Eastern Turkey and Caucasus

Political map of Eastern Turkey and vicinity, published by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 2002 (on the right, click to enlarge). It includes Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia (Caucasus), Asian Turkey and Cyprus. It shows part of Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

The Caucasus Mountains are formed as the result of the collision of tectonic plates with the Arabian Plate, which moves northward relative to the Eurasian Plate. It encompasses six Asian countries: Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. The territory lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Mount Elbrus, in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, at 5,642 m above sea level, is the highest peak in the Caucasus Mountains, in southwestern Russia. It is an extinct volcano.

The Caucasus Mountains at Shovi, Georgia (promotional photo). The region faces the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus to the north and the Shoda-Kedela Range to the south.