Physical geography - the Caucasus and Crimea. Features of the physical geography of Crimea

Crimea today is the blessed land of the Crimean Peninsula, washed by the Black and Azov Seas. In the north there is a plain, in the south - the Crimean Mountains with a necklace near the coastal strip of seaside resort cities: Yalta, Miskhor, Alupka, Simeiz, Gurzuf, Alushta, Feodosia, Evpatoria and sea ports - Kerch, Sevastopol.

Crimea is located within 44 0 23" (Cape Sarych) and 46 0 15" (Perekopsky Ditch) northern latitude and 32 0 30" (Cape Karamrun) and 36 0 40" (Cape Lantern) eastern longitude. The area of ​​the Crimean Peninsula is 26.0 thousand km 2, the maximum distance from north to south is 205 km, from west to east - 325 km. A narrow eight-kilometer strip of land in the north (Perekop Isthmus) connects Crimea with the mainland, and 4-5 km - the width of the Kerch Strait in the east (the length of the strait is about 41 km) - separates it from the Taman Peninsula. The total length of the borders of Crimea exceeds 2,500 km (taking into account the extreme tortuosity of the coastline of the northeast). The Black Sea forms three large bays: Karkinitsky, Kalamitsky and Feodosiya; The Sea of ​​Azov also forms three bays: Kazantipsky, Arbatsky and Sivashsky.

Physiographic location

Physical-geographical position of Crimea generally distinguished by the following most characteristic features. Firstly, the location of the peninsula at 45 0 north latitude determines its equidistance from the equator and the North Pole, which is associated with a fairly large amount of incoming solar energy and a large number of hours of sunshine. Secondly, Crimea is almost an island. This is associated, on the one hand, with a large number of endemics (plant species found nowhere else except in this area) and endemics (similar animal species); on the other hand, this explains the significant depletion of the Crimean fauna; In addition, the climate and other natural components are significantly influenced by the marine environment. Thirdly, the position of the peninsula relative to the general circulation of the Earth’s atmosphere is especially important, leading to the predominance of westerly winds in Crimea. Crimea occupies a border position between the temperate and subtropical geographical zones.

Climate

Climate of most of Crimea- this is a temperate zone climate: soft steppe - in the flat part; more humid, characteristic of deciduous forests - in the mountains. The southern coast of Crimea is characterized by a sub-Mediterranean climate of dry forests and bushes.

The Crimean peninsula is provided with a large amount of heat not only in summer, but also in winter. In December and January, 8-10 times more heat per unit of earth's surface per day is received here than, for example, in St. Petersburg.

Crimea receives the greatest amount of solar heat in the summer, especially in July. Spring here is cooler than autumn. And autumn is the best season of the year. The weather is calm, sunny and moderately warm. True, sharp fluctuations in pressure during the day sharply aggravate cardiovascular diseases in people who are not entirely healthy.

In Crimea, which is well supplied with heat, the biological productivity of plants, including agricultural crops, and the resistance of landscapes to stress largely depend on the amount of moisture. And the need for water is constantly increasing both among the local population and the national economy, primarily in agriculture and resorts. So water in Crimea is the true engine of life and culture.

A relatively small amount of precipitation, a long dry summer, and the spread of karst rocks in the mountains have caused the Crimea to be poor in surface water. Crimea is divided into two parts: a flat steppe with a very small number of surface watercourses and a mountain forest with a relatively dense river network. There are no large fresh lakes here. In the coastal zone of the Crimean plain there are about 50 estuary lakes with a total area of ​​5.3 thousand square kilometers.

The Crimean Peninsula is located in southern Russia. Latitude of southern France or northern Italy. From the east, the shores of Crimea are washed by the waters of the Sea of ​​Azov, and from the west and south - by the Black Sea. The Crimean Peninsula is connected to the continent only by a narrow isthmus, a maximum of eight kilometers wide. The name of the isthmus seems unexpected at first glance - Perekopsky (what did they want to dig up, but didn’t have time?!).

Crimea also includes two peninsulas:

• Kerch, it is located in the east between the Black and Azov seas,
• Tarkhankutsky, occupies the western part of Crimea.

It is not for nothing that the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula is considered the most favorable: the sea is located in the southeast, and the mountains protect from the winds in the northwest. Thanks to this, a velvety climate of dry subtropics is created.

The Crimean peninsula has borders with Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Georgia. The capital and largest transport hub on the peninsula is the city of Simferopol. The population of Simferopol is about 400 thousand inhabitants.

Geographical characteristics

Territory - 26860 km². Length: from east to west – 360 km, from south to north – 180 km.
The southernmost part is Cape Sarych; the westernmost cape is Priboyny; the cape with the telling name Lantern is in the east.

There are many seaports, the largest are Evpatoria, Feodosia, Yalta, and Kerch.

The length of the coastline of the Crimean peninsula is more than 2,500 km. Of these, almost 50% are on the Sivash Bay, 750 km on the Black Sea coast and about 500 km on the Azov Sea coast. The shores of the peninsula are indented with numerous bays, bays and coves.

The territory of Crimea is 72% plains, 20% mountains and 8% lakes and rivers.

Relief

The Crimean peninsula, even in distant years, judging by the results of the study, had favorable natural conditions. People have lived here for a very long time. Monuments from the Middle Paleolithic (about 150 thousand years ago), Mesolithic, Neolithic, Eneolithic and Bronze Age were found here.

Many Crimean local history museums store unique archaeological finds found in grottoes, caves, under rock overhangs, where primitive people found natural shelter.

Here are some natural and historical monuments of Crimea:

• burial of Neanderthals in the Kiik-Koba cave, located near the village. Zuya in Belogorsky district,
• Wolf Grotto and Chokurcho near Simferopol,
• Staroselye near Bakhchisarai,
• Ak-Kaya near Belogorsk.

No more ancient finds are known in Europe.

The relief of the Crimean peninsula consists of three unequal parts:

• North Crimean Plain with Tarkhankut Upland (about 70% of the territory),
• Kerch Peninsula
• and in the south, the mountainous Crimea stretches in three ridges.

The highest of the Crimean Mountains is Mount Roman-Kosh (1545 m).

Crimean mountains

Once upon a time, 200 million years ago, the waves of the primordial Tethys Ocean rested in this place. The Crimean and Caucasus mountains rose from it 7-8 million years ago. These mountains divided the ocean waters, forming the Black and Caspian seas.

