Dniester Hills
Dniester Hills, also known as the Northern Moldavian Plateau is a geographic area that comprises most of the northern Moldova, and parts of the Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine. Dniester Hills are the N and NE component of the Moldavian Plateau.
Dniester Hills run and ridge along the Dniester River, from the Colachin river, an affluent of the Prut river, and the Plonini Forest to the point where Dniester receives its tributary Răut. The river Dniester in turn bounds Dniester Hills to the N and E, and separates them from the Podolian Plateau. Dniester Hills are separated from the rest of the Moldavian Plateau by the passages formed in the valley of the Răut River and its tributaries, and partly by those of the Prut River and its tributaries.
Dniester Hills have average elevations between 250 and 300 meters, with the highest peak reaching. The hills are composed of:
- Hotin Plateau in the NW edge/alongation, containing the Plonini Forest, the Hotin Forest, as well as the Şipeniţ Valley
- Dniester Ridge, or Dniester Hillock, also called Dniester-Răut Ridge or "the Ridge between the Dniester and the Răut",, 2,480 km2, in the SE edge/alongation
- Northern Moldavian Hills, or Northern Bessarabian Plateau, the central part of the Dniester Hills, 4,630 km2.