Maoke

(also Snow Mountains), mountains in the western part of the island of New Guinea, mainly in Indonesia. Length, approximately 700 km; width, to 150 km; elevation, 4,000-4,500 m, with a maximum of 5,029 m (Mount Jaya). Maoke consists of a system of mountain ranges (Sudirman and Jayawijaya, for example) extending from west to east. The axial zones of the ranges are composed primarily of gneisses and granites, and the peripheral zones are composed of sandstones, limestones, and schists. To elevations of 700 m the mountains are covered with equatorial forests containing a large variety of species. Higher up there are oak, chestnut, araucaria, and eucalyptus forests; thickets of shrubbery; and meadows. Above elevations of 4,400 m there are sharp peaks with patches of snow and glaciers.