Alps

The Alps (from Latin Alpes, of the stem alb-= white) is a mountain range in Europe, stretching from the French Mediterranean coast in the South West to the Pannonian plain in the East. The surface of the mountains is more than 200,000 km². The Alps are spread over eight States: Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia,Liechtenstein and Monaco. Total living there against the 13 million people.

The Alps are bounded by the Gulf of Genoa, the Po Valley, the Rhone plain, the Schweizer Mittelland, the alpine foothills of Bavaria and the Small Hungarian plain. The arc of the Alps begins at the Gulf of Genoa, where it turns into the Apenninemountains to the East. From here it runs mountains to the North, then East to around the Po Valley to redirect. In this reversal come together with the Jura to the Alps than further East to become progressively lower. At Vienna are geologically related Carpathians Alps separated by the basin of Vienna.

In the West of the Alps are peaks over 4000 metres, the Eastern Alpine peaks are up to around 3000 meters high. The highest peak is Mont Blanc (4811 m.) and in addition, there are 128 peaks higher than 4,000 meters. The Alps are a relatively young mountains, formed during the Alpine orogeny in the Tertiary. In the Alps be spared many great rivers of Europe, such as the Rhine, the Rhône, the Po and the Inn.

The Alps are an important climatic and geographical barrier in Europe. They form the watershed between the North and South of Europe and separate the Mediterranean climate of the South Europe Atlantic Ocean affected by the temperate climates of Northern and Central Europe. Since the prehistoric times are the Alpine passes important connections between southern with Northern Europe.



Content
[hide] *1 Geography  ==Geography[ Edit] == The Alps are the largest and highest mountains in Western Europe. The name has originally related to the veeweiden on the not too steep and rocky mountain slopes. Speaking in the German-speaking alpine areas still of Ätzalpen (summer pastures) and Heualpen (schralere grasslands which are used exclusively or mainly as hay meadows). In addition, one including Sennalpen (mountain pastures for dairy cattle held for the benefit of the mountain kaasbereiding) and Galtalpen.
 * 1.1 Format
 * 1.2 High Alpine peaks
 * 1.3 countries (partly) in the Alps and the highest mountain
 * 2 Geology
 * 3 Climate
 * 3.1 Winter climate
 * 3.2 summer climate
 * 3.3 temperature
 * 3.4 precipitation
 * 3.5 Winds
 * 3.6 Climate separation
 * 4 Nature
 * 4.1 Ecology
 * 4.2 Flora
 * 4.3 Fauna
 * 5 industry in the Alps
 * 6 The man in the Alps
 * tourism and places of interest 7
 * France 7.1
 * 7.2 Italy
 * 7.3 Switzerland
 * Austria 7.4
 * Germany and Slovenia 7.5
 * 8 Alpine traditions
 * 9 environmental issues
 * 10 see also

The highest point of the Alps is the Mont Blanc4810 metres high, literally ' White Mountain ' thanks to the eternal snow at the top of the mountain. Other famous alpine Giants are the Matterhorn, Eiger and Zugspitze,Großglockner. Many great rivers are born in the Alps, the most important being: the Rhine, the Rhôneand the Po. In addition, the Danube, to a large extent, fed by Alpine rivers. In addition, there are in the Alps and in the immediate vicinity of many lakes, the largest being: the Geneva Lake, the Lake Constance, the Garda and the Lake Maggiore. ===Format[ Edit] === Matterhorn, Pennine Alps.The view from Grigne, Barzio, ItalyPiz Bernina, Bernina Range.The Alps are divided into Eastern and Western Alps, where the border line on the Lake Constance-Chur-Lake Como lies. In addition, the Eastern Alps from North to South are divided into three groups: the Northern limestone Alps, the central Alps and the southern limestone Alps.

