Tatra Mountains 59294 224970365 2008-07-11T06:42:33Z 68.148.164.166 /* Mountain peaks */ [[Image:Tatry Panorama01xxx.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Tatras]][[Image:Panorama tatier.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Panorama of Tatras]] The '''Tatra Mountains''', '''Tatras''' or '''Tatra''' ('''Tatry '''in both [[Slovak language|Slovak]] and [[Polish language|Polish]]), constitute a [[mountain range]] which forms a natural border between [[Slovakia]] and [[Poland]]. They occupy an area of 750 km², the major part (600km²) of which lies in Slovakia. The highest mountain is [[Gerlachovský štít]] at 2,655 m, located in Slovakia. The north-western peak of [[Rysy]] (2,499 m) is the highest Polish mountain. The Tatras consist of: *[[Western Tatras]] (Slovak: ''Západné Tatry'', Polish: ''Tatry Zachodnie'') *[[Eastern Tatras]] (''Východné Tatry'', ''Tatry Wschodnie''), which consist of: **[[High Tatras]] (''Vysoké Tatry'', ''Tatry Wysokie'') **[[Belianske Tatras]] (''Belianske Tatry'', ''Tatry Bielskie'') The Tatra Mountains are the highest mountain range in the [[Carpathian Mountains]]. Although considerably smaller than the [[Alps]], they are classified as having an alpine landscape. Their high mountain character, combined with great accessibility, makes them popular with tourist and scientists. ==Description== The area is a well-known [[winter sports]] area, with resorts such as [[Poprad]] and the town [[Vysoké Tatry (town)|(Mesto) Vysoké Tatry]] in Slovakia (in English literally ''(Town of the High Tatras)''; created in 1999 and including the former separate [[resort]]s [[Štrbské Pleso]], [[Starý Smokovec]], and [[Tatranská Lomnica]]), and [[Zakopane]], the "Winter Capital" of Poland. The High Tatras, with their 24 (or 25) peaks over 2500 m above sea level, are, together with the [[Southern Carpathians]], the only mountain ranges with an [[Alps|Alpine]] character in the whole 1200km length of the Carpathian Mountain range. [[Image:STRBSKE_PLESO.jpg|thumb|300px|thumb|right|500px|[[Štrbské Pleso]] in the High Tatras, Slovakia]] The Tatras should be distinguished from another Slovak mountain range, the [[Low Tatras]] (in Slovak ''Nízke Tatry''), situated south of the Tatras. Sometimes, however, the term 'Tatras' is used freely to refer to both the Tatras and the Low Tatras. ==Landscape== The Tatra Mountains (especially the High Tatras) are known to have undergone four glaciations. The most extensive transformations were caused by a glacier 100–230 m thick; the most apparent features of this process are the numerous [[cirques]] and mountain lakes. The mountains were shaped by glacial erosion, which formed many alpine cliffs, some up to 1,000 m high. ==Climate== The Mountains lie in the [[temperate zone]] of [[Central Europe]]. They are an important barrier to the movements of air masses. Their mountainous topography causes the most diverse climate in that region. The effects of global warming in the Tatra Mountains started to be visible around the 1980s. ====Winds==== The average wind speed on the summits is 6 m/s. *southerly winds on the northern side *westerly winds at the base of Tatra (Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin) *[[foehn winds]] (Polish: [[halny]]) most often occur between October and May. They are warm and dry and could cause extensive damage. ====Temperature==== Temperatures