The mountains that we are going to describe today are considered the natural border between the continents of Europe and Asia. It's about the Ural mountains. They are of great historical and economic importance and are located in the west-central area of Russia. We say that it has great economic importance since it is a source of mineral resources and is one of the oldest geologically mountain ranges. We remember that the age of the mountain ranges is measured with the geological time and that dictates a lot of what is the age for the human being.
In this article we are going to show you the characteristics of the Ural Mountains, the flora and fauna and their economic and historical importance.
Key features
The shape of this mountain range is not common among other types of mountain ranges. If we compare it with other mountain systems such as himalayan mountain range, has an almost straight shape. This is not normal in a mountainous formation. The Urals area It has been exploited to obtain minerals, oil and precious stones. Hence lies the great economic importance.
Since it is a mountain range of considerable age, the oil deposits have remained stable and perfect for extraction and use. Furthermore, the extraction of other minerals has also served to improve the economy of the areas surrounding these mountains. In this regard, references can be found to other mountain systems with similar characteristics, such as the Carpathian Mountains and Appalachian Mountains.
Although the name of the mountain range itself is unknown, some records from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries are derived from some Turkish language. These mountains were not well known for much of modern European history. Geographers from central Asia already had extensive knowledge about everything that concerns the Ural Mountains since the XNUMXth century.
The age of the mountain range is estimated between 250 and 300 million years, which is considered one of the oldest mountain ranges on our planet. It has a length of about 2500 kilometers and a width of 150 kilometers in some of the widest sections. Its extension ranges from the Arctic coastal tundra to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan.
Since it has a large size, it is geographically separated by areas such as Polar Urals, Subpolar Urals, Northern Urals, Central Urals, and Southern Urals. This is how the complete mountain range is selected by blocks to make it easier to choose the location of certain elements.
Description of its parts
In the subpolar part is where we can find the mountain areas with the highest altitude and number of glaciers. Depending on the area the height varies, but it is usually between 1000 and 1500 meters. In other areas, the mountains are nothing more than simple hills.
The highest peak it has is Narodnaya, which is about 1895 meters high. Another of the most prominent peaks is Telposiz with 1617 meters. Because of the climate and its characteristics, the northernmost parts of the Ural Mountains are barren and cannot be cultivated there. Without a soil that can support plants and vegetation given the harsh snow and ice conditions, it has quite a few completely bare rock areas. In the area of the Polar Urals, winter usually lasts about 7 months. This is something that is not usual, but given the climate and the location, this time is usually extended.
The subpolar part has a fairly eroded landscape with an abundance of exposed metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. These types of rocks they are formed by the retraction of the ice sheets and the annual formation of new ice over the years and years.
It also has several rivers that cross the entire mountain range. The western part of the mountain range is home to the Kama and Belaya rivers. In the south is the Ural River, which flows into the Caspian Sea, providing life to nearby ecosystems, as it does in other mountains such as the mountains of León.
Formation of the Ural Mountains
It is considered one of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. Its age is estimated between 250 and 300 million years. Compared to other famous mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, this one is no more than 60 million years old. Therefore, In the Urals, a great state of erosion is usually observed for so many years, affecting the climatic conditions of ice, thaw, winds, rainfall, etc.
The mountains began to form when the final stages in which the ocean closed began. This was due to a fragmentation of Pangea. The tectonic plates They made some collision movements that caused the crust to collide with each other until forming the Ural Mountains.
Geologists think that it began to form during the Late Carboniferous and Permian. It was, at that time, known as the edge of the supercontinent known as Laurasia. The collision of the earth's crust lasted several million years in which the crust was completely lifted and mountains were formed. Over the years it has been eroding and the date of its formation can be dated. On the contrary, the Himalayas still have their peaks "new" without wearing down, which indicates the youth of their peaks.
Despite everything that has happened, the structure of the Ural Mountains has not undergone many transformations. In general, we can find it well preserved. Given that it has great natural resources such as minerals in an extensive and abundant way, the economic importance that it has had all this time is high. Among the most abundant minerals that we can find are deposits of copper, carbon, manganese, gold, iron, nickel, aluminum and potassium.
Flora and fauna
There is also a great wealth of flora and fauna that adapts to the different types of environmental conditions found in each section. To the south of the mountain range we find a great vegetation cover with a great variety of species and also in the area of the mountains of Malaga. More on the medial part there are taiga and various types of forests and, north of the Caspian Sea, we find steppes and semi-deserts.
As for the fauna, we also find great biodiversity. We find species of fish, various invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. One of the most common species is the reindeer. This fauna is similar to that which can be observed in other mountain ecosystems, such as in the mountains of the Cantabrian mountain range.
I hope this information helps you to know more about the Ural Mountains.