner) is at 3798 m Above sea level, Austria 's highest Mountain The Alps cover a large area This article describes the delimitation of the Alps as a whole and of subdivisions of the range follows the course of the main chain of the Alps and discusses Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. The division is along the line between Lake Constance and Lake Como, following the Rhine. Under the designation Lake Constance or Lake of Constance ( German Bodensee) one summarizes the three independent bodies of water Obersee Lake Como ( Lago di Como in Italian, also known as Lario; Lach de Comm in Insubric; Latin: Larius Lacus) is a The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge The Western Alps are higher, but their central chain is shorter and curved; they are located in Italy, France and Switzerland. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Eastern Alps (main ridge system elongated and broad) belong to Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Switzerland. A ridge is a geological feature that features a continuous elevational crest for some distance Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The highest peaks of the Western Alps are Mont Blanc, 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), Mont Blanc de Courmayeur 4,748 metres (15,577 ft), the Dufourspitze 4,634 metres (15,203 ft) and the other summits of the Monte Rosa group, and the Dom, 4,545 metres (14,911 ft). Mont Blanc Massif The Mont Blanc ( French for white mountain) or Monte Bianco ( Italian 'White Mountain' also Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (4748 m in the italian part of the Mont Blanc massif, is the second highest peak in the Alps. Dufourspitze (4634m (in German, lit Point of Dufour Pointe Dufour (in French) Punta Dufour (in Italian) or Piz da Monte Rosa is a mountain Massif located in the Italian regions Piedmont and Aosta Valley and in the canton of Valais ( Wallis) The highest peak in the Eastern Alps is Piz Bernina, 4,049 metres (13,284 ft). Piz Bernina (4049 m is the highest Mountain of the Eastern Alps.
The Eastern Alps are commonly subdivided according to the different lithology (rock composition) of the more central parts of the Alps and the groups at its northern and southern fringes:
- Flysch zone (from the Wienerwald to Bregenzerwald). In Geology, petrology (from Greek πέτρα petra, rock and λόγος logos, knowledge is the study of rocks and the conditions on which Flysch is a sequence of Sedimentary rocks that is deposited in a deep Marine facies in the Foreland basin of a developing Orogen. The Vienna Woods ( German Wienerwald) is a low wooded section of the Alps in eastern Lower Austria and Vienna, covering over 1000 Bregenzerwald is one of the main regions in the Province of Vorarlberg, Austria. Geographically, the Jura mountains do not belong to the Alps; geologically, however, they do. The Jura Mountains are a small Mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of
- Northern Limestone Alps, peaks up to 3,000 metres (9,840 ft)
- Central Eastern Alps (Austria, Switzerland), peaks up to 4,050 metres (13,290 ft)
- Southern Limestone Alps. The Northern Limestone Alps ( German: Nördliche Kalkalpen) are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located The Central Eastern Alps are the core ranges of the Eastern Alps with the highest peaks located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern The Southern Limestone Alps are the ranges of the Eastern Alps south of the Central Eastern Alps.
The border between the Central Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps is the Periadriatic Seam. The Periadriatic Seam is a distinct Geologic fault in Southern Europe running S-shaped about 1000 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea through the whole Southern The Northern Limestone Alps are separated from the Central Eastern Alps by the Grauwacken Zone
The Western Alps are commonly subdivided with respect to geography:
- Ligurian Alps
- Maritime Alps
- Cottian Alps
- Dauphiné Alps
- Graian Alps
- Pennine Alps
- Bernese Alps
- Lepontine Alps
- Glarus Alps
- Appenzell Alps. The greywacke zone is a band of Paleozoic Sedimentary rocks in the Austrian Alps. Geography (from Greek γεωγραφία - geografia) is the study of the Earth and its lands features inhabitants and phenomena The Ligurian Alps are a Mountain range in northwestern Italy. The Maritime Alps are a Mountain range in the south-western part of the Alps. The Cottian Alps (French Alpes Cottiennes; Italian Alpi Cozie) are a mountain range in the south-western part of the Alps. The Dauphiné Alps (Alpes du Dauphiné are a group of mountain ranges in southeastern France, west of the main chain of the Alps The Graian Alps (Italian Alpi Graie; French Alpes Grées) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. The Pennine Alps (also Valais Alps) are a Mountain range in the western part of the Alps. The Bernese Alps are a group of Mountain ranges in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. The Lepontine Alps are a Mountain range in the central part of the Alps. The Glarus Alps are a Mountain range in central Switzerland. They extend from the Oberalp Pass to the Klausen Pass, and are bordered by The Appenzell Alps are a Mountain range in Switzerland on the northern edge of the Alps.
