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Ural Mountains

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The Ural Mountains are a massive mountain range located in Eurasia.

UralMountains1
UralMountains1

This range runs primarily north to south through Russia. It also extends into northwestern Kazakhstan. These mountains serve a major geographic purpose. They form a conventional boundary between the continents of Europe and Asia. This boundary separates European Russia from the vast region of Siberia.

Operational Navigation Chart D-4, 3rd edition
Operational Navigation Chart D-4, 3rd edition

In the far north, the chain continues into the Arctic Ocean. It reaches out to Vaygach Island and the islands of Novaya Zemlya.

The physical structure of the range is quite complex. Transverse faults divide the mountain chain into seven major units. Each unit has its own typical pattern of mountain ridges. From north to south, these units are the Pay-Khoy, Zapolyarnyy, Pripolyarnyy, Polyarnyy, Severnyy, Sredniy, and Yuzhnny Ural, plus the Mugodzhary.

Mountain formation near Saranpaul
Mountain formation near Saranpaul

Topographically, the mountains are also divided into five distinct sections. These include the Polar, Nether-Polar, Northern, Central, and Southern parts. The Polar Urals feature sharp ridges and exposed rock.

Саблинский хребет
Саблинский хребет

In contrast, the Nether-Polar Urals are higher and wider. This section contains the highest peaks in the entire range.

The naming of the mountains involves many different languages and legends. In the 16th century, Russians used names meaning "stone belt."

Herberstein-Moscovia-NE
Herberstein-Moscovia-NE

The modern Russian name, Ural, appeared during the 16th and 17th centuries. This occurred during the Russian conquest of Siberia. Some scholars believe the name comes from Turkic words for "stone belt." Others suggest it comes from the Ostyak word "urr," meaning a chain of mountains. There is also a Bashkir legend about a hero named Ural. The story says he sacrificed his life for his people. People then piled stones over his grave to create the mountains.

History shows a gradual expansion of knowledge about this region. Medieval geographers knew of the mountains by the 10th century. They knew the range stretched to the Arctic Ocean. However, Western geography did not firmly establish the mountains until the 1500s. A Polish geographer once argued there were no mountains in Eastern Europe. Sigismund von Herberstein changed this view in 1549. He identified the mountains using Russian sources.

Herberstein-Moscovia-NE
Herberstein-Moscovia-NE

Later, the Russians reached the southern parts in the 1550s. They founded the city of Ufa in 1574. By the 17th century, people began discovering rich mineral deposits.

The mountains are a vital center for natural resources. They contain metal ores, coal, and many precious stones.

Beryl-md20a
Beryl-md20a

Mining intensified greatly during the reign of Peter I. He commissioned Vasily Tatishchev to develop the mining works. Tatishchev helped establish the foundations for cities like Perm and Yekaterinburg.

Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108
Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108

Gold was discovered at Beryozovskoye in 1745 and has been mined since 1747. The region is now one of Russia's largest centers for metallurgy. It supports massive heavy industry production.

Gorskii 04428u
Gorskii 04428u

Industrial development changed the landscape of the Urals significantly. During the 1930s, the city of Magnitogorsk was founded for steelmaking. During World War II, the mountains provided a safe location for industry. The Soviet government moved many factories to the eastern foothills. This kept them out of reach of German bombers. Large tank and tractor factories were established in cities like Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk.

Ural Mountains IMG 3277 (28448487562)
Ural Mountains IMG 3277 (28448487562)

After the war, the region also became a center for the nuclear industry. This included the site known as Mayak.

Today, the Urals are a hub of scientific study and transport. Many railways link the mountains to the rest of the country.

Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108
Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108

A major section of the Trans-Siberian Railway runs through this region. Scientists from Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have studied the area. They have mapped the geology and studied the local biology.

The highest point in the range is Mount Narodnaya. It reaches an elevation of 1,895 meters.

Mount Iremel
Mount Iremel

The mountains remain a place of great geological and historical importance.

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🖼️ Images & Media (19)
File:UralMountains1.png
UralMountains1.png
File:Herberstein-Moscovia-NE.png
Herberstein-Moscovia-NE.png
File:Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108.jpg
Verkhoturye 1910 LOC prok 02108.jpg
File:Уральские горы - panoramio (1).jpg
Уральские горы - panoramio (1).jpg
File:Operational Navigation Chart D-4, 3rd edition.jpg
Operational Navigation Chart D-4, 3rd edition.jpg
File:Саблинский хребет.jpg
Саблинский хребет.jpg
File:Ural Mountains IMG 3277 (28448487562).jpg
Ural Mountains IMG 3277 (28448487562).jpg
File:Mountain formation near Saranpaul.jpg
Mountain formation near Saranpaul.jpg
File:Rochers dans les montagnes de l Oural 448122760 3572eca433 o.jpg
Rochers dans les montagnes de l Oural...
File:Mount Iremel.jpg
Mount Iremel.jpg
File:Ignateva cave entry.jpg
Ignateva cave entry.jpg
File:Gorskii 04428u.jpg
Gorskii 04428u.jpg

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