Western Alps

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Eastern Alps
 * Mercantour
 * Massif Des Écrins
 * Belledonne
 * Vanoisemassief
 * Aiguilles Rouges
 * Mont Blanc Massif
 * Bernese Alps
 * Valais Alps
 * Gran Paradiso
 * Glarus Alps

===High Alpine Peaks<span class="mw-editsection" len="328" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The highest alpine peak is the Mont Blanc, the first measurement in 1775 a height of 4775 metres pointed out. Since 2003 is the latest measurements in the mountain officially 4,808 metres and 45 cm high (with a margin of error of 10 cm). (The highest mountain in Europe is Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus, with the 5633 m). The Mont Blanc is the French-Italian border, nearChamonix in the French Alps. According to the conventions of the UIAA there are a total of 100 peaks in the Alps above the 4000 metres peaks over 4,000 metres high, so-called. ===Countries (partly) in the Alps and the highest mountain<span class="mw-editsection" len="357" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ==Geology<span class="mw-editsection" len="320" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Intense folds in a schist from the central zone of the Alps (Lukmanier pass).A Ammonite (an extinct species of squid) from theNorthern limestone Alps. This part of the Alps consists of sediments from the shallow inland seas that once covered the southern edge of Europe. <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alps form a part of a belt of mountains that Tertiary along the southern boundary of the continents Europe and Asia runs. This belt of mountain chains was formed during the Alpine orogeny. The belt doesn't seem to run continuously, for example, there are holes between the Alps and the Carpathians. Mountain buildinghas indeed taken place everywhere, but subsequent tectonic subsidence of the intermediate pieces lithosphere has ensured that the mountains will not continuously go through.
 * Northern Limestone Alps
 * Rätikon
 * Wetterstein Mountains
 * Karwendel
 * Central Alps
 * Albula Alps
 * Bernina Range
 * Ötztal Alps
 * Zillertal Alps
 * Hohe Tauern
 * Southern Limestone Alps
 * Bergamasker Alps Alps
 * Adamellomassief
 * Dolomites
 * Julian Alps
 * Karawanken
 * Germany, highest mountain: Zugspitze,
 * Liechtenstein, highest mountain: Grauspitz,
 * Austria, highest mountain: Großglockner,
 * Slovenia, highest mountain: Triglav,
 * France: Mont Blanc, the highest mountain,
 * Italy, also the highest mountain is Mont Blanc. On official French maps, however, is the French-Italian border south of the top; This would not be the Mont Blanc the Mont Blanc de Courmayeur, but the highest mountain in Italy are. At a Convention of 1861 March 7, however, the border is drawn over the top of the Mont Blanc.
 * Switzerland, highest mountain is the Dufourspitze in the Monte Rosa massif.
 * Monaco, highest mountain: Le Rocher

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alps are created as a result of plate tectonicsmove it to each other, to be exact of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, making the piece of the lithosphere that contains, as it were, Italy in Europe was printed. This happened in a number of phases, starting in the Chalk (around 110 million years ago) and with the peak during the Paleogene, about 50 to 35 million years ago. Also nowadays it goes to each other moving the plates still by.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">During mountain building, parts of the Earth's crust folded up and stowed, overlaid. In the central zone of the mountain range, where the two plates meet, move pieces in the deep mantle lithosphere (this process is called subduction). Some of these parts then come back up again, but in their journey through the depth undergo metamorphosis, change of the minerals that make up the rock exists.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Like other mountain ranges have the Alps a buildup with a central zone in the middle and on either side a for land and a hinterland. The central zone consists ofmetamorphic rocks from the deeper parts of the continents and fragments of the Earth's mantle or the ever between the two continents located Ocean crust. These are mainly gneisses and schists.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The edges of the continents were for the mountain building, in the Jura and chalk, covered in warm shallow inland seas, where many lived organisms that built up little skeletons from lime . The edges of the continents were therefore covered with thick layers of limestone. During the formation of the Alps was stowed, folded up this limestone and overlaid. Today the thick layers of limestone the Northern and southern limestone Alps on either side of the central zone.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Finally, are located on both the southern and northern flank of the Alps large basins, where the Earth's crust under the weight of moving down the mountains. Here a lot of erosion material gathered from the mountains in the form of sediment. This is the PobekkenIn the South, in the North the Molasse Basin in Switzerland and South-Bavaria.