They have three main ridges, which are separated by valleys. These ridges begin in the southwest of Crimea. Here are their names:

• Main (aka South) - starts at and follows along the coast to Feodosia. It has a length of almost 180 km. Ends at Cape St. Elijah;
• The inner ridge (Middle), stretches from the Mekenzi Mountains towards the Old Crimea;
• External - starts from the Kara-Tau hill, which is on the watershed of the Belbek and Kacha rivers, and follows to Simferopol.

The width of the mountain strip reaches 50 km.

The Crimean mountains are very picturesque and unlike others. They are like huge frozen waves. The main ridge to the north has gentle slopes, and to the south it ends with high, steep walls. It has its own peculiarity - it does not have the usual sharp peaks, but undulating mountain plateaus. In Crimea they are called yayla (translated as summer pasture).

In Alushta, the Main Ridge is divided into separate massifs called Babugan, Chatyr-Dag and Demerdzhi. The gently sloping Dolgorukovskaya yayla goes to the north, and Karabi-yayla, the largest in area, goes to the east. It is connected to Demerdzhinskaya only by a “bridge” in the form of Table Mountain.

After this, the Main Range finally disintegrates, leaving only individual mountain ranges, peaks and volcanic massifs, of which the most interesting and unusual is Karadag.

In many places on the Eastern Bank, the ancient “Tauride platform” protrudes directly from the ground, forming unusually shaped elevations with landslides, cracks, and ravines. Further, to the east from Feodosia there are roads and paths of sparsely populated land, the topography of which is called the Kerch Hills.

To the north and northwest of Feodosia Bay, almost the entire small Crimea was occupied by the Crimean steppe, which was huge compared to the coastal resort strip. So “Cimmeria” (sometimes called “Kimtavria”) is a land of contrasts - mountains, coast, flat hills, steppe.

Steppe

The steppe occupies the largest part of the Crimean territory. It is the southern edge of the East European, or Russian, Plain and decreases slightly to the north. The Kerch Peninsula is divided by the Parpach ridge into two parts: the southwestern - flat and the northeastern - hilly, which is characterized by alternating ring-shaped limestone ridges, gentle depressions, mud hills and coastal lake basins.

In the flat part of the peninsula, varieties of southern and carbonate chernozems predominate; dark chestnut and meadow-chestnut soils of dry forests and shrubs, as well as brown mountain-forest and mountain-meadow chernozem-like soils (on yailas), are less common.

The Crimean peninsula has extensive agricultural land. More than 52% of the territory is occupied by arable land; there are not so many gardens and vineyards - about 5%. It’s not even clear where Crimean wine appears in our stores now! Part of the land is used for pastures. There are also forests.

Rivers and lakes

On the Crimean Peninsula more than 1600 rivers and temporary gutters. Their total length is about 6000 kilometers. However, these are usually small watercourses, which almost all dry up in the summer. There are only 257 rivers longer than 5 km.

The most significant rivers according to their geographical location are divided into several groups:

• rivers of the northern and northeastern slopes of the Crimean Mountains (Salgir, the longest river of the peninsula, - 232 km; Wet Indol - 27 km; Churuksu - 33 km, etc.);
• rivers of the northwestern slope (Chernaya - 41 km, Belbek - 63 km, Kacha - 69 km, Alma - 84 km, Western Bulganak - 52 km, etc.);
• rivers of the southern coast of Crimea (Uchan-Su - 8.4 km, Derekoyka - 12 km, Ulu-Uzen - 15 km, Demerdzhi - 14 km, Ulu-Uzen East - 16 km, etc.);
• small rivers of the plain Crimea and the Kerch Peninsula.

The rivers of the northwestern slopes of the Crimean Mountains flow almost parallel to each other, until the middle of the flow they are typically mountainous. The rivers of the northern slopes on the plain deviate to the east and flow into the Sivash. The short rivers of the Southern Coast flowing into the Black Sea are typically mountainous throughout their entire length. The Uchan-Su mountain river runs down to the sea, forming waterfalls in four places.

There are also many lakes and estuaries on the peninsula - over three hundred. Some of them are mud. The lakes located along the coast are predominantly salty. On the Tarkhankut Peninsula there is a fairly large freshwater lake, Ak-Mechetsky. Mountain lakes are mainly artificial reservoirs. There are more than 50 salt lakes in Crimea, the largest of them is Lake Sasyk (Kunduk) - 205 sq. km.

Weather in Crimea

The natural conditions of the Crimean peninsula are very extraordinary. This amazing region is endowed with fertile lands, a magnificent sea coast, and majestic mountain ranges unique in their beauty. The Crimean peninsula has a mild climate throughout the entire peninsula.

Geographical location of Crimea.
The Crimean Peninsula is located in the extreme south of the European part of Russia and extends from north to south for 195 km, from west to east - 325 km. The area of ​​Crimea is 26 thousand square meters. km, population 1 million 600 thousand people.
The sea surrounds the peninsula on all sides, and only in the north does the narrow (up to 8 km) Perekop Isthmus connect it to the mainland. From the west and south, Crimea is washed by the Black Sea, from the east by the Sea of ​​Azov and the Kerch Strait.
The Crimean region was formed in June 1945. In February 1954, it became part of Ukraine. In 2014 it became part of the Russian Federation. The administrative center of the region is Simferopol. The administrative map of Russia shows the borders of the Crimean region, settlements, and communication routes.

Geological past of Crimea.
The geological map and geological profile introduce the geological past of Crimea and its constituent rocks. In geological periods of the sea millions of years distant from us, replacing each other, they either covered or exposed the territory of present-day Crimea. The distribution of rocks in Crimea is mainly connected with their existence.
In the Crimean Local History Museum you can see sandstones, shales, limestones and other rocks. There is also a collection of fossils and prints of the inhabitants of the ancient seas: mollusks and fish, the cetacean citoterium prescum, sea turtles, etc.
During the millions of years of the Tertiary period, Central and Southern Europe was warm and humid, and mastodons, hipparions, and antelopes lived here. The glaciation that occurred in the Quaternary period changed the landscape, flora and fauna.
The glacier did not reach Crimea, but the climate here was very harsh. At this time, the Crimea was inhabited by a mammoth, a woolly rhinoceros, a giant and reindeer, a cave bear, and a cave hyena.

Minerals in Crimea.
About 200 deposits of various minerals have been discovered and studied in Crimea, which are widely used in the national economy. Kerch iron ores are of the most industrial importance. The ores lie close to the surface and are mined in open pits. Crimea is rich in chemical raw materials - salts of chlorine, sodium, potassium, bromine, magnesium, which are contained in huge quantities in the Sivash brine and numerous salt lakes. Gypsum, table salt, magnesium chloride, etc. are obtained from brine. The use of these salts opens up great prospects for the development of the chemical industry.
A variety of building materials are mined on the territory of Crimea. Some of them are very important and are almost never found in other places in Russia. Diorite and andesite are used in road construction, for cladding monuments and large buildings, and ground trass is added to cement to improve its properties. Marble-like limestones are used in construction and used in metallurgical plants as a flux.
Some Crimean minerals - rock crystal, chalcedony, carnelian, jasper - are used as ornamental stones and are valued for their rich colorful range. Crimea is rich in mineral water resources from hydrogen sulfide springs to Narzan and Borjomi.