Series of lower mountain ranges run parallel to the main chain of the Alps, including the French Prealps. The French Prealps ( Préalpes) are the group of Mountain ranges of medium elevation at the periphery of the French Alps, stretching from Lake Geneva (See Alpine geography. The Alps cover a large area This article describes the delimitation of the Alps as a whole and of subdivisions of the range follows the course of the main chain of the Alps and discusses )
The geologic subdivision is different and makes no difference between the Western and Eastern Alps: Helveticum in the north, Penninicum and Austroalpine system in the centre and south of the Periadriatic seam the Southern Alpine system and parts of the Dinarides (see Alpine Geology). The Helvetic nappes (Helvetische Decken are a series of Nappes in the Northern part of the Alps and part of the Helvetic zone. The Penninic nappes or the Penninicum are one of three Nappe stacks and geological zones in which the Alps can be divided The Austroalpine nappes are a geological Nappe stack in the European Alps. The Southern Alps are a geological subdivision of the European Alps. The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides ( Croatian and Bosnian: Dinarsko gorje or Dinaridi, Alpet Dinaride The Alps form a part of a Tertiary orogenic belt of mountain chains called the Alpide belt, that stretches through southern Europe and Asia from the Atlantic
Main chain
The "main chain of the Alps" follows the watershed from the Mediterranean Sea to the Wienerwald, passing over many of the highest and most famous peaks in the Alps. A drainage divide, water divide, divide or (outside North America) watershed is the line separating neighbouring Drainage basins The Vienna Woods ( German Wienerwald) is a low wooded section of the Alps in eastern Lower Austria and Vienna, covering over 1000 From the Colle di Cadibona to Col de Tende it runs westwards, before turning to the north-west and then, near the Colle della Maddalena, to the north. Col de Tende (Colle di Tenda (el 1870 m is a high Mountain pass in the Alps, on the border of France and Italy. The Maddalena Pass ( Italian: Colle della Maddalena French: Col de Larche, historically Col de Largentières) (elevation 1996 Upon reaching the Swiss border, the line of the main chain heads approximately east-north-east, a heading it follows until its end near Vienna. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria.
Principal passes
The Alps do not form an impassable barrier; they have been traversed for war and commerce, and later by pilgrims, students and tourists. This article lists the principal Mountain passes and Tunnels in the Alps, and gives a history of transport across the Alps War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' Crossing places by road, train or foot are called passes. These are depressions in the mountains to which a valley leads from the plains and hilly pre-mountainous zones.
