What does Massif Central mean in geography?
What does Massif Central mean in geography?
Massif Central. / (French masif sɑ̃tral) / noun. a mountainous plateau region of S central France, occupying about one sixth of the country: contains several extinct volcanic cones, notably Puy de Dôme, 1465 m (4806 ft).
How was the Massif Central formed?
The Massif Central This belt formed during the Devonian and Carboniferous periods as the result of a massive continent-continent collision. During this event, which geologists refer to as either the Hercynian or Variscan Orogeny, Africa slammed into a united North American-northern European landmass.
What is a geological massif?
1. n. [Geology] A block of rock that forms a structural or topographic feature, such as a block of igneous or metamorphic rock within an area of mountain building, or orogeny. A massif can be as large as a mountain and is typically more rigid than the rocks that surround it.
What is Massif Central known for?
The Massif Central is particularly appreciated for its magnificent natural environment, its rivers, forests, lakes and mountains, its wildlife, and its peace and quiet. With hundreds of kilometres of marked trails, it is very popular with hikers and ramblers.
Where is the central massif?
southern France
The Massif Central (French pronunciation: [masif sɑ̃tʁal]; Occitan: Massís Central, pronounced [maˈsis‿senˈtral]; literally “Central Massif”) is a highland region in the middle of southern France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
When did the Massif Central form?
3 billion years ago
The Massif Central has a very long geological history, underlined by zircon ages dating back into the Archaean 3 billion years ago. Structurally it consists mainly of stacked metamorphic basement nappes.
What is a volcanic massif?
The volcanic massif, a geological structural unit between the volcanic edifice and the volcanic lithofacies, is a volcanic rock combination, of the same genesis, localized eruptive or intrusive, and continuously distributed.
How is a massif formed?
The formation of a massif begins with the movement of tectonic plates beneath the ground, which is often caused by magma. The magma differentiates inside the spaces that they create under the rocks, forming a residual liquid with a density that is greater than the surrounding rocks.
Where is a massif?
In geology, a massif ( /mæˈsiːf/ or /ˈmæsɪf/) is a section of a planet’s crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole.
How big is the Massif Central?
70,286 mi²Massif Central / Area
Are the Massif Central volcanoes active?
The Massif Central remained an active volcanic area throughout the Tertiary and Quaternary epochs.
Where is Massif Central?
central France
Massif Central, upland area in south-central France.