The
Alps (; ; ; ; ) are the highest and most extensive
mountain range system that lies entirely in
Europe, stretching approximately across eight
Alpine countries:
Austria,
France,
Germany,
Italy,
Liechtenstein,
Monaco,
Slovenia, and
Switzerland. The
Caucasus Mountains are higher, and the
Urals longer, but both lie partly in Asia. The mountains were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian
tectonic plates collided. Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine
sedimentary rocks rising by
thrusting and
folding into high mountain peaks such as
Mont Blanc and the
Matterhorn. Mont Blanc spans the French–Italian border, and at is the highest mountain in the Alps. The Alpine region area contains about a hundred peaks higher than , known as the "
four-thousanders".
