Not every man is able to say without hesitation what mountains divide Europe and Asia.In order to properly answer this question, it is necessary to begin to note that Eurasia is the largest continent on the planet.It can be divided into two continents - Europe and Asia.From an economic point of view, since the earliest times to the present day, the border between them is very important to move from East to West and vice versa.According to the ancient Greeks, it was held in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.Starting from the fifth century BC, it was considered the Don River and the Strait of Kerch.This is the opinion Ptolemy, therefore, this doctrine is quite firmly established and lasted until the eighteenth century.In this article, we will focus on what divides Europe and Asia in the modern sense.
first official division
in the scientific literature for the first time officially the mainland was divided into two continents known Swedish academics Johann Philipp von Strahlenberg in 1730.In response to his writings on the question of what the mountains divide Europe and Asia, it is clearly noted that the Ural Mountains.At the same time a scientist focused on the fact that in addition to a boundary passes through the river of the same name, the Caucasus, the Strait of Ugra Bowl, the Caspian, Black and Azov Seas.Many reputable scholars of that time supported such an idea what to write about in his works.There is an opinion that such an idea suggested Strahlenberg VNTatischev - the founder of many local towns and villages.Now more detail about what mountains divide Europe and Asia.
formation of the Ural Mountains Ural
not simply a naturally formed the boundary between the adjacent continents, but also serves as a watershed of eastern and western basins.Formation of mountains began about 350 million years ago, in other words, in the Paleozoic era and lasted for roughly 150 million years.The total length of the ridge exceeds the mark of two thousand kilometers.With regard to its width, it varies in different areas from forty to one hundred fifty kilometers.The very name "Ural" is translated from the Bashkir language means "hill" or "mountain".Talking about what mountains divide Europe and Asia, not to mention the interesting historical fact that on the very first map of Russia they were called "Big stone" and portrayed as a big belt, where a significant number of rivers.Due to the fact that the ridge is quite old, it peaks are not very high.The first official documentary memory of it is in the "Tale of Bygone Years" and dates back to the eleventh century.Urals geographically be divided into Polar, Subpolar, Northern, Central and Southern parts.
Natural Resources
now in the Urals, you can meet a wide variety of minerals and minerals.There are copper and iron ore, cobalt, nickel, zinc, petroleum, coal and even gems with gold.In this regard, since the days of the Soviet Union mountains between Europe and Asia are considered to be the largest mining and metallurgical base of the state.This is not surprising, because 48 of the 55 kinds of minerals that were mined at that time all over the country met here.Many of them, including precious and semiprecious stones, are located in close proximity to the earth's surface.There are also some minerals, which are found only here.A striking example is their dark emerald uvarovite.This also should include the rich forest resources.It should be noted that in the central and southern parts of the mountain offers excellent conditions for agriculture.
Climate
For a typical characteristic of the Ural mountain climate, in conditions which are unevenly distributed rainfall.Natural conditions here can vary greatly even within the same zone.The explanation for this is quite simple.The fact that the mountains separating Europe and Asia, playing the role of a climatic barrier.Due to the fact that in western receive higher rainfall, the climate is milder and humid.As for the eastern region of the ridge, then all on the contrary - it is dry due to lack of rainfall.
Obelisks
Specific words deserve located on the border between Asia and Europe, local obelisks.They began to be established here in the nineteenth century.The first monuments have become monuments in the form of stelae, made out of wood and having a rectangular shape.They are mandatory deposited pointers that so called "Asia" and "Europe".In order to ensure the safety of the obelisks were erected around them guard hut small sizes in which they lived, as a rule, crawlers forest.Some monuments can boast its own unique history.For example, a monument, located near the Birch Mountains, appeared in 1807.Thirty years later, in connection with a visit to object imperial delegation, a wooden structure was replaced with marble, with the arms of the king.
boundary of the Ural River
River, which separates Europe and Asia - is the Ural.Its total length is about two and a half thousand kilometers.It should be noted that in the basin are about eight thousand rivers of different sizes.At the source of the Urals are five major springs located at an altitude of 637 meters above sea level.Combined into a swampy valley, they form a fairly powerful stream.The idea of using the river as a border between the two continents suggested that the above-mentioned Russian scientist VN Tatishchev.
Istanbul
only city in the world that is simultaneously on two continents, Istanbul is Turkish.The history of this metropolis has more than two thousand years.All these years he had a very great commercial importance due to its geographical location.Mediterranean Sea that separates Europe and Asia, and also separates them from Africa.It is here that over the Bosphorus Sea of Marmara with the Black connected.In the same way, and separated the continents.The very location of the modern city of Istanbul is often called the gate, binders Silk Road with the Old World.
Expedition 2010
In April 2010, the Russian Geographical Society was initiated and carried out the expedition, whose main task was to determine the true origin of the border between Asia and Europe.During the researchers found that the axis of the Ural Mountains in the area lost Chrysostom and sprayed on several lines.Them are some parallel arrays.In this regard, they suggested that it was not reasonable to assume border Ural River.In their view, it should be laid on the Caspian depression - or rather, in its eastern edge.However, studies by Russian scientists to this day are not considered relevant authority - International Geographical Union.
Conclusions From all the above we can safely conclude that the main border between Asia and Europe are the Ural Mountains.One proof of this is even the fact that a different side of their flora and fauna differ markedly.In addition, there is a big difference, even in the direction and nature of rivers.