Relief of Crimea.
According to the nature of the surface, Crimea is divided into two parts: steppe and mountain. In the north and central Crimea lies a calm, undulating plain. The steppe occupies about 2/3 of the entire area of ​​the peninsula. In the west it gradually turns into the ridges and hills of Tarkhankut. An interesting feature of the eastern part - the slightly hilly Kerch Peninsula - are mud volcanoes, which have nothing in common with volcanism and spew out cold mud, and troughs - bowl-shaped depressions filled with iron ore. In the southern part of Crimea there are mountains consisting of three parallel ridges separated by narrow valleys. The mountains stretch from southwest to northeast, bending in a weak arc to the north - their length is 150 km, width - 50 km. The most significant peak of the Crimean Mountains - Roman-Kosh (1545), is located in the Main (southern) ridge, in the Babugan mountain range. The highlands of the Main Ridge consist of undulating plateaus (pastures) - Ai-Petrinskaya, Nikitskaya, Karabi, etc. In the east of Crimea, the main ridge is closed by the Kara-Dag mountain group, an interesting monument of volcanic activity of the Jurassic geological era. The main ridge is largely composed of limestones, which, when exposed to atmospheric and groundwater, give clear manifestations of karst processes (karst sinkholes, cavities and caves).

Flora of Crimea.
The flora of Crimea is very rich, it is represented by more than two thousand species of plants. The distribution of vegetation depends on the climate, topography and soils of the peninsula.
On the plain, from north to south, zones of salt-tolerant vegetation inherent in the saline soils of the Sivash region (soleros, sarsazan, kermek and others), wormwood and wormwood-fescue steppes replace each other. Further to the south there are feather grass steppes, and in the foothills there are also shrubby forb steppes with thyme (thyme), rock alfalfa, and Tauride asphodel. Currently, virgin lands are plowed. The third mountain range (foothill zone) is occupied by the forest-steppe, where groves of low oaks, maples, ash trees, as well as thickets of thorns, hawthorn, rose hips, and mackerel are especially common. The slopes of the mountains of the middle and Main ridges are covered with oak, beech and pine forests. The yayls are treeless and covered with herbaceous vegetation. Lonely pines and beeches are fancifully twisted by the wind and give the landscape a peculiar, harsh flavor. The flora of the southern slope of the Main Ridge is of great interest. The natural vegetation here is predominantly forest: pine, juniper, fluffy oak and Mediterranean species: pistachio, strawberry tree, yellow jasmine. But the typical landscape of the South Bank is created by decorative garden and park vegetation. As a result of human creative activity, exotic plants have become a permanent element of the landscape: Himalayan and Lebanese cedars, cypresses, magnolias, sequoias, ivy, Chinese wisteria. There are also endemic (inherent only in this area) plants in Crimea: Steven's maple (in the forests of the northern slope of the mountains), Biberstein's jasmine (Crimean edel-weiss, on high mountain plateaus and yaylas), Stankevich's pine, on seaside cliffs from Balaklava to the cape Aya and near Sudak).

Climate of Crimea.
The Crimean peninsula lies on the southern border of the temperate zone. The climate of Crimea is distinguished by some features related to its geographical location: great softness and humidity, significant sunshine. But the diversity of the relief, the influence of the sea and mountains create large differences in the climate of the steppe, mountainous and southern coastal parts of the peninsula. The steppe Crimea has hot summers and relatively warm winters (July temperature 23-24°, February temperature 0.5-2°), and annual precipitation is low. The mountainous Crimea is characterized by more significant precipitation and less hot summers.
The southern coast provides the most favorable combination of climatic factors: mild winters, sunny hot summers (the average temperature in February in Yalta is 3.5°, in July 24°), summer breezes that moderate the heat, the fresh breath of forests and parks. The climatic conditions of the Evpatoria region and the southeastern coast (Feodosia, Sudak, Planerskoye), as well as the mountainous Crimea (Old Crimea), are favorable.

Waters in Crimea.
The waters of Crimea are divided into surface (rivers, streams, lakes) and underground (ground, artesian, karst). The rivers originate on the Main Ridge of the Crimean Mountains; they are short, low-water and characterized by great uneven flow (they overflow in the spring and during rainstorms and dry up in the summer). The most significant river is Salgir (length 232 km). The water problem in Crimea is solved by the construction of artificial reservoirs and canals (reservoirs on Alma, Kach, Salgir, Simferopol reservoir, holding up to 36 million cubic meters of water). Reservoirs are being built on the river. Belbek and a tunnel about 7 km long was built through the main mountain range for the drainage of Belbek to Yalta.
The waters of the North Crimean Canal will water and irrigate the driest areas of the steppe Crimea from Perekop to Kerch. The construction of this canal will increase the yields of corn, wheat, rye, tobacco, and more intensively develop highly productive livestock farming. Industrial centers and villages of Crimea will be supplied with excellent Dnieper water.

Soils of Crimea.
The nature of soils depends on the parent rocks, topography, climate, plant and animal organisms. The diversity of physical and geographical conditions has created a very heterogeneous composition of soils across regions. The predominant type are southern chernozems and dark chestnut soils, occupying the central part of the steppe Crimea.
The soils of the foothills, mountain Crimea and the Southern Coast are varieties of chernozems: carbonate chernozems, brown mountain-forest soils, mountain-meadow subalpine chernozems, brown soils of forests and shrubs of the Southern Coast. Tobacco, vegetables, essential oils, grapes, stone fruits, ornamental trees and shrubs are well cultivated on these soils. The main place in agriculture in the steppe Crimea belongs to grain crops, and of these - wheat and corn. In modern conditions, the progressive role of the row crop farming system, which significantly increases grain yields, is especially important.

