| High Tatras | |
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Panorama of High Tatras.
Peaks, from left to right: Gerlachovský štít, Batizovský štít, Kačací štít, Končistá, Gánok, Vysoká, and Rysy | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Gerlachovský štít, Slovakia |
| Elevation | 2,655 m (8,711 ft) |
| Coordinates | 49°10′N 20°08′E / 49.167°N 20.133°E / 49.167; 20.133 |
| Geography | |
  High Tatras Location of the High Tatras in Slovakia and Poland Show map of Slovakia High Tatras High Tatras (Poland) Show map of Poland | |
| Countries | Slovakia and Poland |
| States | Prešov Region and Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Regions | Tatra National Park—Tatranský národný park (Slovakia) and Tatra National Park—Tatrzański Park Narodowy (Poland) |
| Parent range | Eastern Tatras |
The High TatrasorHigh Tatra Mountains (German: Hohe Tatra; Slovak: Vysoké Tatry; Rusyn: Высокі Татри, Vysoki Tatry; Polish: Tatry Wysokie; Hungarian: Magas-Tátra), are a mountain range along the border of northern Slovakia in the Prešov Region, and southern Poland in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. They are a range of the Tatra Mountains chain.
The mountain range borders the Belianske Tatras to the east, the Podtatranská kotlina to the south, and the Western Tatras to the west. Most of the range, and all the highest peaks, are in Slovakia. The highest peak is Gerlachovský štít, at 2,655 metres (8,711 ft).
The High Tatras, having 29 peaks over 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) AMSL are, with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain ranges with an alpine character and habitats in the entire 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) length of the Carpathian Mountains system. The first European cross-border national park, Tatra National Park, was founded here with Tatra National Park (Tatranský národný park) in Slovakia in 1948, and Tatra National Park (Tatrzański Park Narodowy) in Poland in 1954. The contiguous parks protect UNESCO's trans-border Tatra biosphere reserve.[1]
Many rare and endemic animals and plant species are native to the High Tatras. They include the Tatras' endemic goat-antelope and critically endangered species, the Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica). Predators include Eurasian brown bear, Eurasian lynx, marten, wolf and fox. The Alpine marmot is common in the range.
Flora of the High Tatras includes: the endemic Tatra scurvy-grass (Cochlearia tatrae), yellow mountain saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides), ground covering net-leaved willow (Salix reticulata), Norway spruce (Picea abies), Swiss pine (Pinus cembra), and European larch (Larix decidua).
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras—all located in Slovakia—are:[2]
| Peak | Elevation (m|ft) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gerlachovský štít | around 2,650 | 8,711 |
| Gerlachovská veža | 2,642 | 8,668 |
| Lomnický štít | 2,633 | 8,638 |
| Ľadový štít | 2,627 | 8,619 |
| Pyšný štít | 2,623 | 8,605 |
| Zadný Gerlach | 2,616 | 8,583 |
| Lavínový štít | 2,606 | 8,550 |
| Malý Ľadový štít | 2,602 | 8,537 |
| Kotlový štít | 2,601 | 8,533 |
| Lavínová veža | 2,600 | 8,530 |
| Malý Pyšný štít | 2,591 | 8,501 |
| Veľká Litvorová veža | 2,581 | 8 468 |
| Strapatá veža | 2,565 | 8,415 |
| Kežmarský štít | 2,556 | 8,386 |
| Vysoká | 2,547 | 8,356 |
The area is well known for winter sports. Ski resorts include Štrbské pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica in Slovakia, and Zakopane in Poland. The town of Poprad is the gateway to the Slovak Tatra resorts.
The Górale people ("highlanders"), a group of indigenous people with a distinctive traditional culture, are of the High Tatras and other mountain ranges and valleys in the Tatra Mountains region.
Ludwig Greiner identified Gerlachovský štít (Gerlachovský Peak) (2,665 metres (8,743 ft)) as the highest summit of the Tatra Mountains, and the entire Carpathian Mountains system. It is also the highest point of Slovakia.
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