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The relief of mountains and valleys is relatively new compared to these processes. It was mainly formed in the Quaternary period (the last 2.5 million years), during various periods of considerable sequence (USA), involving not only the Alps, but also surrounding areas were covered with glaciers. The glaciers In the mountains have eroded deep trough valleys and material from the mountains carried away to the flatter areas in the front and hinterland. Examples of glaciers formed valleys are the large lakes of Northern Italy. ==Climate<span class="mw-editsection" len="319" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A detailed description of the climate of the Alps can be hard, because the local influences very strong. This depends on various circumstances, such as the height, the location, in a valley or on a slope, where the important is whether the Valley further North-South or East-west runs and in which direction the slope is. As a result of so many different situations lying places close to each other climates can vary greatly. Still, some reasonable generally applicable climatic characteristics are given. ===Winter Climate<span class="mw-editsection" len="325" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">in winter, is located above the Alps often an area of high atmospheric pressure, which in General is enhanced by the low temperatures in the mountains. Under these circumstances, especially during the night, look strong cooling place, especially in the valleys. As a result, the, that the temperatures there than important lower than on any height along the slopes. Drop by the low temperatures arise in those low-hanging clouds, fog and then often while the higher parts of the slopes and also the tips completely free of clouds are. This is a result of the falling movement that the air in a high-pressure area usually goes down. ===Summer Climate<span class="mw-editsection" len="324" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">High pressure In the summer months is in General something further north. By the solar radiation reaches the temperature in the valleys, especially in those which are open to the South, at least during the high values, while along the slopes relatively cool. The atmosphere is unstable, warm air flowing against the ramps up and as a result the buds form along these slopes and clouds, which can possibly grow into cumulonimbus (a big pile of cloud) in which showers and thunderstorms develop, which after some time also can penetrate to the valleys. It follows from the above that in winter at high altitude in general more sunshine will be found than in the valleys, while in summer the higher places the least will have sunshine. Spring and autumn are transitional jaargetijden in which there is little difference between high and low places is what the sunshine duration is concerned. ===Temperature<span class="mw-editsection" len="323" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With regard to the temperature, one can say, that the 0.58 ° c colder per 100 m of altitude gain. On 1000 m height ca. 200 days a year an average temperature of at least 5 ° c at 2000 m altitude, while this still at approx. 125 days the case. ===Precipitation<span class="mw-editsection" len="321" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Rainfall is usually tied to disturbances, which either North or South of the Alps draw from west to East. One consequence of this is, that the accumulated rainfall in this direction in General is decreasing. By backwater, the precipitation particularly against the mountain slopes, especially against the North and South slopes. The valleys, in particular the drop length, are therefore relatively dry. The least precipitation falls in the Valley of the Rhone River, less than 600 mm per year; against the slopes of the Valais Alps, at a distance of about 30 km, is about the biggest fallout from the whole area found, more than 3200 mm. Or the precipitation falls as snow or as rain hangs off of the temperature. In the summer the precipitation often exists in the higher levels from snow, down from rain.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the southern part of the Alps, the rainfall especially in the form of violent storms with a maximum in the fall. In the northern part is the precipitation intensity usually smaller but the precipitation takes longer, particularly during the winter. Although in the summer also there showers occur, is the variability of the rainfall from year to year there anyway usually smaller than in the South. ===Winds<span class="mw-editsection" len="319" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The winds are generally weak in the Alps. Locally, however, can the air with great speed over the passes and by conveniently located drop flows. A well-known example is the Tauernwind, a cold north wind North ofLienz. Moreover, one can find in the valleys usually a daily course of the wind direction, where the Goms mountain during the day and night air flows in the opposite direction. A striking phenomenon is the wind, which like hot fall winds, large hair dryerspeeds may show and in General has a strong buiig character. One can distinguish between South noordföhn and hair dryer, or a Northern wind that especially in the southern and a southern wind which occurs especially in the Northern Alpine valleys. The last is the most striking phenomenon because he gives rise to the strongest rises in temperature, often 10 ° c within 24 hours, in extreme cases even more than 20 ° c. Noordföhn is generally slightly more frequent than South hair dryer. So, the first locally in the Southern Alps on more than 70 days a year, while South hair dryer usually on 30 to 50 days