View source for Gagra Range

{{Short description|Mountain range of the Greater Caucasus in Abkhazia, Georgia}}
{{Infobox mountain range
| photo = Gagra mountains.jpg
| photo_caption = View of Gagra mountains.
| map = Georgia Abkhazia#Georgia
| country = [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| region_type = 
| region = [[Abkhazia]]{{refn|name=a|group=note|{{Abkhazia-note}}}}
| parent = [[Caucasus Mountains]]
| border = 
| length_km = 85
| length_orientation = 
| width_km = 
| width_orientation = 
| highest = [[Mount Agepsta]]
| elevation_m = 3357
| coordinates = 
| range_coordinates = {{coord|43|29|54|N|40|12|50|E|type:mountain|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| geology = 
| period = 
| orogeny = 
| map_image = 
| map_caption = 
| name = 
}}

'''Gagra Range''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|æ|g|r|ə|,_|ˈ|g|ɑː|-}}; {{lang-ka|გაგრის ქედი|tr}}; {{langx|ab|Гагратәи ахықә|Gagratəi ahyķə}}; {{langx|ru|Гагрский хребет|Gagrsky khrebet}}) is a [[mountain range]] of the [[Greater Caucasus]] in [[Abkhazia]]{{refn|name=a|group=note|{{Abkhazia-note}}}}, Georgia. It runs between the valleys of the [[Bzyb River|Bzyb]] and [[Psou River|Psou]] rivers to the south of the [[Caucasus Major]], in a general North-South direction. The highest elevation is located at [[Mount Agepsta]] at {{cvt|3357|m}}. Geologically, the range is formed of Lower [[Cretaceous]] and Upper [[Jurassic]] [[limestone]], carved into dramatic [[karst]] based landscapes within the [[Arabika Massif]]. 

== Geography ==
Gagra Range is part of the [[Greater Caucasus]] in [[Abkhazia]]{{refn|name=a|group=note|{{Abkhazia-note}}}} in Georgia. It runs between the valleys of the [[Bzyb River|Bzyb]] and [[Psou River|Psou]] rivers to the south of the [[Caucasus Major]], in a general North-South direction. The range spans {{cvt|85|km}}, dropping abruptly toward the [[Black Sea]], forming deep valleys along the coast.<ref name="Geo">{{cite web|url=https://usefultravelarticles.com/17942-geography-and-climate-in-gagra.html|title=Geography and Climate in Gagra|work=UsefulTravelArticles|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref> The range consists of steep slopes, with the highest elevation located at [[Mount Agepsta]] at {{cvt|3357|m}} along the Abkhazia–Russian border.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://peakvisor.com/adm/autonomous-republic-of-abkhazia.html|title=Agepsta peak|work=PeakVisor|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref> While the western slopes drop sharply toward the sea, while northeastern foothills are gentler and more vegetated.<ref name="Geo"/> The Gagra Range approaches the Black Sea close to the city of [[Gagra]] and plays an important role in moderating the climate of that resort by blocking cold, continental winds from the north and east.<ref name="Geo"/>

== Geology ==
The mountain range is composed of [[limestone]] from Lower [[Cretaceous]] and Upper [[Jurassic]] period.<ref name="Madloba">{{cite web|url=https://madloba.info/en/blog/resorts-of-georgia/gagra/|title=Arabika massif limestone stratigraphy|work=Madloba.info|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="Karst">{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345079968_Development_of_the_deepest_karst_systems_and_submarine_discharge_of_the_Arabika_massif_Western_Caucasus_the_role_of_the_late_Miocene_regression_of_Eastern_Paratethys|title=Development of the deepest karst systems and submarine discharge of the Arabika massif (Western Caucasus)|date=January 2018|journal=Geology and Mineral Resources of World Ocean|doi=10.15407/gpimo2018.01.058|author=O. Klimchouk|doi-access=free}}</ref> These limestone form extensive [[karst]] landscapes includes caves, sinkholes, gorges, and subterranean rivers.<ref name="Madloba"/><ref name="Karst"/> The mountains host some of the deepest cave systems in earth. The [[Veryovkina Cave]] extending up to {{cvt|2212|m}} deep, is the deepest-known cave on Earth. It was discovered in 1968 and explored to full depth via vertical exploration systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explorersweb.com/natural-wonders-veryovkina-cave/|title=Veryovkina cave|work=ExplorersWeb|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbg.iliauni.edu.ge/en/caves/show/153|title=Veryovkina cave|work=Ilia State University|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref> The Sarma Cave is the third deepest globally at about {{cvt|1830|m}} depth, with documented stygobiont [[amphipods]].<ref name="Karst"/> These cave systems incorporate numerous water springs, fed by deep cave aquifers formed five to six million years ago, and feed into the sea via the coastal foothills.<ref name="Karst"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220044168_THE_DEEPEST_CAVE_IN_THE_WORLD_IN_THE_ARABIKA_MASSIF_WESTERN_CAUCASUS_AND_ITS_HYDROGEOLOGICAL_AND_PALEOGEOGRAPHIC_SIGNIFICANCE|title=Deepest cave in the world in the Arabika massif and its hydrogeological significance|date=July 2019|journal=Geology and Mineral Resources of World Ocean|author=O. Klimchouk}}</ref>
A highway to [[Lake Ritsa]], the deepest lake in [[Abkhazia]] (116 m), runs by the range, along the Bzyb, [[Iupshara]] and Gega rivers.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 June 2016 |title=State of the Environment Georgia - Biodiversity |url=http://enrin.grida.no/htmls/georgia/soegeor/english/biodiv/reserves/ritsa.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508174549/http://enrin.grida.no/htmls/georgia/soegeor/english/biodiv/reserves/ritsa.htm |archive-date=8 May 2016 |access-date=13 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://peakvisor.com/adm/autonomous-republic-of-abkhazia.html|title=Route through Bzyb, Iupshara, Gega|work=PeakVisor|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Bzyb Range]]
*[[Kodori Range]]
*[[Achibakh Mountain]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Mountain ranges of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Caucasus]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Abkhazia]]