Geography and Location:
-Location: The Dolomites are located in northeastern Italy, spanning across the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
-Extent: They stretch from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east.
-Area: The Dolomites cover an area of over 142,000 hectares, with additional border areas totaling 231,000 hectares.
Geology:
-Rock Composition: The Dolomites are primarily composed of dolomite, a type of carbonate rock named after French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu.
-Geological Formation: The landscape is a result of millions of years of geological processes involving deserts, tropical seas, volcanoes, and ocean depths.
-Unique Features: The Dolomites are known for their distinctive vertical forms, including pinnacles, spires, and towers, contrasting with horizontal surfaces like ledges and plateaus.