300px, Rocky limestone landscape in the monti Picentini. The Monti Picentini is a

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

and national park in southern Italy, part of the

Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...

, traditionally part in the

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

n Apennines. They are included between the

Monti Lattari The Monti Lattari (Lattari Mountains) are a mountain range in Campania, southern Italy, which constitutes the backbone of the Sorrentine peninsula and of the Amalfi Coast. Geography The Monti Lattari are the western extension of the Monti Picent ...

, the Partenio mount, the

Irpinia Irpinia (Modern Latin ''Hirpinia'') is a geographical and cultural region of Southern Italy. It was the inland territory of the ancient ''Hirpini'' tribe, and its extent matches approximately today's province of Avellino. Geography The territor ...

n plateau and the Sele river valley. The chain is included in the

Monti Picentini Regional Park The Monti Picentini Regional Park (Italian: ''Parco regionale Monti Picentini'') is a natural preserve in Campania, southern Italy. Geography It is based on the Monti Picentini chain, a dolomitic-limestone area in the provinces of Avellino and S ...

. The highest peak is the Monte Cervialto (1,809 m), in the eastern sector, followed by the Monte Terminio (1,783 m), which is instead in the western part of the range.

Geology, landscape and climate

Overview

The range is mostly made up of

dolomite Dolomite may refer to: *Dolomite (mineral), a carbonate mineral *Dolomite (rock), also known as dolostone, a sedimentary carbonate rock *Dolomite, Alabama, United States, an unincorporated community *Dolomite, California, United States, an unincor ...

and

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

rocks, different from the surroundings areas, which are dominated by

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

rocks. A central depression, joining the valleys of the

Calore Irpino The Calore Irpino or Calore Beneventano or Calore river is a river in southwestern Italy. It rises from ''Colle Finestra'' ( above sea level), a mountain saddle between Monte Acellica and the Terminio sub-group in the Monti Picentini, sub-range o ...

and

Tusciano The Tusciano is a river of Campania in southern Italy. Course The source is between Monte Polveracchio and Monte Cervialto, in the Monti Picentini 300px, Rocky limestone landscape in the monti Picentini. The Monti Picentini is a mountain ...

rivers, divided the range in two geologically different sectors: the western one, where rocks are predominantly dolomite, and the eastern one, mostly made up of limestone and has generally a less sharp landscape.

Karst topography Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

is widely present, from which, in the valleys below, originates several springs. Snow is present in winter over 1,000 m of altitude. Vegetation is generally low, somewhere mixed with chestnut woods.

Rivers

Rivers starting from the Monti Picentini include: * Sele *

* Picentino *

* Sabato *

Ofanto The Ofanto (), known in ancient times as Aufidus or Canna, is a river in southern Italy that flows through the regions of Campania, Basilicata, and Apulia, into the Gulf of Manfredonia near Barletta. Geography The river's source is on the Irpi ...

References

Mountain ranges of Italy Mountains of Campania {{Campania-geo-stub

Geology, landscape and climate

Overview

Rivers

See also

References