Europe's Two Major Mountain Ranges: The Alps & The Carpathians

1. The Alps – Highest, most iconic.

• Arc: France → Italy → Switzerland → Liechtenstein → Austria → Germany → Slovenia.
• Highest: **Mont Blanc** (4,809 m / 15,778 ft).
• Key Features: Glacial valleys, iconic peaks (Matterhorn, Eiger, Jungfrau), major ski tourism, hydroelectric, transit tunnels (Gotthard, Brenner).

2. The Carpathians – Longest range in Europe (~1,500 km).

• Arc: Czechia → Slovakia → Poland → Ukraine → Romania → Serbia.
• Highest: **Gerlachovský štít** (2,655 m / 8,711 ft) in High Tatras (Slovakia).
• Key Features: Primeval forests (UNESCO), large carnivores (bear, wolf, lynx), mineral wealth, cultural crossroads (Hutsuls, Gorals, Szeklers).

Other Major Ranges

Pyrenees (FR/ES), Scandinavian Mountains (NO/SE), Apennines (IT), Dinaric Alps (Balkans), Caucasus (Europe/Asia border – Elbrus 5,642 m highest in Europe).