The highest mountains on earth are in Asia. Mountain ranges in Asia. The highest mountains in Europe

General characteristics mountain system of Asia

The Asian mountain system includes the largest and highest mountains in the world. The highest point on the planet is located in the Himalayas - Mount Everest (Chomolungma) with a height of 8882 m.

The highest mountains in Asia are located in the southern regions of central Asia and southern Asia:

  • Himalayas,
  • Hindu Kush,
  • Pamir,
  • Tibetan Plateau,
  • Tien Shan.

In the northern regions of Asia there are medium-high mountains: the Stanovoye Highlands, the Central Siberian Plateau, the Verkhoyansk Range, the Chersky Range, the Altai Mountains, the Sredinny Range.

In the eastern regions of Asia there are Sikhote-Alin, Greater and Lesser Khingan; in the western, on the border with Europe - the Urals and the Caucasus.

Himalayas

The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in both the world and Asia. The Himalayas are located on the border of East and South Asia, they delimit the lowlands of the Indus and Ganges rivers from the Tibetan Plateau. The total length of the Himalayas is 2400 km, width mountain range ranges from 200 to 300 km.

Northwestern regions Himalayan mountains border with the Hindu Kush - the high mountain system of Asia.

The steepest slopes of the Himalayan mountains are directed south, towards the Indus and Ganges. The gentler slopes are directed towards Tibet.

There are 130 mountain peaks in the Himalayas with a height of more than 7000 m. 11 peaks, located mainly in the Nepal Himalayas, have a height of more than 8000 meters:

  • Everest (8882 m),
  • Kapchenjunga (8598 m),
  • Lhotse Main (8501 m),
  • Makalu (8470 m),
  • Cho Oyu (8180 m),
  • Dhaulagiri (8172 m),
  • Manaslu (8128 m),
  • Apnapurna (8078),
  • Gozaintan (8018),
  • Shisha-Pangma (8013), etc.

Karakoram mountain range. Kun Lun and Hindu Kush

The Karakoram mountain range is the second highest mountain range in Asia. The Karakoram is located between the Himalayas and Kun-Lun, southeast of the Hindu Kush and Pamirs. The average height of the Karakoram is 6000 m.

In the Karakoram mountain range, more than 80 mountains have an altitude of more than 7000 m.

Eight-thousand-meter mountains of the Karakoram: Chogori (8611 m), Gasherbrum (8073 m), Hidden Peak (8068 m), Broad Peak (8047 m).

The Kun-Lun mountain range stretches from the west of the Pamirs to the east of the Sino-Tibetan mountains. Kun-Lun goes around the Tibetan Plateau from the north.

The total length of the mountain range is 2500 km, the width in some parts of the range reaches 600 km. The highest point of Kun-Lun is the peak of Aksai Chin (7167 m).

The Hindu Kush Mountains stretch to the south Central Asia per 1000 km. Their width ranges from 50 to 500 km. The Hindu Kush Mountains delimit the Indus River and the endorheic basin of Central Asia. The highest point of the Hindu Kush is Tirichmir (7690 m).

Pamir

The Pamirs are located in Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan in southern Central Asia.

The Pamirs are located at the junction of the spurs of the mountain systems of Central Asia - the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan and Kun-Lun.

The highest point of the Pamirs is Kongur Peak (7719 m).

Peaks with an altitude of more than 7000 m also include:

  • Ismail Samani Peak (Communism Peak) (7495 m);
  • Peak Abu Ali ibn Siba (Lenin Peak) (7134 m);
  • Peak Korzhenevskaya (7105 m).

Note 1

On the territory of the Pamirs there are a huge number of glaciers of various origins and types. The largest glacier is Fedchenko, located in Central Tajikistan. The Fedchenko glacier belongs to the mountain-valley type of glaciers. Its area is about 700 square meters. km.

Numerous glaciers of the Pamirs, during their movement, smooth out the sides and bottoms of valleys, grind and carry down fragmentary rock material, cool the ground layers of air, have a significant impact on the daily rhythm of movement of mountain-valley air masses, give rise to rivers, melting below the snow line.

The northern border of the Pamirs is the Trans-Alai Range. Its length from west to east was 200 km. The average height of the ridge is 5500 m. The highest point of the ridge is Lenin Peak (7134 m).

The Trans-Alai Mountains have virtually no foothills. They rise like a wall above the Altai Valley. Western Transalai is located several west of the pass Tersagar. There is an extensive network of spurs here. The peaks of Western Transalai have sharp shapes. The ridge is deeply cut into valleys. The highest peak of the Western Trans-Alai is Sat Peak (5900 m).