Black Sea.
The Black Sea belongs to the so-called inland seas, since it is not directly connected to the ocean. In terms of its hydrobiological and hydrophysical properties, the Black Sea stands out sharply among other marine bodies of water. Its feature is a sharp fluctuation in surface water temperatures (from one to twenty-eight degrees). The salinity of the Black Sea due to desalination by the waters of the Danube, Dniester and other rivers is relatively small: in the upper layers it is 17-18% (in 1 liter there are 17-18 g of salt), at depth it increases significantly, since the deep Bosphorus Current brings masses of more than salt water from the Sea of ​​Marmara. The greatest depth of the Black Sea is determined to be 2243 m. Oxygen is contained in the upper horizons, “and at a depth of 200 m and below, oxygen disappears and saturation with hydrogen sulfide increases.
The Black Sea is a source of fish wealth. The history of the formation of the Black Sea basin goes back several tens of millions of years, during which its outlines and hydrological regime repeatedly changed. That is why the composition of its animal world is diverse. In the Black Sea there are three groups of fish: relict (residual, these include herring, sturgeon, many types of gobies), freshwater - in estuaries and river mouths (pike perch, perch, ram), Mediterranean invaders (anchovy, sprat, mullet, mackerel , mackerel, bonito, tuna and others, over 100 species of fish in total). Tuna is the largest commercial fish, its length can reach three meters and weight five hundred kilograms.

Fauna of Crimea.
The fauna of Crimea is distinguished by a number of features and has a so-called island character. Many species of animals living in the territories closest to Crimea are absent in Crimea, but endemic (local) forms of animals are found, the appearance of which is associated with the peculiar geological history of the peninsula (the geological age of the mountainous Crimea is older than the steppe part of the peninsula, and its fauna was formed much earlier and in other conditions). The steppe Crimea belongs to the European-Siberian zoogeographical subregion, and the mountainous one to the Mediterranean. On the territory of the peninsula, these subregions border along the foothills.
Crimean scorpion (poisonous), found in rock crevices on the South Coast, Crimean gecko, Crimean owl, black and long-tailed tits, goldfinch, linnet, mountain bunting and some others. Mediterranean forms of animals are identified: phalanx, scolopendra, leopard snake, yellow-bellied (legless lizard, very useful, as it destroys harmful rodents). In the same display case there is a rock lizard, a water snake, a marsh turtle; among amphibians, the crested newt, found in small mountain reservoirs, the tree frog, an inhabitant of tree plantations near fresh water bodies, as well as shrews, water shrews, bats, a reserved beech forest with protected animals: Crimean deer, roe deer and mouflon. For many centuries, Crimean forests and animals were mercilessly exterminated. Only after the Great October Socialist Revolution was an end put to the predatory destruction of the forests and animals of Crimea.
To protect nature and restore it in the central mountainous part of Crimea, a State Nature Reserve was created in 1923, reorganized in 1957 into the Crimean State Game Reserve. The flora and fauna of the Crimean Mountains on the territory of the farm has been largely restored. Many birds fly through the Crimea on the way to warm countries: ulit, golden plover, golden eagle, white heron, kite, night heron, golden eagle and others. These birds rest in Crimea before flying across the Black Sea, birds that fly to Crimea for the winter: tap dancers, bullfinches, waxwings, siskins, bramblings, larks, Siberian buzzard and others.

Description of the presentation by individual slides:

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Crimean peninsula Physical geography lesson in 8th grade Geography teacher of the highest qualification category MSOSH No. 1 g.o. Teykovo, Ivanovo region. Yakovleva M.Yu.

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The Crimean peninsula is located in the south of Ukraine between 33-37° east. d., 44-46° N. w. The surface area of ​​the peninsula is about 27 thousand km², of which 72% is plain, 20% is mountains and 8% is lakes and other water bodies. It is washed in the west and south by the Black Sea and in the east by the Azov Sea. In the north it is connected to the continent by the narrow (up to 8 km) Perekop Isthmus. In the east of Crimea, between the Black and Azov seas, is the Kerch Peninsula; in the west, the tapering part of Crimea forms the Tarkhankut Peninsula. The northernmost point of Crimea is located on the Perekop Isthmus, the southernmost is Cape Sarych, the westernmost is Cape Kara-Mrun (Priboyny) on Tarkhankut, the easternmost is Cape Fonar on the Kerch Peninsula. The distance from the extreme northern point to the extreme southern point is 200 km, from the extreme western to the extreme eastern - 325 km. The total length of land and sea borders is more than 2500 km. The small land border of Crimea with the Kherson region of Ukraine runs along the Perekop Isthmus. In addition, the republic has maritime borders with Russia (Krasnodar Territory), Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Georgia. 1.FGP

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According to the relief, the Crimean Peninsula is divided into three unequal parts: flat Crimea, the Kerch Peninsula with a peculiar ridge-undulating-plain surface and mountainous Crimea. This division is due primarily to the unequal structure of the earth's crust, the history of formation and the composition of the rocks of the regions. 2. Relief

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Crimean mountains Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain) Bear Mountain or Ayu-Dag (Ukrainian Ayu-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Ayuv Dağ) is a mountain on the southern coast of Crimea, located on the border of Big Alushta and Big Yalta. The height of Bear Mountain is 577 meters above sea level, the mountain range is slightly elongated in the northwest direction by 2400 meters, protruding into the sea by 2-2.5 kilometers. The total area is about 4 square kilometers. Since 1947, the Ayu-Dag complex, which includes Bear Mountain, has been declared a natural monument. Geological origin Bear Mountain is a classic laccolith, that is, a “failed” volcano. It was formed about 150 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic geological era as a result of the introduction of magma into faults in the earth's crust. The Ayu-Dag complex is an array of homogeneous gabbrodiabases, alternating in places with horizons of hornfels and hornfels. To date, 18 minerals have been discovered on Ayu-Dag.

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The highest point of Crimea is Mount Roman-Kosh. Babugan-Yayla is the highest massif of the Crimean mountains. The highest point of Babugan-Yayla is Mount Roman-Kosh, height - 1545 m, which is also the highest point in Crimea. Roman-Kosh is located on the territory of the Crimean Nature Reserve and resembles a hill.

