Middle Urals represents the lowest part of the Urals. Southern border Mount Yurma is considered to be located in the Chelyabinsk region, and northern mountain Kosvinsky stone and its neighbor - Konzhakovsky stone. On average, mountains do not exceed the 800 meter barrier, with a few exceptions.
TO Middle Urals refers to the least high part of the territory of the Urals, from Mount Oslyanka (1119 m) to the latitudinal section of the Ufa River. This area is unique in its landscape, in its combination of pristine natural areas with industrial areas.
The Sverdlovsk region is located on the territory of the Middle Urals, which occupies an area of 194.3 thousand square meters. km. In the extreme north-west it borders with the Komi Republic, in the west - with the Perm region, in the south - with the Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Chelyabinsk and Kurgan, and in the east - with the Tyumen regions. By territory Sverdlovsk region passes the border between Europe and Asia.
The western part of it is occupied by the low Ural Mountains and the Trans-Ural Upland, the eastern part is represented by a plain, which is part of the huge West Siberian Lowland. The very southeast is occupied by the Ufa Plateau, 450-500 m high, strongly dissected by river valleys and composed of strata of soluble rocks (limestones, dolomites). The elevated part of the Middle Urals is represented by ridges of a higher axial strip. On the tops of the mountains you can see rock outcrops composed of durable rocks: quartzite, gabbro. Particularly picturesque are the remains of granites, which when weathered produce mattress-like slabs.
A characteristic feature of the mountains of the Middle Urals is their low height (250-500 m) and the complicated orography of the ridges, which often do not have strict orientation due to the complex geological structure. The width of the mountain strip in the Middle Urals reaches 25-30 km, and together with the foothills 80-90 km. Characterized by strongly smoothed hills and ridges, karst is developed on the western slope. It consists mainly of gneisses, amphibolites, quartzites, limestones and sandy rocks.
In the southern part, closely spaced ridges can be traced with famous mountains: Ufaleysky (Beryozovaya - 609 m, Azov - 589 m), Konovalovsky - (Shunut-Kamen - 726 m) and the Bardymsky ridge parallel to them in the west with its northern extension- Kirgishansky ridge. Mount Yurma is considered the southern border of the Middle Urals.
In the area of Revda and Pervouralsk there are significant intermountain depressions, and it is here that the Chusovaya River crosses the Ural ridge.
Between the latitudes of Pervouralsk and Nizhny Tagil, the Ural range is represented by the Merry Mountains with the most famous peaks Starik-Kamen - 755 m and Belaya - 712 m.
North of Nizhny Tagil the number of mountains over 500 m in height is growing. The ridge turns to the northwest, towards the Basegi ridge, Mount Sklyanki and Lyalinsky Kamen. The width of the massif in this part is more than 100 km.
The highest peaks of the Middle Urals are located closer to the border with the Northern Urals: Mount Oslyanka - 1119 m, the Basegi ridge with the Middle Baseg peak - 994 m and Mount Kachkanar - 878 m. As often happens in the Urals, all these peaks are located away from the Main Ural ridge.
Many of the mountains are famous monuments nature. Special place belongs to nature reserves and national parks.
The Middle Urals are a whole storehouse of various minerals. The amazing combination of minerals is explained by the complex geological history, which the Urals experienced. During the intrusion of igneous rocks, sedimentary strata changed under the influence high temperatures and pressure. This is how various minerals and many ores arose, which, due to erosion and weathering of the mountains, ended up close to the surface or were exposed. The basis Ural metallurgy constitute ores of ferrous metals. The most valuable of them are magnetic iron ores (magnetites). Deposits in the Middle Urals magnetic iron ores are available in the area of Kushva, Nizhny Tagil, Pervouralsk, Kachkanar.
The Middle Urals are rich in non-ferrous, noble and rare metals. Copper pyrite ore deposits are located in Krasnouralsk, Kirovograd, and Degtyarsk. Copper ores formed during the introduction of granites are developed in Nizhny Tagil (Mednorudnyanskoye deposit), near Polevskoye (Gumeshevskoye deposit). Complex copper ores are mined in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. There are many deposits of rare metals in the Middle Urals: gold (Berezovskoye deposit, valleys of the Tura, Salda, Tagil rivers), platinum (valleys of the Lobva, Kosya, Tagil rivers). Platinum nuggets weighing more than 10 kg were found in the Urals.
