Dinara
Encyclopedia
Dinara is a mountain
located on the border of Croatia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
. One of its summits, also called Dinara, is the highest point in Croatia at 1,831 m and a prominence
of 728 m.
name is Adrian oros while the current name is suspected to be derived from the name of an ancient Illyria
n tribe that lived on the eastern slopes of the mountain.
It is best known for the fact that its name is the base for the name of a large mountain chain called the Dinaric Alps
or Dinarides. The Dinarides are known for being composed of karst
— limestone
rocks — as is the mountain that named them.
(965 m) in the northwest to the Privija pass (1230 m) which is 20 km to the southeast, where the Kamešnica
Mountain begins. The Dinara Mountain is up to 10 km wide.
The highest peaks
are Troglav
("Threehead", 1913 m) and Dinara (1831 m). The peak called Dinara is shaped like a human head made of stone, and it happens to be the highest peak of Croatia
.
, and is part of the Dalmatia
n hinterland
, but the climate on Dinara is a much colder, mountain climate, making it one of the coldest places in Croatia with average temperatures between 2 and 4 C at the peaks. The average precipitation is high, while the number of sunny hours per year ranges between 1,700 and 1,900.
There are no inhabited areas on the mountain itself and human presence consists mostly of small shacks that belong to the herdsmen from the nearby valleys such as that of the Cetina
river.
s is on the southwestern slope. It is six kilometers long and up to 1700 meters high, providing an interesting landscape for the travelers on the roads in the valley below to view. The massif does not attract many climbers
, but its Ošljak peak (1706 m) does.
species of rodent
, the Balkan snow vole
(Dolomys bogdanovi longipedis), known in Croatian as the ("Dinara mouse"). It is an endangered species
.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
located on the border of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. One of its summits, also called Dinara, is the highest point in Croatia at 1,831 m and a prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
of 728 m.
Etymology
Its LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name is Adrian oros while the current name is suspected to be derived from the name of an ancient Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
n tribe that lived on the eastern slopes of the mountain.
It is best known for the fact that its name is the base for the name of a large mountain chain called the Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
or Dinarides. The Dinarides are known for being composed of karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
— limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
rocks — as is the mountain that named them.
Extent
Dinara itself spans from the Derala mountain passMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
(965 m) in the northwest to the Privija pass (1230 m) which is 20 km to the southeast, where the Kamešnica
Kamešnica
Kamešnica is a mountain in the Dinarides at the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia . It is an extension of the Dinara that stretches from the northwest white road pass Vaganj to Buško Blato artificial lake...
Mountain begins. The Dinara Mountain is up to 10 km wide.
The highest peaks
Pyramidal peak
A pyramidal peak, or sometimes in its most extreme form called a glacial horn, is a mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost weathering...
are Troglav
Troglav
Troglav is the highest peak of the Dinara mountain range, and symbolises the Dinaric Alps, the longest mountain chain on the Balkan peninsula. Troglav is located in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is named after Triglav, Slavic god...
("Threehead", 1913 m) and Dinara (1831 m). The peak called Dinara is shaped like a human head made of stone, and it happens to be the highest peak of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
Climate
Dinara is located only a few dozen kilometers away from the Adriatic SeaAdriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, and is part of the Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n hinterland
Zagora (Croatia)
Zagora , sometimes also called Dalmatian Zagora , is the southern inland region of Croatia. The name Zagora means "behind hills", which is a reference to the fact that it is the part of Dalmatia that is not coastal....
, but the climate on Dinara is a much colder, mountain climate, making it one of the coldest places in Croatia with average temperatures between 2 and 4 C at the peaks. The average precipitation is high, while the number of sunny hours per year ranges between 1,700 and 1,900.
There are no inhabited areas on the mountain itself and human presence consists mostly of small shacks that belong to the herdsmen from the nearby valleys such as that of the Cetina
Cetina
Cetina is a river in southern Croatia. It has a length of and its basin covers an area of . Cetina descends from an altitude of 385 m at its source to the sea level when it flows into the Adriatic Sea. It is the most water-rich river in Dalmatia....
river.
Tourism
One of the most fascinating massifMassif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
s is on the southwestern slope. It is six kilometers long and up to 1700 meters high, providing an interesting landscape for the travelers on the roads in the valley below to view. The massif does not attract many climbers
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, but its Ošljak peak (1706 m) does.
Fauna
Dinara is host to an endemicEndemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
species of rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
, the Balkan snow vole
Balkan Snow Vole
The Balkan Snow Vole, Dinaromys bogdanovi, also known as Martino's Snow Vole is the only member of the genus Dinaromys. Eight subspecies of this vole have been recognized from southern parts of Europe. The genus name means "Dinaric mouse", referring to the Dinaric Alps...
(Dolomys bogdanovi longipedis), known in Croatian as the ("Dinara mouse"). It is an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
.
See also
- TroglavTroglavTroglav is the highest peak of the Dinara mountain range, and symbolises the Dinaric Alps, the longest mountain chain on the Balkan peninsula. Troglav is located in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is named after Triglav, Slavic god...
, Dinara highest peak - List of mountains in Croatia
- List of mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina