The Pontic Mountains, or "Pontus Mountains" (Πόντος Όρη [Póntos Óri]) in Greek, stretch along the southern coast of the Black Sea, known in antiquity as the "Euxine Sea" or simply Pontus Euxinus (Πόντος Εὔξεινος [Póntos Éfxeinos]).

The range runs roughly east–west, parallel and close to the southern coast of the Black Sea.

The narrow coastal strip between the mountains and the Black Sea, known as Pontus, is home to the Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests, which contain some of the world's few temperate rainforests.

[4] Winter conditions are very harsh, and snow even in summer months isn't unusual above certain elevations.

[5] The Anatolian Plateau, which lies south of the range, has a considerably drier and more continental climate than the humid and mild coast, owing to the mountains' rain shadow effect.