Urals, a mountain range in Russia and Kazakhstan, stretches for about 2410 km from the Kara Sea in the S to the Caspian Sea in the J. Tvori prir. the border of Europe and Asia. The highest peak Narodna gora 1894 m, in the north. part. Width 60–150 km. Erected in the late Paleozoic (Hercynian orogeny; 250 million years ago). The material is dominated by quartz, gabbro, slate, gneiss, granite, sandstone, limestone. On the west. slopes developed karst; numerous caves and underground streams. Wed. is the lowest part (up to 610 m), the most forested (coniferous) and the richest in ores (iron, copper, platinum, asbestos, chromium, zinc, bauxite, silver, gold, oil and coal). In the south. partly rich pastures. Wed. and south. part of the Urals important industr. territory. It was first mentioned by the Arabs in the 10th century. At the end of the 11th century. century the Russians discover the northernmost part of the Urals; only in the XVII. century, the entire Urals were discovered and explored.
