Northern Medium Mountains (Hungary)

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This page is about the Hungarian geographical region, called "Northern Medium Mountains". For the similar region in Slovakia, see Mátra-Slanec Area.

Northern Medium Mountains
The view of the valley of Lillafüred in Bükk mountains. Although this is not the highest part of the county, the landscape of the kind is typical in Hungarian mountains.
Location	Northern Hungary, southern Slovakia
Territory	13,000 km² (refers to Hungary only)
Highest point	Kékes (Hungary) 1012 m Šimonka (Slovakia) 1092 m
Terrain	lower and moderately high mountains

The Northern Medium Mountains or Northern Hills (Hungarian: Északi-középhegység) is the northern, mountainous part of Hungary. It is forming a geographical unity with the Mátra-Slanec Area, the adjacent parts of Slovakia. It is a separate geomorphological area within the Western Carpathians. The mountains run along in Norteast Hungary, and along the eastern parts of the Hungarian-Slovak border in a broad band from the Danube Bend to the town of Prešov.

[edit] Subdivisions

The area consists of the following geomorphological units:

• Börzsöny ^[1] (Hungarian: Börzsöny, literally: Logwood) + Burda (SK)
• Gödöllő Hills (Hungarian: Gödöllői-dombság)
• Cserhát^[1] (Hungarian: Cserhát - literally "Turkey Oak Back", where "Cser" is Turkey Oak and "hát" is back)
• Karancs-Medves area + Cerová Highlands (SK)
• Mátra^[1] (Hungarian: Mátra)
• Bükk^[1] (Hungarian: Bükk or "Bükk hegység" – literally Beech (Mountains))
• Zemplén Mountains or Tokaj Mountains (Hungarian: Zempléni-hegység, Tokaji-hegység)

Ranges of the adjacent Mátra-Slanec Area in Slovakia:

• Slanec Mountains (Slovak: Slanské vrchy)
• Zemplín Mountains (Slovak: Zemplínske vrchy)

[edit] Description

The Northern Medium Mountains begin with the mountain range of Börzsöny, alongside the Danube Bend, where it meets the Transdanubian Medium Mountains.

The Börzsöny's territory is approximately 600 km². Principally it is of volcanic origin. The range's highest peak is the 938 m high Csóványos.

The next range towards east is the Cserhát, with the same material as the Börzsöny. There, erosion was more severe: The lowest part of the Northern Medium Mountains; in fact, a hilly region. The highest point of it is the Naszály (654 m).

Mount Kékes, the country's highest peak with 1014 metres is located in the next range, Mátra. However, the range's average height is only 600 metres; in this regard, the close Bükk forestall it. Mátra is of volcanic origin like the previous ranges, too.

Map of the Carpathians. The Northern Medium Mountains are the most southern parts of the territory highlighted with lightgreen.

The Bükk is a limestone range; it has the highest average height in Hungary. It is rich in caves, some was even inhabited by humans in ancient times.

The Aggtelek Karst is a low (in average 300 to 500 metres high) mountain range relatively close to the Slovak border. Among others, Hungary's most popular cave, the Baradla is located in it.

The Zemplén Mountains are of volcanic origin, again; the soil's high quality favours viticulture.

[edit] Natural resources

• brown coal
• limestone
• lignite
• forestry
• viticulture
• fertile soil

[edit] National Parks

• Aggtelek National Park (established in 1985)
• Bükk National Park (established in 1976)
• Duna-Ipoly National Park (established in 1997)

Panorama in Börzsöny Mountains (Duna-Ipoly National Park)

[edit] Protected areas

• Hollókő (since 1977)
• East Cserhát (since 1989)
• Karancs-Medves (since 1989)
• Mátra (since 1985)
• Tarnavidék (since 1993)
• Lázbérc (since 1975)
• Tokaj-Bodrogzug (since 1986)
• Zemplén (since 1984)

[edit] Images

Mátra mountains

Aggtelek - Baradla Cave

The highest peak, Kékes

[edit] See also

• Geography of Hungary
• Mátra
• Bükk
• Tokaj-Hegyalja (belongs to Zemplén Mountains)
• Carpathians

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Regional Map Series of Hungary

v • d • e

Geographical regions of Hungary

	Alpokalja	Kőszeg Mountains • Sopron Mountains • Vas Hills • Balfi Hills
	Little Hungarian Plain	Hanság • Fertőzug • Neusiedl Basin • Rábaköz • Szigetköz • Marcali Basin • Moson Plain • Komárom-Esztergom Plain
	Transdanubia	Zala Hills • Inner Somogy • Outer Somogy • Zselic • Völgység • Szekszárd Hills • Baranya Hills • Villány Mountains
	Transdanubian Medium Mountains	Keszthely Mountains • Tapolca Basin • Balaton Uplands • Bakony • Bakonyalja • Sokoró • Vértesalja • Velence Mountains • Gerecse Mountains • Buda Mountains • Pilis Mountains • Visegrád Mountains
	Mecsek	Western Mecsek • Eastern Mecsek
	Northern Medium Mountains	Börzsöny • Cserhát • Mátra • Mátralába • Bükk • Aggtelek Karst • Zemplén
	Great Hungarian Plain	Mezőföld • Sárrét • Sárköz • Drávamellék • Kiskunság • Jászság • Pest Plain • Heves Plain • Borsodi-Mezőség • Bodrogköz • Tiszahát • Szatmár Plain • Maros-Körös köze • Körös-vidék • Nagykunság • Hortobágy • Hajdúság • Nyírség