Jura

   A mountain range straddling the border between France and switzerland, the Jura begins in coastal France on the northern bank of the rhône river in the department of Ain and extends north, forming the western bank of the river until it reaches the swiss frontier near Geneva. From that point, it extends through the departments of Jura and Doubs, following the boundary between France and switzerland in a long curve toward the northeast. The range finally passes into switzerland, terminating on the south bank of the rhine river, west of its confluence with the Aare. This is the Jura proper, but the name is also applied to the mountains north of the Rhine and south of the Rhône. South of the Rhône, the chain is known as the Jura Alps and merges with branches of the western alps. North of the Rhine, an irregular chain extends east of the Black Forest in the German state of Baden-Wiirttemberg, and through Bavaria to the Main River. This chain, known as the German, or swabian, Jura, is similar to the Jura proper in the character of rock formation, but different in structure, being entirely formed by faulting. The Jura proper consists of a series of parallel folds in the strata, forming a plateau approximately 320 kilometers long and 32 to 56 kilometers wide. These ridges often show transversal fractures, which, as steep gorges or cluses, greatly enhance the picturesque nature of the area. The height of the Jura range is from 910 to 1,520 meters, and its greatest height is at the southern end, west of Lac Leman.