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Plain Crimea Plain Crimea is located within the Scythian platform, formed by strongly folded Paleozoic rocks (Fig. 2). They are covered in the form of a cover by relatively slightly folded sedimentary deposits of the Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene and Anthropogenic systems (Table 1). The Paleozoic foundation of the platform is located in different parts of the plain at different depths. It is fragmented by tectonic faults into large blocks that are displaced relative to each other. Thus, located in the middle part of the peninsula, the Simferopol-Evpatoria block is raised so high relative to other blocks that it is opened with drill holes at a depth of several hundred to 1600 m. The blocks that form the foundation of the Alma depression in the southwest (Fig. 2) and the Sivash depression in the north of Crimea, deeply immersed. The foundation of the northern part of the Kerch Peninsula, located within the Indolo-Kuban foothill trough, is lowered even deeper, apparently by 5-7 km. Thus, under the cover of Cretaceous and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks that form the modern almost flat plain of Crimea, there are Paleozoic folded block mountains, which exceed the current ridges of the Greater Caucasus in height difference. Widespread in the Crimean plains, yellow-brown loess-like loams, which cover the more ancient forms of relief like a cloak, additionally give them a soft outline. (

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Kerch Peninsula The ridge-undulating-plain Kerch Peninsula is connected in origin, on the one hand, with the nearby mountainous Crimea, complex in structure, and on the other, with the folded mountains of the Greater Caucasus. Within its boundaries there is also a part of the Indolo-Kuban foothill trough common to the mountains of Crimea and the Caucasus, which is part of the Scythian platform (Fig. 2). In this regard, according to the nature of the relief and geological structure, the Kerch Peninsula is divided into two parts. The southwestern part, which corresponds to the submerged part of the Crimean meganticlinorium, is composed of folded Maikop clays. They form a slightly undulating plain. The northeastern, larger part of the peninsula has a finely dissected relief. It is formed by various rocks of numerous small short anticlinal and synclinal folds of ellipsoidal shape. The margins of the folds consist of Miocene laminated limestones, marls, sandstones and mounded hard bryozoan reef limestones. The fold cores consist mainly of Maikop and Sarmatian clays. Due to the erosion of these pliable clays, anticlinal basins with ring-shaped ridges of harder rocks formed (Fig. 3). Iron ore deposits and loess-like loams have accumulated in many synclinal folds. The original shapes form the hills of mud volcanoes

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3. Mineral resources Mineral resources of Crimea are closely related to the history of its geological development, and their distribution is closely related to the structure of the peninsula. Currently, the mineral resources available in Crimea are usually divided into three main groups: metal (ore), which are used for smelting metals; non-metallic (non-metallic), often used in their raw form (building stones, clays, sands, salts, etc.); combustibles (oil, natural gases, coal) 1 Iron ores (Iron ores of the Kerch iron ore basin, which is part of the huge Azov-Black Sea iron ore province. The chemical composition of Kerch ores is quite varied. In addition to iron and manganese, they contain vanadium, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium , arsenic and a number of other elements. In the process of metallurgical processing, vanadium, rare in nature, can be extracted from ores.)

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2 Non-metallic minerals: various types of limestone. Marble-like limestones are used in road construction as concrete aggregates. Polished slabs of them are used for interior decoration of buildings, and multi-colored chips are used for mosaic products. Limestones often have a delicate reddish or creamy color with beautiful white calcite crack patterns. The original contours of mollusk shells give them a special color; coral-limestones stretch in an intermittent strip from Balaklava to Feodosia, forming the upper horizons. The main ridge of the Crimean mountains. They are mined near Balaklava, the village of Gaspra, the village of Mramorny, as well as on Mount Agarmysh (near Old Crimea). Bryozoan limestones consist of the skeletons of the smallest colonial marine organisms - bryozoans, which lived here at the very end of the Cretaceous period. These limestones are known in Crimea under the name Inkerman, or Bodrak stone. They are easy to saw and are similar in strength to red brick. They are used for the manufacture of wall blocks, facing slabs, and architectural details. Most of the houses in Sevastopol, many buildings in Simferopol and in other settlements of Crimea and beyond were built from them. Deposits of bryozoan limestone are concentrated in the Inner Ridge of the foothills in the area from the city of Inkerman to the Alma River.

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3 Mineral salts of Sivash and salt lakes are an important raw material base for the country's chemical industry. Thanks to favorable natural conditions, concentrated brine - brine - is formed in the lagoon of the Azov Sea, in Sivash and in salt lakes. The salt content in it reaches 12-15%, and in some places even 25%. The average salinity of ocean waters (for comparison) is about 3.5%. Scientists have found that at least 44 chemical elements can currently be extracted from the waters of the seas and oceans. In brine, the largest quantities contain salts of sodium, magnesium, bromine, potassium, calcium, etc. The salt riches of Crimea have been used since time immemorial.

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4. Combustible minerals Oil seeps in Crimea have been known for a long time on the Kerch Peninsula. The first wells were drilled here in the 60s of the 19th century. Limited volumes of oil were obtained mainly from the Chokrak and Karagan sediments of the Neogene period. Systematic exploration for oil began here in the first half of the 20th century. All wells drilled for oil usually produced associated natural gas.

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4.Climate The climate of most of Crimea can be characterized as a temperate climate - soft steppe in the flat part, more humid, characteristic of deciduous forests - in the mountains. The southern coast of Crimea is characterized by a sub-Mediterranean climate of dry forests and bushes. Due to the complex structure of the relief and the peculiarities of atmospheric circulation, they are distributed very unevenly across the territory of Crimea - from 250 mm per year in the steppe to 1000 mm or more in the mountains. Most of the peninsula is characterized by insufficient moisture, where precipitation falls 100-150 mm less, than even in the central regions of the steppe. A decrease in precipitation on the coast is observed primarily in spring and summer due to the fact that the relatively cold sea surface prevents the development of convection (vertical air movement). Month Simferopol January -0.7 July +21.1 Annual amplitude +21.8

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During the year, winds of the north-east, south-west and north-west directions predominate in Crimea. During these winds, the air temperature is usually 8-10° lower than during winds of other directions. In cases where northeastern winds are accompanied by the invasion of Arctic air, severe cold snaps occur in Crimea. Breezes Breezes blow during the day from the sea to the land (sea breezes), and at night, on the contrary, from the land to the sea (shore breezes). Most often (17-18 days per month) breezes blow in July and August. In the evening, during the period between changes in breeze directions, there is often complete calm, lasting for 2-3 hours. This is the best time for evening walks. The speed of these winds does not exceed 6-7 m/s during the day and 5 m/s at night. Only in Evpatoria and Kerch the speed of the sea breeze sometimes reaches 9 m/s. Sea breezes extend 20-30 km deep into the Crimean plain, and 2-4 km deep into the Southern Coast. On hot days, sea breezes sometimes lower the air temperature on the shore by more than 15-16° compared to the temperature 10 km from the coast. Mountain-valley winds Mountain-valley winds, like breezes, blow upward during the day and down the valley at night. On the South Coast, mountain-valley winds are superimposed by breezes. The speed of mountain-valley winds during the day is within 3-7 m/s, and at night - only 1-2 m/s. Streams of cool mountain-valley forest air saturated with phytoncides in summer have an extremely beneficial effect on humans. Foehn In the Crimean Mountains, in winter or spring, in some years, a warm and dry foehn wind is formed. The relative humidity of the air sometimes drops to only 8%. Hair dryers usually last from several hours to 2-3 days. They are especially frequent in Simeiz.

