Himalayan mountains mainland. Open left menu himalaya. Rivers and lakes of the Himalayas

Translated into Russian, the word “Himalayas” means “kingdom of snow.” This highest mountain system The world rises on the border between Central and South Asia and separates the Tibetan Plateau from the Indus and Ganges lowlands (see the map of the physical and geographical zoning of Eurasia with links to photographs of the nature of this region). It was formed during the Cenozoic within that part of ancient Tethys, where the convergence of the marginal zones of Eurasia and the Hindustan block, which separated from Gondwana, took place.

Relief. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic boundary. The physical-geographical and geomorphological boundaries of the mountain system itself are clearly expressed. In the north these are the longitudinal intermountain valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the south - the edge of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, in the northwest and southeast - the transverse valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra. In the north-west, the Himalayas border on the Hindu Kush, in the south-east - on the Sino-Tibetan mountains. The total length of the mountain system is more than 2400 km, width - 200-350 km. The Himalayas are part of China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Dozens of peaks in the Himalayas reach 7000 m, 11 peaks exceed 8000 m, and the passes are located at an average altitude of 5000 m, which exceeds the maximum altitude of the Alps (Fig. 50).

Rice. 50. Comparative profile of the Alps and Himalayas

highest peak The Himalayas and the whole world - Chomolungma (Everest), (8848 m) - was conquered only in 1953. The rise of the Himalayas has not ended at the present time, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes and the high position of early Quaternary sediments above sea level.

Geological structure. The structure of the mountains involves crystalline, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various ages, from Archean to Quaternary, folded into intense folds, complicated in central parts powerful thrusts and splits.

Peculiarities geological structure- the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, the very limited distribution of marine sedimentary strata and the presence of continental sediments close to Gondwanan - give reason to consider the Himalayas as a mountain system that arose on the site of the edge of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in Neogene-Quaternary times in connection with the attachment of the Hindustan Plate to the rest of Eurasia and the closure of Tethys.

The Himalayas do not form ridges stretching over long distances, but break up into separate massifs, separated from one another by deep transverse river valleys. This is due to the fact that the valleys of the largest rivers - the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra - were formed before the start of the general grandiose uplift of the mountains. The uplift was accompanied by the incision of rivers and the formation of epigenetic valleys of the Himalayas.

The foothills of the Himalayas are composed of young sediments folded in the middle of the Quaternary period. They are known collectively as the Siwalik Mountains; their height on the territory of Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are closely pressed against the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - dunes. The Siwalik Mountains fall steeply to the north and south.

The next highest step of the Himalayas is the Lesser Himalayas; they are composed of crystalline Precambrian rocks, as well as highly metamorphosed sedimentary deposits of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene. This strip is characterized by intense folding, faulting and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise to 6000 m. In the north-west, the Pir Panjal ridge with a height of more than 6000 m stretches, then to the south-east it is replaced by the Small Himalayas proper, which merge with the Great Himalayas (Main Himalayas). Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire Himalayan system narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-high Mahabharata Mountains, and even further east - the high and highly dissected Duar Mountains.

Between the Small and Great Himalayas stretches a strip of tectonic basins, which in the recent past were occupied by lakes and processed by glaciers. The most famous in the west is the Kashmir Basin at an altitude of 1600 m, with the main city of Kashmir being Srinagar. The existence of a lake that formerly filled the basin is evidenced by terraces well defined on the slopes. Several residual lakes remain on the surface of the flat bottom. The second large basin of the central part of the Himalayas - Kathmandu in Nepal - is located at an altitude of about 1400 m; it contains most of the population of this high mountainous country.

To the north of the basins rise the Great Himalayas, reaching an average height of 6000 m. This is a well-defined alpine ridge, above which the highest peaks of the world rise. At the western end of the Main Range this is the grandiose Nangaparbat massif (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight-thousandth giants rise, covered with snow and ice: Dhaulagiri (8167), Kutang (8126 m), Gosaintan (8013 m) ) etc. Among them, the highest peak of the world, Chomolungma (Everest), with a height of 8848 m, does not even particularly stand out. Kanchenjunga (8598 m), which is only slightly inferior to it, is magnificent and majestic.

The northern slope of the Greater Himalayas is flatter and more accessible than the southern one. The Ladakh ridge with a height of up to 7728 m stretches along it. Many rivers originate on its slopes, which then cross the Main Range. To the north of Ladakh, behind the wide longitudinal valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, the marginal ridges of the Tibetan Plateau (Trans-Himalaya) rise.

Useful fossils. The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Climatic conditions. The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in the spring, during a short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend approximately between 35 and 28° N, and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates large climatic differences within the Himalayas. The most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the zone of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places the annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m snow occurs throughout the year.

On the southern slopes up to an altitude of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6...7 °C, in July 18...19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones.

Natural water. High altitude and heavy precipitation contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.

Especially many rivers flow from the southern slope of the mountains. They begin in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothills, reach the plain. Some large rivers originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic Plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. These are the Indus, its tributary the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-like valleys of the Himalayas are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

Vegetation. On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, almost impenetrable in places due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.

Above the terai, on the damp slopes of the mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by less dense forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes above 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of the subtropical flora, for example magnificent blooming magnolias. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt. The high-altitude meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the alpine belt in the east reaches an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing Tibet, are approaching desert mountain landscapes Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

Animal world. The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

In the upper mountain belt and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to that of Tibet. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and sheep, and yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.

Population and environmental problems. Most of the population is concentrated in the middle zone of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high altitude of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are accessible only in summer. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from different countries world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable plant and animal species. The real “treasures” are those included in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List National parks India and Nepal - Nan-dadevi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan.

Himalayas: the highest mountains in the world

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The Himalayas consist of approximately 30 mountains, nine of which are the highest peaks on the planet, including Everest. Extreme lovers from all over the planet consider this place as a mountaineering center. We will tell you the most Interesting Facts about the Himalayas.

Geographical location

The Himalayas are located on the territory of five countries:

India;
Nepal;
Bhutan;
China;
Pakistan

The mountains have a total area of 153,295,000 square meters. km, occupy 0.4% of the entire earth's surface.

The Himalayan mountain range is the most inaccessible region on Earth.

