Pyrenees

The Pyrenees Mountains
Spanish: Pirineos
French: Pyrénées
Catalan: Pirineus
Aragonese: Pirineus
Occitan: Pirenèus
Basque: Pirinioak, Auñamendiak
Central Pyrenees
Highest point
PeakAneto
Elevation3,404 m (11,168 ft)
Coordinates42°37′56″N 00°39′28″E / 42.63222°N 0.65778°E / 42.63222; 0.65778
Dimensions
Length491 km (305 mi)
Area55,000 km2 (21,000 sq mi)
Naming
EtymologyNamed for Pyrene
Geography
Topographic map
Countries
Range coordinates42°40′N 1°00′E / 42.667°N 1.000°E / 42.667; 1.000
Geology
Rock ages
Rock types

The Pyrenees[1] are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly 500 km (310 mi) from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum altitude of 3,404 metres (11,168 ft) at the peak of Aneto.[2]

For the most part, the main crest forms a divide between Spain and France, with the microstate of Andorra sandwiched in between. Historically, the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre extended on both sides of the mountain range.[3][4]

  1. ^ (/pɪrɪˈnz/ pirr-in-EEZ; Spanish: Pirineos [piɾiˈneos]; French: Pyrénées [piʁene] ; Catalan: Pirineus [piɾiˈnɛws]; Basque: Pirinioak [piɾini.o.ak]; Occitan: Pirenèus [piɾeˈnɛws]; Aragonese: Pirineus)
  2. ^ Barnolas, A. y Pujalte, V. (2004). «La Cordillera Pirenaica». Vera Torres, J. A. (ed.), ed. Geología de España. Sociedad Geológica de España e Instituto Geológico y Minero de España. pp. 231-343. ISBN 84-7840-546-1.
  3. ^ Preamble of the "Charter of the Catalan Language" Archived 2009-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Collins Road Atlas of Europe. London: Harper Collins. 1995. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-00-448148-8.

Developed by StudentB