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	{{otheruses1\|the Alps in Europe}}
	] valley near the ].]]
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	The '''Alps''' ({{lang-de\|Alpen}}; {{lang-fr\|Alpes}}; {{lang-it\|Alpi}}; {{lang-sl\|Alpe}}) is the name for one of the great ] systems of ], stretching from ] and ] in the east, through ], ], ] and ] to ] in the west. The word "Alps" was taken via ] from ] ''Alpes'' (meaning "the Alps"), which may be influenced by the Latin words ''albus'' (white) or ''altus'' (high), or a ] word.

	The highest mountain in the alps is ] at 4,808 ]s (15,774 ]) on the French-Italian border. All the main peaks of the Alps can be found in the ] and ].

	==Geography==
	{{main\|Geography of the Alps}}

	===Subdivision===
	]
	], south of Salzburg, Austria]]
	The Alps are generally divided into the ] and the ]. The division is along the line between ] and ], following the ]. The Western Alps are higher, but their central chain is shorter and curved; they are located in ], ] and ]. The Eastern Alps (main ] system elongated and broad) belong to ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The highest peak of the Western Alps is ], 4,808 metres (15,774 ft). The highest peak in the Eastern Alps is ], 4,052 meters (13,294 ft).

	The '''Eastern Alps''' are commonly subdivided according to the different ] (rock composition) of the more central parts of the Alps and the groups at its northern and southern fringes:
	* ] (from the ] to ]). ''Geographically'', the ] do ''not'' belong to the Alps; ''geologically'', however, they do.
	* ], peaks up to 3,000 metres (9,850 ft)
	* ] (Austria, Switzerland), peaks up to 4,050 metres (13,290 ft)
	* ].
	The border between the Central Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps is the ]. The Northern Limestone Alps are separated from the Central Eastern Alps by the ].

	]
	The '''Western Alps''' are commonly subdivided with respect to ]:
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*].
	Series of lower mountain ranges run parallel to the main chain of the Alps, including the ]. (See ].)

	The geologic subdivision is different and makes no difference between the Western and Eastern Alps: '']'' in the north, '']'' and '']'' in the centre and south of the Periadriatic seam the ] and parts of the ] (see ]).

	===Main chain===
	{{main\|Main chain of the Alps}}

	]
	The "main chain of the Alps" follows the watershed from the ] to the ], passing over many of the highest and most famous peaks in the Alps. From the Colle di Cadibona to ] it runs westwards, before turning to the north-west and then, near the ], to the north. Upon reaching the Swiss border, the line of the main chain heads approximately east-north-east, a heading it follows until its end near ].

	===Principal passes===
	{{main\|Principal passes of the Alps}}

	The Alps do not form an impassable barrier; they have been traversed for ] and ], and later by ]s, ]s and ]s. Crossing places by ], ] or foot are called passes. These are depressions in the mountains to which a valley leads from the plains and hilly pre-mountainous zones.

	==Climate==
	{{main\|Climate of the Alps}}

	The Alps are a classic example of what happens when a temperate area at lower altitude gives way to higher elevation terrain. As a matter of fact, elevations around the world which have cold climates similiar to those found in ] areas has been called ]. As we rise from ] into the upper regions of the ], the ] ]. The effect of ] chains on prevailing ]s is to carry warm air belonging to the lower region into an upper zone, where it expands in ] at the cost of a proportionate loss of ], often accompanied by the ] of moisture in the form of ] or ].

	==Geology==
	{{main\|Geology of the Alps}}

	The Alps arose as a result of the pressure exerted on ]s of the ] basin as its ] and early ] ] were pushed against the stable ]n landmass by the northward-moving ]n landmass. Most of this occurred during the ] and ] epochs. The pressure formed great recumbent folds, or ''nappes'', that rose out of what had become the ] and pushed northward, often breaking and sliding one over the other to form gigantic thrust ]s. ], which are exposed in the higher central regions, are the rocks forming ], the ], and high peaks in the Pennine Alps and Hohe Tauern.

	The ] seen today is mostly formed by ] during the past two million years. At least five ]s have done much to change the region, scooping out the lakes and rounding off the limestone hills along the northern border. ] have been retreating during the past 10,000 years, leaving large granite ] scattered in the forests in the region. As the last ice age ended, it is believed that the ] changed so rapidly that the glaciers retreated back into the mountains in a span of about 200 to 300 years.