The non-metallic mineral resources of the Middle Urals are also diverse. Deposits of fire-resistant minerals - asbestos and talc - are especially large. The Bazhenov asbestos deposit is one of the largest in the world. Acid-resistant asbestos, valuable for chemical industry, is being developed near Sysert. To the south of Sverdlovsk there is the country's largest Shabrovskoye talc deposit.
The Urals are famous for the abundance of semi-precious and semi-precious colored stones. Stone products made by the hands of skilled Ural lapidaries are world famous. Famous are the gem mines near the village of Murzinka, near the villages of Lipovka, Adui, in the Novoasbest area. On the dumps you can collect samples of rock crystal, amethyst, and morion. There are also alexandrite - a transparent stone of a dark green color, and chrysolite of a golden-greenish color. You can also find bluish or pink flowers, tourmalines with a variety of colors.
In the Middle Urals there are the best deposits of malachite and orlets, jasper and marble. Some old developments and mines are protected as natural monuments. These include the depleted copper mines “Gumeshki”, “Zyuzelka”, “Talkov Kamen”.
The Middle Urals have a dense river network, many lakes and artificial reservoirs- ponds and reservoirs. Most rivers begin on the slopes of the Ural Mountains and flow from them to the west and east. Tributaries of the Tobol flow from the eastern slope of the Urals to the West Siberian Lowland. The large river Tura and its tributaries - Tagil, Neiva, Rezh, Pyshma, as well as Iset - begin in the Middle Urals. In the mountains and western foothills of the Middle Urals flows one of the most popular rivers of the Urals among tourists - Chusovaya. To the south of it, among the western foothills, flows the Ufa with its tributaries Bisert and Serga.
The rivers of the Middle Urals are characterized by a slow, calm flow. In their valleys there are often coastal cliffs called “fighters” or “stones”.
On the western slopes of the Middle Urals and the wooded plains of the Cis-Urals, numerous rivers originate, belonging to the Kama basin - the largest and most abundant river in the Urals. The Kama is 2023 km long and collects water from an area of more than 522 thousand square meters. km. The Kama is the fourth longest among the rivers of the European part of Russia, the largest tributary of the Volga.
Numerous tributaries of the Kama form a intricately branched, dense network. On the way from the source to the mouth, the Kama receives over 200 tributaries, among which are: large rivers, like Vishera, Chusovaya, Belaya, Vyatka. Especially big number tributaries are received by the Kama in its middle reaches. All the left-bank tributaries of the Kama River originate from the slopes of the Urals: Vishera, Yayva, Kosva, Chusovaya. Winding among valleys squeezed by mountains, these tributaries of the Kama form in their bed countless rapids and rapids, bizarre rocks and cliffs, called “fighters” in the Ural language. On the right, the flat, calm and slow rivers Inva and Obva, born among forests and swamps, flow into the Kama.
On the eastern slope of the Middle Urals, numerous, but less abundant than in the Kama basin, originate large and small rivers - tributaries of the Tobol. These are Tavda, Tura, Pyshma, Iset. Most of the rivers on the eastern slope of the Urals in their upper reaches have quite fast current and close to the mountains.
Lakes in the Middle Urals are distributed unevenly. In the mountainous part of the southwest there are few lakes, but in the eastern and many low-lying places of the Western Siberian part there are many lakes, although none are very large or deep.
On the eastern foothills there are beautiful “mountain” lakes Tavatuy, Baltym, Peschanoye, Shartash.
In the wide valleys of Tavda, Nitsa, and Ufa you can find floodplain oxbow lakes. In many of them, silt is deposited at the bottom, resulting from the decomposition of dead algae and small organisms.
There are many ponds and reservoirs in the Middle Urals. Most of them were created for the needs of the mining industry in the 18th - 19th centuries. and has survived to this day. The area of the largest ponds reaches 8 - 15 square meters. km. They are reservoirs for creating a supply of water for winter and summer time(Verkh-Isetsky, Nizhne-Tagilsky, Nevyansky ponds, Volchikha reservoir).
Almost the entire territory of the Middle Urals is located in the forest zone. In the southwest and southeast, where the climate is warmer and drier, the forest gives way to forest-steppe. Forest zone characterized by a predominance of coniferous forests. The most common tree species- pine. In the forests of the northern part of the Middle Urals there is a lot of spruce and fir. The most common deciduous trees are birch and aspen, which form an admixture in coniferous forests. There are many pure birch forests.