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UNFAVORABLE CLIMATIC EVENTS Storms Strong winds, or storms (more than 15 m/s), are repeated an unequal number of times in different regions of Crimea. During the year, in the foothills they usually last 10-17 days, on the southern coast - 20-24, on the west coast - up to 40, in the central steppe regions - 12-28, and on the peaks - 80-85 days. Hurricanes Hurricanes (winds over 34 m/s) are menacing natural phenomena. In Crimea, they usually occur during long storm winds in the north-east direction, less often during south-west storms. Such winds uproot trees, tear off poorly reinforced roofs, break power lines, etc. In addition to the winds of the general circulation of the atmosphere, local winds are also observed in Crimea: breezes, mountain-valley and foehn. Dust storms Dust storms sometimes occur in the steppe Crimea. They occur during dry and windy weather in almost all months of the year. They worsen the sanitary and hygienic situation in populated areas, damage crops, carry away the upper part of the arable horizon from the fields and fill gardens, vineyards, forest belts, etc. with fine earth.

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5. Inland waters All Crimean rivers belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin. In Crimea there are 1657 rivers and temporary watercourses with a total length of 5996 km. Of these, about 150 are rivers. These are mainly dwarf rivers up to 10 km in length. The Salgir River alone is more than 200 km long. The river network is developed extremely unevenly on the peninsula. Depending on the direction of surface water flow, it is customary to divide the rivers of Crimea into three groups: rivers of the northwestern slopes of the Crimean Mountains, rivers of the southern coast of Crimea, rivers of the northern slopes of the Crimean Mountains

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Rivers of the northwestern slopes of the Crimean Mountains All rivers of the northwestern slopes of the Crimean Mountains flow almost parallel to each other. Until about the middle of their course, they look like typical mountain streams. In places where the limestone rocks of the Inner and Outer cuesta ridges of the foothills break through, they form canyon-like gorges. Their main feeding area is located on the limestone slopes of the Main Mountain Range at altitudes of 1300 - 1400m. The largest rivers of this group are Alma, Kacha, Belbek and Chernaya. Alma is the longest Crimean river after Salgir (Table 2.5). The river valley in the middle, lower reaches has long been famous for its orchards. The source of the river is in the Central Basin on the territory of the Crimean Mountain Reserve. The Partizanskoye and Alminskoye reservoirs were created on Alma. Kacha is shorter, but deeper than Alma. It is formed from the confluence of the rivers Biyuk-Uzen and Pisara. The forested catchments of these rivers are one of the most beautiful corners of the mountainous Crimea. The Zagorsk and Bakhchisarai reservoirs were built on Kach. Belbek is the most abundant river in Crimea. It is formed from the confluence of two rivers - Biyuk-Uzen-Basha and Managotra. Below, the Kokkozka tributary flows into Belbek on the left, which in turn is formed from the confluence of the rivers Sary-Uzen and Auzun-Uzen, originating in the picturesque Grand Canyon of Crimea. A large hydraulic structure was created in the upper reaches of Belbek. On the tributary of Managotra, the Schastlivensky reservoir was built, the water of which, together with the waters of Kuchuk-Uzen-Basha and Biyuk-Uzenbasha intercepted by special structures, is directed to a tunnel (more than seven kilometers long) made on the South Coast at the base of the Yalta mountain range. Chernaya is the second river in Crimea in terms of water flow after Belbek (Table 2.5). It begins in the Baydar Valley, where many turbulent rivers run down from the surrounding mountains. In the center of the Baydar Valley there is a large Chernorechenskoye reservoir. Below the Chernaya River flows in an amazingly beautiful canyon about 16 km long. Having burst out of it, the river forms the wide Inkerman valley, the lower reaches of which are flooded by the sea. Here two large tributaries flow into the Chernaya - Ai-Todorka and Sukhaya River.

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Rivers of the Southern Coast of Crimea The rivers of the Southern Coast of Crimea are short, have very steep channel slopes, and are violent during floods with relatively low water flows (Table 2.5). In the west, in addition to the usually dry ravines and the Khastabash stream, the largest is the Uchan-Su River. Wuchang-Su (Waterfall), rapidly running down to the sea, forms waterfalls in four places. The uppermost and largest of them is Uchan-Su (Flying Water). The river water, directed through pipes, feeds the Mogabinskoye reservoir (volume 300 thousand m³). Derekoyka (Bystraya) is the most abundant river in the South Coast. It cuts through the Yaila limestones into the picturesque Uch-Kosh gorge, visible from Yalta. Within the city it is called Derekoyka. Ulu-Uzen is formed from the rivers Sofu-Uzen, originating on the southern slope of Chatyrdag, and Uzen-Bash, flowing from Babugan-yayla. Uzen-Bash in the picturesque Yaman-Dere gorge falls into a cascade of waterfalls. The largest of them is called Golovkinsky waterfall. The Izobilnenskoe reservoir was created on Ulu-Uzen in the Alushta region. Demerdzhi is one of the low-water rivers of the South Coast. The main food comes from the sources of the southeastern part of Chatyrdag and the western part of the Demerdzhi massif. Eastern Ulu-Uzen begins in the deep Khapkhal gorge, cut into the Tyrke massif. The river flows into the Black Sea near the village of Solnechnogorskoye. The river bed in the upper reaches descends in huge steps formed by strong carbonate sandstones, which are interspersed with thin layers of clayey shale. The relatively powerful waterfall Dzhur-Dzhur (Noisy) is especially picturesque here. The water, rushing in a stream from a height of almost 15 m, crashes with a roar at the foot of the limestone ledge. In addition to the rivers listed, there are many smaller rivers within the South Coast: At-Bash, Abunda, Uskut, Shelen, Voron, etc. Most of them are very similar to those described above. The main features of the rivers Uskut, Shelen, Vorona and its tributary Ai-Serez are that in the past they were relatively often subject to mudflows, which caused enormous damage to the economy. The danger of their collapse continues even now.

