Balkan Mountains facts for kids
The Balkan mountain range (Bulgarian and Serbian: Стара планина, Stara planina, "Old Mountain") is an extension of the Carpathian mountain range, separated from it by the Danube River.
The Balkan range runs 560 km from eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea.
The highest peak on the Balkan peninsula is Musala in the Rila mountains near Sofia (Rila range), with 2,925 m, closely followed by Mount Olympus in Greece and Vihren (Pirin range).
The highest peaks of the Stara planina itself are in central Bulgaria. The highest peak is Botev (2,376 m), in the Central Balkan National Park (established 1991).
Contents
Passes
There are paved roads crossing Stara Planina at the following passes (listed from west to east):
- Petrohan Pass: Sofia–Montana
- Iskar Gorge (Iskarski prolom ): Sofia–Vratsa (also railroad)
- Vitinya Pass: Hemus motorway (A2), Sofia–Botevgrad
- Beklemeto Pass: Troyan–Karnare
- Shipka Pass: Gabrovo–Kazanlak (also railroad)
- Pass of the Republic (Prohod na republikata): Veliko Tarnovo – Gurkovo
- Vratnik Pass: Elena–Sliven
- Kotel Pass (Kotlenski prohod): Kotel–Petolachka (Pentagram) crossroads
- Varbitsa Pass (Varbishki prohod): Shumen–Petolachka crossroads
- Rish Pass (Rishki prohod): Shumen–Karnobat
- Luda Kamchiya Gorge (Ludokamchiyski prolom): Dalgopol–Karnobat (also railroad)
- Dyulino Pass (Dyulinski prohod): Varna–Aitos
- Obzor Pass (Obzorski prohod): Varna–Burgas, future Cherno More motorway (A3)
Peaks
- Midžor 2,169 m is the highest peak in Central Serbia
- Botev Peak 2,376 m (named after Hristo Botev)
- Vezhen
- Kom
- Buzludzha
- Levski (named after Vasil Levski)
Related pages
Images for kids
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Balkan Mountains, Rhodope, Rila and Pirin Mountains
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A view of the Balkan Mountains
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The monument on Shipka
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Central Balkan Mountains
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Rosomačka river, Serbia
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Horses at the Balkan Mountains, Serbia
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Belogradchik Rocks
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The Bulgarian army under Khan Krum defeats the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus I in the battle of the Varbitsa Pass in 811, Manasses Chronicle
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Dzhendema reserve within Central Balkan National Park
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Autumn view of Steneto reserve
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Flora of Karandila reserve within Sinite Kamani Nature Park
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The Nature Park Stara Planina
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Tupavica Waterfalls
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The Nature Park Stara Planina
See also
In Spanish: Montes Balcanes para niños
