What Are the Mountain Ranges in Russia?
There are numerous mountain ranges in Russia, including the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai, the Sayan, the Kolyma, the Koryak, the Stanovoy, the Verkhoyansk and Yablonovy Mountains. Because the country has numerous mountains ranges, many of which have their own sub-ranges, citing a specific number is not possible. While Russia is frequently described as having nine main mountain ranges, which ranges are included in that set varies from source to source.
The Ural Mountains are arguably Russia’s most famous range. They reach from the Arctic Ocean in the north down some 1,300 miles to Kazakhstan in the south and act as a divider between European and Asian Russia. However, this chain is not very tall; the highest mountain in the range, Mount Narodnaya, only reaches 6,212 feet. Consequently, these mountains have never impeded movement and trade in the area.
The Caucasus Mountains form the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan to the south of Russia, and as the Urals, they separate Europe from Asia. They are also one of Russia’s two centers of seismic activity, the other being Kamchatka in the far east. Mount Elbrus, an extinct volcano in the Caucasus, is the tallest mountain in both Russia and Europe.