If you do not take into account Antarctica and the Arctic, the Himalayas lead in ice and snow deposits. A great number of glaciers contain enough water for rivers and lakes, which are found here in considerable quantities.

Huge rivers originate in the Himalayas and highlands of Tibet:

Ganges;
Yamuna.

The tops of the mountains are unsuitable for human life due to the harsh climate: cold, lack of oxygen, and strong winds. In the valleys between the mountains there are a small number of settlements with few inhabitants.

The local population lives off tourism and accompanying climbers who want to see or conquer mountain peaks.

Local religions and beliefs

The main religions of the Himalayan people are:

Islam;
Buddhism;
Hinduism.

The story of Bigfoot living somewhere in the mountains has become the most popular myth in the Himalayas.

According to Hindu mythology, this place is considered the refuge of God Shiva.

The highest mountains of the Himalayas:

Chomolungma, altitude 8,848 km.
Kanchenjunga, altitude 8,586 km.
Lhotse, altitude 8,516 km.
Makalu, altitude 8,463 km.
Cho Oyu, altitude 8,201 km.
Dhaulagiri, altitude 8,167 km.
Manaslu, altitude 8,156 km.
Nanga Parbat, altitude 8,126 km.
Annapurna, altitude 8,091 km.
Shishabangma, altitude 8,027 km.

Many people die every year trying to conquer the peaks of the Himalayas. But danger does not stop real extreme sports enthusiasts and travelers who cannot live without risk.

Mountains are fraught with many dangerous surprises, for example - rapidly changing weather with gusty winds, or lack of oxygen.

Vegetation

Vegetation in the Himalayas varies depending on altitude:

the valleys are dominated by swampy forests;
green tropical jungles, coniferous and deciduous forests grow a little higher;
further on there are alpine meadows;
at a level of 3,500 m only shrubs grow.

The purest plants for medicine grow exclusively in the foothills.

There are quite a few Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas.

Valley of Flowers is a national park. It is located in the western Himalayas and is listed as a UNESCO heritage site.

Himalayas

There are no higher mountains on Earth than the Himalayas and Karakoram, and no mountains have such sharp contrasts of nature as the Himalayas.

It should be noted that the Himalayas have still been very little explored and even in our time they contain a lot of unknown and unexplored things. This is explained not so much by the huge territory occupied by this mountain system, but by the difficulty of penetrating into it due to the complexity of the terrain and the lack of roads.

The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable species of plants and animals.

The Himalayas are not only one of the the most beautiful places created by nature. This is a sacred land, a place where, according to legend, Buddhist and Hindu deities live. Once these mountains were an insurmountable barrier between the states located to the south of them and the fabulously rich cities lying to the north, on the Great Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara, Kashgar and Kotan.

Geographical position Himalayan mountains

From French Alps before South Vietnam The longest mountain belt on Earth stretches across Eurasia. Not on Earth more mountains, similar to Central Asian ones. Six mountain systems meet here. The largest and highest mountain system of the six is the Himalayas. Translated from Sanskrit, this word means “Abode of Snows.”

In the north-west, the Himalayas border on the Hindu Kush, in the south-east - on the Sino-Tibetan mountains. The total length of the mountain system is more than 2400 km, width is 200-350 km, area is about 650 thousand km2. The Himalayas are included within China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bhutan. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic boundary. The physical-geographical and geomorphological boundaries of the mountain system itself are clearly expressed. In the north these are the longitudinal intermountain valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the south - the edge of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, in the northwest and southeast - the transverse valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra.

Geologists associate the formation of the Himalayan mountainous country with the split of a single southern continent - Gondwana - into several plates. One of them, Indian, began to move north and collided with the Eurasian plate. At the site of the collision, the earth's crust compressed and formed a giant fold - the Himalayas.

Fossilized skeletons of fish and other marine animals discovered in the Himalayas indicate that these giant mountains were once marine sediments. Between 570 and 65 million years ago they were the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean. When the Indian tectonic plate, drifting north, collided with the Asian continent, the Himalayan plate shot up Mountain chain. The process of growth of the Himalayas took many millions of years, and not a single mountain system in the world can compare with them in the number of peaks - “seven thousand meters” and “eight thousand meters”.

Geologists have found that the formation of the Himalayan mountains took place in at least three stages. The Great Himalayas were formed first, about 38 million years ago. Then, between 26 and 7 million years ago, the Lesser Himalayas arose. In the third stage, about 7 million years ago, the Siwalik Mountains appeared. Movement at the junction of two tectonic plates is a continuous process. Over the past one and a half million years, the mountains have grown by 1370 m.

The rise of the Himalayas has not ended at the present time, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes and the high position of Early Quaternary sediments above sea level. Every year the Himalayas become higher by three to ten millimeters.

Geological structure and relief of the Himalayas

The structure of the mountains involves crystalline, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various ages, from Archean to Quaternary, crushed into intense folds, complicated in the central parts by powerful thrusts and splits.

Features of the geological structure - the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, the very limited distribution of marine sedimentary strata and the presence of continental sediments close to Gondwanan - give reason to consider the Himalayas as a mountain system that arose on the site of the outskirts of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in the Neogene-Quaternary time in connection with the attachment of the Hindustan Plate to the rest of Eurasia and the closure of the Tethys. The Himalayas do not form ridges stretching over long distances, but break up into separate massifs, separated from one another by deep transverse river valleys. This is due to the fact that the valleys of the largest rivers - the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra - were formed before the start of the general grandiose uplift of the mountains. The uplift was accompanied by the incision of rivers and the formation of epigenetic valleys of the Himalayas.

In its shape, the Himalayas resemble a grandiose petrified wave, which falls to the south, towards the Indo-Gangetic lowland, in three successively lower steep ledges, and to the north, to Tibet, in only one, more gentle ones. The foothills of the Himalayas are composed of young sediments folded in the middle of the Quaternary period. They are known collectively as the Siwalik Mountains; their height on the territory of Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are closely pressed against the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - dunes. The Siwalik Mountains fall steeply to the north and south. The width of this step is unequal in length and ranges from 10 to 50 km. The Siwalik Mountains consist of parallel folds, transformed in some areas due to the erosive activity of mountain rivers into a chain of hills. This especially applies to the area between the Ganga and Bias rivers. The Siwalik Mountains comprise the Dundva, Chowryaghati and Solya Singi ranges, as well as the Potwar Plateau, Kala Chitta and Margala. Their average height does not exceed 600 m. Only Chowriaghati reaches an average height of 900 m.

