TheLesser Caucasus orLesser Caucasus Mountains, also calledCaucasus Minor, is the second of the two mainranges of theCaucasus Mountains, of length about 600 km (370 mi). The western portion of the Lesser Caucasus overlaps and converges with eastTurkey and northwestIran. It runs parallel to theGreater Caucasus, at a distance averaging about 100 km (62 mi) south from theLikhi Range (Georgia), and limits east Turkey from the north and north-east. It is connected with thePontic range[2] and separated from it by theKolkhida Lowland (Georgia) in the west andKura-Aras Lowland (Azerbaijan) (by theKura River) in the east.
The highest peak isAragats in Armenia, 4,090 m (13,420 ft).[1]
The borders between Georgia, Turkey,Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran run through the range, although its crest does not usually define the border. The range was historically calledAnticaucasus orAnti-Caucasus(Greek: Αντι-Καύκασος,Russian: Антикавка́з, Анти-Кавка́з). This usage is commonly found in older sources.[3][4] Current usage tends towards using the name Lesser Caucasus, but Anti-caucasus can still be found in modern texts.[5][6]
