Polonyna (montane meadow)

Polonyna (Ukrainian: полонина, romanized: polonyna; Rusyn: полонина, romanized: polonyna; Polish: połonina; Slovak: polonina) is a specific, regionally-focused geographic term, that is used as a designation for areas of montane meadows (a landform type) in the upper subalpine or alpine zones of the Carpathian Mountains. The term polonyna was introduced to English from Slavic languages, in order to designate various mountainous regions, mainly in the Eastern Carpathians, and also in the Western Carpathians. The polonyna type areas of montane meadows are very frequent in the Outer Eastern Carpathians, particularly in the Eastern Beskids. Throughout history, they were used for pasture, and in modern times they have become a popular destination for various forms of recreational tourism.[1]

A montane meadow (polonyna) in the Ukrainian Carpathians

A montane meadow (polonyna) in Bieszczady Mountains, Poland

The noun polonyna (plur. polonynas) and its corresponding adjectives (anglicized as polonyne or polonynian) are also used frequently in local toponyms throughout the Carpathian region. One of two main mountain ranges of the Eastern Beskids is known as the Polonyne Beskids or Polonynian Beskids (Ukrainian: Полонинські Бескиди; Polish: Beskidy Połonińskie), and it includes several mountains that also contain the same term in their names, like: Smooth Polonyna (Polish: Połonina Równa; Ukrainian: Полонина Рівна), Polonyna Borzhava (Polish: Połonina Borżawska; Ukrainian: Полонина Боржава), Red Polonyna (Polish: Połonina Czerwona; Ukrainian: Червонa Полонина), etc.

The term also appears as "planina" in several South Slavic languages, in which it functions as a synonym for "mountain." In Slovene, however, it shares the Carpathian meaning of montane (pasture) meadow, and is a very common toponym.