The next highest level of the Himalayas is the Lesser Himalayas; they are composed of crystalline Precambrian rocks, as well as highly metamorphosed sedimentary deposits of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene. This strip is characterized by intense folding, faulting and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise up to 6000 m. In the northwest, the Pir Panjal ridge with a height of more than 6000 m stretches, then to the southeast it is replaced by the Lesser Himalayas proper, which join the Greater Himalayas (Main Himalayas). Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire system of the Himalayas narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-high mountains of the Mahabharat, and even further to the east - the high and highly dissected Duar Mountains.

Between the Small and Great Himalayas there is a strip of tectonic basins, which in the recent past were occupied by lakes and processed by glaciers. The most famous in the west is the Kashmir Basin at an altitude of 1600 m, with the main city of Kashmir being Srinagar. The existence of a lake that formerly filled the basin is evidenced by terraces well defined on the slopes. Several residual lakes remain on the surface of the flat bottom. The second large basin of the central part of the Himalayas - Kathmandu in Nepal - is located at an altitude of about 1400 m; it contains most of the population of this high mountainous country. Crowned with snow mountain peaks, deep rocky gorges, rushing waterfall rivers and blue lakes surrounded by picturesque forests make these valleys the most beautiful corners of the globe.

To the north of the basins rise the Great Himalayas, reaching an average height of 6000 m. The Great Himalayas are the basis of the entire system. They reach their maximum height in Nepal. There, in a small space, there are 9 of the 14 highest peaks. This is a well-defined alpine ridge. At the western end of the Main Range this is the grandiose massif of Nangaparbat (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight-thousandth giants rise, covered with snow and ice: Dhaulagiri (8167), Kutang (8126 m), Annapurna (8078 m) ), Gosaintan (8013 m), etc. Among them, the highest peak of the world, Everest, 8848 m high, does not even particularly stand out. In Nepal they call it Sagarmatha - “Lord of the Sky”, and in Tibet they call it Chomolungma - “Goddess - Mother of the World”). Kanchenjunga (8598 m) is magnificent and majestic, only slightly inferior to it. Four more “eight-thousanders” are located in the northwestern continuation of the Himalayas - the Karakoram range.

The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Now in the Himalayas there are 75 peaks more than seven kilometers in height. Dozens of peaks reach 7000 m, 11 peaks exceed 8000 m, the passes are on average at an altitude of 5000 m, which exceeds the maximum altitude of the Alps.

Climate, glaciation and water resources of the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in the spring, during a short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend approximately between 35 and 28° N. sh., and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates large climatic differences within the Himalayas. The most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the belt of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places the annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m snow occurs throughout the year.

On the southern slopes up to an altitude of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6-7 °C, in July 18-19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones. On the northern slopes there is little precipitation (about 100 mm), and temperature changes within one day can amount to 45 degrees.

High altitude and heavy precipitation contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed.

These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it. The total area of glaciers here is 33 thousand km?.

In terms of surface structure and ice properties, the Himalayan glaciers differ from glaciers in other mountain systems. At high altitudes the snow is very dry. Sudden changes temperatures often contribute to the formation of a thin crust of ice on the surface of the snow cover. Underneath it, active sublimation of snow occurs (the transition of a substance from a solid to a gaseous state without prior transformation into a liquid), during which the snow evaporates and water vapor settles on the lower surface of the ice crust, thickening it and forming crust. And underneath it the emptiness increases. As a result, the adhesion of the snow layer to the slope is disrupted and the snow cover is actually held on it only due to the strength of this crust (crust). Any disturbance of this crust (damage by a falling stone, etc.) is sufficient to create favorable conditions for the formation of snow avalanches, which are very characteristic of the Himalayas.

At lower altitudes, the influence of high daytime temperatures leads to a rapid process of snow firnization and further transformation of firn into ice. At the same time, another process occurs - the rapid evaporation of snow from the surface (especially on the northern slopes) due to the great dryness of the air. This causes the fragility of fresh snow cover in the valleys and on the lower slopes. As a result, glaciers are almost always open, and snow or firn cover is rare. The movement of people on such a surface does not present any difficulties. Only during periods of heavy snowfall can mountain slopes and glaciers be covered with a significant layer of fresh, dry snow, and then the passage of snow-covered slopes and glaciers requires great caution.

The Himalayas are characterized by intense glaciation, which has not yet been fully defined, despite the large number of scientific and mountaineering expeditions carried out. But there are no huge valley glaciers here, as, for example, in the Karakorum. To some extent, this is explained by the greater straightness of the Himalayan ranges and the absence of lateral spurs that extend over long distances.

Glaciers of the Turkestan type are characterized by a very limited feeding basin. They are formed mainly due to snow avalanches from the surrounding steep slopes, ice avalanches, landslides from higher-lying hanging glaciers, and only partially due to snow masses falling or blown by winds from the surrounding slopes. An example of such glaciers in the Himalayas is South Glacier Annapurna.

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-shaped valleys of the Himalayas are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that can be compared in size and beauty with the Alpine ones. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir Panjal range is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirques or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine. Many of the lakes are located at high altitudes (up to 3500 m). The Srinagar (Kashmir) valley once served as the bottom of a huge lake that existed here. Currently, the remains of this lake are scattered throughout the lowest parts of the valley in the form of small lakes - Vular, Anchar, Dal and others. Interesting are the floating islands on these lakes, formed from dense thickets of aquatic plants.

In a vast mountain valley Kathmandu, like Srinagar, has many lakes and even more residual lake valleys, which local residents called "tal".

Researchers of the Himalayas explain their formation this way. In former times, there were many dammed lakes on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. Stormy mountain streams and rivers gradually deposited rock destruction products into them. Gradually accumulating, the water broke through the dam, rushing down in a mighty stream, washing away everything in its path.

For example, as a result of the earthquake of 1841, a large landslide dammed the Indus River in the Ramghat region. The height of the rubble reached several hundred meters. Above it a huge dammed lake formed.

