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The Apennine Mountains
Apennine mountains
The Apennines are generally divided into a northern, a central and a southern area. This differentiation, however, may have rather historical than genuinely geological or geographical origins.
With the exception of the Sila and the Aspromonte ranges in the very south (both consisting of granitic rocks), the major part of these mountains consist of calcareous or limestone rocks and argillaceous shale. The Monti della Laga, one of the central ranges, consists mainly of marl and sandstone. The highest peaks and the largest extension of the Apennines can be found in its central part.
The Northern Apennines reach from the pass Bocchetta di Altare (459 m a.s.l.) to the pass Bocca Trabaria (1,049 m a.s.l.) or the pass Bocca Serriola (730 m. a.s.l.), the Central Apennines from the latter to the pass Bocca di Forlì (891 m a.s.l.), and the Southern Apennines from the latter to the Aspromonte range and the Strait of Messina which devides mainland Italy from Sicily.
Note: This list is meant as a general overview. It is a mere schematic approach. It does neither provide specific information about the single mountain ranges mentioned below nor is it claiming exhaustiveness.
Classification and Subdivion
Regarding the classification and subdivision of the Apennines and their mountain ranges it is useful to always keep in mind that classifications are usually made both in a latitudinal and a longitudinal sense.Latitudinal subdivion
As pointed out above, the latitudinal subdivision, i.e. from north to south, counts generally 3 main areas: the Northern Apennines (or Appennino settentrionale), the Central Apennines (or Appennino Centrale) and the Southern Apennines (or Appennino meridionale).
These main areas are further divided into a number of major regions which take their names from the regions of contemporary Italy, with the exception of the Appennino Sannita which takes its name from a historical region, the so-called 'Sannio', once inhabited by the acient tribe of the Samnites.
Italy (regions)
| Appennino Settentrionale | - Appennino Ligure - Appennino Tosco-Emiliano (also Tosco-Romagnolo) |
| Appennino Centrale | - Appennino Umbro-Marchigiano - Appennino Abruzzese |
| Appennino meridionale | - Appennino Sannita - Appennino Campano - Appennino Lucano - Appennino Calabro |
An exceptional position occupy the mountain ranges of Sicily. Strictly speaking no part of the Southern Apennines, they are sometimes considered an extension of the Apennine mountains of the mainland. They are often summarized as 'Monti della Sicilia' and generally addressed as the Appennino Siculo. This name derives from the Sicels (Latin: Siculi), an Italic tribe which inhabited the eastern parts of Sicily during the Iron Age.
Longitudinal subdivision
The longitudinal subdivision, i.e. from west to east, also counts 3 different zones: the actual Apennines, the Sub-Apennines and the Anti-Apennines.
The actual Apennines constitute the backbone of the Italian peninsula. They also comprise the highest peaks (total elevations) of the Italian mainland outside the Alps.
The Sub-Apennines are fairly independent ranges and running parallel to the principal mountain chains. In their geological features they often differ significantly from the core regions, and their peaks are mostly lower than those of the more central parts of the Apennines. They cover vast areas of several regions of Italy.
The Anti-Apennines are thoroughly indepedent ranges and separated from the main chains by vast valleys or extensive lowlands. Also for their classification are being used the names of the regions of contemporary Italy, with the exception of the Subappenino Lucano, the Subappennino Dauno - both referring to ancient Italic tribes (the Lucani and the Daunians) - and the Subappennino Apulo-Garganico, a minor mountain range in the north of the region Apulia. The Anti-Apennines are usually situated in proximity to the coast of the Adriatic or the Tyrrhenian Sea.
| Sub-Apennines | - Subappennino Toscano - Subappennino Laziale - Subappennino Abruzzese-Molisano - Subappennino Lucano - Subappennino Dauno |
| Anti-Apennines | - Antiappennino Toscano - Antiappennino Laziale - Antiappennino Campano - Antiappennino Apulo-Garganico |
Ranges, Subranges and Groups
Here below you will find a (surely incomplete) list of areas, subareas* and ranges, subranges or mountain groups of the Apennines, Sub-Apennines and Anti-Apennines, respectively. The list is trying to follow a latitudinal order, i.e. The areas from north to south, which, for obvious reasons, is not always possible.
*Sorted under 'subarea' are only ranges (or mountain chains) belonging either to the Sub-Apennines or the Anti-Apennines, both parallel running to one of the main ranges of the Apennines.
