Mountain Range

A mountain range is a group or chain of mountains that are geographically connected or closely related. Ranges can extend for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres and may contain peaks, valleys, ridges and plateaus. Many major ranges formed through the movement of tectonic plates. When plates converge, enormous forces can compress, fold and uplift layers of Earth's crust, gradually creating high relief.

Some ranges are also associated with volcanic activity, while erosion continuously reshapes their slopes and valleys. A range may consist of mountains formed during the same geological period, although its individual peaks can have different ages and shapes. The Andes, Alps and Himalayas are examples of major mountain ranges, each with its own geological history and landscape. Mountain ranges strongly influence the environment around them.

Their elevation affects temperature and precipitation, and mountains can force moist air to rise, producing more rainfall on some slopes while creating drier conditions on others. Snow and glaciers stored at high elevations can feed rivers and provide freshwater far beyond the mountains themselves. Ranges also create many different habitats, from forests and grasslands at lower elevations to cold, sparsely vegetated environments higher up.

People have settled in mountain regions and use them for farming, grazing, forestry, tourism and other activities. At the same time, steep terrain and harsh weather can make life and transportation more difficult. Mountain ecosystems can also be affected by erosion, development and climate change, which is altering snow, ice and water availability in many high-altitude regions.