Gagra Range
Gagra Range (Georgian: გაგრის ქედი; Russian: Гагрский хребет) is a mountain range of the Greater Caucasus in Abkhazia.[notes 1] The range runs between the valleys of the Bzyb and Psou rivers to the south of the Caucasus Major, in a general North-South direction. The highest elevation is 2,256 m (Mount Agepsta).
The Gagra Range approaches the Black Sea close to the city of Gagra and plays an important role in moderating the climate of that resort by blocking cold, continental winds from the north and east.
The range is mostly made up of limestone, with pronounced karst topography and is characterized by many deep canyons created by rivers. The deepest cave in the world, the Voronya Cave, is located in the Arabika Massif of the Gagra Range.
A highway to Lake Ritsa runs by the range, along the Bzyb, Iupshara and Gega rivers.
Notes and references
- ↑ Abkhazia's status is disputed. It considers itself to be an independent state, but this is recognised by only a few other countries. The Georgian government and most of the world's other states consider Abkhazia de jure a part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic, whose government sits in exile in Tbilisi.
Coordinates: 43°29′54″N 40°12′50″E / 43.49833°N 40.21389°E