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Rivers of the northern slopes of the Crimean Mountains Rivers of the northern slopes of the Crimean Mountains differ from rivers of other groups in that outside the mountains they deviate to the east and flow into Sivash, the lagoon of the Azov Sea. In the upper reaches of the river there is always water, and within the plains in summer the riverbeds are often dry. Salgir is the longest river in Crimea. Together with the Biyuk-Karasu tributary, it represents the largest water system in Crimea. The upper reaches of the Salgir are formed from the confluence of the Angara and Kizil-Koba rivers. Angara originates on the slopes of Chatyrdag near the Angara pass, and Kizil-Koba - from the famous Red Caves (Kizil-Koba). Near the village of Zarechnoye, a large tributary, the Ayan, flows into the Salgir. In front of the administrative center of Crimea, Salgir fills the large Simferopol reservoir, built in 1951 -1955. Before its construction in the city, destructive floods often swept through the Salgir valley. Within the city limits, the Small Salgir flows into the Salgir on the right. Below Simferopol, the river receives right tributaries - the rivers Beshterek, Zuya, Burulcha, and 27 km from Sivash - Biyuk-Karasu. The Taiganskoye and Belogorskoye reservoirs were built on Biyuk-Karasu (Table 2.6). Wet Indol (Su-Indol) begins in the eastern part of the mountainous Crimea, where there are no powerful karst springs. On the right, near the village of Grushevka, the Sala tributary flows into the river. However, Indole remains low in water. Chorokh-Su (Churuk-Su) is almost completely a steppe river. Its source is formed by the Starokrymskaya and Monastyrskaya gully. The river is partly fed by the karst waters of the Agarmysh massif. The Staro-Crimean Reservoir was built on it. What many rivers in the mountainous Crimea have in common is their danger of mudflows due primarily to deforestation in the past and the plowing of the slopes of their catchment areas.

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The beams of the plain Crimea The beams of the plain Crimea are formed by melt and storm waters briefly rushing through them. The largest of them look like real river valleys and therefore they are often called dry rivers. Chatyrlyk is the main dry river of Crimea; in length it is second only to Salgir. Water from the entire central part of the Crimean plain flows through an extensive network of its “tributaries” - side gullies. Now dams have been built at the mouth of the dry river. Fish are bred in the created ponds with an area of ​​over 2000 hectares. The densest network of gullies and dry rivers is on the Tarkhankutskaya elevated plain. The deepest is the Great Castel, in the far west of the peninsula. In 1969 it was declared a natural monument. A number of dry rivers and gullies flow into the Sivash: Pobednaya, Mironovskaya, Istochnaya, Stalnaya, Zelenaya, etc. Hydrological map of the Kerch Peninsula The gullies of the Kerch Peninsula are longer in its northern and northeastern parts. The longest of them are Samarli (51 km), Ali-Bai, Sarayminskaya, etc. With a significant degree of convention, only one river can be named here - Melek - Cheshme, in the valley of which the hero-city of Kerch is located. The river only has water for a few months of the year. For domestic and economic purposes, it is important to have information not only about the average water content and distribution of rivers and temporary watercourses in Crimea, but also about how their condition changes over time, that is, their hydrological regime. It is known that the natural regimes of rivers are determined by landscape, primarily climatic, conditions of runoff formation in their catchments. In turn, these regimes are modified as a result of economic activities in watersheds and the operation of hydraulic structures on the rivers themselves.

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Groundwater Water resources are distinguished by the degree of suitability of their use. The highest class includes groundwater from upper aquifers. There is less risk of contamination from sewage, household and industrial waste. Less valuable water resources include surface runoff. The Crimean peninsula is relatively poor in fresh groundwater, however, it is of great importance in the national economy of the region. The accumulation of groundwater occurs by seepage (infiltration) of precipitation falling over a given surface, or as a result of inflow from already formed groundwater, or penetration of surface runoff in river beds into permeable rock layers (inflation). The fourth way of forming such water is less common - its condensation in the voids of rocks. As can be seen in Fig. 4, in the south of the peninsula there are folded block mountains. In the foothills there are ridges and interridge depressions, consisting of rocks, the layers of which, gradually sinking, form the upper floor of the flat platform part of Crimea. In the mountains there is much more precipitation than in the plain Crimea, and evaporation, on the contrary, is less. Therefore, runoff formation occurs in the mountains, in the foothills (primarily within the Outer Ridge) water penetrates into permeable rock layers, and in the lowland Crimea, groundwater accumulates. In this regard, rivers in the foothills, in places where their channels intersect layers of fractured limestone, lose a lot of water, as a result of which they become relatively low-water within the Crimean plain.

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Lakes of Crimea Lakes Water level mark, m Area of ​​the lake basin, km² Maximum depth, m Drainage area, km² Salinity, % Saki -2.1 9.7 1.52 209 10.5 Sasyk-Sivash -0.6 75.3 1 .2 1064 7.7 Moinak -0.25 1.76 0.85 30.6 12.5 Kizil-Yar -0.6 8.0 0.30 328 6.4 Donuzlav -0.4 48.2 27 1288 7.1 Liman (Karaja) -0.4 1.36 2.05 66.6 2.4 Dzharylgach -0.5 8.3 1.25 286 9.2 Bakalskoe -0.8 7.1 0.9 257 5.65 Algulskoe -3.2 37.5 0.3 213 5.3 Kerleutskoe -3.9 20.8 0.6 101 24.7 Kiyatskoe -4.0 12.5 0.4 68.4 21.6 Red -2.6 23.4 1.0 66.4 24.0 Genicheskoe -1.5 9.2 0.6 19.2 Chokrakskoe 0.2 8.5 1.3 74.0 27.4 Tobechikskoe 0, 2 18.7 0.5 189 3.5 Uzunlarskoe 0.1 21.2 0.1 259 26.4

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Natural zones of Crimea Steppes are common only in the flat part of the peninsula and on the Kerch Peninsula. In the south of Crimea, the foothills are dominated by oak forest-steppe with the participation of Mediterranean plant species, especially in its western part. On the northern and upper parts of the southern macroslopes of the Main Mountain Range, there are mainly broad-leaved forests of temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, on the yayla there are mountain steppes and meadows, and on the South Coast there are dry juniper-oak forests and bush thickets of the Mediterranean type. In the system of botanical-geographical zoning, the territory of Crimea is usually divided into two unequal parts and assigned to completely different large regions: its steppe part is included in the Eurasian steppe region (in the so-called Pontic province), and its mountainous part is included in the Mediterranean region (Euxine province).

