The main chain of the Alps, also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the water divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest peaks of a range. The Alps are something of an unusual case in that several significant groups of mountains are separated from the main chain by sizable distances. Among these groups are the Dauphine Alps, the Eastern and Western Graians, the entire Bernese Alps, the Tödi, Albula and Silvretta groups, the Jura Mountains, Ortler and Adamello ranges, and the Dolomites of South Tyrol, as well as the lower Alps of Vorarlberg, Bavaria and Salzburg.
The Swiss National Park is located in the Western Rhaetian Alps, in eastern Switzerland. It is within the canton of Graubünden, between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol, and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy.
Piz Bernina is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps, the highest point of the Bernina Range, and the highest peak in the Rhaetian Alps. It rises 4,048.6 m (13,283 ft) and is located south of Pontresina and near the major Alpine resort of St. Moritz, in the Engadin valley. It is also the most easterly mountain higher than 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in the Alps, the highest point of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and the fifth-most prominent peak in the Alps. Although the summit lies within Switzerland, the massif is on the border with Italy. The "shoulder" known as La Spedla is the highest point in the Italian Lombardy region.
The Sesvenna Alps are a mountain range located in the Alps of eastern Switzerland, northern Italy and western Austria.
Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large glaciated massif composed of three main summits, on a ridge running from west to east. The main summit is 3,900 metres high and is located within the Swiss canton of Graubünden, although the border with the Italian region of Lombardy runs about 100 metres west of it at almost the same height. The western summit is named Piz Spinas and is the only one not covered by ice. The eastern summit is named Piz Palü Orientale. The name Palü derives from the Latin palus, meaning a swamp, and the mountain is said to be named after the Alpe Palü, a high alpine pasture some 4 km to its east.
Piz Badile is a mountain of the Bregaglia range in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Italian region of Lombardy. The border between the two countries runs along the summit ridge. Its north-east face, overlooking the Swiss Val Bregaglia near Soglio, is considered one of the six great north faces of the Alps.
Piz Zupò is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It lies between the valleys of Morteratsch (Graubünden) and Malenco (Lombardy). Piz Zupò is the second highest peak in the range after Piz Bernina.
Piz Chavalatsch is a mountain in the Ortler Range of the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. It forms the border between the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Italian province of Province of Bolzano.
Piz Timun is a mountain of the Oberhalbstein Range, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. On its eastern side it overlooks the artificial lake Lago di Lei.
Piz Varuna is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. It lies east of Piz Palü, between the Val Poschiavo and the Val Malenco.
Piz Combul is a mountain of the Bernina Range (Alps), located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. It lies between the Val Fontana and the Val Poschiavo. With a height of 2,901 metres above sea level, Piz Combul is the highest summit of the range lying south of the Bocchetta da Vartegna.
Piz la Stretta is a mountain of the Livigno Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. Its 3,104-metre (10,184 ft) high summit overlooks the pass of La Stretta
Piz Schumbraida is a mountain of the Ortler Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. It lies east of Piz Tea Fondada.
Piz Umbrail is a mountain of the Ortler Alps, south of the Umbrail Pass, located on the border between Lombardy (Italy) and Graubünden (Switzerland).
Piz Sesvenna is the highest mountain in the Sesvenna Range of the Alps. It lies between the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Italian region of South Tyrol. The summit is located within Switzerland, very close to the Italian border and main watershed.
Piz Lad is a mountain of the Swiss Ortler Alps, overlooking Santa Maria Val Müstair in the canton of Graubünden. It lies north of Piz Umbrail.
The modern states of Austria and Switzerland share a border with a length of 180 km (110 mi) in two parts, separated by Liechtenstein, the longer stretch running across the Grison Alps and the shorter one following the Alpine Rhine to its mouth at Lake Constance.
The border between the modern states of Switzerland and Italy extends for 744 kilometres (462 mi), from the French-Swiss-Italian tripoint at Mont Dolent in the west to the Austrian-Swiss-Italian tripoint near Piz Lad in the east. Much of the border runs across the High Alps, rising above 4,600 metres (15,100 ft) as it passes east of Dufourspitze, but it also descends to the lowest point in Switzerland as it passes Lago Maggiore at below 200 metres (660 ft).
