It is formed by six different mountain ranges:
- White Mountains (Lefka Ori)-the highest peak Pachnes, 2454 meters
- Idai Mountains with the highest peak Psiloritis (Mount Ida, Timios Stravos)-2456 meters, the highest mountain in Crete
- Asterousia Mountains-1231 meters
- Kedros-1777 meters
- Dikti (Dicte)-2148 meters, a range in the east of Crete. According to some versions of Greek mythology, Zeus grew up on this mountain, in the cave of Dictaeon Antron
- Thripti-1489 meters