Forests are one of the main resources of the Middle Urals. They not only supply raw materials for the woodworking and chemical industries, but are also of great water and soil protection importance, especially in the mountains.
In shaping the climate of the Middle Urals, the main role is played by westerly winds blowing from Atlantic Ocean. Due to the change of warm and cold currents, the weather often changes not only during the week, but also during the day. The remoteness from the Atlantic Ocean and the proximity of Siberia make the climate of the Middle Urals continental, which affects more sudden shifts temperatures
The Ural Mountains, stretching from north to south, interfere with the movement of air flows from the west. Therefore, more precipitation falls on the western slope of the mountains than on the eastern and beyond the Urals. At the same time, mountains do not interfere with the movement of air in the southern or northern directions. Cold air The Arctic often penetrates along the ridge far to the south, and warm and dry conditions from the south move north. Especially in spring and summer, east of the Urals, these movements cause unstable weather. The average air temperature in January ranges from -16 to -20°C, in July from +18 to + 19°C. Sometimes frosts of -40-50°C occur. The frost-free period lasts 110 - 120 days in the south of the Middle Urals, and 90 - 95 days in the north. There is a lot of rainfall here. The eastern part receives precipitation of 400 - 500 mm per year, the southeastern part - up to 380 mm. The mountainous part of the Urals is more humid, and the amount of precipitation in the mountains of the northern part of the Middle Urals reaches 700 mm per year.
The fauna of the Middle Urals is dominated by animals and birds adapted to life in coniferous forests. These are wolverine, sable, weasel, chipmunk, capercaillie, hazel grouse, and black grouse.
In the upper mountain belt there is wild reindeer(north of Konzhakovsky Stone). In the taiga of the Urals live the brown bear, lynx, marten, elk, squirrel, hare, mole, woodpecker, cuckoo, eagle owl, hawk, bullfinch, tit.
The forests and forest-steppe areas of the region are inhabited by wolves, foxes, ermines, and weasels. Reptiles and amphibians are few in the taiga forests: common viper, grass snake, viviparous lizard, grass frog.
In the upper part of the mountain-forest belt and on the chars, some mountain birds are found: Pipit, Mountain Wagtail, Accentor. There are also a lot of small rodents there. Generally animal world The mountain taiga of the Urals is more monotonous than the flat taiga.
In the southern regions of the taiga, especially in coniferous-deciduous forests, the composition of animals is more diverse. On the western slope of the Middle Urals, the hedgehog, forest ferret, badger, and brown hare, typical of deciduous forests, appear. Birds of European forests can be found: nightingale, oriole, chaffinch, siskin, goldfinch, starling, rook. Reptiles and amphibians are more diverse: non-venomous snakes, toads, newts.
In the forest-steppe areas of the region, the fauna is mixed character. Squirrels, wood grouse, and white hare live in birch groves and pine forests. In open meadow-steppe spaces, now heavily plowed, you can find ground squirrels, jerboas, and hamsters are not uncommon. Among the birds there are many skylarks, there are partridges, and among the predators there are spotted eagle and falcon eagle. Of the reptiles in the forest-steppe, you can often see the quick lizard. The overgrown shores of the lakes are home to a large number of waterfowl, waders, and numerous small rodents.
In the taiga of the Middle Urals there are many game animals: sable, weasel and marten. The Urals are the only place where a cross between them, called kidus (or kidas), is found. One of the main game animals is the squirrel. A small Siberian rodent with black stripes along its back, the chipmunk has an inexpensive but beautiful skin. The fox is found not only in forests, but also in forest-steppe areas. All areas are hunted by the hare, as well as ermine and weasel. Otter and mink are rarely seen.
Large forest animals are more preserved in the forests of the northern regions, where the population is still sparse. The most valuable of them is elk. Behind last years, thanks to security, it has become noticeably more numerous, but hunting it is prohibited.
Ural economic region located at the junction of the European and Asian parts of Russia. He borders with the Northern, Volga-Vyatka, Volga and West Siberian economic regions. In the south it borders with Kazakhstan. The Urals is a land region, but along the Ural, Kama, Volga rivers and canals it has exit to the Caspian, Azov and Black Sea. Developed here transport network: transit railways and car roads, as well as oil and gas pipelines. Transport network connects Ural with European part Russia and Siberia.