	==Political history==
	{{main\|History of the Alps}}

	Little is known of the early dwellers in the Alps, save from the scanty accounts preserved by ] and ] ]s and ]s. A few details have come down to us of the conquest of many of the Alpine tribes by ].

	The successive emigration and occupation of the Alpine region by various ] from the ] to the ] are known only in outline, because to them, as to the ] kings and emperors, the Alps offered a route to other places rather than a permanent residence.

	It is not until the final breakup of the ] in the ] and ] that it becomes possible to trace out the local history of the Alps.

	==Exploration==
	{{main\|Exploration of the High Alps}}

	The higher regions of the Alps were long left to the exclusive attention of the people of the adjoining valleys, even when Alpine travellers (as distinguished from Alpine climbers) began to visit these valleys. The two men who first explored the regions of ice and snow were H.B. de Saussure (1740-1799) in the ], and the Benedictine monk of ], Placidus a Spescha (1752-1833), most of whose ascents were made before 1806, in the valleys at the sources of the ].

	==Flora==
	A natural vegetation limit with altitude is given by the presence of the chief ] ]s — ], ], ] and ]. These do not reach exactly to the same elevation, nor are they often found growing together; but their upper limit corresponds accurately enough to the change from a temperate to a colder climate that is further proved by a change in the wild ]aceous vegetation. This limit usually lies about 1,200 metres (3,940 ft) above the sea on the north side of the Alps, but on the southern slopes it often rises to 1,500 metres (4,920 ft), sometimes even to 1,700 metres (5,580 ft).

	This region is not always marked by the presence of the characteristic trees. The interference of man has in many districts almost removed them, and, excepting the beech forests of the ]n Alps, a considerable wood of deciduous trees is rare. In many districts where such woods once existed, their place has been occupied by the ] and ], which suffer less from the ravages of goats, the worst enemies of tree vegetation. The mean annual temperature of this region differs little from that of the ]; but the climate conditions are widely different. Here snow usually lies for several months, till it gives place to a spring and summer considerably warmer than the average of British seasons.

	Above the forestry, there is often a band of short pine trees ('']''), which is in turn superseded by dwarf ]s, typically '']'' (on acid soils) or '']'' (on basic soils). Above this is the ], and even higher, the vegetation becomes more and more sparse. At these higher altitudes, the plants tend to form isolated cushions. In the Alps, several species of flowering plants have been recorded above 4,000 metres (13,125 ft), including '']'', '']'' and '']''.

	<gallery>
	Image:Kosodrzewina (Sosna górska) Pinus mugo mugo.jpg\|mountain pine<br />('']'')
	Image:Rhododendron ferrugineum.JPG\|rusty-leaved Alpenrose<br />('']'')
	Image:Leontopodium alpinum1.jpg\|Edelweiss<br />('']'')
	Image:Gentiana acaulis.jpg\|stemless gentian<br />('']'')
	Image:Chamorchis_alpina_230705b.jpg\|Alpine dwarf orchid<br />('']'')
	Image:Pulsatilla_alpina_schneebergensis.jpg\|Alpine pasque-flower<br />('']'')
	Image:Androsace alpina02.jpg\|Alpine rock-jasmine ('']'')
	Image:Ranunculus_glacialis.jpg\|glacier buttercup<br />('']'')
	</gallery>

	==Fauna==
	]. These are most numerously found in the 15% of the ].

	<gallery>
	Image:Parnassius pheobus.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Salamandra atra.jpg\|<center>]</center>

	Image:Plochacz 3001xx.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Alpenkauw2.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Auerhahn mg-k.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Aquila chrysaetos large drawing.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Ptarmigan9.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Aegolius-funereus-001.jpg\|<center>]</center>

	Image:Alpine ibex.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Marmota marmota Alpes2.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Rupicapra rupicapra 0.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	Image:Arctic Hare.jpg\|<center>]</center>
	</gallery>

	==See also==
	{{commonscat\|Alps}}
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]

	==External links==

	* , taken on ], ] by ] aboard ]
	* {{it}} Many images from Alps, landscape, flowers and wildlife.

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Revision as of 22:34, 5 December 2006

kaka