a year is observed. Hair dryer is most in the spring for, about 35% of the total number of cases. During hair dryer situations develop to the Leeward side of the mountain ridges often the so-called lenticulariswolken, which usually precipitation announce within 24 hours. ===Climate Separation<span class="mw-editsection" len="329" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The main climatic aspect of the Alps is without a doubt the fact that they by their Western-Eastern location climate separation between Central Europe and the Mediterranean forms. Specially applies that cold (and therefore heavy) from the polar regions air on her way to the South by the average about 2000 m high wall is stopped or at least slowed down. Here is one of the main causes for the climate difference between, for example, the United States and southern Europe. Compare New York and Naples, both about 41 ° beam, with January temperatures of July and 23 and 24 ° c and + 8 ° c, or-1. As far as cold polar air penetrates to the Mediterranean, they usually flows west of the Alps to the South. ==Nature<span class="mw-editsection" len="319" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == The tree line under the Sunntigerspitze (2321 m) in the Karwendel.===Ecology<span class="mw-editsection" len="321" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The nature of the Alps is very different between the North and the South: while the Northern Alps to the biome of the "winter cold mountain ranges with deciduous forest" belong (zonobioom IV) include the Southern Alps to the Mediterranean zonobioom VI. In between lies the strong continental vegetation in the valleys of the central Alps. Nature in mountains varies greatly to height and is divided into zones, each with its specific vegetation and species. These zones are located in the South, where the climate is warmer, higher than in the North. In the central part of the Alps they are also higher than at the edges.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the colline zone, which is located about 400 metres above sea level in the Alps to, occur naturally in the same species as surrounding lowlands. When one comes slightly higher start the submontane and montane zones, where coniferous forest grows. The species are similar to the boreal zone at higher latitude.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the Northern Alps (the so-called Helvetic zone) is the order from low to high: first pedunculate oak trees, beech and then finally fijnsparren. In the drier Central (orPenninic) zone of the Alps is the sequence: pinewood, fijnsparren and larches and pine. On the South side of the Alps (the this almost subtropical Zone) are lower forHolm oak , sweet chestnut trees above it and above it, Greek oak, pedunculate oak trees and finally, beech.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Even higher, between 1400 and 2200 m altitude, is the tree line with above it the subalpine, Alpine and nivale zones. Each zone has its own natural vegetation and species. The tree line is located in the central Alps on average 400 to 600 metres higher than at the edge of the Alps and varies greatly in height, also because they shifted down by human intervention often is. The Alpine meadows are used to grazing cattle on.

The large-flowered gentian, in the Alps a typical sort of the alpine zone.Glacier buttercups (Ranunculus glacialis) near thegreat St. Bernard pass.<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The subalpine zone is located between 1900 and 2300 metres and is a transition zone between the pine forest (ecotoon) and the alpine meadow. Here grow especially shrubs, no higher than two meters. Examples are rhododendrons and on calcareous soils mountain pine (Pinus mugo); While on clayey soils previouslywhite Alder (Alnus viridis) occur.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alpine zone is between 1800 and 3000 meters altitude and consists of ground covering plants. The vegetation is strongly influenced by the duration of the snow cover in the winter, the rock type in the substrate and the amount of wind. A small number of plant species grow at altitudes up to 2800 metres; many of them are pillow-shaped as shield herb and glue herbCampion. By these changes are these plants against herbivores as well as loss of moisture protected. In addition, young lottery tickets as from wind and freezing safeguarded. Edelweiss also grows on these heights.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The nivale zone lies above the snow line (in the Alps around 3000 meters altitude). Plants grow here only in places where the snow can not remain all year and vegetation covered the bottom do not balance. Around 150 species of seed plants are above 3000 metres for, in addition, there are also for lichens . To the species that grow the highest glacier Buttercup (Ranunculus glacialis) and stone (Saxifraga biflora). Also on snow and ice are species. The groenalg Chlamydomonas nivalisgrows on firn Plains and causes a red color in the snow, an effect that is called blood snow . ===Flora<span class="mw-editsection" len="318" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the Alps is growing a multitude of plants and flowers, both in the valleys and the high alpine meadows. Above the colline zone forms the Alps an isolated island for many species, not listed in the lower areas outside the Alps can survive. These species are typical for a colder climate and have Europe after the last ice age from the East colonized. With warmer climate, they were later expelled from the lower regions and nowadays they grow only in higher areas in Central Europe. ===Fauna<span class="mw-editsection" len="318" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The typical Alpine animal world lives above the tree line (1725 – 2400 m). The air here is thin, the low temperature, the humidity rather high. Above the snow line life even about 400 species, many arthropod animals, some slugs and flatworms; 27 species of these even come only in this area.