range from −40 °C in the winter to 33 °C in warmer months. Temperatures also vary depending on altitude and sun exposure of a given slope. Temperatures below 0 °C last for 192 days on the summits. ====Precipitation==== Highest [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] figures are recorded on northern slopes. In June and July monthly precipitation reaches around 250 [[millimeter|mm]] (10 in). Precipitation occurs for 215 to 228 days a year. [[Thunderstorm]]s occur 36 days a year on average. ====Snow cover==== Maximum thickness on the summit amounts to around 320 cm (125 in) in March. Peaks are sometimes covered with snow throughout the year. Avalanches are frequent. ==Flora== [[Image:Delphinium oxysepallum.jpg|thumb|''[[Delphinium oxysepalum]]'' from the genus [[Delphinium]] near [[Tatranská Lomnica]]|150px|right]] The Mountains have a diverse variety of plants. They are home to more than 1,000 [[vascular plants]], about 450 [[moss]]es, 200 [[hepatics]], 700 [[lichen]]s, 900 [[fungi]], and 70 [[slime moulds]]. There are five climatic-vegetation belts in Tatras: The distribution of plants depends on altitude: *up to 1,300 m: Carpathian [[beech]] forest; almost no shrub layer, herb layer occupies most of the forest floor *to 1,550 m: [[Spruce]] forest; shrub layer poorly developed, mosses are a major component *to 1,800 m: [[Mountain Pine]], numerous herbs *to 2,300 m: high altitude grasslands *from 2,300 m up: [[Subnivean]] - bare rock and almost no vegetation (mostly [[lichens]]) ==Fauna== The Tatra Mountains are home to many species of animals: 54 [[tardigrades]], 22 [[turbellarians]], 100 [[rotifers]], 22 [[copepods]], 162 spiders, 81 [[molluscs]], 43 mammals, 200 birds, 7 [[amphibians]] and 2 reptiles. The most notable mammals are the [[Tatra chamois]], [[marmot]], [[European Snow Vole|snow vole]], [[brown bear]], [[wolf]], [[Eurasian lynx]], [[red deer]], [[roe deer]], and [[wild boar]]. Notable fish include the [[brook trout]] and [[alpine bullhead]]. The [[Endemism|endemic]] species include the [[caddis fly]], spider ''[http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=183477 Xysticus alpicola]'' and wingless [[springtail]]. ==Human involvement== [[Image:tatra storm.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Visible consequences of the 2004 storm]] The Tatra Mountains were used in the 18th and 19th centuries for sheep grazing and mining and many trees were cut down to make way for human exploitation. Although these activities were stopped, the impact is still clearly visible. Moreover, there are new problems. Pollution from the industrialized regions of [[Kraków]], [[Ostrava]] and [[Orava]] and uncontrolled tourism are damaging the mountains. The [[Slovak Tatra National Park]] (''Tatranský národný park''; TANAP) was founded in 1949, and the contiguous [[Polish Tatra National Park]] (''Tatrzański Park Narodowy'') was founded in 1954. Both areas were added to the [[UNESCO]] [[World Network of Biosphere Reserves|Biosphere Reserve list]] in 1993. On [[19 November]] [[2004]], large parts of the forests in the southern part of the High Tatras were damaged by a strong [[wind storm]]. Three million cubic metres of trees were uprooted, two people died and several villages were totally cut off. Further damage was done by a subsequent [[forest fire]], and it will take many years until the local [[natural