Parâng Mountains

Munții Parâng
Munții Parâng
View of the Parang mountains main ridge. The leftmost peak is Gauri while the highest peak (Parangu Mare - 2519m) is visible just to the right of the image center.
Highest point
Peak	Parangu Mare
Elevation	2,519 m (8,264 ft)
Coordinates	45°20′24″N 23°32′22.6″E / 45.34000°N 23.539611°E / 45.34000; 23.539611Coordinates: 45°20′24″N 23°32′22.6″E / 45.34000°N 23.539611°E / 45.34000; 23.539611
Geography
Country	Romania
State/Province	Southern Carpathians
Borders on	Alps
Geology
Orogeny	Alpine orogeny

Parâng Mountains (Romanian pronunciation: [paˈrɨŋɡ]) are one of the highest mountain ridges in Romania and Southern Carpathians, with its highest peak Parângu Mare reaching 2,519 m.

The Parâng mountains are located in the south-western part of the Central-Meridional Carpathians. They are the tallest mountains from the local Parang-Cindrel mountain group and the second largest mountains in the Romanian Carpathians after the Făgăraș Mountains. They are situated between the Șureanu Mountains (north), Latoritei Mountains (north-east), Căpățânii Mountains (east), Vâlcan mountains (west) and the Petroşani Depression in the north-west. Located south and east of the city of Petroşani, the Parâng Mountains form the eastern barrier of the Jiu Valley (a plateau 100 kilometers long from east to west and 70-80 kilometers wide from north to south).

The Parang Mountains consist predominantly of crystalline rocks, peripherally covered with patches of sediments from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic (massive limestone, conglomerates) and Cenozoic eras, mixed with large areas of granite outcrops. On the southern slope, sedimentary rocks from the Mesozoic era can be found, more exactly massive limestone from the Jurassic period. The newest rocks are found on the southern frame of the mountains and in the north-west, where it is bordered by the Petrosani Depression. The nature of the rocks favored the emergence of bulk, rounded ridges, separated by deep valleys. The mountains present an overall asymmetry, with the northern front more steepen, with short ridges, while the southern facade is less inclined and with longer ridge. Especially in the southern part, the slopes are composed of several steps.