Mount Elbrus (Russian: Эльбрус, Kabardian: Ӏуащхьэмахуэ, Karachay-Balkar: Минги тау) is a peak in the western Caucasus mountains. It is in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. It consists of two peaks. The western peak has a height of 5,642 metres (18,510 ft), the eastern peak is 5,621 metres (18,442 ft) high.
Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano, with a glacier on top. The western peak still has a crater with a diameter of about 250 metres (820 ft). No eruptions have been recorded, but there are other signs of volcanic activity, namely hot springs in the area. There last eruption happened in the first century.
Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in the Caucasus range, and the highest one on Russian soil. Mount Elbrus is about 500 metres (1,600 ft) taller than Mont Blanc, which is commonly seen as the highest peak in Europe. The Caucasus range is generally seen as the border between Europe and Asia. People disagree on which mountains of the Caucasus are in Europe, and which ones are in Asia. A common view is to use the watershed as the boundary line. If this definition is used, Mount Elbrus is in Europe, and its highest mountain.[1]
Computer generated summit panoramas NorthArchived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback MachineSouthArchived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machineindex. There are a few discontinuities due to incomplete data. Politically the Caucasus are in Europe but topographically they are in Asia.