Soon the Indus broke through the dam. Masses of water, rushing through the gorge, washed away many villages and tore off not only vegetation, but also soil from the slopes. The water destroyed the roads running through the gorge. The local population suffered enormous material damage.

Altitudinal zonation, flora and fauna of the Himalayas

On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Forests reach the foot of the mountains only in the Eastern Himalayas. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - typical tropical rainforests - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, in places almost impenetrable due to vines and consisting of ferns, teak wood, soap wood, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops. This is the kingdom of tigers and wild elephants, snakes and monkeys. Zoologists believe that this is where the highest density of elephant populations in the world is. Animals feel completely safe in the jungle, even more so than in African reserves. After all, according to Buddhist laws, killing any living creature is a mortal sin.

Above the terai, on the damp slopes of the mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes above 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts, birches. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of subtropical flora, for example, magnificently flowering magnolias. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt. The high-mountain meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, edelweiss, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the alpine belt in the east reaches an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m. And finally, from an altitude of five and a half kilometers, the kingdom of snow begins.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to lower humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation; the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is no Terai strip there at all; the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and thickets of bushes. Only on the slopes of the foothills do rare groups of dry-loving plants appear, such as oleander or tree-like milkweed, very similar from a distance to a cactus. And only from a height of a thousand meters do luxurious pine forests with an undergrowth of prickly jasmine begin. Higher up, in the zone from 1800 to 2500 meters, there are some subtropical Mediterranean species such as evergreen holm oak and golden olive; even higher, coniferous forests of pine trees and the magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara), a brother of the Lebanese cedar known since biblical times, predominate. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the meadow alpine vegetation is more diverse. And having risen to a height of two and a half kilometers, you find yourself in a zone of spruce forests. Only these bushes and the ivy entwining tree trunks along with climbing roses remind us of the subtropics. The spruce forests are replaced with height by a real mountain desert, where even stunted grass can be found only in places. And crowning it all, as always in the Himalayas, are snow and glaciers.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes of Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

Most of the population is concentrated in the middle zone of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high altitude of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. Passes are only available in summer time. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

The Himalayas as a center of cultural and natural heritage and a center of pilgrimage

The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable species of plants and animals. The real “treasures” are the national parks of India and Nepal included in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List - Nanda Devi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan.

The parks were created to help the rare animals of the Himalayas survive in the face of an ever-increasing influx of tourists, many of whom are poachers. Deforestation harms animals even more local population. Already, only twenty-five wild elephants have survived in all of Nepal. There are only a few dozen tigers and rhinoceroses left here. Such rare animals as the snow leopard and the Himalayan black bear, the musk deer and the inhabitant of bamboo forests, the red panda, also live on the protected lands.

This animal (also called the cat bear) is probably the most charming inhabitant of the Himalayan forests. During the day, he sleeps, wrapping his round eared head with a fluffy tail, and at night he grazes in thickets of bamboo, eating young shoots, as well as berries and acorns that have fallen to the ground.

To truly appreciate the natural beauty of the Himalayas, one must overcome the temptation to fly straight to Kathmandu or another city deep in the mountains. It is better to climb to the snowy ridges by car along winding mountain roads through Siwalik and Mahabharat. Only then can one appreciate all the diversity of the Himalayas, all the charm of its forests and meadows, rocky gorges and mountain lakes, the blinding whiteness snowy slopes and the jade transparency of glacial cliffs.

The Himalayas are one of the centers of pilgrimage in the world, especially for adherents of Buddhism and Hinduism. In most cases, temples are located in holy Himalayan places in honor of the deities with whose deeds this or that place is associated. Thus, the temple of Sri Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to the god Shiva, and in the south of the Himalayas, at the source of the Jamuna River, in the 19th century. A temple was built in honor of the goddess Yamuna (Jamuna). Many people are attracted to the Himalayas by their diversity and uniqueness. natural features. One of the most important and at the same time the most difficult to pass is Sagarmatha National Park. Everest is located on its territory. In the western region of the Himalayas lies the domain of the Nanda Devi Nature Reserve, which since 2005 has included the Valley of Flowers, which enchants with its natural palette of colors and shades. It is preserved by vast meadows full of delicate alpine flowers. Among this splendor, far from human eyes, live rare species of predators, including snow leopards (in wildlife no more than 7,500 individuals of these animals remain), Himalayan and brown bears.

For a long time, high, inaccessible mountains have evoked two feelings in people: fear and reverence. The Hindus called this region Devyabhuni - "land of the gods." Here, in their opinion, was the center of the Earth, designated sacred mountain The measure around which the Sun, Moon and stars revolve. Meru in India was identified with Mount Kailash in the Tibetan Trans-Himalayas. Next to her, at sacred lake Manasarovar, as local residents believe, is home to the chief of the three supreme gods of the Hindu pantheon - Indra, the thunderer who gives rain and fertility to the fields. At the top of Gaurishankar lived the great god Shiva with his wife Devi, daughter of Himavat, who himself is the personification of the Himalayas. Shiva is one of the supreme gods included in the divine triad, the “master of animals.” Therefore, it is quite logical that from his home, located among the eternal snows of the Himalayas, the life-giving waters of the three great rivers of Asia - the Indus, Brahmaputra and Ganges - flow. And only Rama settled closer to the people, in the valley.

The founder of another powerful religion - Buddhism, Prince Gautama himself (the future Buddha) was also born here in Nepal 2500 years ago. Therefore, many pilgrims come here every year to the shrine of Buddhism, the Muktinath Temple, where the fire Eternal flame in memory of the birth of the deity.

Thus, the Himalayas are not only one of the most beautiful places created by nature. This is a sacred land, a place where, according to legend, Buddhist and Hindu deities live. Once these mountains were an insurmountable barrier between the states located to the south of them and the fabulously rich cities lying to the north, on the Great Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara, Kashgar and Kotan.

History of exploration and assault of the Himalayan mountains

The first traveler to the Himalayas mentioned in the chronicles, the Chinese monk Fa Xian, came here in 400 AD. e. in search of religious truth. The oldest accurate map of these places was compiled in the 30s of the 18th century by the French geographer Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Arville, who, however, was unable to correctly determine the height of many mountain peaks. At the beginning of the 19th century, the British, hunters of large animals, went here from India in search of tigers and bears. Returning from the Himalayas, they retold local legends about strange footprints in the snow. This was the first hint of the existence of the Bigfoot.

