The Crimean Mountains (Ukrainian: Кримські гори, translit. Krymski hory; Russian: Крымские горы, translit. Krymskie gory; Crimean Tatar: Qırım dağları) is a range of mountains running parallel to the south-east coast of Crimea, between about 8–13 kilometer (5–8 miles) from the sea. Toward the west, the mountains drop steeply to the Black Sea, and to the east, they change slowly into a steppe landscape.
The Crimean Mountains consist of three subranges. The highest is the Main range. The Main range is subdivided into several massives, known as yaylas or mountain plateaus (Yayla is Crimean Tatar for "Alpine Meadow"). They are:
The Crimea's highest peak is the Roman-Kosh (Ukrainian: Роман-Кош; Russian: Роман-Кош, Crimean Tatar: Roman Qoş) on the Babugan Yayla at 1,545 metres (5,069 ft). Other important peaks over 1,200 metres include:
The most important passes over the Crimean Mountains are:
Rivers of the Crimean Mountains include the Alma River, Chernaya River, and Salhir River on the northern slope and Uchan-su River on the southern slope which forms the Uchan-su waterfall, a popular tourist attraction and highest waterfall in Ukraine.