Fold Mountains

Periods of Fold Mountain formation

  1. Caledonian Folding

400 million years ago - oldest fold mountains

Example: Dublin - Wicklow mountains

  1. Armorican Folding

250 million years ago

Example: Munster mountains

  1. Alpine Folding

35 million years ago. Youngest - not worn down yet

Example: The Rockies & Alps

Formation of Dublin-Wicklow mountains

One half of Ireland was connected to landmass near North America and the other half was connected further south

Continental drift had pulled them apart

During Caledonian Folding period the continents collided and fused together again, resulting in the formation of the Dublin-Wicklow mountains

Economic & Social Impacts of Fold Mountatins

Social Impacts

Economic Impacts

Accessibility: difficult to access, roads are expensive to build.

Farming: The fold mountains of the alps are used to farm sheep, goats & cattle

Hydro-Electric Power: Water from melting snow is used to create electricity

Tourism: Ski or snowboard in Winter. Hike in Summer. Creates jobs for locals.

Soil: can be thin and poor quality

Avalanches

Formation

Found on plate boundaries where two plates have collided

As the 2 plates push up against each other, the pressure forces the land to buckle upwards into folds