Already in the 7th century, the first trade routes connecting China and India appeared in the rugged Himalayas. Some of these routes still play an important role in trade between the two countries (of course, these days we are not talking about multi-day treks on foot, but about road transport). In the 30s XX century there was an idea to do transport connection more convenient, for which it is necessary to build a railway through the Himalayas, but the project was never brought to life.

However, serious exploration of the Himalayan mountains began only in the period of the 18th-19th centuries. The work was extremely difficult, and the results left much to be desired: for a long time, topographers were unable to determine the height of the main peaks or draw up accurate topographic maps. But difficult trials only fueled the interest and enthusiasm of European scientists and researchers. In the mid-19th century, attempts were made to conquer the highest peak in the world - Everest (Qomolungma). But the great mountain, towering 8848 m above the ground, could give victory only to the strongest.

In the 1950s, the world's highest peak was known in the West simply as Peak XV. Only in 1852 did English topographers establish the exact height of Peak XV. The Indians called it Sagarmatha - “heavenly peak”, and for the Tibetans it was Chomolungma - “mother goddess of the earth”. The British named it Everest in 1862 in honor of the head of the Indian topographical service, Major Sir George Everest, the Governor-General of India, who six years earlier led an expedition to map the Himalayan mountains. This is how the highest mountain in the world lives now under three names.

It is clear that climbers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who had already managed to conquer the Matterhorn in the Alps (in 1865), Chimborazo and Aconcagua in the Andes (in 1880 and 1897), McKinley in Alaska (in 1913) and Kilimanjaro in Africa (in 1889), they were eager to climb Chomolungma. But the Tibetan and Nepalese authorities until 1921 did not allow foreigners to disturb the peace of the sacred mountains.

TO end of the 19th century century, Tibet and Nepal closed their borders to Europeans. And although the Dalai Lama allowed one expedition to visit the country in 1921, it only had enough time to reach the base of Everest and map its lower slopes. A member of this expedition was the famous English climber George Mallory.

In 1921-1924, Mallory made three expeditions to the transcendental peak, hoping to become its winner. On his last attempt, in 1924, he and his companion Andrew Irwin apparently reached the planet's highest point. The remaining members of their expedition below noticed the brave two through binoculars just two hundred meters from the top, after which they were hidden by fog. No one else saw the pioneers of Chomolungma alive. They didn't come back. And only seventy-five years later, in 1999, Mallory’s body was found in the snow near the top. In all likelihood, on the descent the climbers got caught in a snowstorm and froze. The first reliable conquest of Everest was carried out by a British expedition led by John Hunt 30 years later. After countless failed expeditions, on May 29, 1953, man finally managed to reach the summit of Everest.

The final assault was launched by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Norgay Tenzing. Hillary later wrote what he was thinking as he stood where no one was known to have stood before: “My first feeling was relief - no more ridges to cross, no more torment, climbing mountains and hoping for success. I looked at Tenzing... and he was unable to hide his infectious, enthusiastic smile.”

Thus, the “high-altitude pole” of our planet turned out to be the toughest nut to crack out of all the cherished and difficult-to-reach points on the earth’s land, taken by storm in the 20th century. Let us remember that Northern and South pole conquered man more than forty years earlier, and the Arctic Pole of Inaccessibility five years before Chomolungma.

The attractiveness of Everest for climbers is undeniable, and the climbing season is short; unless, of course, they want to avoid low temperatures, hurricane winds and deep snow. Many attempts to reach the top ended in failure and sometimes in the death of expedition members, but nothing stops the climbers. In recent years, climbers from all over the world have managed to make successful ascents.

Climbers continue to storm the highest peak, but so far only about four hundred of them have managed to stand on the “roof of the world.” The Himalayas in general, and Everest in particular, carefully guard their secrets. Even today they remain the only snow kingdom of its kind - the abode of the gods.

In general, the history of the assault on the Himalayan “eight-thousanders” is a whole epic that lasted fifteen years, starting in 1950, when the brave Frenchmen Herzog and Lachenal climbed the first of them - Annapurna, and ending with the successful ascent of the most difficult of these peaks - Mount Shisha Pangma - Chinese expedition in 1964. Many tragic pages are written in the history of Himalayan ascents. Dozens of climbers remained forever on the slopes of the “Abode of Snows.” And yet, every year new high-altitude expeditions are sent to the Himalayas. And to the question of what pushes them to this most difficult and dangerous task, Mallory answered wonderfully. When asked why he was so eager to climb Everest, he simply said: “Because it exists!”

There are even more difficult peaks in the Himalayas than Chomolungma. Such, for example, is the inaccessible Kanchenjunga, the easternmost and second highest of the Himalayan “eight-thousanders”, rising to 8585 meters near the border of Nepal and India. This most difficult peak for climbers surrendered only to the fifth expedition, which stormed it in 1955. In the same year, the fifth highest peak in the world, Makalu (8470 meters), was conquered. Its name translates as “Black Giant”. Indeed, Makalu is so steep that ice and snow practically do not linger on the black slopes of this giant rock pyramid. Therefore, its black and gray silhouette stands out sharply against the background of other Himalayan peaks, wrapped in snow-white cloaks and covered with glacier caps.

And twenty-five kilometers northwest of Makalu there are four eight-kilometer peaks at once, like a guard of honor surrounding their ruler - Chomolungma. This gigantic mountain range resembles a frozen foamy surf of grandiose stone shafts rushing to the sky. Moreover, “smaller” mountains in this massif are sometimes placed in front of climbers the most difficult tasks. Thus, Mount Rapakoshi, with a height of 7788 meters, has the steepest slope in the world. It rises six thousand meters above the Hunza Valley, and the length of its slope is about ten kilometers. It is easy to calculate that the angle of elevation in this case is thirty-one degrees.

