View source for Meskheti Range

{{Short description|Mountain range in southwestern Georgia}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox mountain
| photo=Abastumani (აბასთუმანი) (1).jpg
| photo_caption=View of Meskheti Range near [[Abastumani]], Georgia
| map=Samtskhe-Javakheti#Georgia Imereti#Georgia
| country={{flag|Georgia}}
| region_type=
| region=
| parent=[[Caucasus Mountains]]
| border=
| length_km=150
| length_orientation=
| width_km=
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| highest=[[Mount Mepistskharo]] 
| elevation_m=2850
|coordinates = 
|range_coordinates = {{coord|41|50|26|N|42|39|47|E|type:mountain|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| geology= | period= | orogeny=
| map_image=
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}}
'''Meskheti Range''' ({{lang-ka|მესხეთის ქედი}}) ('''Meskh/Meskhet/Meskhetian Range''', '''Adzhar-Imereti Range''', '''Achara-Imereti Range''' '''Adzhar-Akhaltsikh Range''' also '''Moschian Mountains''') is a part of the [[Lesser Caucasus]] [[mountain range]] in [[Meskheti]] region, in southwestern [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]].

== Geography ==
The length of the range is 150&nbsp;km and the highest point is [[Mount Mepistskharo]] at an elevation of 2,850 m above sea level. The Meskheti Range is characterized by high amounts of precipitation.  The territory around [[Mt. Mtirala]] (the [[Ajaria]]n section of the range) was the wettest region within the [[Soviet Union]] and is the most humid area of the [[Caucasus]] with an annual precipitation of approximately 4500mm/year (180 inches/year). Several rivers are flowing from the Meskheti Range — [[Supsa (river)|Supsa]], [[Acharis-Tsqali]] and [[Natanebi]].

== Flora and fauna ==
The slopes of the Meskheti Range are rich in endemic and relic species<ref name="2008report">Levan Mumladze, Giorgi Chaladze, Zezva Asanidze, Salome Saghinadze, Ema Khachidze [https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/media/2014/11/090107_Refugial-Forests_Georgia_FR.pdf Refugial Forest from the Western Lesser Caucasus] 2008</ref> and mainly covered by deciduous forests ([[oak]], [[chestnut]], [[maple]], [[hornbeam]], [[beech]]) below 1,200 m above sea level and by coniferous  forests ([[spruce]], [[fir]] and in some cases [[pine]]) from 1,200 to 1,800 m. The highest regions of the range are covered by sub-alpine and [[alpine meadow]]s.

[[Strabo]] mentions the Moschian Mountains as joining the [[Caucasus]]. (Geography, 11.2.1)

14%  of  Meskheti  range territory is  included  in  three Georgian national parks — [[Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park|Borjomi-Kharagauli]], [[Kintrishi National Park|Kintrishi]] and [[Mtirala National Park|Mtirala]] national parks.<ref name="2008report" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Meskheti Range}}

[[Category:Mountain ranges of Georgia (country)]]