The Crimean Mountains (qırımtatarca. Qırım dağları; українська. Кримскі Гори, translit. Krymski Hory; русский. Крымские Горы, translit. Krymskie Gory) is a range of mountains running parallel to the south-east coast of Crimea, Ukraine, between about five and eight miles (13 km) from the sea. Toward the west, the mountains drop steeply to the Black Sea, and to the east, they change it slowly into a steppe landscape.
Crimean Mountains consist of three subranges. The highest is the Main range. Main range is subdivided into several massives, known as yaylas or mountain plateaus (Yayla is Crimean Tatar for "Alpine Meadow"). They are:
The Crimea's highest peak is the Roman-Kosh (uk/ru. Роман-Кош, qırımtatarca. Roman Qoş) on the Babugan Yayla, 1545 m. above sea level metres (5,000 feet) high. Other important peaks over 1,200 metres include:
The most important passes over the Crimean Mountains are:
Rivers of the Crimean Mountains include the Alma River, Chernaya River, and Salhir River on the nothern slope and Uchan-su River on the southern slope which forms the Uchan-su waterfall, a popular tourist attraction and highest waterfall in Ukraine.