Young Mountain Region of Western Europe
 Young Mountains and Adjacent Lowlands. Across the central and southern regions of Western Europe extend a series of young mountain ranges curved into huge arcs and reaching a considerable height.
Fie. 16. Mont Blanc, snow-capped throughout the year Note the gradual elevation of the ridges separated by deep valleys and sharp-topped peaks. Compare these mountains with the ones on Figure 14.
The loftiest young mountains of Europe are the A1ps. They contain jagged, pointed peaks that are snow-clad throughout the year. Mighty glaciers move slowly down the slopes, like enormous rivers of ice (Fig. 15). As such glaciers travel, they carve holes on their way, smoothen and deform rocks. Rock waste is deposited at the edges and bottoms of the glaciers. Especially plentiful is this waste at the bottoms of the glaciers, where they begin to melt. Out of the glaciers flow mountain streams which give rise to numerous rivers.
The highest peak in the Alps is Mont Blanc (White Mountain), 4,810 metres high (see Fig. 16). The Alpine ranges are separated by deep valleys, both lengthwise (parallel to the ranges) and crosswise (cutting across them). These valleys and the numerous passes facilitate travelling. Therefore, though the Alps are very high, they are easy to cross. Railways, moreover, tunnel underneath.
From the Alps other young ranges branch off in all directions.
To the south-west are situated the Pyrenees. They are steep and hard to cross. Though they are lower than the Alps, passes across them are relatively few. Their peaks are snow-clad throughout
the year and their northern slopes contain small glaciers.  The Pyrenees isolate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe.
South of the Alps run the Apennines across the Apennine Peninsula.
Fig. 17. A scene in the Carpathians (Rumania). Note the abundance of forests.
They are continued through Sicily, North Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula.
East of the Alps stretch the Carpathians, low and thickly forested mountains. They have neither snow-capped peaks nor glaciers (Fig. 17). The Carpathians extend in a semicircle facing the East European Plain. Within the arc, between the Carpathians and the Alps, lies the Centra1 Danubian Plain, consisting of loose, alluvial soil washed down from the neighboring mountains.
The belt of young mountains is continued further on the mountainous Balkan Peninsula, where the low Balkan Mountains extend as far as the Black Sea. Between the Carpathians and the Balkans lies the Lower Danubian Plain. Both the Central Danubian and Lower Danubian Plains were once bottoms of the sea.
Questions and Assignments.
- Study the physical map of Europe and determine which
range is highest: the Pyrenees, Apennines or Carpathians.
- How do ancient and young mountains differ outwardly?
- Mark on the outline map of Europe the mountain ranges you
have studied (young mountains in lines, ancient mountains in
dashes).
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