Ligurian Apennines

northwestern part of the Apennine mountain system in Italy. Length, approximately 140 km (from Cadibona Pass in the west to La Cisa Pass in the east). They consist of echelon-like ranges with elevations to 1,803 m (Mount Maggiorasca). The Ligurian Apennines are composed primarily of schists, sandstones, limestones, serpentinites, and shingle. They drop sharply toward the Gulf of Genoa, forming the picturesque capes and peninsulas of the eastern part of the Italian Riviera. The slopes on the opposite side descend gently to the Po River Plain. Thickets of evergreen shrubs and trees, parks, and vineyards are found in the coastal regions; higher up there are broad-leaved (oak, chestnut, and beech) and pine forests.