By the mid-19th century scientists began to arrive en masse to study the geology and ecology of the region. [143] According to WWF, the Alps are one of the regions with the richest flora and fauna in Europe, second only to the Mediterranean. There are about 4,500 species of vascular plants, 800 species of mosses, 300 liverworts, 2500 lichens and more than 5000 fungi found in the Alps. About 8 percent of the vascular species are endemic. The variety of habitats in the Alps helps to promote the uniqueness of Alpine flora, along with the harsh environmental conditions that drive species to change and adapt. The col du Mont-Cenis (2,081m (6,827ft)) at the centre left of the picture gives access to a large alpine lake, and further away to the Italian peninsula 12 kilometres (7.5mi) beyond the pass.

History of the Great St Bernard pass". Archived from the original on December 8, 2012 . Retrieved August 8, 2007. Symbols shown on the map: Alps Ski Resorts, Mountain Peaks, Surf breaks, Alps Cities, Tide forecasts, All snow, city, surf, tide forecasts, Alps Current Temperature Observations, Current Wind Observations, Current Weather Observations, Alps Live Webcams, New snow f-cast 1-3 days top station, New snow f-cast 1-3 days mid station, Alps New snow f-cast 1-3 days bottom station, New snow f-cast 4-6 days top station, New snow f-cast 4-6 days mid station, Alps New snow f-cast 4-6 days bottom station, Temperature below freezing, Resort fully open, Alps Good piste, New snow reported, Powder reported, Alps Snowing right now, Sunny, Runs to resort. Between 430 and 400 BC prolonged warfare in the Alps resulted in the devastation of agricultural land and human settlements, ultimately triggering the enslavement of men, women, and children, goods had to be imported as a result. The Etruscan civilization responded to raids by the Massalia and acquired absolute control over the Alpine trade routes. Aggressors in modern-day Italy were dealt with and an alliance was formed with the Celts. The grip of the Etruscan settlements broke down, as the Roman political system expanded, so as to take control over Alpine trade routes that connected human settlements in the Alps with settlements in the Mediterranean. [110] The Australian Alps also contain the only skiing areas of mainland Australia. Along with the town of Cabramurra, New South Wales, these are practically the only permanent settlements in the area. Several medium-sized towns can be found in the valleys below the foothills, such as Jindabyne, New South Wales, Corryong, Victoria, and Mount Beauty. The Swiss Alps comprise almost all the highest mountains of the Alps, such as Dufourspitze (4,634 m), the Dom (4,545 m), the Liskamm (4,527 m), the Weisshorn (4,506 m) and the Matterhorn (4,478 m). The other following major summits can be found in this list of mountains of Switzerland.This article describes the delimitation of the Alps as a whole and of subdivisions of the range, follows the course of the main chain of the Alps and discusses the lakes and glaciers found in the region. Zampieri, Matteo; Scoccimarro, Enrico; Gualdi, Silvio; Navarra, Antonio (January 15, 2015). "Observed shift towards earlier spring discharge in the main Alpine rivers". Science of the Total Environment. Towards a better understanding of the links between stressors, hazard assessment and ecosystem services under water scarcity. 503–504: 222–232. Bibcode: 2015ScTEn.503..222Z. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.036. hdl: 2122/9055. PMID 25005239. After the fall of Napoleon, many alpine countries developed heavy protections to prevent further invasion. Thus, Savoy built a series of fortifications to protect the major alpine passes, such as the col du Mont-Cenis, which was crossed by Charlemagne to obliterate the Lombards. All map types that you can enable here: Alps Colour Base Map, Greyscale Base Map,  , Alps Last 1-7 days snow, last 1-3 days snow, Next 1-3 days snow, Alps Next 4-6 days snow, Next 6-9 days snow, Next 9-12 days snow, Alps  , Snow, Wind, Alps Temperature, Cloud Cover,  , Alps Snow Depths at Top Stations, Snow Depths at all Resort Elevations, Fresh Snow Depths in Resorts, Alps Snow Depths at Resorts above 1500m, Snow Depths at Resorts below 1500m, Temperature at 9am today (or yesterday), Alps Days since last snow.