In the very north of Nepal, between the eight-kilometer Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, there is the high-mountain Mustang Valley - the most important ancient caravan route from India and Nepal to the sky-high Tibet. Through a giant gap between the mountains, as if in a wind tunnel, a strong wind rushes from the north, from the Brahmaputra valley. The “draft” begins, like clockwork, every day at exactly noon and ends after sunset, when the air temperature on the south and north sides of the Mustang is equal. Living in a constant wind, of course, creates terrible discomfort for the inhabitants of the valley. They have to build houses with very narrow windows, and even seal them with oiled paper from the inside for warmth. And on the north side of the houses there are no windows at all, otherwise it is impossible to keep the heat in the rooms.

Conclusion

The study of the physical and geographical characteristics of the Himalayas allowed us to draw the following conclusions:

1. The Himalayas are located between the Tibetan Plateau in the north and the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the south of Eurasia and stretch for 2,400 km.

3. The relief is represented by a system of ridges and intermountain depressions (basins). The mountains have steep slopes and pointed or ridge-shaped peaks, covered with eternal snow and glaciers. The total area of glaciers here is 33 thousand km?. The highest peak of the Himalayas is Mount Everest (8848 m), the highest mountain in the world. It was first conquered in 1953.

4. Most of the Himalayan mountains are located in a subequatorial climate. Climate formation occurs here under positive temperatures, but with a fairly noticeable difference in the height of the sun between seasons. Summer and spring are hot here (up to 35°). At this time of year, monsoon winds come here, bringing an abundance of precipitation with Indian Ocean, they fall mainly on the southern slopes of the mountains (more than 3000 mm). Air temperature at northern slopes The Himalayas are lower in winter, since precipitation from the Indian Ocean does not penetrate here, which has a softening effect.

5. Most of the rivers flowing from the Himalayan mountains are tributaries of the Indus and Ganges. Their diet is glacial-rain. The spill occurs in the summer.

1). At the foot and foothills of the Himalayas there are swampy jungles - the Terai. They are very rich in vegetation: grasses up to 5 m high, fan and coconut trees, bamboo.

2). At an altitude of 400 to 1500 m there is a belt of subequatorial rain forests. This belt is characterized by magnolias, citrus fruits, and camphor laurel.

3). Higher up, humid subequatorial forests give way up to 2000 m to evergreen subtropical forests, represented by mimosa thickets.

4). From altitudes of 2000 to 2500 m, evergreen forests begin to give way to deciduous forests, dominated by maple, bird cherry, chestnut, oak, and cherry trees.

5). Above 2500 m, coniferous forests begin to predominate, which are located up to an altitude of 3500-4000 m.

6). From approximately an altitude of 3500 m, woody vegetation begins to disappear, being replaced by meadow vegetation with a large variety of herbs.

Through the mountains to the sea with a light backpack. Route 30 passes through the famous Fisht - this is one of the most grandiose and significant natural monuments of Russia, the highest mountains closest to Moscow. Tourists travel lightly through all the landscape and climatic zones of the country from the foothills to the subtropics, spending the night in shelters.

There is no such density of tourist facilities as in the Bakhchisarai region anywhere in the world! Mountains and sea, rare landscapes and cave cities, lakes and waterfalls, secrets of nature and mysteries of history. Discovery and the spirit of adventure... Mountain tourism here is not at all difficult, but any trail delights with clean springs and lakes.

Adygea, Crimea. Mountains, waterfalls, herbs of alpine meadows, healing mountain air, absolute silence, snowfields in the middle of summer, the murmuring of mountain streams and rivers, stunning landscapes, songs around the fires, the spirit of romance and adventure, the wind of freedom await you! And at the end of the route are the gentle waves of the Black Sea.

The Himalayas are the great mountain system of Asia, forming a barrier between the plateau of Tibet in the north and the plains of the Indian subcontinent in the south. The Himalayas comprise the world's highest mountains, with more than 110 peaks rising to 7,300 meters or more above sea level. One of these peaks is Everest. Another name for the mountain in the Tibetan version is Qomolangma, in the Chinese version - Komolangma Feng, in Nepalese - Sagamata. It is the highest mountain in the World, with a height of 8,850 meters.

Geographical location of the Himalayas

Everyone who is interested in these mountains first of all searches on what continent, in what country and where are the Himalayas located. The geographical location of the Himalayas extends 2550 kilometers from North Africa to the Pacific coast South-East Asia in the northern hemisphere of the Earth. The Himalayas stretch from west to east between Nanga Parbat, in Pakistan they include parts of Kashmir and Namzhagbarwa Pike, and in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Between the western and eastern edges are two Himalayan countries - Nepal and Bhutan. The Himalayas are bordered in the northwest by the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges, and in the north by the high and vast plateau of Tibet. The width of the Himalayas from south to north varies between 200 and 400 km. Their total area is 595,000 square kilometers.

On physical map it can be seen that India, Nepal and Bhutan have sovereignty over most of the Himalayas, Pakistan and China also occupy parts of them. In the disputed Kashmir region, Pakistan has administrative control over approximately 36,000 sq. km in the Ladakh region of Kashmir and claims territory at the eastern end of the Himalayas in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. These disputes highlight the border issues facing India and neighboring countries in the land where the Himalayas are located.

Physical Features

Most characteristic features The Himalayas are their high, steep, jagged peaks, valleys and alpine glaciers. The complex geological structure is complemented by river gorges, deeply cut by erosion. A number of elevated belts are distinguished by different ecological types of flora, fauna and climate. Viewed from the south, the Himalayas appear on a map as a giant crescent moon with its main axis rising above the snow line, where snowfields, alpine glaciers and avalanches feed the lower valleys.

Most of the Himalayas lie below the snow line. The Himalayan ranges are grouped into four parallel longitudinal mountain belts of varying widths, each of which has different physical and geographical features and its own geological history. They range from south to north as the outer sub-Himalayas (also called the Siwalik Range), the lesser or lower Himalayas, the Greater Himalayan Range (Great Himalayas) and the Tethys or Tibetan Himalayas. Further north in Tibet lie the Trans-Himalaya.

Geological history

It is believed that the Himalayas owe their origin to the movement of the Indo-Australian plate, which is constantly moving north, where it collides with the Eurasian plate. The force of the plate movement is such that it bends the layers of rock and creates faults into which masses of granites and basalts invade. This is how the Tibetan plateau was formed. The Trans-Himalayan ranges became the region's watershed and rose so high that they became a climate barrier. The more rain falls on the southern slopes, the more the southern rivers tend to move north along transverse faults.