The territory of the Urals includes Ural mountain system, stretching from north to south for more than 2 thousand km. with a width from 40 to 150 km (Fig. 2).
Rice. 2. Ural Mountains ()
According to the nature of the relief and landscapes allocate Polar, Subpolar, Northern, Middle and Southern Urals. The main territory is medium-high ridges and ridges from 800 to 1200 m in height. Only a few peaks reach an altitude of 1500 m above sea level. Highest peak- Mount Narodnaya (1895 m), which is located in the Northern Urals (Fig. 3). In the literature there are two variants of accents: Narodnaya and Narodnaya. The first is justified by the presence of the Naroda River at the foot of the mountain, and the second dates back to 20-30 years. last century, when people sought to dedicate names to symbols of the state.
Rice. 3. Mount Narodnaya ()
Mountain ranges stretch parallel in the meridian direction. The ridges are separated by longitudinal mountain depressions in which rivers flow. The mountains are composed of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. Karst and many caves are developed on the western slopes. One of the most famous is the Kungur Ice Cave.
Karst- a set of processes and phenomena associated with the activity of water and expressed in the dissolution of such rocks, such as gypsum, limestone, dolomite, rock salt, and the formation of voids in them (Fig. 4).
Natural conditions unfavorable. The Ural mountain range influenced climate region. It changes in three directions: from north to south, from west to east and from the foot of the mountains to the peaks. The Ural Mountains are a climatic barrier to the transfer of humid air masses from west to east, i.e. from the Atlantic. Despite the insignificant height of the mountains, they prevent the spread of air masses to the east. Thus, the Urals receive more precipitation than in the Trans-Urals, and in the north of the Ural Mountains there is also permafrost.
By diversity mineral resources The Ural has no equal among economic regions Russia (Fig. 5).
Rice. 5. Economic map Ural. ()
The Urals have long been the country's largest mining and metallurgical base. There are 15 thousand deposits of various minerals here. The main wealth of the Urals is the ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Ore raw materials predominate in the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, in the eastern foothills and Trans-Urals. 2/3 of the iron ore reserves of the Urals are contained in the Kachkanar deposit. Oil fields are concentrated in the Perm region, Udmurtia, Bashkiria and the Orenburg region. In the Orenburg region there is the largest in the European part of the country gas condensate field. Copper ores - in Krasnouralsk, Revda (Sverdlovsk region), Karabash (Chelyabinsk region), Mednogorsk (Orenburg region). Small coal reserves are located in the Chelyabinsk basin, and brown coal is located in Kopeisk. The Urals has large reserves of potash and table salts in the Verkhnekamsk basin. The region is also rich in precious metals: gold, silver, platinum. More than 5 thousand minerals were discovered here. In the Ilmensky Nature Reserve, 5% of all minerals on Earth are concentrated on an area of 303 km2.
40% of the Urals territory is covered with forest. Forest performs recreational and sanitary functions. Northern forests are mainly for industrial use. The Perm region, Sverdlovsk region, Bashkiria and Udmurtia are rich in forests. The structure of land is dominated by cultivated lands and arable lands. Soils Almost everywhere they are depleted as a result of human impact.
Rice. 6. Nature of the Perm region ()
The Urals are also rich in rivers (Fig. 6). There are 69 thousand of them, but the region is unevenly provided with water resources. Most of the rivers are located on the western slope of the Urals. Rivers They originate in the mountains, but in the upper reaches they are shallow. The most important educational tourism centers, historical and architectural monuments - cities such as Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Perm, Solikamsk, Izhevsk. Here are some interesting natural objects: Kungur Ice Cave (5.6 km long, consisting of 58 ice grottoes and a huge number of lakes (Fig. 7)), Kapova Cave (Republic of Bashkiria, with ancient wall paintings), as well as the Chusovaya River - one of the most beautiful rivers in Russia ( Fig. 8).
Rice. 7. Kungur Ice Cave ()
Rice. 8. Chusovaya River ()
Many of the Urals' resources have been exploited for more than 300 years, so it is not surprising that they are depleted. However, talking about the impoverishment of the Ural economic region premature. The fact is that the region is poorly studied geologically, the subsoil has been explored to a depth of 600-800 m, but it is possible to carry out geological exploration wide in the north and south of the region.
