Lesser Caucasus Mountains

Address: Lesser Caucasus mountain region (Shirak Province area), Armenia

Admission: Free (natural region)

The Lesser Caucasus is a mountain system in the South Caucasus that runs roughly parallel and to the south of the Greater Caucasus. It comprises a series of ranges and volcanic plateaus extending across parts of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Relief in the Lesser Caucasus is varied, with volcanic peaks, upland plateaus and deeply incised valleys rather than the very high glaciers of the Greater Caucasus. The ranges form an important ecological and cultural region with numerous local mountain towns and historical sites.

The system developed through complex tectonic and volcanic activity related to the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates, producing volcanic peaks and high plateaus over geological time.

In Armenia the Lesser Caucasus includes highlands within provinces such as Shirak and is characterised by a mix of volcanic formations and folded mountain ridges located inland from the western Armenian plateau.