Ural Mountains

a long range forming the boundary between European and Asiatic Russia. It is about 1,600 miles long. The Urals extend in a north and south direction practically from the Arctic Ocean to the Aral Sea. The prevailing height is from 1,000 to 1,500 feet, but there are a few peaks over 5,000 feet high. The eastern slope is much more abrupt than the western. The range is narrow in the north, but spreads out to a width of nearly 200 miles toward the south. The central Urals constitute one of the richest mineral regions known. Coal is abundant. The world's supply of platinum is obtained chiefly here, but the mines show signs of exhaustion. The mines have yielded Russia a large supply of gold for centuries. There are also rich veins of silver, lead, copper, iron, and rock salt. Diamonds and other precious stones abound. The mines are owned by the Russian government.