The Beskids or Beskid Mountains ( pl, Beskidy, cs, Beskydy, sk, Beskydy, rue, Бескиды (''Beskydŷ''), ua, Бескиди (''Beskydy'')) are a series of mountain ranges in the

Carpathians The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...

, stretching from the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

in the west along the border of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

with

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

up to

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

in the east. The highest mountain in the Beskids is Hoverla, at 2,061 m metres (6,762 ft).

Etymology

The origin of the name ''beskydy'' has not been conclusively established. A

Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

or Illyrian origin has been suggested, however, as yet, no theory has majority support among linguists. The word appears in numerous mountain names throughout the Carpathians and the adjacent Balkan regions, like in Albanian ''bjeshkë''. According to linguists Çabej and Orel, it is possibly derived from Proto-Albanian "''*beškāi tāi''" (meaning the mountain pastures).The Slovak name ''Beskydy'' refers to the Polish

Bieszczady Mountains Bieszczady Mountains ( pl, Bieszczady; sk, Beščady; uk, Бещади; hu, Besszádok) is a mountain range that runs from the extreme south-east of Poland and north-east of Slovakia through to western Ukraine. It forms the western part of th ...

, which is not a synonym for the entire Beskids but one single range, belonging to the

Eastern Beskids The Eastern Beskids or Eastern Beskyds ( uk, Східні Бескиди; pl, Beskidy Wschodnie; rue, Выходны Бескиды; ro, Beskizii Orientali; russian: Восточные Бескиды) are a geological group of mountain ranges o ...

. According to another linguistic theory, it may be related to

Middle Low German Middle Low German or Middle Saxon (autonym: ''Sassisch'', i.e. " Saxon", Standard High German: ', Modern Dutch: ') is a developmental stage of Low German. It developed from the Old Saxon language in the Middle Ages and has been documented i ...

''beshêt'', ''beskēt'', meaning watershed. Historically, the term was used for hundreds of years to describe the mountain range separating the old

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...

from the old

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to: Historical political entities * Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031 * Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exi ...

. In 1269, the Beskids were known by the Latin name "''Beschad Alpes Poloniae''" (translated as: ''Beskid Mountains of Poland'').Kazimierz Zarzycki, Zbigniew Głowaciński (1986): Bieszczady (p. 7)
/ref>

Definition

The Beskids are approximately 600 km in length and 50–70 km in width. They stand mainly along the southern border of

Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...

with northern Slovakia, stretching to the

Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The m ...

and

Czech Silesia Czech Silesia (, also , ; cs, České Slezsko; szl, Czeski Ślōnsk; sli, Tschechisch-Schläsing; german: Tschechisch-Schlesien; pl, Śląsk Czeski) is the part of the historical region of Silesia now in the Czech Republic. Czech Silesia is, ...

regions of the eastern Czech Republic and to

Carpathian Ruthenia Carpathian Ruthenia ( rue, Карпатьска Русь, Karpat'ska Rus'; uk, Закарпаття, Zakarpattia; sk, Podkarpatská Rus; hu, Kárpátalja; ro, Transcarpatia; pl, Zakarpacie); cz, Podkarpatská Rus; german: Karpatenukrai ...

in western Ukraine. Parts form the European Watershed, separating the Oder and

Vistula The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...

basins in the north from the

Eastern Slovak Lowland The East(ern) Slovak Lowland ( Slovak: ''Východoslovenská nížina'') is the name of a part of the Great Hungarian Plain (Slovak: ''Veľká dunajská kotlina'') situated in Slovakia. In terms of geomorphology, it forms one unit together wit ...

, part of the

Great Hungarian Plain The Great Hungarian Plain (also known as Alföld or Great Alföld, hu, Alföld or ) is a plain occupying the majority of the modern territory of Hungary. It is the largest part of the wider Pannonian Plain. (However, the Great Hungarian plain ...

drained by the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...

River. Geologically all of the Beskids stand within the

Outer Western Carpathians Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system. Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya Sy ...

and the

Outer Eastern Carpathians Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system. Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya Sy ...

. In the west they begin at the natural pass of the

Moravian Gate The Moravian Gate ( cs, Moravská brána, pl, Brama Morawska, german: Mährische Pforte, sk, Moravská brána) is a geomorphological feature in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic and the Upper Silesia region in Poland. It is formed by the ...

, which separates them from the Eastern Sudetes, continue east in a band to the north of the

Tatra Mountains The Tatra Mountains (), Tatras, or Tatra (''Tatry'' either in Slovak () or in Polish () - '' plurale tantum''), are a series of mountains within the Western Carpathians that form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They are the hi ...

, and end in

. The eastern termination of the Beskids is disputed. According to older sources, the Beskids end at the source of the

Tisza The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders. The Tisza be ...

River, while newer sources state that the Beskids end at the Uzhok Pass at the Polish–Ukrainian border.

Subdivisions

Multiple traditions, languages and nationalities have developed overlapping variants for the divisions and names of the Beskid ranges. According to the

divisions of the Carpathians Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system. Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya Sy ...

