Where are the Dinaric Alps?

The Dinaric Alps are made up of mountain ranges that spread from the northeastern part of Italy and runs through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, to the southeastern part of Albania. The Dinaric Alps covers a distance of 401 miles, stretching along the Adriatic Sea on the northwest to the south-east direction.The highest elevation on the Adriatic Alps is found on mount Prokletije, which extends from Albania to Kosovo and to the eastern part of Montenegro. The highest point is on Albanian side reaching 8,839 feet above sea level

Composition Of The Mountains Of The Dinaric Alps

Dinaric Alps are the most extensive and rugged mountain regions in Europe and were formed of Cenozoic sedimentary and Mesozoic rocks of sand, limestone, and dolomite. The Alps was formed between 50 and 100 million years ago when Alpine earth movement took place and led to a massive lateral pressure that folded creating an arc around the old rigid block of the northeastern part. The Dinaric Alps were pushed upwards following parallel ranges that stretched like necklaces from the Julian Alps to the northern parts of Kosovo and Albania, where the mountain range slips to give way for the waters of Drin River and the plains of Kosovo. The rivers in the Dinaric Alps have eroded and carved many gorges and canyons that are common in the region. Some of the famous and well known rivers present in the Dinaric Alps include Tara, Vrbas, Neretva, Ugar, Moraca, Lim, Drina, Drin, and Rakitnica. The majority of the rivers are clean with water that have not been contaminated or heavily polluted by human activities.

Human Activities On The Dinaric Alps

Human settlement in the Dinaric Alps can be traced back to antiquity and numerous ruins and fortresses are spread across the landscape. The Dinaric Alps provided the refuge for different armed forces for centuries, for instance, the Illyrians took shelter in the Alps when they were resisting the Roman conquest of the Balkans which began in the 3rd century BC on the eastern Adriatic coast. The Romans conquered the whole region of Illyria in 168 BC, but the Alps provided shelter to the Illyrian forces for several years until the area was finally captured in 14AD. The Ottoman Empire could not subjugate the region because of the terrain and mountainous regions of Montenegro. The whole region of the Dinaric Alps is still sparsely populated and the common human activities include mining and forestry. The Dinaric Alps cover areas inhabited by Italians, Croatians, Bosnians, and Slovenians. These people are among the tallest people in the world, and men can reach an average height of 6 feet while women can reach 5.7 feet. The primary activity in the Alps includes forestry, mining, and tourism. Some of the tourist attractions in the Alps include bird watching, rafting, hiking, and boating.

Features Of The Dinaric Alps

Although some parts of the Alps are not covered by vegetation, other areas are full of a wide variety of flora and fauna. Down the mountains are the most amazing and spectacular mountain forests that are among the few remaining rainforests, especially in Europe. From a distance, one cannot fail to notice the green color at the lower areas of the 8,839 feet high mountains.