The natural complexes of the North Caucasus include a variety of landscapes of amazing beauty. This is a combination of flat and mountainous territories. The climate is subtropical. The Caucasus Mountains are the southern frontier of Russia, the border with the countries of Transcaucasia.
Mountain ranges
Natural complexes of the North Caucasus are located between two seas: the Black and Caspian. When we pronounce the word "Caucasus", huge mountains with snow-capped peaks, deep gorges, as well as forests and alpine meadows, come to mind. The magnificent mountains of the Greater Caucasus stretched from one peninsula to another. Here rise the highest Elbrus and Kazbek.
The mountains of the North Caucasus are freestanding mountains, as if lost in the plain. Maybe that’s why they are called the last branch of the Caucasus. Among the mountain ranges there are laccoliths - Bishtau and Zheleznaya. They have another name - diapirs. People call these mountains "failed volcanoes." There are strange mountain structures in the North Caucasus that emerged from weathering. Destruction occurs under the influence of various natural phenomena. Some mountains "lose weight" by two centimeters a year, while others from a single rock turn into bizarre forms. The basis of the relief is mountain systems.
Natural phenomena
The natural complexes of the North Caucasus are the result of an incomplete process of mountain formations. Earthquakes also occur in these areas. Inactive volcanoes are present on the territory, due to their eruption in the old days ore deposits appeared. Large deposits of oil and gas, mineral springs, which were widely used for healing purposes, were discovered.
Nature Reserves of the North Caucasus
Natural complexes include large protected areas. One of the unique places is the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, which is located in the Krasnodar Territory. Virgin forests and meadows occupy an extensive part of it. On the outskirts is an ornithological park, which is home to more than fifty species of birds and a large number of ungulates.
The reserves of the North Caucasus are a historical and cultural component of a large region. There are more than thirty of them, also there is one national park. For historically foreseeable times, there were no human settlements on this territory.
Weather
The natural complexes of the Caucasus include 133 mountain lakes, countless streams and rivers that feed on glaciers and snowfields. These objects formed a strongly rugged relief. Extensive estuaries are rich in various fish. To monitor its reproduction, numerous fish breeding enterprises are being created.
The natural complexes of the Caucasus are rich in forests, their clean air is filled with moisture and pristine silence. The mountainous terrain determines the difference in seasons depending on the altitude zones. Winter is felt first of all in the highlands, where already in the last days of October snow falls and cold weather sets in. In the foothills, snowfall is just beginning at this time. At the end of November, snowstorms are circling in the mountains, the slopes of the ranges are covered with many-meter snow cover.
Recreation
Recreational resources of the Caucasus provide a great prospect for the development of spa holidays, tourism and economy. The largest areas are adjacent to the Black Sea coast. For a long period of time, the water in the sea is warm, which makes it possible to extend the tourist season to six months. Famous resorts are Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Tuapse.
The recreational resources of the Caucasus are also the city of Mineralnye Vody. There are mineral springs of various composition. The attractiveness of the area is its beautiful landscape, which is of interest to curious tourists.
Tourism at the foot of Elbrus and Kazbek is very popular.
The geography of the North Caucasus is represented by Ciscaucasia and the northern slope of the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. The relief changes from plain to alpine. Recently, the Azov and Caspian coasts are very popular.
Arkhyz Valley
The pearl of the North Caucasus is Arkhyz Valley. The average annual temperature here is always higher than outside the valley. This climate heals the human body. Arkhyz are high-altitude lakes, stone bowls of various shapes, which are filled with clear water. In total, there are about seventy such lakes in the region.
Thanks to the melting of glaciers, waterfalls are also formed. They break down from such a height that from afar the water in them resembles long pearl strings. Having descended from the mountains, waterfalls turn into small rivers. Without stopping for a second, they run to the valley, taking with them the freshness of the mountain air, the reflection of the sun and the beauty of the forest.
One of the main peaks of Arkhyz is Mount Sofia, from a distance it looks like a majestic Byzantine temple. The waterfalls born of the glaciers of Sofia have amazing beauty.
