Altai Mountains

The Altai Mountains are a major mountain range in Central Asia, where the countries of Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan come together. This area is where important rivers like the Irtysh and Ob begin.

The tallest peak in the Altai Mountains is Belukha, which rises to about 4,506 meters (14,783 feet) above sea level.

The Altai Mountains connect to the Sayan Mountains in the northeast and become lower toward the southeast, blending into the high plains of the Gobi Desert. In the southwest, they are separated from the even taller Tian Shan mountains by the Junggar Basin.

People living in the Altai region are few but come from many different backgrounds, including Turkic peoples, Mongols, and Volga Germans. Many are semi-nomadic and depend on raising animals like cattle, sheep, and horses, as well as hunting, farming, cutting trees, and mining for their living. The idea of an Altaic language family gets its name from these mountains.

Etymology and modern names

The name "Altai" comes from a word meaning "gold" in old Turkic languages. This idea of gold is found in words from many nearby languages.

People near the Altai Mountains call them different names based on their language. In Mongolian, they are called Altain nuruu. In the Altay language, they are known as Altay tuular. In Kazakh, they are called Altaı taýlary. In Russian, they are called Altajskije gory. In Chinese, the mountains are named ā'ěrtài shānmài, and in Uyghur, they are called Altay Taghliri. Each name shows how different cultures view and name this important mountain range.

Geography

For the area north of the Altai, see Geography of South-Central Siberia and South Siberian Mountains.

The Altai Mountains are a large, faraway mountain area in Central Asia. It covers 845,000 km². The mountains stretch for 2,525 km from northwest to southeast.

The region has many lakes, such as Uvs, Khyargas, Dorgon, and Khar. There are also several mountain ranges including the Tannu-Ola Mountains and Khan Khökhii mountains. The highest peak is Belukha Mountain, which is 4,506 m tall. There is another peak that is almost as tall, at 4,400 m. These peaks help create beautiful scenery with glaciers.

Fauna

The Altai mountains have many different animals because of their many different landscapes, including grassy areas, forests, and high-altitude plants. Steep slopes are where you can find the Siberian ibex, while gentler slopes host the rare argali. Five types of deer live here, such as the Altai wapiti and the Siberian roe deer. Large predators like snow leopards, wolves, Eurasian lynx, and brown bears also roam these mountains.

In the past, the Caspian tiger lived in the southern parts of the Altai mountains, but today it is no longer found there. The wisent, a type of ancient cattle, once lived here too, and now there is a small group kept safe in the Altai Republic. Moor frogs can be seen near water up to 2,000 meters high in the mountains.

History

The Altai Mountains have had a stable climate since the last ice age. Many animals from that time still live there. Scientists found ancient humans called the Denisovans here. Their remains and tools were found in Denisova Cave. They lived near Neanderthals and early humans.

Later, people called the Afanasievans lived in the area. They were some of the first herders in East Asia. Many important groups ruled the region, like the Xiongnu and the First Turkic Khaganate. Some think that skiing may have started in the Altai Mountains. This idea comes from old rock drawings found there.

World Heritage Site

Main article: Golden Mountains of Altai

A large area of the Altai Mountains is a special place called the Golden Mountains of Altai. It includes nature reserves, Lake Teletskoye, Mount Belukha, and the Ukok Plateau. This place shows many kinds of plants, from open land to high mountain plants. It helps protect rare animals like the Snow leopard, Altai argali, and Siberian ibex. The nearby Uvs Nuur basin is also protected.

Geology

The Altai Mountains were formed by the movement of Earth's plates, which pushed the land up to create tall peaks. The area has many cracks in the ground, like the Kurai fault zone and the Tashanta fault zone. These faults help scientists learn how the mountains were made.

Scientists have found signs that huge floods happened in the past in this region. These floods came from very large lakes formed by glaciers.

Seismic activity

Earthquakes do not happen often in the Altai Mountains, but a big one struck on September 27, 2003. This earthquake caused damage and changed life for people living nearby.