Climate
The Alps are a classic example of what happens when a temperate area at lower altitude gives way to higher elevation terrain. The climate of the Alps is the Climate, or average Weather conditions over a long time of the exact middle Alpine region of Europe. Jungfraujoch (el 3471 m is a col or saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps on the boundary between the cantons Elevations around the world which have cold climates similar to those found in polar areas have been called alpine. Earth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see Climate of the Alps. A rise from sea level into the upper regions of the atmosphere causes the temperature to decrease. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature The lapse rate is defined as the negative of the rate of change in an atmospheric variable usually Temperature, with height in an atmosphere The effect of mountain chains on prevailing winds is to carry warm air belonging to the lower region into an upper zone, where it expands in volume at the cost of a proportionate loss of heat, often accompanied by the precipitation of moisture in the form of snow or rain. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) The volume of any solid plasma vacuum or theoretical object is how much three- Dimensional space it occupies often quantified numerically In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to
Geology
The Alps arose as a result of the pressure exerted on sediments of the Tethys Ocean basin as its Mesozoic and early Cenozoic strata were pushed against the stable Eurasian landmass by the northward-moving African landmass. The Alps form a part of a Tertiary orogenic belt of mountain chains called the Alpide belt, that stretches through southern Europe and Asia from the Atlantic Aletsch Glacier, the largest Glacier in the Alps, covers more than 120 square kilometres (more than 45 square miles in southern Switzerland. Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of The Tethys Ocean was a Mesozoic era Ocean that existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia before the opening of the Indian The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The Cenozoic (also Caenozoic or Cainozoic) Era (ˌsiːnəˈzoʊɪk/ /ˌsɛn- (meaning "new life" ( Greek ( kainos) "new" In Geology and related fields a stratum (plural strata) is a layer of rock or Soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Most of this occurred during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33 The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 The pressure formed great recumbent folds, or nappes, that rose out of what had become the Tethys Sea and pushed northward, often breaking and sliding one over the other to form gigantic thrust faults. In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement Crystalline rocks, which are exposed in the higher central regions, are the rocks forming Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and high peaks in the Pennine Alps and Hohe Tauern. In Geology, the terms basement and crystalline basement are used to define the rocks below a sedimentary platform or cover or more generally Mont Blanc Massif The Mont Blanc ( French for white mountain) or Monte Bianco ( Italian 'White Mountain' also "Cervino" redirects here For the Italian town see Cervino (CE.
The landscape seen today is mostly formed by glaciation during the past two million years. Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land including physical elements such as Landforms living elements of flora and fauna abstract elements such as lighting "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. At least five ice ages have done much to change the region, scooping out the lakes and rounding off the limestone hills along the northern border. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Glaciers have been retreating during the past 10,000 years, leaving large granite erratics scattered in the forests in the region. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that deviates from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests the name " erratic " is based on the As the last ice age ended, it is believed that the climate changed so rapidly that the glaciers retreated back into the mountains in a span of about 200 to 300 years. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of
Population
The biggest city situated in the Alps, is Grenoble, France (metropolitan area about 500,000 inhabitants). Grenoble is a city and commune in south-east France situated at the foot of the Alps where the Drac joins the Isère River. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. French people call the city "The Capital City of Alps".
The second biggest city of the alpine arch, is Innsbruck, Austria. Innsbruck is the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol in western Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich
In 2001, the total population of all the alpine area was about 12,295,000.
Political and cultural history
Little is known of the early dwellers in the Alps, save from the scanty accounts preserved by Roman and Greek historians and geographers. The Valleys of the Alps have been inhabited since prehistoric times Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it A geographer is a Scientist whose area of study is Geography, the study of Earth 's physical environment and Human habitat A few details have come down to us of the conquest of many of the Alpine tribes by Augustus. Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was
During the Second Punic War in 218 BC, The Carthaginian general Hannibal successfully crossed the alps along with an army numbering 38,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants. The Second Punic War (referred to as "The War Against Hannibal" by the Romans lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Hannibal (Pronounced in Phoenician: Hanniba'al means " Ba'al is my grace " or " Ba'al has given me grace " 247 BC &ndash [1]. This was one of the most celebrated achievements of any military force in ancient warfare. Ancient warfare is War as conducted from the beginnings of recorded History to the end of the ancient period
Much of the Alpine region was gradually settled by Germanic tribes (Langobards, Alemanni, Bavarii) from the 6th to the 13th centuries, the latest expansion corresponding to the Walser migrations. The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main river ( Germany The Bavarii were a large and powerful Tribe which emerged late in Teutonic tribal times in what is now the Czech Republic ( Bohemia) The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Walser are German -speaking people (more specifically they speak Walser German Dialects who live in the Alps of Switzerland,
It is not until the final breakup of the Carolingian Empire in the 10th and 11th centuries that it becomes possible to trace out the local history of the Alps. Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty.