Celebrities of Udmurtia - Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov
Kalashnikov Mikhail Timofeevich - design engineer small arms, creator of the world-famous AK-47 (Fig. 9).
Rice. 9. M. Kalashnikov with an AK-47 assault rifle ()
In 1947, the Kalashnikov assault rifle was adopted for service. Mikhail Timofeevich was born on November 10, 1919 in the village. Kurya Altai Territory. He was the 17th child in a large family. In 1948, Mikhail Timofeevich was sent to the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant to organize the production of the first batch of his AK-47 assault rifle (Fig. 10).
Rice. 10. M.T. Kalashnikov ()
In 2004, it opened in the city of Izhevsk (the capital of Udmurtia) small arms museum named after M.T. Kalashnikov. The museum is based on a large collection of military and civilian weapons of Russian and foreign production, weapons accessories and personal belongings of Mikhail Timofeevich. Mikhail Timofeevich died on December 23, 2013 in the city of Izhevsk.
The Urals - the border between Europe and Asia
The border between Europe and Asia is most often drawn along the eastern base of the Ural Mountains and Mugodzhary, the Emba River, along the northern shore of the Caspian Sea, along the Kuma-Manych depression and Kerch Strait(Fig. 11).
Rice. 11. Obelisk in Yekaterinburg ()
General length The border across the territory of Russia is 5524 km, of which along the Ural ridge - 2 thousand km, and along the Caspian Sea - 990 km. Another option for defining the border of Europe is often used - along the watershed of the Ural Range, the Ural River and the watershed of the Caucasus Range.
Lake Turgoyak
Lake Turgoyak is one of the most beautiful and cleanest lakes in the Urals. It is located in a mountain basin near the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk region (Fig. 12).
Rice. 12. Lake Turgoyak ()
The lake is recognized as a natural monument. It is deep - its average depth is 19 m, and the maximum reaches 36.5 m. Lake Turgoyak is famous for its very high transparency, which reaches 10-17 m. Turgoyak water is close to Baikal water. The bottom of the lake is rocky - from pebbles to cobblestones. The shores of the lake are high and steep. Only a few small streams flow into the lake. Main source food is groundwater. Interestingly, the water level in the lake fluctuates. There are several archaeological sites on the shores of Lake Turgoyak.
Bibliography
1. Customs E.A. Geography of Russia: economy and regions: 9th grade, textbook for students educational institutions. - M.: Ventana-Graf, 2011.
2. Fromberg A.E. Economic and social geography. - 2011, 416 p.
3. Atlas by economic geography, 9th grade. - Bustard, 2012.
Homework
1. Tell us about the geographical location of the Urals.
2. Tell us about the relief and climate of the Urals.
3. Tell us about the mineral and water resources of the Urals.
“The Stone Belt of Russia” - this is what the Urals have long been called, the mountains of which seem to encircle the territory of our country, separating the European and Asian parts. Mountain ranges stretch from the cold coast Kara Sea all the way to the endless steppes of Kazakhstan. The Urals are a unique natural complex, which includes several climatic zones.
Geographical position
The Urals are located at the junction of two parts of the world and its mountain ranges serve as a natural border between Asia and Europe. The length of the Ural Mountains is more than 2500 km. They originate off the coast of the Northern Arctic Ocean and extend to the semi-desert regions of Kazakhstan, separating the West Siberian and East European Plains.
The EGP of the Urals (economic-geographical location) is of great interest, since this region is located at the intersection of numerous transport routes connecting the east and west of the country. Every day they carry impressive cargo flows, which are constantly gaining momentum.
Relief features
The Ural Mountains are the most ancient in the territory Russian state, formed several hundred million years ago. That is why the height of their peaks rarely exceeds 1000 m: for many years they experience mechanical impact wind and precipitation, gradually decreasing in size.
Rice. 1. Ural Mountains.
The highest point of the Ural mountain range- Mount Narodnaya. Its height is only 1895 m. It is located on the territory of the Subpolar Urals, between the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and the Komi Republic.
Width " stone belt"It is also not very large - no more than 200 km, in some places it can narrow to 50 km.
TOP 2 articleswho are reading along with this
Conventionally, the Ural mountain system is divided into several regions. Let's consider brief description each of them.