From the Tersagar pass in the west to the Kyzylart pass in the east, the Central Trans-Alay stretches - the most high area ridge. The highest peaks are located in the Central Transalai: Lenin Peak (7134 m), Zhukov Peak (6842 m), Oktyabrsky Peak (6780 m), Dzerzhinsky Peak (6717 m), Kyzylagyn (6683 m), Unity Peak (6640 m).

The central Transalai is weakly dissected and looks like a continuous wall. Passes of ice and snow origin.

The southern parts of the Central Transalai have highly branched spurs extending to the south. The region of central Transalai is isolated from the rest of the Pamirs by the Muksu and Sauksay rivers.

From the Kyzylart pass to east direction to Chinese border The Eastern Trans-Alai extends for 52 km. A characteristic distinguishing feature of Eastern Transalai from other areas of Transalai is the presence of steep northern slopes and relatively low height. The highest mountains: Kurumda (6613 m), Zarya Vostoka (6349 m), Nameless Peak (6384 m).

The Central and Eastern Transalai on the crest of the watershed ridge are characterized by strong winds. The main factor determining the weather on the ridge is the Atlantic cyclones.

On the Trans-Alai ridge there is powerful glaciation - 550 glaciers occupying an area of ​​1329 square meters. km. The largest glaciers include the following glaciers: Dzerzhinsky, Korzhenevsky, Kuzgun, Oktyabrsky, Eastern Kyzylsu, Bolshaya and Malaya Saukdara, Nura.

Note 2

The most popular passes: Zaalaisky, Minjar, Surkhangou, Constitution, Dzerzhinsky, Abris, 30 years of Victory, 60 years of October, Spartak, Razdelny, link of the World, Beletsky, Golden and Western Calf.

The Turkestan ridge is a high-mountain ridge belonging to the Gissar-Alai region mountain system, framing the Fergana Valley from the southwest and located in the southwest of Kyrgyzstan. The border of Tajikistan with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan runs along the Turkestan ridge.

The length of the Turkestan ridge is 340 km. The ridge, through the mountain junction of Matcha, connects in the east with the Alai ridge and extends further in the west to the Samarkand plain.

The northern slope of the Turkestan ridge is gentle and long, the southern slope is steep and short with rocks and screes. The Turkestan ridge is separated from the Zeravshan ridge from the south by the valley of the Zeravshan River.

The highest points of the Turkestan Range are Pyramidalny Peak (5509 m) and Skalisty Peak (5621 m). The eastern ridges are covered with glaciers. The largest glaciers of the Turkestan ridge: Shurovsky, Tolstoy, Zeravshansky.

Mountains of Asia are the largest mountain systems in the world: practically, most of Asia is occupied by mountains and plateaus. Also, the mountains of Asia are the highest in the world - here, in Asia in the Himalayas, is the highest point of our planet - Mount Chomolunga (Everest). Its height is 8882 m.

The highest mountains are located in south asia and in the south of Central Asia - these are the mountain systems of the Himalayas, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan, and Tibetan Plateau. In the north of Asia there are lower mountains - these are the Central Siberian Plateau, the Stanovoye Highlands, the Chersky Range, the Verkhoyansk Range, the Sredinny Range, and the Altai Mountains. In the east there are mountains such as the Greater and Lesser Khingan and the Sikhote-Alin. In the western part of Asia, on its border with Europe, there are mountains such as the Caucasus and the Ural.

The Himalayas are the highest mountains in Asia and the world. They are located on the border of South and East Asia and separate the lowlands of the Indus and Ganges rivers from the Tibetan Plateau. In the northwest, the Himalayas border with another high mountain system in Asia - the Hindu Kush. The length of the Himalayas is more than 2400 km, and the width is about 200-300 km. The steepest slopes of the Himalayas face south, towards the valleys of the Indus and Ganges rivers. From Tibet, the Himalayas look flatter. In total, there are 130 peaks in the Himalayas, which rise to a height of more than 7000m. 11 mountains in the Himalayas are over 8,000 meters high. They are predominantly found in the Nepal Himalayas, the highest part of this mountain system. Among them: Mount Everest (8882 m), Mount Kapchenjunga (8598 m), Makalu (8470 m), Apnapurna (8078 m), Gosainthan (8018 m), Dhaulagiri (8172 m), Cho Oyu (8180 m), Shisha -Pangma (8013 m), Manaslu (8128 m), Lhotse Main (8501 m), etc.

The second highest mountain range after the Himalayas in Asia, as well as in the world as a whole, is the Karakoram mountain range. It is located southeast of the Pamirs and Hindu Kush, between the Kun-Lun and the Himalayas. Its average altitude is 6000 km. More than 80 mountains above 7000 meters. There are also eight-thousanders: Mount Chogori (8611 m), Hidden Peak (8068 m), Gasherbrum (8073 m) and Broad Peak (8047 m).

