Carpathian Mountains

Carpathian Mountains, major mountain system, central and eastern Europe, extending about 1,450 km (900 mi) in a great semi-circle from Bratislava, Slovakia, to the gorge known as the Iron Gate near Orşova, Romania. Both ends of the arc rest upon the Danube. The Carpathians, varying between 32 and 257 km (20 and 160 mi) in width, are divided into smaller ranges, including the Little Carpathians, the White Carpathians, the High Tatry Range, the East Carpathians, and the Transylvanian Alps (see Transylvania).

The system, although extensive, is not high; the highest point, Mount Gerlach in Slovakia, is 2,655 m (8,711 ft) above sea level. The system is broken by numerous passes that were used frequently by invading armies. Several major rivers, including the Dnestr and the Vistula, are formed in the Carpathians. Rich deposits of gold, silver, lead, iron ore, mercury, copper, petroleum, coal, and salt are located in the range. Forests of oak, beech, fir, and pine cover the slopes from about 460 to 1,830 m (1,500 to 6,000 ft), and bears, lynx, and wolves still inhabit remote forest areas.