Kurdistan Mountains

mountains at the junction of the Armenian Highland and the Iranian Plateau in Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. They form a complex system of ranges and massifs that attain an altitude of 4,168 m. (Mt. Dzhilo). Ranges more than 3,500 m in altitude have alpine-type crests; at lower altitudes the crests are predominantly flat. There are small glaciers. The slopes are greatly dissected. Rivers, especially the left tributaries of the Tigris, usually flow through narrow gorges.

The Kurdistan Mountains are composed of schists, quartz, marbles, and marls. The climate is subtropical with yearly rainfalls from 1,000 to 3,000 mm. on the southwestern slopes and from 400 to 700 mm. on the northeastern slopes. In the south are Mediterranean-type forests. Maquis underbrush, oak forests, and sparse pistachio and juniper forests succeed each other as the elevation increases. On the northern slopes are hilly steppes and phryganeoid vegetation. The flat crests are covered with alpine meadows. Nomads engage in livestock raising. Along the river valleys are orchards; wheat, corn, and barley are cultivated. The western part of the Kurdistan Mountains is frequently called the Armenian Taurus.