| Pontic Mountains | |
| Range | |
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Panoramic view of the Pontic Mountains in 2007
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| Countries | Turkey, Georgia |
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| Highest point | Kaçkar Dağı |
| - elevation | 3,931 m (12,897 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
The Pontic Mountains form a mountain range in Northern Turkey, also known as the Parhar mountains in the local Turkish and Pontic Greek languages. The term "Parhar" originates from the Hittite word meaning "high" or "summit".[1]
The range runs roughly east-west, parallel and close to the southern coast of the Black Sea and extends eastward to Georgia. The highest peak in the range is Kaçkar Dağı, which rises to 3,931 m (12,897 ft). The North Anatolian Fault and the Northeast Anatolian Fault, which are east-west running strike-slip faults, run along the length of the range.
The mountains are generally covered by dense forests, predominantly of conifers. The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is an ecoregion which covers most of the range, while the Caucasus mixed forests extend across the eastern end of the range, known as the Kaçkar Mountains. The region is home to such Eurasian wildlife as the Caucasian Black Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Red-fronted Serin, and Wallcreeper.[2] The narrow coastal strip between the mountains and the Black Sea, known as Pontus, is home to the Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests, which contain some of Europe's only temperate rain forests. The Anatolian Plateau, which lies south of the range, has a considerably drier and more continental climate than the humid and mild coast.[3]
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