environment|ecology]] is fully recovered. ==Mountain peaks== [[Image:Batizovsky stit over Batizovske pleso.jpg|thumb|250px|Batizovský štít above the Batizovské pleso lake]] ;[[Eastern Tatras]] *[[Gerlachovský štít]] - 2654 m (Slovakia) *[[Lomnický štít]] - 2634 m (Slovakia) *[[Ľadový štít]] - 2627 m (Slovakia) *[[Pyšný štít]] - 2623 m (Slovakia) *[[Kežmarský štít]] - 2556 m (Slovakia) *[[Rysy]] (middle peak) - 2499 m (Slovakia/Poland) *[[Kriváň (peak)|Kriváň]] - 2495 m (Slovakia) *[[Slavkovský štít]] - 2452 m (Slovakia) *[[Batizovský štít]] - 2448 m (Slovakia) *[[Świnica|Svinica (Slovak); Świnica (Polish)]] - 2301 m (Slovakia/Poland) *[[Široká]] - 2210 m (Slovakia) *[[Havran (mountain)|Havran]] - 2151 m (Slovakia) *[[Veľká kopa]] - 2052 m (Slovakia) *[[Brestová]] - 1934 m (Slovakia) *[[Sivý vrch]] - 1809 m (Slovakia) *[[Osobita]] - 1687 m (Slovakia) [[Image:Tatra mountains western side 2.jpg|thumb|250px|Peaks of Western Tatras]] ;[[Western Tatras]] *[[Mount Bystrá|Bystrá]] - 2248 m (Slovakia) *[[Baranec]] - 2184 m (Slovakia) *[[Banikov]]/Banówka - 2178 m (Slovakia) *[[Klin (mountain)|Klin (Slovak)]]/Starobociański Wierch (Polish) - 2176 m (Slovakia/Poland) *[[Volovec]] - 2064 m (Slovakia/Poland) *[[Kasprowy Wierch|Kasprov vrch/Kasprowy Wierch]] - 1,987 m (Slovakia/Poland) *[[Giewont]] - 1894 m (Poland) ==Notable people== [[Ludwig Greiner]] identified [[Gerlachovský štít|Gerlachovský Peak]] as the summit of the Tatras, [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]]. ==Bibliography== Ján Lacika, ''Tatras'' (2nd edition), Bratislava 2006. ISBN 80-88975-95-6 ==External links== {{commonscat|Tatra Mountains}} * [http://www.tatry.sk/ Town of Vysoké Tatry] - municipal website * [http://www.zakopane.pl/ Zakopane] - municipal website * [http://www.tanap.org/en/ TANAP] - Slovak Tatra National Park * [http://www.tpn.pl/ TPN] - Polish Tatra National Park {{pl icon}} ===Commercial tourism-oriented websites=== * [http://www.tatry.cz/international/english.php Tatry.cz] -travel guide (mainly Slovak side) * [http://www.go-zakopane.com/en/main.php?tmp_r=1 Go-Zakopane.com] - travel guide (mainly Polish side) ===Mountaineering=== * [http://oqdos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=30 Tatry on ogdos.com] - mountaineer's notes * [http://www.topr.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=0&Itemid=86 Tatra Avalanche Forecast] - website of the Volunteer Tatra-Mountain Rescue Service ===Photography=== * [http://www.k2studio.sk/?cube=galerie&c=59 Atypical images of the Tatras] * [http://panoramy.zbooy.pl/360/cat/tatry/e Spherical panoramas] * [http://merzhase.de/hightatras/rysi/ Panoramic view from Rysy (2499m)] ====Films==== * [http://www.nevasport.com/nevablogs/d/tatras---1930/4580 Ski-movie filmed in 1930] {{coor title dm|49|10|N|20|08|E|}} [[Category:Mountain ranges of Poland]] [[Category:Mountain ranges of Slovakia]] [[Category:Mountain ranges of the Carpathians]] [[Category:Spiš]] [[af:Tatra (gebergte)]] [[bg:Татри]] [[ca:Tatra]] [[cs:Tatry]] [[de:Tatra (Gebirge)]] [[et:Tatrad]] [[es:Montes Tatras]] [[eo:Tatroj]] [[fr:Tatras]] [[it:Monti Tatra]] [[he:הרי טאטרה]] [[lt:Tatrai]] [[mk:Татри]] [[nl:Tatra (gebergte)]] [[ja:タトラ山脈]] [[no:Tatrafjellene]] [[nn:Tatrafjella]] [[pl:Tatry]] [[pt:Montanhas Tatra]] [[ro:Munţii Tatra]] [[ru:Татры]] [[simple:Tatra mountains]] [[sk:Tatry]] [[sr:Татре]] [[fi:Tatravuoret]] [[sv:Tatrabergen]] [[uk:Татри]]