Exploration
The higher regions of the Alps were long left to the exclusive attention of the people of the adjoining valleys, even when Alpine travellers (as distinguished from Alpine climbers) began to visit these valleys. The higher region of the Alps were long left to the exclusiveattention of the men of the adjoining valleys even when Alpine travellers(as distinguished from Alpine climbers began to visit The two men who first explored the regions of ice and snow were H. B. de Saussure (1740-1799) in the Pennine Alps, and the Benedictine monk of Disentis, Placidus a Spescha (1752-1833), most of whose ascents were made before 1806, in the valleys at the sources of the Rhine. The Pennine Alps (also Valais Alps) are a Mountain range in the western part of the Alps. Disentis ( German) or Mustér ( Romansh) with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a municipality in the district of Surselva The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge
Travel and Tourism
The Alps are popular both in summer and in winter as a destination for sightseeing and sports. Winter sports (alpine and Nordic skiing, tobogganing, snowshoeing, ski tours) can be practised in most regions from December to April, while in summer the Alps are popular with hikers, mountain bikers, paragliders, mountaineers, while many lakes attract swimmers, sailors and surfers. A winter sport is a Sport commonly played during Winter. As a formal term it refers to a sport played on Snow or Ice, but informally can refer The lower regions and larger towns of the Alps are well accessed by motorways and main roads, but higher passes and by-roads can be treacherous even in summer. Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation PASS (the Proof of Age Standards Scheme) is a government-backed scheme in the UK that gives young people a valid and accepted form of Proof of Age identification Many passes are closed in winter. A multitude of airports around the Alps (and some within), as well as long-distance rail links from all neighbouring countries, afford large numbers of travellers easy access from abroad. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land
Flora
A natural vegetation limit with altitude is given by the presence of the chief deciduous trees—oak, beech, ash and sycamore maple. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin For the babyfood see Beech-Nut. Beech ( Fagus) is a genus of ten Species of Deciduous Trees in the An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families; most commonly in a combined form (e Acer pseudoplatanus ( Sycamore or Sycamore Maple to distinguish it from other plants called Sycamore) is a species of Maple native These do not reach exactly to the same elevation, nor are they often found growing together; but their upper limit corresponds accurately enough to the change from a temperate to a colder climate that is further proved by a change in the wild herbaceous vegetation. A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like This limit usually lies about 1,200 metres (3,940 ft) above the sea on the north side of the Alps, but on the southern slopes it often rises to 1,500 metres (4,920 ft), sometimes even to 1,700 metres (5,580 ft).
This region is not always marked by the presence of the characteristic trees. Human interference has nearly exterminated them in many areas, and, except for the beech forests of the Austrian Alps, forests of deciduous trees are rarely found. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich In many districts where such woods once existed, they have been replaced by the Scots pine and Norway spruce, which are less sensitive to the ravages of goats who are the worst enemies of such trees. The Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L family Pinaceae) is a species of Pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Norway Spruce ( Picea abies) is a species of Spruce native to Europe.
