ALPINE CONVENTION - Convenzione delle Alpi

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General informations about the scope of application
of the Alpine Convention
Map 1: The Alps – Perimeter of the Alpine Convention
The Alps are the highest mountain range in
western Europe. They are made up of geologically
young fold mountains which emerged as a
result of the collision of the European and African
continental plates. Until little less than 200
million years ago southern Europe was covered
by a primordial ocean (Tethys). Over millions of
years, debris drifting in from the continent (Pangaea)
and dead marine organisms were deposited
on the seabed. Under the pressure of the
mass of water this gradually solidified into
stone.
Roughly 130 million years ago the African and
European continental plates collided with each
other. The two plates acted like a vice; the released
forces slowly lifted the layers deposited
Alpine signals 1
on the seabed from the primordial ocean and
pushed them towards a vertical position. The
rock layers were folded perpendicularly and
partly stacked up on top of each other like blankets.
Over time they rose higher and higher.
Though the major deformation processes occurred
millions of years ago, the compression
process is still ongoing. Thus, the growth of the
Alps is not complete yet. The longstanding
mountain building phenomena are countered
by continuous erosion processes. These move
countless tons of material downhill and, along
the rivers, far into the great plains. As the folding
increased, these erosion phenomena intensified.