Table “Relief of the Ural Mountains”
|
Ural region |
Peculiarities |
Highest points |
|
Polar |
The ridges are curved, in the northernmost part there are glaciers |
Mount Payer (1472 m) |
|
Circumpolar |
The highest part of the Urals, the peaks are pointed, the ridges are located parallel to each other |
Mount Narodnaya (1895 m), Mount Saber (1497) |
|
Northern |
The ridges are long, high, parallel to each other |
Mount Telpoziz (1617), Mount Denezhkin Kamen (1492 m) |
|
Low part of the mountain system, low, discontinuous ridges, rivers located in intermountain basins |
Mount Konzhakovsky stone (1569 m) |
|
|
The lowest and widest part of the Urals, the location of the ridges is fan-shaped |
Mount Yamantau (1640 m) |
Climate
The climate of the Urals is typical for a mountain region: precipitation is distributed unevenly not only across individual regions, but also within each region.
The Ural Mountains cross three climatic zones:
- subarctic;
- moderate continental;
- continental.
In addition, in the mountains it works altitudinal zone, and it is here that the latitudinal zoning is most pronounced.
Rice. 2. Climate of the Urals.
Despite the relatively low height of the mountains, the Urals have a significant influence on the climate in the region. Air cyclones coming from the west encounter an obstacle in the form of a mountain range. As a result, about 800 mm of precipitation falls on the western slopes, and 300 mm less on the eastern slopes.
In winter, the Ural reliably protects western region from the penetration of cold Siberian air.
Nature
The most typical taiga and mountain landscapes are typical for the Ural plains and the Urals itself. The main problem of the local flora is the intensive exploitation of the forest zone, the development of which continues to this day. Currently, the once rich forests occupy less than half of the territory.
Since the Urals are located several natural areas, its nature is very diverse:
- on the western slopes and the Urals, dark coniferous taiga reigns, consisting mainly of fir and spruce;
- the south of the region is occupied by mixed and broad-leaved forests, turning into black soil steppes;
- Deciduous forests grow on the eastern slopes, and there are tracts of pine forests.
Just a couple of centuries ago, the fauna of the Urals was very rich. However, constant hunting, plowing of land and deforestation took their toll: many representatives of the local fauna disappeared from the face of the earth forever.
Currently in the Urals, in some areas, you can find wolverine, bear, fox, ermine, sable, lynx, roe deer, and deer. All kinds of rodents live in large numbers on plowed lands.
The real decoration of the region are the lakes and rivers of the Urals, which belong to the basins of the Arctic Ocean. The most powerful and deep-flowing rivers are the Pechora, Kama, Ural, Iset, Tura and others.
Rice. 3. Kama.
Natural resources of the Urals
The Ural is a real treasury, in which many different natural resources. For many years, this region has held the title of the largest metallurgical and mining base in Russia.
Over the past few centuries, there has been active development of deposits of rock and potassium salt, iron, copper, rare non-ferrous metals, platinum, gold, and bauxite. On the eastern slopes of the Urals there are deposits of precious and semi-precious stones and gems. In addition, coal, natural gas, oil, and asbestos are mined here.
What have we learned?
When studying the topic “Ural” according to the plan for the 9th grade geography program, we found out the geographical location of this mountainous region of the country. We also briefly examined the features of the climate and nature of the Urals.
Test on the topic
Evaluation of the report
average rating: 4.7. Total ratings received: 406.
The Ural Mountains, formed due to the collision of the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates, for Russia are a unique natural and geographical object. They are the only mountain range crossing the country and dividing the state to the European and Asian parts.
In contact with
Geographical location
Any schoolchild knows which country the Ural Mountains are located in. This massif is a chain that is located between the East European and West Siberian plains.
It is stretched so that it divides the largest into 2 continents: Europe and Asia. Starting from the shore of the Arctic Ocean, it ends in the Kazakh desert. It stretches from south to north, and the length in some places reaches 2,600 km.
The geographical location of the Ural mountains passes almost everywhere parallel to the 60th meridian.
If you look at the map, you can see the following: central District located strictly vertically, the northern one turns to the northeast, and the southern one turns to the southwest. Moreover, in this place the ridge merges with the nearby hills.
Although the Urals are considered the border between continents, there is no exact geological line. Therefore it is believed that they belong to Europe, and the line dividing the mainland runs along the eastern foothills.
Important! The Urals are rich in natural, historical, cultural and archaeological values.