Above the forestry, there is often a band of short pine trees (Pinus mugo), which is in turn superseded by dwarf shrubs, typically Rhododendron ferrugineum (on acid soils) or Rhododendron hirsutum (on basic soils). Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine ( Pinus mugo) is a high-altitude European Pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree Rhododendron ferrugineum (sometimes called alpenrose, snow-rose, or rusty-leaved alpenrose) is an Evergreen Shrub Above this is the alpine meadow, and even higher, the vegetation becomes more and more sparse. An alpine meadow is a high-altitude Grassland plant community located in an Alpine climate, above the treeline of a mountain At these higher altitudes, the plants tend to form isolated cushions. In the Alps, several species of flowering plants have been recorded above 4,000 metres (13,120 ft), including Ranunculus glacialis, Androsace alpina and Saxifraga biflora. Ranunculus glacialis, the glacier crowfoot or glacier buttercup, is a plant of the family Ranunculaceae. Androsace alpina is an Alpine plant, endemic to the Alps and widely grown in Rock gardens In the wild it grows on Silicaceous
_Pinus_mugo_mugo.jpg/90px-Kosodrzewina_(Sosna_górska)_Pinus_mugo_mugo.jpg) mountain pine |
 rusty-leaved Alpenrose |
 Edelweiss |
 stemless gentian |
 Alpine dwarf orchid |
 Alpine pasque-flower |
 Alpine rock-jasmine (Androsace alpina) |
 glacier buttercup |
Fauna
Species common to the Alps. Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine ( Pinus mugo) is a high-altitude European Pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge Rhododendron ferrugineum (sometimes called alpenrose, snow-rose, or rusty-leaved alpenrose) is an Evergreen Shrub Gentiana acaulis ( Stemless gentian) is a small Gentian native to central and southern Europe from Spain east to the Balkans Pulsatilla alpina, alpine pasqueflower, is an Alpine plant found in the Mountain ranges of central and Southern Europe Androsace alpina is an Alpine plant, endemic to the Alps and widely grown in Rock gardens In the wild it grows on Silicaceous Ranunculus glacialis, the glacier crowfoot or glacier buttercup, is a plant of the family Ranunculaceae. These are most numerous in the 15% of the Alps that are protected in parks and reserves. This is a List of national parks in the Alps. Écrins National Park Mercantour National Park Vanoise
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The Alps in popular culture
- There is a roller coaster in Busch Gardens Europe (Virginia, USA) called the Alpengeist. The Alpine Salamander ( Salamandra atra) is a shiny black Salamander. The Alpine Accentor, Prunella collaris, is a small Passerine Bird found throughout the mountains of southern temperate Europe and Asia The Alpine Chough ( Pyrrhocorax graculus) also called Yellow-billed Chough (ˈtʃʌf is a Eurasian member of the Crow family The Capercaillie ( Tetrao urogallus) also known as the Wood Grouse or more specifically Western Capercaillie is the largest member of the Grouse The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere This article deals with the European species named "Ptarmigan" known in North America as the Rock Ptarmigan The Tengmalm's Owl, Aegolius funereus, is a small Owl. It is known as the Boreal Owl in North America. The Alpine Ibex ( Capra ibex)— commonly called by its local names in the various languages - French bouquetin, German steinbock, The Alpine Marmot ( Marmota marmota) is a species of Marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. The chamois ( Rupicapra rupicapra) is a Goat -like animal native to the Carpathian Mountains of Romania the European Alps, the Gran The Mountain Hare ( Lepus timidus) is a Hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Alpengeist is the tallest and one of the fastest full circuit Inverted roller coasters in the world
See also
External links
- Satellite photo of the Alps, taken on August 31, 2005 by MODIS aboard Terra
- (Italian) Images from the Alps Many images from Alps, landscape, flowers and wildlife. The Swiss Alps (Schweizer Alpen Alpes suisses Alpi svizzere Alps svizras are the central portion of the Alps Mountain range that lies within Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. MODIS ( Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a payload scientific instrument launched into Earth orbit by NASA in 1999 on board
- 360° Panoramic Views in Alps
- A online picture collection of the Alps More than 2000 pictures of climbing, backcountry skiing, hiking, landscape
- Photos - Italian Alps - Santa Catarina
- (English) Photos of alpin swiss landscapes and wildlife (Valais)
- Discover wildlife of the Alps with 60 representative photos
References
Dictionary
alps
-noun
- Plural form of alp.
Alps
-proper noun
- A mountain range in Western Europe, running from France to Austria, with its highest peak Mont Blanc at 4808 meters.
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