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Many Alpine residents ( or large Alpine salamander,squirrel, adder and many insects) are darker in color than their counterparts from lower regions. This is because they are cold-blooded-except the squirrel and the cooler environment compensate by a dark color, allowing more efficient solar heat is included. Many kinds of insects ( flies,bumblebees) are strong hairy.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The life of mammals, the Alpine ibex gems, the snowshoe Hare, the snow mouse and the Alpine marmot only in this area; the snow mouse comes higher for than any mammal in Europe (up to 4100 m). The Alps birds are both stand as migratory birds. Well-known species include the Golden Eagle, the Alpine Chough, the Alpine swift, the Red-billed Chough, the wallcreeper and the ptarmigan, both of which last up to the border of the eternal snow occur. The small or viviparous lizard and the adder live up to ca. 2750 m, the black Alpine salamander even up to 3000 m. among the numerous arthropods, there are the high mountain mite and various types of insects, such as the gletsjervlo and the rotsspringer (Machilis nivicomes). Some snails are still coming up to 3000 m for. At the hands of the man are different types of lower to higher belts driven out. ==Industry in the Alps<span class="mw-editsection" len="334" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Traditionally supported the industry in the Alps on the local raw materials and possibilities. So was the presence of iron ore, timber and water power especially in the East the basis for the iron industry. This was initially tied to the mountain regions, there the mechanical force for operation by the flowing water of the mountain rivers had to be delivered. The construction of large hydroelectric power plants (including Genissat in France, Limbergsperre in Austria in Grande Dixence, Switzerland) made on the one hand and, on the other hand, the proportion of such industrial sites transportabel energy less tied to a place. A lot of heavy industry has therefore been able to develop more accessible in the wide valleys. In addition, energy itself has become an important export product. The forestry (especially in South Germany, Switzerland and Austria) forms the basis for the extensive wood, paper and cellulose industry.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At the agriculture in the Alps dominated traditional livestock farming. In the northern and Eastern Alps comes almost exclusively cattle shed for. The especially in the more centrally located parts common agriculture fully in the service of the cattle shed. In the Southern Alps is also intensive agriculture (export-oriented) for (next to grain also fruit, wine, tobacco, flowers). Agriculture is mainly exercised only in a few large and warm valleys.The height limit for grain cultivation varies from approx. 1000 m in the North-Eastern Alps to ca. 2000 m in some southern areas.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The animal husbandry in the Alps takes special forms. Because the valley floor yields not enough pasture, there are forms in which the cattle is transferred to higher pastures during the summer. On the poorest and highest meadows forms sheep livestock. Agriculture and animal husbandry are strongly regressed in the 20th century. The so-called "topographical conditions" make a modern management virtually impossible, while the increased development of the industry and the tourism boom more attractive and more profitable forms of employment for operation. In addition, worked the much improved accessibility of the Alpine area the competition from other areas of the hand. The last 20 years has been in agriculture, therefore, a strong altitude flight deployed.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The mining industry is in the Eastern Alps of more significance than in the Western Alps. The kolenhoudende zone in the East (especially Brown coal) also works in the coalfields East of the Alps on. By Trias are also meaning to the formation in the Northern limestone Alps bound salt layers (place names with ' Salz ' or ' Hall '). Salt mines are sometimes by brine piping connected to mineral beach resorts (Bad Ischl, Bad Aussee, Bad Reichenhall). The Alps contain a wide variety of minerals, but the resources are not large. The hoofdertszone is the area of the so called grauwacken and leigesteenten, in which the sites often bear names with ' Arz ', ' Jack ' or ' Reichen '. Here are mainly copper, silver and iron ore found, the latter especially in Styria (Eisenerz) surface, where it is extracted. In the limestone Alps of southern Carinthia come lead, tungsten and zinc ore, in the Hohe Tauern range any gold and mercury in the southeast corner (Idrija). There is a lot of extraction of stones (marble, porphyry) while in the limestone Alps on several places cement is made.