The structure of the mountain system
In the chronicles of the 11th century, the Ural mountain system is mentioned as Earth belt. This name is explained by the length of the ridge. Conventionally, it is divided into 5 areas:
- Polar.
- Subpolar.
- Northern.
- Average.
- South.
The mountain range partially covers the northern regions of Kazakhstan and 7 Russian regions:
- Arkhangelsk region
- Komi Republic.
- Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
- Perm region.
- Sverdlovsk region.
- Chelyabinsk region.
- Orenburg region.
Attention! Widest part mountain range located in the Southern Urals.
Location Ural mountains on the map.
Structure and relief
The first mention and description of the Ural Mountains comes from ancient times, but they were formed much earlier. This happened due to the interaction of rocks various configurations and age. In some areas they are still preserved remnants of deep faults and elements of oceanic rocks. The system was formed almost at the same time as Altai, but subsequently it experienced smaller uplifts, resulting in a small “altitude” of the peaks.
Attention! The advantage over the high Altai is that there are no earthquakes in the Urals, so it is much safer for living.
Minerals
The long-term resistance of volcanic structures to the force of the wind was the result of the formation of numerous attractions created by nature. These include caves, grottoes, rocks and so on. In addition, in the mountains there are huge mineral reserves, primarily ore, from which the following chemical elements are obtained:
- Iron.
- Copper.
- Nickel.
- Aluminum.
- Manganese.
Making a description of the Ural Mountains according to physical map, we can conclude that most of mineral development is carried out in the southern part of the region, or more precisely in Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions . Almost all types of ores are mined here, and a deposit of emeralds, gold and platinum was discovered not far from Alapaevsk and Nizhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region.
The area of the lower trough of the western slope is replete with oil and gas wells. The northern part of the region is somewhat inferior in deposits, but this is compensated by the fact that precious metals and stones predominate here.
Ural Mountains – leader in mining, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy and chemical industry. In addition, the region is in first place in Russia in terms of pollution level.
It should be taken into account, no matter how beneficial the development of underground subsoil is, the harm surrounding nature a more significant one is brought. The lifting of rocks from the depths of the mine is carried out by crushing with the release of large quantities of dust particles into the atmosphere.
At the top the fossils come into chemical reaction with the environment, the oxidation process takes place, and chemical products thus obtained again enters the air and water.
Attention! The Ural Mountains are known for their deposits of precious, semi-precious stones and noble metals. Unfortunately, they are almost completely exhausted, so Ural gems and malachite can now only be found in museums.
Peaks of the Urals
On topographic map Russia's Ural Mountains are indicated in light brown. This means that they do not have great indicators relative to sea level. Among natural areas can be emphasized the most high area, located in the Subpolar region. The table shows the coordinates of the heights of the Ural Mountains and exact value peaks
The location of the peaks of the Ural Mountains is created in such a way that there are unique areas in each region of the system. Therefore, all listed heights are recognized tourist sites, successfully used by people leading active image life.
On the map you can see that the Polar region is medium in height and narrow in width.
The nearby Subpolar region has greatest height, it is characterized by a sharp relief.
Of particular interest arises from the fact that several glaciers are concentrated here, one of which is almost as long as 1,000 m.
The height of the Ural Mountains in the Northern region is insignificant. The exception is a few peaks that dominate the entire ridge. The remaining heights, where the vertices are smoothed and they themselves have a rounded shape, do not exceed 700 m above sea level. Interestingly, closer to the south, they become even lower and almost turn into hills. The terrain is almost resembles a plain.
Attention! A map of the southern Ural Mountains with peaks more than one and a half kilometers away again reminds us of the ridge’s involvement in the huge mountain system separating Asia from Europe!
Big cities
A physical map of the Ural Mountains with cities marked on it proves that this area is considered abundantly populated. The only exception is the Polar and Subpolar Urals. Here several million-plus cities And a large number of those with a population of more than 100,000 people.
The population of the region is explained by the fact that at the beginning of the last century there was an urgent need for minerals in the country. This caused a large migration of people to the region where similar developments were taking place. In addition, in the early 60s and 70s, many young people left for the Urals and Siberia in the hope of radically changing their lives. This influenced the formation of new settlements, being built on the site of mining rocks.
Ekaterinburg
Capital of the Sverdlovsk region with population 1,428,262 people considered the capital of the region. The location of the metropolis is concentrated on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals. The city is the largest cultural, scientific, educational and administrative center. Geographical position The Ural Mountains were created in such a way that it is here that the natural way, connecting Central Russia and Siberia. This influenced the development of the infrastructure and economy of the former Sverdlovsk.