From 11 December 2016, it has been part of the regular railway timetable and used hourly as standard ride between Basel/ Lucerne/ Zurich and Bellinzona/ Lugano/ Milan. [32] Clarke, Norman W. (2006). Kiandra: goldfields to skifields. Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club (1870) Ltd. ISBN 0-646-46337-3. Alpine Convention - the Convention - the Alpine Convention in a nutshell - the Alps - Home". Archived from the original on September 25, 2018 . Retrieved March 9, 2019. In Austria, the Danube runs to the north of the Alps, separating it from the majority of the Bohemian Forest, although some small areas, such as the Dunkelsteiner Wald south of the Wachau, belong geologically to the Bohemian Forest despite being south of the Danube. The Vienna Woods near Vienna forms the north-eastern corner of the Alps, and here the Danube passes at its closest to the Alps (see Viennese Basin).Davos is one of the largest settlements in the Alps of Switzerland and is known for the World Economic Forum Davos (WEF Davos), which is usually held in Davos every year. Besides the super wellness hotels, the destination has one of the most unique and diverse landscapes in our country. From green and light blue lakes to great views over the mountains, waterfalls or traditional Walser villages, there is so much to discover here. Gstaad is also a place for the rich. Insiders say that chalets worth over CHF 40 million have been built here. But the place is much more than that. Besides the great wellness hotels, there is also beautiful and traditional nature, which I really appreciate. Although Gstaad is part of the Swiss Pre-Alps, it is only a 20-minute drive to the valley station of the Glacier 3000. Davos Switzerland a b Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopedia Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica; retrieved 6 August 2012. Shoumatoff, Nicholas and Nina. (2001). The Alps: Europe's Mountain Heart. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-11111-4 Cheesemaking is an ancient tradition in most Alpine countries. A wheel of cheese from the Emmental in Switzerland can weigh up to 45kg (100lb), and the Beaufort in Savoy can weigh up to 70kg (150lb). Owners of the cows traditionally receive from the cheesemakers a portion about the proportion of the cows' milk from the summer months in the high alps. Haymaking is an important farming activity in mountain villages that have become somewhat mechanized in recent years, although the slopes are so steep that scythes are usually necessary to cut the grass. Hay is normally brought in twice a year, often also on festival days. [155]

Smugglers of humans claim that crossing the Alps, is less dangerous or deadly, than traveling 355km on water between Tripoli and Lampedusa with a tramp ship ( carretta del mare) or a dinghy. Undocumented migrants, visa overstayers, false tourists, asylum seekers, and other clandestine humans, lose their lives crossing the Alps. The exact number of smuggled humans who die a brutal death in the Alps, can only be estimated. [151] Largest Alpine cities [ edit ] Gerald Steinacher (2011). Nazis on the Run: How Hitler's Henchmen Fled Justice. OUP Oxford. p.15. ISBN 9780191653766. Some high mountain villages are car-free either because of inaccessibility or by choice. Wengen, and Zermatt (in Switzerland) are accessible only by cable car or cog-rail trains. Avoriaz (in France), is car-free, with other Alpine villages considering becoming car-free zones or limiting the number of cars for reasons of sustainability of the fragile Alpine terrain. [172] Food is passed from the kitchen to the stube, where the dining room table is placed. Some meals are communal, such as fondue, where a pot is set in the middle of the table for each person to dip into. Other meals are still served traditionally on carved wooden plates. Furniture has been traditionally elaborately carved and in many Alpine countries, carpentry skills are passed from generation to generation. The Alpine cantons (from highest to lowest) are Valais, Bern, Graubünden, Uri, Glarus, Ticino, St. Gallen, Vaud, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Fribourg, Lucerne and Zug. The countries with which Switzerland shares mountain ranges of the Alps are (from west to east): France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.

Hints for hanging the map

The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps, [1] represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main physiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps. [2] While the northern ranges from the Bernese Alps to the Appenzell Alps are entirely in Switzerland, the southern ranges from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina massif are shared with other countries such as France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), there are over 4,500 species of plants, 200 bird species, 21 amphibian species, 15 reptile species, and 80 mammal species. Many of these species have made adaptations to the harsh cold conditions and high altitudes.