<p lang="en" len="210" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Numerous are also the mineral and thermal springs: they lie above all in the Eastern and southern outskirts area and include both salt baths and mineral baths (steel baths of Saint Moritz) as thermal baths. ==The man in the Alps<span class="mw-editsection" len="332" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The regionally different business operations, climate types and topographical conditions are an important explanation for the different types of "settlements" which one finds in the Alps. In the Northern Alps, where rich, strong rain cut the stock unique present, dominating single farms (Einzelhöfe). Having such a distinct form, together with some other need a church village. At the Church is often a school, an Inn, and some residential houses. This is called hamlets ' Weiler '. In the Southern Alps, with intensive arable farming and broader valleys, dominated the compact, closed village. The main towns are rare in the Alps; only Grenoble, Innsbruck ,Salzburgand Trento may be mentioned. The growth of industry and tourism has a number of agricultural settlements in fast pace has changed beyond recognition. The regional diversity in building materials is reflected in its buildings. In the Northern Alps dominated wood as building material, but southern is also stone in trek. In addition in the houses form regional strong differences on which in part can be explained by the difference in business operations. ==Tourism and places of interest<span class="mw-editsection" len="344" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Matterhorn<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alpine region is one of the most visited tourist regions in the world. The relief and the great differences in altitude in the Alps mountain sports are practiced, both different summer sports as winter sports.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The summer sports are especially cycling, kayaking, hill walking and mountaineering. At the winter sports there is above all the skiing and snowboarding, but alsocross-country skiing and sledging, snow walking in the many winter sports resorts. The Alps counting hundreds of ski resorts, several dozen of which (partly) located on glaciers, so there all year round skiing.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Also lots of "new winter sports" are there practicing. These include kite-sleds (with a kite) and hybrid bikes (with skis). ===France<span class="mw-editsection" len="322" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">One of the most interesting events in the French Alps is the tour of France, a prestigious bicycle race held there in July always passes. The supporters as close as possible to try to get their cycling idols, the waiving of the cyclists, the tour caravan with the souvenirs, are part of the entertainment. The wild rivers in the French Alps are perfectly suited to water sports such as rafting, kayaking and canoeing. A good example of such a river is the Rhône. She comes from melting snow on the Alps. The Mont Blanc, the second highest mountain in Europe, is the Mecca of mountain climbers. Only for few it is to reach the top of this famous mountain. There are many that their hubris to climb the mountain have paid with their lives. ===Italy<span class="mw-editsection" len="319" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the Italian Alps are a number of Great Lakes region, including the Lago Maggiore, the Garda and the Lake Como. The Dolomites are known for the high peaks andgraffelflankenroodroze. Also in Italy, the national cycling race, the tour of Italy, often place partly in the Alps. ===Switzerland<span class="mw-editsection" len="324" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Just as a neighbour Austria Switzerland has many opportunities for skiing. One of the most famous Swiss Ski Resorts is Saint Moritz. This is thanks to its high altitude and the many km of slopes that surround this village are located. It was also the place where 2 times the Winter Olympics were held. It is possible to walk on snow shoes, where one can spend the night in an igloo or bathing in hot spring water. Examples of such baths are the Leukerbad or in Scuol. On the Jungfraujoch, a mountain near Interlaken, drive a miniature train for above. The Jungfraujoch station is the highest station of Europe.