Cosmic rays above 10(14) eV

We briefly review the status of cosmic ray studies between 10(14) eV and th e highest observed energies, namely a few times 10(20) eV. Because of the r ather low incident fluxes in this energy range, the studies rely solely on ground based, large aperture detectors reconstructing the cosmic ray proper ties through the detection of the air-showers they generate by interacting with the atmosphere. We stress the fact that many issues such as the chemic al composition of the cosmic rays, their acceleration mechanisms and the st ructures displayed in their energy spectrum are mostly open questions which may be answered by the next generation of experiments. (C) 2000 Academie d es sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.