The highest elevation is the highest peak of either a subarea, range, subrange or group. The highest peak of an entire area is marked with '^'.
| area | subarea* | range | subrange | group | highest elevation |
| Appennino Settentrionale | Appennino Ligure | Monte Maggiorasca (1,804 m) | |||
| Appennino Tosco-Emiliano | Cimone | Monte Cimone (2,165 m)^ | |||
| Antiappennino Toscano | Gruppo dell'Amiata | Monte Amiata (1,738 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Toscano | Colline Metallifere | Cornate di Gerfalco (1,060 m) | |||
| Appennino Centrale | Appennino Umbro-Marchigiano | Monti Sibillini | Monte Vettore (2,467 m) | ||
| Appennino Abruzzese | Monti Reatini | Monte Terminillo (2,217 m) | |||
| Monti della Laga | Monte Gorzano (2,458 m) | ||||
| Gran Sasso d'Italia | Corno Grande^ (2,912 m) | ||||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Ernici | Monte del Passegio (2,064 m) | |||
| Monti Cantari | Monte Viglio (2,156 m) | ||||
| Monti Carseolani | Cima di Vallevona (1,808 m) | ||||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Sabini | Monte Tancia (1,282 m) | |||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Affilani | Monte delle Pianezze (1,332 m) | |||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Prenestini | Monte Guadagnolo (1,218 m) | |||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Ruffi | Monte Costasole (1,253 m) | |||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Tiburtini | Colle Cerrito Piano (795 m) | |||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Simbruini | Monte Cotento (2,015 m) | |||
| Sirente-Velino | Gruppo del Sirente | Monte Sirente (2,349 m) | |||
| Gruppo del Velino | Monte Velino (2,487 m) | ||||
| Monti della Duchessa | Monte il Costone (2,271 m) | ||||
| Monti della Magnola | Monte Magnola (2,220 m) | ||||
| Monti di Campo Felice | Monte Puzzillo (2,174 m) | ||||
| Subappennino Laziale | Monti Marsicani | Monte Greco (2,285 m) | |||
| Appennino Abruzzese | La Maiella | Monte Amaro (2,793 m) | |||
| Subappennino Abruzzese-Molisano | Monti dei Frentani | Monte Castelfraiano (1,412 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Laziale | Monti Volsini | Poggio del Torrone (690 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Laziale | Monti Cimini | Monte Cimino (1,053 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Laziale | Monti Sabatini | Monte Rocca Romana (609 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Laziale | Monti della Tolfa | Monte delle Grazie (616 m) | |||
| Appennino Meridionale | Appennino Sannita | Massiccio del Matese | Monte Miletto (2,050 m) | ||
| Subappennino Dauno | Monti Dauni | Monte Cornaccia (1,152 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Apulo-Garganico | Gargano (Sperone d'Italia) | Monte Calvo (1,065 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Apulo-Garganico | Le Murge | Torre Disperata (686 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Campano | Gruppo del Roccamonfina | Monte Santa Croce (1,005 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Campano | Monte Massico | Monte Massico (813 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Campano | Monti Trebulani | Monte Maggiore (1,036 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Campano | Monti Tifatini | Monte Tifata (602 m) | |||
| Antiappennino Campano | Monte Vesuvio (1,281 m) | ||||
| Antiappennino Campano | Monti Lattari | Monte San Michele (1,444 m) | |||
| Appennino Lucano | Sellata-Volturino-Viggiano | Monte Volturino (1,836 m) | |||
| Dolomiti Lucane | Monte Caperrino (1,455 m) | ||||
| Monti della Maddalena | Monte Cavallo (1,503 m) | ||||
| Subappennino Lucano | Monti del Cilento | Monte Cervati (1,898 m) | |||
| Subappennino Lucano | Monti Alburni | Monte Panormo (1,742 m) | |||
| Monte Alpi | Pizzo Falcone (1,900 m) | ||||
| Subappennino Lucano | Monte Vulture (1,326 m) | ||||
| Massiccio del Sirino | Monte del Papa (2,005 m) | ||||
| Monti La Spina- Zaccana | Monte La Spina (1,652 m) | ||||
| Massiccio del Pollino | Serra Dolcedorme^ (2,267 m) | ||||
| Massicio del Pellegrino | Cozzo del Pellegrino (1,987 m) | ||||
| Appennino Calabro | Catena Costiera | Monte Cocuzzo (1,541 m) | |||
| La Sila | Sila Grande | Monte Botte Donato (1,928 m) | |||
| Sila Piccola | Monte Gariglione (1,765 m) | ||||
| Aspromonte | Montalto (1,956 m) | ||||
| Catena delle Serre | Monte Pecoraro (1,423 m) | ||||
| Appennino Siculo | Monti della Sicilia | Monti Peloritani | Montagna Grande (1,347 m) | ||
| Monti Nebrodi | Monte Soro (1,847 m) | ||||
| Le Madonie | Pizzo Carbonara^ (1,979 m) |