One of the longest mountain systems in Asia is the Kunlun Mountains - they stretch from the Pamirs in the west to the Sino-Tibetan Mountains in the east, bypassing the Tibetan Plateau from the north (from the south the Tibetan Plateau bypasses the Himalayas). The length of Kunlun is about 2500 km, the width in some places reaches 600 km. Most high mountain Kunlun is Aksai Chin (7167 m).

The Pamirs are also a large mountain system. It is located in the south of Central Asia on the territory of modern China, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The highest mountain in the Pamirs is Kongur Peak. Its height is 7719 m.

The Hindu Kush Mountains are also located in the south of Central Asia. Their length is 1000 km, and their width is from 50 to 500 km. They mark the border between the Indus River basin (South Asia) and the endorheic basin of Central Asia. The highest mountain in the Hindu Kush is Tirichmir (7690 m).

The highest mountains in the world are more than 8 kilometers in height - these are peaks that are impressive. They fly at such a height passenger aircraft(8-12 kilometers). In fact, there are many more such mountains than fourteen. But only those that are separated from each other by a significant distance are taken into account. All major eight-thousanders are located in Central Asia. Nepal, China, Pakistan, India. I wonder if this is the will of the gods or is it connected to something?

Not everyone can conquer at least one peak of the “14 gods,” but there are those on our planet who strive to conquer all fourteen! On at the moment there were only 41 of them, out of more than 9 billion people on the planet. It’s hard to say why height attracts them, perhaps with only one thing: “...height, height, height...”.

It should be added that there is such a thing as “pure ascent,” that is, climbers made the ascent without using oxygen masks. For reference, even commercial airliners often fly regularly at lower altitudes.
More than 10 thousand ascents have been made to the great 8 thousand peaks.

About 7 percent of all climbs ended tragically. The bodies of many dead climbers remained at the heights they had not conquered, due to the difficulty of evacuating them. Some of them serve as landmarks for modern conquerors of certain heights. For example, the height of 8500 meters on Everest for 17 years greeted climbers with the body of Tsewang Palzhor, who died on it in 1996. It even received an unofficial name - “Green Shoes”, this is the color of the shoes that were worn on dead climber. Why are we so attracted by unconquered heights? Everyone has their own answer to this question.

Another known name is Chomolungma (from Tibetan “ Chomolangma" means "Divine" or "Mother". The highest point in the world and the most “prestigious” peak on our “blue” planet. Its height is 8848 meters above sea level. Its English name “Everest” was given in honor of the head of the geodetic survey of British India, Sir George Everest.

Where is Everest

Everest is located on several hundred square kilometers, on the territory of mainly two states - Nepal and China. Chomolungma is part of the Himalaya mountain system, the Mahalangur Himal range (in the part called the Khumbu Himal). Perhaps no other peak on our planet attracts people to conquer it like Chomolungma.

Climbing Everest

The mountain was first conquered on May 29, 1953 by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary.

Since the “ascending travelers” were counted, about three hundred people have already died. Even the most modern equipment and equipment do not allow all the thirsty inhabitants of our planet to conquer this height.
About five thousand people try to conquer Everest every year. By 2018, more than 8,400 climbers managed to reach the summit, almost three and a half thousand of them climbed Everest more than once.

Climbing Everest takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and setting up camps. Climbers lose on average 10-15 kilograms of their weight during this time.

The most dangerous section of the climb is considered to be the last 300 meters to the top. Not all climbers can overcome this part. At the top there are often strong winds of up to 200 km/h. And the temperature throughout the year ranges from 0°C to -60°C.


Second highest mountain in the world, Chogori (K2)

Chogori (second name K2) is the second highest peak on the planet, but climbing it is considered much more difficult. Moreover, in winter time In general, no one managed to conquer it, and the mortality rate when climbing this peak is the highest and amounts to 25%. Only a few hundred climbers managed to conquer this height.
In 2007, it was Russian climbers who managed to climb the most difficult section of the peak, the Western Wall, and they did it without the use of oxygen equipment. The most massive conquest of Chogori took place in the summer of 2018. Of the group, which consisted of 63 people, one died. At the same time, Andrzej Bargiel became the first climber to descend alpine skiing from the top of this mountain.

Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjaga is the third highest eight-thousander on the planet. Located in the Himalayas. Until the mid-19th century, it was considered the highest mountain peak, but now, after calculations, it ranks third in height. At the moment, more than ten routes to climb this peak have been laid. Translated from Tibetan, the name of the mountain means “treasury of the five great snows.”

Due to its location, Kanchenjaga partially belongs to the national park of the same name in India. If you look at the mountain from India, you will notice that there are five peaks in this mountain range. Moreover, four out of five peaks rise to a height of more than eight thousand meters. Their combination forms a very colorful landscape, so this mountain is considered the most picturesque among its kind. One of the favorite places of creation of Nicholas Roerich.