The northern shores of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are quickly filled with debris brought from the mountains by the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. About 20 million years ago, the rate of pressure between the two plates increased sharply. As the Indian subcontinental plate continued to subduct, the uppermost layers were thrown back a large horizontal distance to the south, forming boulders.

Wave after wave of boulders rushed south over Indian land at a distance of up to 100 km. Over time, these boulders rolled up, shortening the former trench by 400-800 km. All this time, the falling rivers matched the rate of rise, carrying a huge amount of stones and rocks. Once the Himalayas rose high enough, they became a climate barrier: the extreme mountains in the north lost their rain and became as parched as the Tibetan Plateau.

On the contrary, on wet southern shores the rivers rose with such energy that they forced the ridge line to slowly move north. However, changes in the landscape forced all but the major rivers to change the direction of their lower reaches, because as the northern ridges rose, so did southern edge extensive plateau. Where the Kashmir Valley is located, as well as the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, temporary lakes were formed, which were then filled with sediments.

Population of the Himalayas

The Indian subcontinent is home to four language families - Indo-Aryan, Tibetan-Burman, Austro-Asiatic and Dravidian. They have a long history of infiltration by Iranian groups from the west, Indian peoples from the south, and Asian peoples from the east and north. In the hilly regions of the lesser Himalayas live the Gaddis and Gujaris. They are traditional mountain people, owning large herds of sheep and goats and descending with them from their snowy abode into the outer Himalayas only in winter and returning to the highest pastures only in June.

These pastoral people are in constant migration, living off their herds of sheep, goats and a few cows, for which they seek pasture at various altitudes. To the north of the Great Himalayan Range live the Champa, Ladak, Balti and Darda peoples. The Champas traditionally lead a nomadic pastoral life in the upper Indus. The Ladakhis settled on the terraces and stone fans that flank the Indus in the northeastern region of Kashmir.

The Balti settled further along the Indus Valley and converted to Islam.
In Himachal Pradesh, most people are descendants of Tibetan migrants who speak Tibetan-Burmese. In Nepal, Paharis, who speak an Indo-Aryan language, constitute the majority of the population. Peoples such as the Newar, Tamang, Gurung, Magar and Sherpa speak Tibeto-Burman. Of all these nationalities inhabiting the Himalayas, the famous long-living mountaineers, the Sherpas, stand out.

Economy of the Himalayas

The economy of the Himalayas depends on the resources available in different parts of this vast region with different ecological zones. The main activity is livestock farming, but forestry, trade and tourism are also important. The Himalayas have abundant economic resources. These include rich arable land, extensive meadows and forests, workable mineral deposits, easy water power and magnificent natural beauty.

In the central Himalayas of Nepal, two-thirds of the arable land is in the foothills and adjacent plains. The land in this country produces most of the world's total rice production. The region also produces large crops of corn, wheat, potatoes and sugar cane. The Kashmir Valley produces fruits such as apples, peaches, pears and cherries, which are in great demand in Indian cities. There are rich vineyards on the shores of Dal Lake in Kashmir, and the grapes are used to make wine and brandy.

Walnut and almond trees grow on the hills surrounding the Kashmir valley. A country like Bhutan also has orchards and exports oranges to India. Tea plantations are located on the hills and plains at the foot of the mountains in the Darjeeling region. There is a spice cardamom plantation in Sikkim. Since 1940, the Himalayas have experienced an explosion of population growth. As a result, deforestation to clear land for planting and construction, supplying firewood and paper moved up the steep and higher slopes of the small Himalayas. Only in Sikkim and Bhutan are large areas still covered with dense forest.

The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources, although exploitation is limited to accessible areas. Sapphires are found on the Zaskar Range, and gold is mined in the bed of the Indus River. Baltistan has copper ore deposits and iron ore is found in the Kashmir valley. In Ladakh there are deposits of borax and sulfur. Coal seams are found in the hills of Jammu. Bauxite is found in Kashmir. Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim have extensive deposits of coal, mica, gypsum, graphite and iron, copper, lead and zinc ores.

Conquerors of the Himalayas

The earliest travels in the Himalayas were made by traders, shepherds and pilgrims. The pilgrims believed that the more difficult the journey, the closer it brought them to enlightenment. For shepherds and traders, trekking at altitudes between 5,500 and 5,800 meters was a way of life. However, for everyone else, the Himalayas presented a huge and terrible barrier.

The Himalayas first appeared on the map in 1590 with the participation of a Spanish missionary to the court of the Mughal emperor, Antonio Monserrate. In 1773, French geographer Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Harville compiled the first map of the Himalayan range based on systematic research. In 1865, Everest was renamed after Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India.

By 1862, it became known that Everest was the tallest mountain in the world. After World War II, India produced several large-scale maps based on aerial photographs. Himalayan mountaineering began in 1880 with Briton W. W. Graham, who claimed to have climbed several peaks. Although his claims were met with skepticism, they sparked interest in the Himalayas among other European climbers.

Attempts to conquer Everest began in 1921 and about a dozen of them were made before it was conquered in May 1953 by New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and his Tibetan guide Tenzing Norgay. That same year, an Austro-German team led by Karl Maria Herrligkoffer reached the summit of Nanka Parbat. Over time, climbers began to find easier ways to reach the peaks.

Easier access to the mountains brought everything large quantity climbers and tourists to the region. Every year hundreds of people attempt to climb Everest. By the beginning of the 21st century, the annual number of tourists had increased so much that in some regions expedition participants began to threaten the ecological balance of the mountains, destroying flora and fauna and leaving behind mountains of garbage. In addition, large expeditions increased the likelihood of loss of life. In 2014 more than 40 foreign tourists died in a snowstorm near Annapurna.

From May 22, 2019 until today, a search has been underway for eight conquerors of India’s second highest mountain, Nada Devi. There are fears that they were carried away by an avalanche. These were four British, two Americans, one Australian and an Indian guide who were supposed to climb the eastern ridge at Nada Devi and return to base on May 26th. Her ascent began on May 13 and, after their departure, the team showed no signs of life. Heavy snowfall that lasted a week complicated the search.

