
Geography
The Alps were formed tens of millions of years ago by the
collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. Sedimentary rock from
the ocean floor was forced upwards to form the mountains we see today. Many of
the peaks are comprised of a mix of rock from Africa, Europe and the ocean
floor, mixed together as the land masses collided and folded over. The Alps are
often divided into two sections, the western Alps and Eastern Alps. The western
Alps are higher while the eastern range is much longer and broader.