Glacial landscapes of the Alps

The European Alps are an arc-shaped system of mountain ranges that create an orographic boundary between continental Europe and the Mediterranean region. They span between 43400N and 48100N latitude and 450016270W longitude, reaching a maximum width of 250 km in the central sector. The Alpine chain includes 29 massifs with elevations above 4000 m (maximum elevation 4809 m of Mont Blanc) and more than 100 above 3500 m The Alps constitute the highest mountain range of Europe after the Caucasus. The Alpine chain is commonly divided into Western and Eastern Alps with the boundary in Eastern Switzerland (Fig. 15.1; Table 15.1). The highest axial sector still hosts large glaciers, while toward the surrounding plains the relief gradually decreases in elevation, forming a belt named Prealps or Forealps.