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Soils of Crimea The plain Crimea is located in the subzone of turf-grass dry steppes with southern chernozems and dark chestnut soils. In the mountainous Crimea, on the northern and upper parts of the southern macroslope of the Main Range of Mountains, as well as on other southern mountains - the Carpathians, the Caucasus, brown mountain forest soils are common, and on the summit part (yayla) - mountain-steppe and mountain-meadow chernozem-like soils. The southern coast and partly the southwestern part of Crimea are characterized by brown soils formed under sub-Mediterranean dry forests and bushes. In Crimea, the following soil groups are distinguished: southern, ordinary, foothill chernozems; meadow-chernozem; chestnut; meadow-chestnut; salt licks; salt marshes; meadow; meadow-swamp; sod-carbonate; brown mountain forest; mountain meadows; mountain meadow-steppe chernozem-like; brown

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b) Plants The vegetation of typical, or true, steppes is dominated by communities in which mainly turf grasses take part (feather feather grass, or feather grass; feather grass, or tyrsa; fescue, or steppe fescue; thin-legged, or steppe kleria; wheatgrass ), rhizomatous grasses (coastal grains) and early and narrow-leaved sedges. Species of so-called forbs play a subordinate role. These are types of sage, clover, spring adonis, etc. In the short wet spring period, many perennial ephemeral grasses grow (types of tulips, goose onions, viviparous bluegrass, steppe iris, or iris) and annual ephemerals (types of brome, barley, alyssum, etc. ). In drier habitats, subshrubs are common, mainly Crimean wormwood, prutnyak, types of thyme and shrubs - steppe almond, or bean, saltwort

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Plants of the mountains are Oak, beech, maple, elm hawthorn, euonymus, sloe, pistachios; the communities include low-growing tree-like high juniper, common almond, ash, Crimean pine. pear, and among the shrubs forming the second tier are pine tree, less often sumac, mackerel, cistus, and walnut. Almond pistachio

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Mountain plants Crimean pine beech Oak

On the border of two climatic zones, where East meets West, this unique region is located - the Crimean Peninsula. How many people live here today? What features of the nature of the peninsula can be identified? What is the area of ​​Crimea in sq. km? The answers to all these questions are in this article.

Crimea is a special and amazing land!

Crimea, Taurida is a real peninsula of treasures: natural, architectural, cultural and historical. Here you can see rocky mountain peaks, high waterfalls, ruins of ancient Greek cities and beautiful caves.

General information about Crimea:

• total population - about two million people;
• almost 60% of them live in cities;
• - city of Simferopol;
• The peninsula is multinational: today about 130 different ethnic groups live here;
• The southern coast of Crimea is a continuous chain of resort villages, sanatoriums, children's camps and recreation centers.

Unique and inimitable Three natural zones come together here: steppes, mountains and the sea coast with a subtropical climate. On the territory of the peninsula, botanists have counted 240 species of endemics - plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world!

Crimea is also known for its other records. Thus, the city of Simferopol is connected to the coast by the longest trolleybus line in the world. Its length is 90 kilometers! At the same time, in Crimea (in the village of Molochnoye near Evpatoria) there is the shortest tram line on the planet. It was built solely to transport vacationers to the sea.

What is the area of ​​Crimea in square meters? km. and the length of its borders? This will be discussed in the next section.

Geographical location, area of ​​Crimea

The Crimean Peninsula is located in the southern part of Eastern Europe. It separates two seas - the Black and Azov. Crimea is separated from the neighboring Taman Peninsula by the narrow Kerch Strait.

Quite often, Crimea is called an island, since it protrudes deep into the sea surface and is almost completely isolated from the mainland. Only two isthmuses and the narrow Arabat Spit connect it to the mainland.

In many geographical reference books you can find information that the area of ​​Crimea in square meters. km is 26,100. This figure is not entirely true, and the data is outdated. After all, no meaningful investigation of Crimea has been carried out since the 1980s. Only in 2009 did Ukrainian surveyors determine the exact area of ​​Crimea. It amounted to 25.6 thousand square kilometers. Thus, Crimea “shrank” by almost 500 square meters. km! This is not so little. For example, such a territory could accommodate almost 4 Simferopols!

The total length of Crimea's borders (all, including land borders) is 2,500 kilometers. The peninsula resembles an irregularly shaped quadrangle. Some people see its shape as a bunch of grapes, which is very symbolic, given the centuries-old local winemaking traditions.

Where did the name Crimea come from?

Since ancient times, the peninsula, together with the adjacent Black Sea region, bore the proud name of Tavrika. This toponym obviously comes from the name of the Taurian tribes. It could be found on geographical maps until the 17th century.

Since the middle of the 15th century, another name for the peninsula - Crimea - has become increasingly widespread. Most likely, it comes from the name of the Mongolian city of Kyrym. It was from here that the Khan of the Horde came from, who conquered and settled in the lands of the Northern Black Sea region.

After the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, it began to be called differently - Taurida.

Features of the nature of Crimea

Despite its small area, the peninsula boasts a unique variety of natural conditions and landscapes. Well, where else in the world can you visit a wild and deserted semi-desert, and then, after traveling some 50 kilometers, find yourself in the subtropics, surrounded by lush vegetation?

Crimea amazes with the beauty and diversity of its flora and fauna. More than 200 endemic species of flora can be found here. And in terms of species diversity of insects, Crimea has no equal in all of Europe!

On the peninsula there are dozens of seaside parks with exotic plantings, and the most beautiful grand caves underground, and even the so-called failed volcanoes - remnant mountains. The most famous of these peaks is Mount Ayu-Dag - a symbol of Gurzuf and the entire South Coast.

In terms of relief, the territory of Crimea can be divided into three parts: flat, mountainous and hilly. The Crimean Mountains consist of three parallel ridges. The highest of them reaches a height of 1500 meters (the highest point of the peninsula is Mount Roman-Kosh, 1545 m). The main ridge of the Crimean Mountains, in turn, consists of separate massifs - yayl. Each of them has its own name (for example, Demerdzhi-yayla, Karabi-yayla, etc.).

Population of Crimea and its ethnic composition

According to statistics at the end of last year, about two million people live in Crimea. According to Ukrainian sources, almost 20,000 Crimeans left the peninsula throughout 2014. At the same time, it was replenished due to a significant influx of refugees from the war zone in Donbass (about 200 thousand people per year).

The ethnic composition of Crimea is very diverse. Representatives of more than 120 different nationalities live here. Even 250 years ago, the most numerous people of Crimea were the Tatars. However, over time the situation has changed dramatically. After the end of World War II, most of the Crimean Tatars were deported outside their historical homeland.

Today, the largest ethnic group on the peninsula are Russians (68%). Next come Ukrainians (16%), Crimean Tatars (12%) and Armenians (no more than 1%). The majority of Crimean residents are Orthodox.

Conclusion

Accurate in sq. km is 25.6 thousand. The total length of the peninsula's borders is 2,500 kilometers. Almost two million people now live in this territory.

The geographical position of Crimea is very favorable and has always been so. It was not for nothing that the ancient Greeks built their colony cities on its banks. The peninsula is deeply cut into the Black Sea and is connected to the mainland only by two rather thin isthmuses.