What is the longest mountain range within Europe?

Europe is one of the smallest continents but about 20% of its total landmass is considered mountainous.

The Scandinavian Mountains or the Scandes is a mountain range that stretches through the Scandinavian Peninsula and is the longest mountain range in Europe at 1,762 kilometers (1,095 miles).

The western sides of the mountains drop precipitously into the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea forming the fjords of Norway, whereas to the northeast they gradually curve towards Finland. To the north they form the border between Norway and Sweden, still reaching 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) high at the Arctic Circle. The mountain range just touches northwesternmost Finland, but are scarcely more than hills at their northernmost extension at the North Cape (Nordkapp).

Galdhøpiggen in the south of Norway is the highest peak in mainland northern Europe, at 2,469 metres (8,100 ft), Kebnekaise has the highest peak on the Swedish side, at 2,104 m (6,903 ft), whereas the slope of Halti is the highest point in Finland, at 1,324 m (4,344 ft), although the peak of Halti is situated in Norway.

The combination of a northerly location and moisture from the North Atlantic Ocean has caused the formation of many ice fields and glaciers. The Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands terrestrial ecoregion is closely associated with this mountain range.

The Carpathian Mountains at 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) are the second-longest within Europe.