Beskids

The Beskids (Polish: Beskidy, Czech: Beskydy, Slovak: Beskydy, Rusyn: Бескиды, Ukrainian: Бескиди) is a traditional name for a series of mountain ranges in the northeastern Czech Republic, northwestern Slovakia, southern Poland and in Western Ukraine.

The Beskids are approximately 600 km in length and 50–70 km in width. They begin in Moravia at the Moravian Gate, continue to the north of the Tatra Mountains and end in Ukraine. The eastern border of the Beskids is disputed: According to older sources, the border is the source of the Tisza River, while newer sources state that the Beskids end at the Ushok Pass at the Polish-Ukrainian border. The name of the highest mountain depends on the definition of the eastern border of the Beskids. The highest peak of the western part of the Beskids is the Babia Góra-Babia Hora located on the Polish-Slovak border.

Map of the Beskids

A major part of the Beskids is part of the Outer Western Carpathians. The Low Beskids (Slovak: Nízke Beskydy, Polish: Beskid Niski) and the Bieszczady situated to the east of them are part of the Eastern Carpathians.

The origin of the mountain's name remains a mystery. A Thracian or Illyrian origin has been suggested,^{[citation needed]} however, as yet, no theory has majority support among linguists. The Beskids are currently rich in forest and coal. In the past they were rich in iron ore, with important plants in Ostrava 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 resorts.

Czantoria, Silesian Beskids	Western Bieszczady	Western Bieszczady	Beskid Wyspowy
Low Beskids	Ciechania, Low Beskids in winter	Wooden church in Kwiatoń

See also

• Divisions of the Carpathians
• Bieszczady Mountains

External links

• (Polish) Beskidzki Serwis Internetowy
• (Czech) Beskydy

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Beskids

Coordinates: 49°25′N 20°15′E / 49.417°N 20.25°E / 49.417; 20.25

This Poland location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This Moravian-Silesian Region location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This Slovak geography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This article about a location in Ukraine is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e