Испанияның Кантабрия таулары

Mountain range in Spain

The Cantabrian Mountains or Cantabrian Range (lang es) are one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. They stretch for over 300 km (180 miles) across northern Spain, from the western limit of the Pyrenees to the Galician Massif in Galicia, along the coast of the Cantabrian Sea. Their easternmost end meets the Sistema Ibérico. These mountains are a distinct physiographic province of the larger Alpine System physiographic division. The Cantabrian Mountains offer a wide range of trails for hiking, as well as many challenging climbing routes. Skiing is possible in the ski resorts of Alto Campoo, Valgrande Pajares, Fuentes de Invierno, San Isidro, Leitariegos and Manzaneda.

The Cantabrian Mountains stretch east west, nearly parallel to the Cantabrian Sea, as far as the pass of Leitariegos, also extending south between León and Galicia. The range's western boundary is marked by the valley of the river Minho (lang es), by the lower Sil, which flows into the Miño, and by the Cabrera River, a small tributary of the Sil. The Cantabrian Mountains reach their south western limit in Portugal. As a whole, the Cantabrian Mountains are remarkable for their intricate ramifications, but almost everywhere, and especially in the east, it is possible to distinguish two principal ranges, from which the lesser ridges and mountain masses radiate. One range, or series of ranges, closely follows the outline of the coast; the other, which is loftier, forms the northern limit of the great tableland of Castile and León, and is sometimes regarded as a continuation of the Pyrenees. In some parts the coastal range rises sheer above the sea, and everywhere has so abrupt a declivity that the streams which flow seaward are all short and swift. The descent from the southern range to the high plateaux of Castile is more gradual, and several large rivers, notably the Ebro, rise here and flow to the south or west. The breadth of the Cantabrian chain, with all its ramifications, increases from about 60 mi (97 km); in the east to about 115 mile (185 km) in the west. Many peaks are over 6000 feet (1829 m) high, but the greatest altitudes are attained in the central ridges on the borders of León, Asturias, Palencia and Cantabria. Here are the highest peak Torre de Cerredo (8688 feet (2648 m)), Peña Vieja (8579 feet (2615 m)), Peña Prieta (8304 feet (2531 m)) and Espigüete (7898 feet (2407 m)); an unnamed summit in the Picos de Europa, to which range the Peña Vieja also belongs, rises on the right bank of the Sella to a height of 8045 feet (2452 m); further west the peaks of Manpodres, Peña Ubiña, Peña Rubia and Cuiña all exceed 7000 feet (2134 m). A conspicuous feature of the chain, as of the adjacent tableland, is the number of its parameras, isolated plateaus shut in by lofty mountains or even by precipitous walls of rock. The Cantabrian Mountains make a sharp divide between "Green Spain" to the north, and the dry central plateau. The north facing slopes receive heavy cyclonic rainfall from the Cantabrian Sea, whereas the southern slopes are in rain shadow.

The Cantabrian Mountains are home to an important variety of plant life, as well as the Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos pyrenaicus), catalogued as being in danger of extinction, which extends from Asturias (the region where its population is bigger) to areas in Léon, Palencia and Cantabria, and the Cantabrian capercaillie (T. urogallus cantabricus). Other animals associated with the range include the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) and the rebeco, or Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva). Woodland in the Cantabrian Mountains is generally predominated by beeches (Fagus sylvatica). The Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica), one of the four subspecies of the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), which used to inhabit the Cantabrian Mountains, became extinct in 2000.