Central Urals

the lowest part of the Urals, located between 56° and 59° N lat. The Central Urals vary from 250 to 500 m in elevation, rising to 994 m in the north at Mount Srednii Ba-seg. They are composed primarily of gneisses, amphibolites, quartzites, limestones, and sandstones. Greatly worn down hills and ridges are characteristic; karstic features appear on the western slopes. The rivers in the Central Urals are part of the basin of the Volga (the Chusovaia and Ufa rivers) or the basin of the Ob’ (the Tagil, Pyshma, and Iset’ rivers). Lakes are numerous, especially in the east; they include Lakes Tavatui, Iset’, and Shartash. Coniferous forests (spruce, fir, and pine) and birch-aspen forests predominate. The Central Urals are rich in minerals.