, they are categorized within:

Western Beskids

Western Beskids The Western Beskids ( cs, Západní Beskydy; sk, Západné Beskydy; pl, Beskidy Zachodnie; german: Westbeskiden) are a set of mountain ranges spanning the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. Geologically the Western Beskids are part of the Ou ...

(PL: ''Beskidy Zachodnie'', SK: ''Západné Beskydy'', CZ: ''Západní Beskydy'') **Western section of the Western Beskids: *** Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains (Czech: ''Hostýnsko-vsetínská hornatina'') → e1 *** Moravian-Silesian Beskids (Czech: ''Moravskoslezské Beskydy'', Slovak: ''Moravsko-sliezske Beskydy'') → e2 *** Turzovka Highlands (Slovak: ''Turzovská vrchovina'') → e3 *** Jablunkov Furrow (Czech: ''Jablunkovská brázda'') → e4 *** Rožnov Furrow (Czech: ''Rožnovská brázda'') → e5 *** Jablunkov Intermontane (Slovak: ''Jablunkovské medzihorie'', Czech: ''Jablunkovské mezihoří'') → e6 ***

Silesian Beskids Silesian Beskids ( Polish: , Czech: , german: Schlesische Beskiden) is one of the Beskids mountain ranges in Outer Western Carpathians in southern Silesian Voivodeship, Poland and the eastern Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. Most of ...

(Polish: ''Beskid Śląski'', Czech: ''Slezské Beskydy'') → e7 *** Żywiec Basin (Polish: ''Kotlina Żywiecka'') → e8 **Northern section of the Western Beskids: *** Little Beskids ( pl, Beskid Mały) → f1 *** Maków Beskids ( pl, Beskid Makowski) → f2 ***

Island Beskids The Island Beskids (in Polish, ''Beskid Wyspowy'') is a mountain range in southern Poland, part of the Western Beskids of the Outer Western Carpathians Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system. B ...

( pl, Beskid Wyspowy) → f3 ***

Gorce Mountains The Gorce Mountains ( pl, Gorce ) are part of the Western Beskids mountain range spreading across southernmost Poland. They are situated in Małopolska Province, at the western tip of the long Carpathian range extending east beyond the Dunajec ...

( pl, Gorce) → f4 *** Rabka Basin ( pl, Kotlina Rabczańska) → f5 *** Sącz Basin ( pl, Kotlina Sądecka) → f6 ** Central section of the Western Beskids: *** Orava Beskids (SK: ''Oravské Beskydy'') + Żywiec Beskids (PL: ''Beskid Żywiecki'') (the older SK equivalent of Beskid Zywiecki is "Slovenské Beskydy" - Slovak Beskids or "Kysucko-oravské Beskydy" - Kysuce-Orava Beskids) → g1 *** Kysuce Beskids (SK: ''Kysucké Beskydy'') + Żywiec Beskids (PL: ''Beskid Żywiecki'') (the older SK equivalent of Beskid Zywiecki is "Slovenské Beskydy" or "Kysucko-oravské Beskydy") → g2 *** Orava Magura (SK: ''Oravská Magura'') → g3 *** Orava Highlands (SK: ''Oravská vrchovina'') → g4 *** Sub-Beskidian Furrow (SK: ''Podbeskydská brázda'') → g5 *** Sub-Beskidian Highlands (SK: ''Podbeskydská vrchovina'') → g6 **

Eastern section of the Western Beskids Eastern section of the Western Beskids ( cs, Východní část Západních Beskyd) are a set of mountain ranges spanning the southern Polish and northern Slovak border. They constitute an eastern section of the Western Beskids, within the Out ...

: *** Beskid Sądecki ( pl, Beskid Sądecki) → h1 *** Čergov ( pl, Góry Czerchowskie; sk, Čergov) → h2 ***

Pieniny The Pieniny (sometimes also the PieninsSzafer, Władysław. 2013. ''The Vegetation of Poland: International Series of Monographs in Pure and Applied Biology''. Warsaw: Pergamon Press, pp. 156, 388. or the Pienin Mountains,Griffiths, Graham C. D. ...

( pl, Pieniny; sk, Pieniny) → h3 * West Beskidian Foothills, in the Czech Republic and Poland ** Silesian-Moravian Foothills (CZ: ''Podbeskydská pahorkatina'', PL: ''Pogórze Śląsko-Morawskie'') → d1 **

Silesian Foothills Silesian Foothills ( pl, Pogórze Śląskie, cs, Slezské podhůří, szl, Pogōrze Ślōnske) are foothills located in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It has an area of 545 km2. Its western border is Olza river, eastern Skawa. Other main r ...