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Geneva Lake is a large lake on the border between France and Switzerland in the North to the South. It has an area of 584 km². The Lake is up to 310 m deep. It is mainly fed by the Rhône river, which reaches the Lake in the South-East and in the southwest at leaving Geneva. Famous places on the Lake are, apart from Geneva: Lausanne, Montreux, Vevey Nyon, and, in France, Thonon-les-Bains. ===Austria<span class="mw-editsection" len="323" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Also in Austria are many facilities for both winter sports and summer tourism. The most important city in the Austrian Alps, the capital of the region of Tirol, Innsbruckis. This region is especially important because of a wide choice of winter sports, but other less well-known sports such as wall climbing, paragliding and hang-gliding. Another Austrian Alpine town is Salzburg. It is next to Mozart 's home town famous for her Baroque architecture. ===Germany and Slovenia<span class="mw-editsection" len="334" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Also in the Slovenian and German Alps is, just as in the other Alpine countries, winter sports an important sector. An example of a ski resort in the heart of the German Alps Oberstdorfis. A well known ski resort inGarmisch-Partenkirchenis Germany, where on every new year's day the traditional ski jumping takes place. In Slovenia the annual Planica 's ski jumping (in Mojstrana) organized. The country has more than 30 further complexes with ski slopes, both in the Julian Alps, the KaravankeAlps, Pohorje and the Kamniker. Outside the winter season, mountaineering and mountain hiking to the main tourist activities in the Slovenian Alps.Slovenian alpinists bond maintains more than 150 mountain huts. Slovenia has dozens of Alpine associations, most of which are locally organized, unite workers of other sectors or sometimes only a single company. ==Alpine Traditions<span class="mw-editsection" len="327" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A well-known musical instrument from the Swiss Alps is the alpenhorn. The alpenhorn was already used by the Celts about 2000 years ago. Shepherds used the Horn as a signal instrument (see also the article on thethe Kuhreigen). He is now sometimes used to play in an orchestra. The Horn is all wood and down usually decorated with Swiss motifs.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alps are also famous for their traditional village festivals. This used to be organized for a special event, such as the beginning of the harvest season or a wedding. Now such village festivals held especially for the tourists. During the events in the men and women wear traditional costumes, which vary according to the place in the Alps. The parties can in time differ from one day up to a whole week. In the German Alps, there is a traditional drink: beer. For centuries its own local beer brewed here. Previously, that especially with honey to make a kind of fellow. Now one does this in purpose built breweries to produce beer in mass. ==Environmental Issues<span class="mw-editsection" len="331" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the 1980s it became clear that environmental policy should change drastically in the Alpine region. The explosive growth of mass tourism, the increasing population pressure and the associated extensions of infrastructure and winter sports facilities, as well as the growth in traffic in and through the area, have had profound consequences for the environment. It turned out that the massive decline in the trees (among other things for the construction of hotels, vacation rentals and ski slopes) the disappearance of many plant and animal species to. The hood also caused increasing erosion, landslides, avalanches, mudslides and floods, with an increasing number of human fatalities fell to regret. The increasing pollution of the glaciers and the resulting waste streams and rivers are very conspicuous by exhaust gases and begins to take serious forms.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The establishment of nature reserves and protected wildlife parks to have turned out not to be the intended effect. In the beginning of the 80 's have the Alpine countries Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia (now Slovenia), Italy, Switzerland and France cooperation sought to the problems. Later in the 1980s, got the cooperation form in the Alps-Adria-group, which spans part of the Alps. Also the CIPRA (International Commission for the protection of the Alps) was established.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The melting glaciers due to climate change drastically. Climatic fluctuations are not unknown and glaciers are a climate archive. However, withdrawal of the glaciers is now faster than before. According to measurements the glacier lost since the beginning of the industrialization in 1980 a third of the surface and half of their mass. Since 1980 is 20 to 30 percent of the volume of ice thawed. Recent studies show, however, that once fully melted glacial ice thousands of years ago must have been.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" len="157" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [1]