Chelyabinsk
The population of the city, which is located where the Ural Mountains are, according to geological map, border with Siberia: 1,150,354 people.
It was founded in 1736 on the eastern slope of the South Ridge. And with the advent of railway communication with Moscow, it began to develop dynamically and became one of the largest industrial centers in the country.
Over the past 20 years, the ecology of the region has deteriorated significantly, which has caused an outflow of population.
Nevertheless, today the volume of local industry is more than 35% of gross municipal product.
Ufa
The capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan with a population of 1,105,657 people is considered 31st city in Europe by population. It is located west of the Southern Ural Mountains. The length of the metropolis from south to north is more than 50 km, and from east to west - 30. In terms of size, it is one of the five largest Russian cities. In the ratio of population and occupied area, each resident accounts for about 700 m2 of urban territory.
In addition to the population of over a million, near the Ural Mountains there are cities with a population less than the specified number. First of all, you need to name the capitals administrative centers, which include the following: Orenburg - 564,445 people and Perm - 995,589. In addition to them, you can add some more cities:
- Nizhny Tagil – 355,694.
- Nizhnevartovsk – 270,865.
- Surgut – 306,789.
- Nefteyugansk – 123,567.
- Magnitogorsk – 408 418.
- Zlatoust – 174,572.
- Miass – 151,397.
Important! Information on the population is presented as of the end of 2016!
Geology: Ural Mountains
Ural region. Geographical location, main features of nature
Conclusion
Although the height of the Ural Mountains is not great, they are the object of close attention from climbers, tourists and simply people leading an active lifestyle. Anyone, even the most experienced person, can find something to their liking here.
The Urals are unique geographical region, along which the border of two parts of the world passes - Europe and Asia. Several dozen monuments and memorial signs have been installed along this border for more than two thousand kilometers. The region is based on the Ural mountain system. The Ural Mountains stretch for more than 2,500 km - from the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean to the deserts of Kazakhstan.
Geographers divided the Ural Mountains into five geographical zones: Polar, Subpolar, Northern, Middle and Southern Urals. The highest mountains in the Subpolar Urals. Here, in the Subpolar Urals, is the most high mountain Ural - Mount Narodnaya. But these are the ones northern regions The Urals are the most inaccessible and poorly developed. On the contrary, the lowest mountains are in the Middle Urals, which is also the most developed and densely populated.
The Urals include: administrative territories Russia: Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Kurgan region, Perm region, Bashkortostan, as well as the eastern parts of the Komi Republic, Arkhangelsk region and West Side Tyumen region. In Kazakhstan, the Ural Mountains can be traced in the Aktobe and Kostanay regions. Interestingly, the term “Ural” did not exist until the 18th century. We owe the appearance of this name to Vasily Tatishchev. Until this moment, only Russia and Siberia existed in the minds of the country’s inhabitants. The Urals were then classified as Siberia.
Where did the toponym “Ural” come from? There are several versions on this matter, but the most likely is that the word “Ural” came from Bashkir language. Of all the peoples living in this territory, only the Bashkirs from ancient times used the word “Ural” (“belt”). Moreover, the Bashkirs even have legends in which the “Ural” is present. For example, the epic “Ural Batyr”, which tells about the ancestors of the people of the Urals. "Ural-Batyr" absorbed ancient mythology, which existed many thousands of years ago. It presents wide range ancient views, rooted in the depths of the primitive communal system.
Modern history The Urals begins with the campaign of Ermak’s squad, who set out to conquer Siberia. However, this does not mean that the Ural Mountains were nothing interesting before the arrival of the Russians. People with their own special culture have lived here since ancient times. Archaeologists have found thousands of ancient settlements in the Urals. With the beginning of Russian colonization of these territories, the Mansi who lived here were forced to leave their original places, going further into the taiga. Currently, this is an almost extinct people, which will very soon cease to exist.
The Bashkirs were also forced to retreat from their lands in the south of the Urals. Many Ural factories were built on Bashkir lands, purchased from Bashkirs by factory owners for next to nothing. It is not surprising that Bashkir riots broke out from time to time. The Bashkirs raided Russian settlements and burned them to the ground. This was a bitter payment for the humiliation they suffered.