Limestone Alps

They are of economic importance, including as a watershed source of drinking water.

The two main groups, Northern and Southern, run parallel to the main Austrian Central Alps (also known as the Central Eastern Alps) mountain ranges, on their north and south.

The mountain and hill profiles of the Limestone Alps are very varied and range from jagged peaks and sheer rock faces to high plateaus and extensive areas of karst formations.

The Limestone Alps are made of lighter and more porous rock.

They are unlike the Central Alps, which are mainly composed of crystalline rock (granite and gneiss), or of slate.