How do the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus ranges differ in location?

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The Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus ranges are the two primary mountain systems of the Caucasus region, distinguished by their geographic positioning relative to one another and the surrounding landscape:

  • Greater Caucasus: This range serves as the northern backbone of the system, extending approximately 750 miles (1,200 km) in a northwest-to-southeast direction. It stretches across the Caucasian isthmus from the Taman Peninsula on the Black Sea to the Abşeron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea.123
  • Lesser Caucasus: Located to the south of the Greater Caucasus, this range runs parallel in a northwest-southeast orientation. It is separated from the Greater Caucasus by the Kura-Aras Lowland. The range extends through parts of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, eventually merging with the Armenian Highland to the south and southwest.421

While the two ranges are distinct, they are connected by the Likhsky Mountains, which act as a divide between the Rioni and Kura river basins.4