Distribution Of Major Mountain Belts Flashcards
a group of mountain systems, that is composed of mountain ranges
Mountain Belt
Most mountains are found in ??
the Circum- Pacific Belt and the Alpide Belt
This mountain belt extends to the North American Cordillera along the Pacific Coast, the
Aleutian Range, on to Kamchatka, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and to New Zealand.
This includes the Andes of South America, which is 7 000 km long and is considered the world’s longest mountain system.
The Circum-Pacific
a combination of several geologic features that are found in a region
mountain system
stretches from Indonesia through the Himalayas, and ends in the Alps.
This also includes other European and Asian mountain ranges.
The highest mountains are found in the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, which is 8 848 meters high.
The Alpide mountain belt or the Alpine –Himalayan Orogenic Belt
a series of mountains connected to form a long line of mountains; mountains that are close together and extend for hundreds or thousands of kilometers
Mountain Range
smaller mountain ranges that may make up large mountain ranges
e.g. Smokey Mountain is a subrange of the Appalachian range
Subranges
Famous Mountain Ranges
▪ Stretch 1 491 miles through much of Central Asia
▪ Travel from Afghanistan and Pakistan through India, Nepal, and China all the way to Bhutan
▪ Most famous for their tall peaks
▪ The majority of the world’s tallest mountains are in the Himalayas including the two tallest mountains:
Mount Everest at 8.85 km (29 035 feet) and K2 at 8.60 km (28 251 feet)
Himalayas
Famous Mountain Ranges
● Around 4 300 miles long, make up the world’s longest mountain range
● Stretch north to south through much of South America including such countries as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador
● The highest peak in the Andes is Mount Aconcagua which rises to 6.96 km (22 841 feet)
● The Andes played a vital role in the history of South America. The Inca’s built their famous ancient city, Machu Picchu, high in the Andes.
Andes
Famous Mountain Ranges
● A major mountain range in Central Europe
● Pass through European countries including France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Slovenia.
● The tallest peak in the Alps is Mont Blanc at
● 4.81 km (15 782 feet) located on the French-Italian border.
Alps
ALPS
● The Rocky Mountain range from north to south in Northwest America runs from Canada to the US state of New Mexico
● The highest peak is Mount Elbert which is 4.40 km (14 440 feet) tall
Rockies
ALPS
● Runs somewhat parallel to the Rockies, but further west in the United States
● Beautiful national parks are located here including Yosemite and Kings Canyon.
● The tallest mountain, Mount Whitney at 4.42 km (14 505 feet) is part of the Sierra Nevada.
Sierra Nevada
ALPS
B. The Appalachian Mountains run parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coastline on the eastern part of the United States.
C. The highest of the group is Mount Mitchell in North Carolina at 6 684 feet (2 037m).
Appalachian
Famous Mountain Ranges
▪ The Ural Mountains run north to south in western Russia.
▪ The eastern side of these mountains is often considered the border between the continents of Europe and Asia.
▪ The highest peak, Mount Narodnaya, reaches 6 217 feet (1 895 meters).
Ural
Global Distribution of Major Mountain Belts and Plate Tectonics
Where are major mountain belts located and why?
Most of the world’s major mountain belts are located along tectonic plate boundaries. But mountain ranges like the Appalachians in eastern North America are in the interior of plates. Mountain such as these were formed by ancient plate collisions that assembled the present day continents.