(PL: ''Pogórze Śląskie'') → d2 ** Wieliczka Foothills (PL: ''Pogórze Wielickie'') → d3 ** Wiśnicz Foothills (PL: ''Pogórze Wiśnickie'') → d4

Central Beskids

* Central Beskids (PL: Beskidy Środkowe) or Low Beskids (SK: ''Nízke Beskydy'') ** Busov, in Slovakia ** Ondava Highlands (SK: ''Ondavská vrchovina'') **''Low Beskid'' (PL: ''Beskid Niski'') + Laborec Highlands (SK: ''Laborecká vrchovina'') ** Beskidian Southern Foothills (SK: ''Beskydské predhorie'') * Central Beskidian Piedmont, in Poland ** Rożnów Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Rożnowskie'') ** Ciężkowice Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Ciężkowickie'') ** Strzyżów Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Strzyżowskie'') ** Dynów Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Dynowskie'') ** Przemyśl Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Przemyskie'') ** Gorlice Depression (PL: ''Obniżenie Gorlickie'') ** Jasło-Krosno Basin (PL: ''Kotlina Jasielsko-Krośnieńska'') ** Jasło Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Jasielskie'') ** Bukowsko Piedmont (PL: ''Pogórze Bukowskie'')

Eastern Beskids

are divided into two parallel ridges: ''Wooded Beskids'' and ''Polonynian Beskids''. * Wooded Beskids (PL: ''Beskidy Lesiste''; UA: ''Лісисті Бескиди'') **

(PL: Bieszczady; UK: Бещади) → c1 ** Sanok-Turka Mountains (PL: Góry Sanocko-Turczańskie; UK: Верхньодністровські Бескиди) → c3 ** Skole Beskids (PL: Beskidy Skolskie; UA: Сколівські Бескиди) → c2 **

Gorgany Gorgany ( uk, Ґорґани) is a mountain range in Western Ukraine in Outer Eastern Carpathians, adjacent to Chornohora range. The highest peak of Gorgany is Syvulia (1,836 m) with the other high peaks including Ihrovyshche, (1,804 m), (1 ...

(PL: Gorgany; UA: Ґорґани) → c4 ** Pokuttia-Bucovina Beskids (PL: Beskidy Pokucko-Bukowińskie; UA: Покутсько-Буковинські Карпати) → c5 *

Polonynian Beskids Polonynian Beskids or Polonyne Beskids ( uk, Полонинські Бескиди; pl, Beskidy Połonińskie) is a geological group of mountain ranges of the Eastern Beskids, within the Outer Eastern Carpathians. It is one of two parallel mount ...

(PL: ''Beskidy Połonińskie''; UA: ''Полонинські Бескиди'') ** Smooth Polonyna (UK: Полонина Рівна) → c6 ** Polonyna Borzhava (UK: Полонина Боржава) → c7 ** Polonyna Kuk (UK: Полонина Кук) → c8 ** Red Polonyna (UK: Полонина Красна)→ c9 ** Svydovets (UK: Свидівець) → c10 ** Chornohora (UK: Чорногора) → c11 ** Hrynyavy Mountains (UK: Гриняви) → c12

Infrastructure

The Beskids are currently rich in

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

and

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when ...

. In the past they were rich in iron ore, with important plants in

Ostrava Ostrava (; pl, Ostrawa; german: Ostrau ) is a city in the north-east of the Czech Republic, and the capital of the Moravian-Silesian Region. It has about 280,000 inhabitants. It lies from the border with Poland, at the confluences of four riv ...

and Třinec – Třinec Iron and Steel Works. There are many tourist attractions, including historic wooden churches (see Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland, Carpathian Wooden Churches of Slovakia, and Wooden Churches of Ukraine) and the increasingly popular

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

resorts. A number of environmental groups support a small but growing population of bears, wolves and lynx in the ecosystem of the Beskidy mountains. The Central Beskids include the Polish

Babia Góra National Park Babia Góra National Park ( pl, Babiogórski Park Narodowy) is one of the 23 national parks in Poland, located in the southern part of the country, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, on the border with Slovakia. The park has its headquarters in the vill ...

and the adjacent Slovak Horná Orava Protected Landscape Area.

Gallery

File:Beskid Mountains division map.svg, Map of the Beskid ranges in Slovakia and Poland File:Czantoria - widok z wiezy widokowej 09.JPG, Czantoria,

File:Beskidy Bieszczady SE.jpg, Western Bieszczady File:Bieszczady1.jpg, Western Bieszczady File:New granite sculpture of Radegast.jpg, Statue of " Radegast" on a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...

Beskids File:Kwiaton 2.jpg, Wooden church in Kwiatoń File:OV-Hrabova.JPG, Wooden church in Hrabova, Moravia (14th century – 1564) File:Koniaków miyszani owiec (redyk wiosenny) 04.jpg, Shepherds in

File:Beskid Wyspowy a10.jpg,

Citations

General and cited sources

* * * * * Świstuń, Filip
''Galicyjskie Beskidy i Karpaty Lesiste: Zarys orograficzn''
Rzeszow, 1876. *

External links

Carpathian Mountains: Division (map)
{{Authority control Geography of Lviv Oblast Lesser Poland Voivodeship Moravian-Silesian Region Mountain ranges of Poland Mountain ranges of Slovakia Mountain ranges of the Carpathians Mountain ranges of the Czech Republic Mountain ranges of Ukraine Silesian Voivodeship