Ural

Ural most commonly refers to the Ural Mountains, a major mountain range that forms a traditional geographic boundary between Europe and Asia. The range runs roughly north–south across western Russia, extending about 2,500 kilometers from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan in the south. The crest is uneven, and the range reaches elevations of about 1,895 meters at Mount Narodnaya, its highest peak.

Geologically, the Urals are among the oldest mountain ranges and consist of a mix of metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. They formed during the Uralian orogeny in the late Paleozoic as continental collision welded together the landmasses that constitute Europe and Asia. The landscape features forested slopes, exposed rock faces, and mineral-rich uplands that have long supported resource extraction.

Hydrography and climate are shaped by the mountains as well. Numerous rivers originate in the range, including the Ural River, which flows westward into the Caspian Sea. The climate is continental, with cold winters and warm summers, and the flora shifts from taiga in the north to steppe in the south.

Economy and demography are heavily influenced by mineral wealth. The Urals have long been a major mining and metallurgical region, with deposits of iron ore, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, coal, and other minerals driving industrial development since the 18th and 19th centuries. Major cities in the region include Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Perm, and Orenburg.

Legacy and other uses: in common usage, Ural may also refer to the Ural River or to the broader Ural region. The range is widely cited as a geographic boundary between Europe and Asia.