Hundreds of climbers from all over the world come every year to climb the peaks of the mountains. Not everyone makes it, some return. Many remain in the mountains forever, frozen in permafrost. Their names are written on the slab and everyone who has gathered to this peak must become familiar with their names. Everyone should know that their name can also be written on this plate. There's still a lot of free space there.

The Himalayas in India and China are the highest mountains on Earth.

Where is it located and how to get there

Geographical coordinates:Latitude:29°14′11″N (29.236449), Longitude:85°14′59″E (85.249851)
Directions from Moscow-You come to China or India and it’s just a stone’s throw away. Don't forget your mountain gear
Travel from St. Petersburg: You come to Moscow and then come to China or India and it’s just a stone’s throw away. Don't forget your mountain gear
Distance from Moscow - 7874 km, from St. Petersburg - 8558 km.

Description in the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron (published at the border of the 19th-20th centuries)

Himalayan mountains
(Himalaja, in Sanskrit - winter or snow dwelling, among the Greeks and Romans Imans and Hemodus) - highest mountains on the ground; separate Hindustan and the western part of Indochina from the Tibetan Plateau and extend from the place where the Indus emerges from them (at 73°23′E Greenwich) to southeast direction to the Brahmaputra (at 95°23′ E) for 2375 km with a width of 220-300 km. The western part of the Himalayas (hereinafter referred to as G.) at 36° N. w. so closely connected into one mountain node (the greatest on Earth) with the almost parallel beginning of the Karakoram ridge (see), which stretches at a short distance from it, with the Kuen-Lun ridge, limiting Tibet from the north, and with the Hindu Ku, that all these four mountain ranges are part of one hill. The G. Mountains make up the southernmost and highest of these ranges. The eastern end of the G. mountains passes approximately to the 28th parallel to the northern. parts of the British province of Assam and Burma into the Yun Ling Mountains already belonging to China. Both mountain masses are separated from each other by the Brahmaputra, which cuts the mountains here and makes a bend from N to SW. If we imagine a line running south from Lake Mansarovar, which lies between the sources of the Settlej and the Brahmaputra, then it will divide the G. mountains into the west. and east half and at the same time will serve as an ethnographic border between the Aryan population of the Indus basin and the population of Tibet. The average height of the city is 6941 m; numerous peaks are well above this line. Some of them are higher than all the peaks of the Andes and represent the highest points on the earth's surface. Up to 225 of these peaks have been measured; of which 18 rise above 7600 m, 40 above 7000, 120 above 6100. The highest of all are Gaurizankar, or Mount Everest, at 8840 m, Kantschinjinga at 8581 m and Dhawalagiri at 8177 m. All of them lie in the eastern half of the G. mountains. The average height of the snow line on the G. mountains is approximately 4940 m in the south. slope and 5300 m to the north. Of the huge glaciers, some descend to 3400 and even 3100 m. The average height of the passages (Ghâts) leading through the mountains, of which 21 are known, is 5500 m; the height of the highest of them, the Ibi-Gamin pass, between Tibet and Garhwal, is 6240 m; the height of the lowest, Bara-Latscha, is 4900 m. The mountains do not form one completely continuous and continuous chain, but consist of a system of more or less long ridges; partly parallel, partly intersecting, wide and narrow valleys lie between them. There are no real plateaus in the Georgian mountains. Generally southern. the G. side of the mountains is more fragmented than the northern side; there are more spurs and side ridges, between which lie the states of Kashmir, Gariwal, Kamaon, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, more or less dependent on the Indo-British government. To the south On the G. side of the mountains, tributaries of the Indus originate: Jhelum, Shenab and Ravi, the Ganges with its left tributaries and the Jamuni.
G. mountains, more than all other mountains on the globe, are rich in the majestic beauties of nature; They present a particularly picturesque view from the south. As for the geological structure of the G. g., then predominantly sandstones and clastic rocks are visible at the base. Higher up, to approximately 3000-3500 m altitude, gneiss, mica, chlorite and talc schist predominate, cut through often by thick veins of granite. The higher peaks consist mainly of gneiss and granite. Volcanic rocks are not found on the G. mountains and in general there are no signs of volcanic activity here, although there are various hot springs (up to 30 in number), the most famous of which are located in Badrinath (see). The vegetation is extremely diverse. At the southern base of the east. Half of it stretches out into an unhealthy and unsuitable swampland called Tarai, 15-50 km wide, overgrown with impenetrable jungle and giant grass. It is followed, up to an altitude of approximately 1000 m, by extremely rich tropical and especially Indian vegetation, which is followed up to an altitude of 2500 m by forests of oaks, chestnuts, laurel trees, etc. Between 2500 and 3500 m the flora corresponds to the flora of the southern and Central Europe; conifers predominate, namely Pinus Deodora, P. excelsa, P. longifolia, Aties Webbiana, Picea Morinda, etc. The border of tree vegetation runs higher to the north. side (the last tree species here is birch) than on the south. (one species of oak, Quercus semicarpifolia, rises highest here). The next area of bushes reaches the snow line and to the north. side ends with one species of Genista, on the south. - several species of Rhododendron, Salix and Ribes. Cultivation on the Tibetan side goes up to 4600 m, on the Indian side only to 3700; the grasses on the first grow up to 5290 m, on the second - up to 4600 m. The fauna of the mountains is also extremely interesting and very rich. To the south on the side up to 1200 m it is specially Indian; Its representatives are the tiger, elephant, monkeys, parrots, pheasants and beautiful species of chickens. In the middle region of the mountains there are bears, musk deer and different kinds antelopes, and to the north. on the side adjacent to Tibet - wild horses, wild bulls (yaks), wild sheep and mountain goats, as well as some other mammals belonging to the fauna Central Asia and especially Tibet. The G. mountains not only constitute the political border between the Anglo-Indian possessions and Tibet, but in general also the ethnographic border between the Hindu Aryans living south of the G. mountains and the inhabitants of Tibet belonging to the Mongolian tribe. Both tribes spread through the valleys deep into the mountains and mixed with each other in various ways. The population is densest in extremely fertile valleys, at an altitude of 1500 to 2500 m. At an altitude of 3000 it becomes rare.
History of the name (toponym)
Himalayas, from the Nepalese himal - “snowy mountain”.