The first conquest of this peak belongs to the English climbers Joe Brown and George Bend. It was committed on May 25, 1955. In Nepal, for a long period of time, there was a legend about Kanchenjaga - a mountain woman who does not allow the fair sex to conquer her peak. Only in 1998 did the British Ginette Harrison manage to do this. The general trend towards a decrease in the mortality rate when conquering mountain peaks unfortunately did not affect Kanchenjaga and is 22 percent.

Lhotse

Lhotse, a mountain peak on the border of China and Nepal, has an altitude of 8516 meters. The mountain is located in close proximity to Chomolungma, the distance between them does not exceed 3 kilometers. A pass separates them South Col, the highest point of which almost reaches eight thousand. Such proximity of two great peaks creates a very majestic picture. From a certain angle you can see that Lhotse is like a triangular pyramid. Moreover, for each of these three faces at the moment there is the smallest number of climbing routes. This is largely due to the fact that the slopes of the peaks are very steep, and the likelihood of avalanches is extremely high.

Unlike Chogori, this peak was still conquered in winter. It is worth noting that so far none of the individual climbers or groups have been able to climb the traverse of all three peaks of this eight-thousander. The Eastern Wall of Lhotse also remains unconquered.

Makalu

Makalu is extraordinary beautiful peak, but extremely difficult to climb. Less than 30% of organized expeditions ended in success. The mountain is located on the border of China and Nepal, a little more than 20 km southeast of Everest.

The mountain did not attract much attention for more than a hundred years after it was marked on maps. This is largely due to the desires of previous expeditions to conquer higher peaks located in close proximity to it. The peak was first conquered only in 1955.

In certain circles the mountain is known as the “black giant”. This name was assigned to it due to the fact that the extremely sharp ribs of the peak do not allow snow to settle on them, and it often appears before its contemplators as black granite rocks. Since the mountain is on the border of two eastern countries, its conquest refers to mystical factors, supposedly the mountain itself decides which of the expeditions is allowed to climb, and who is not worthy of this fact.

Cho Oyu

The height of Cho Oyu is a little over 8200 meters. Near the peak lies the Nangpa-La pass, through which the main “trade route” of the Sherpas from Nepal to Tibet passes. Thanks to this route, many climbers consider this peak to be the most accessible of all eight-thousanders, although this is not entirely true. Just on the Nepal side there is a very steep and complex wall, so most of the ascents are carried out from Tibet.
The weather in the Cho Oyu area is almost always favorable for climbing, and its “accessibility” makes this peak like a springboard before climbing Everest.

Dhaulagiri I

The number one perfectly reflects the essence of the name of the mountain; it consists of many ridges, the highest of which reaches a height of 8167 meters. It is believed that the mountain has 11 peaks, of which only one is higher than 8000 meters, the rest lie between 7 and 8 kilometers. Dhaulagiri is located in the central part of Nepal and belongs to the Main Himalayan Range.

Despite the complexity of the title, it is translated very simply “ white mountain" The history of its conquest is interesting. Until the 30s of the 19th century, it was considered the highest mountain on the planet. But they started conquering the peak only in the middle of the last century. For a long time it was impregnable, only the eighth expedition managed to reach the top. Like its other brothers, this peak has its own simpler routes and very inaccessible slopes.

Manaslu

The mountain is located in the northern part of Nepal and reaches a height of 8163 meters. Due to its relative seclusion, this peak looks extremely majestic against the backdrop of the surrounding splendor. Maybe this explains its name, which means “mountain of spirits.” For a long time, climbing the mountain was difficult due to hostile local residents(the name of the mountain speaks about this). Avalanches often fell on local settlements, and only after long offerings to the highest gods did the Japanese expedition finally manage to conquer this peak. The mortality rate among climbers conquering Manaslu reaches almost 18 percent.

The mountain itself and its surroundings are part of the Nepal National Park of the same name. The indescribable beauty of the park prompted the country's authorities to create a walking route for lovers of mountain recreation.

Nanga Parbat (Nanga Parbat)

One of the few eight-thousanders located not in China or Nepal, but in territory controlled by Pakistan. There are four main peaks on the mountain, the highest of which is 8125 meters. The top of the mountain is among the top three in terms of the number of deaths during its conquest.

In terms of the history of the ascent, an interesting fact is that it was on this mountain that the first attempt to climb an eight-thousander was made. This happened back in 1895. The first conquest of the peak alone, and not as part of a prepared expedition, is associated with this mountain. There are beliefs that it was here that the symbols of Nazi Germany, whose representatives, as you know, were close to the occult sciences, were first noticed.

Certain difficulties in planning expeditions to this peak are caused by internal political disagreements on the territory of Pakistan.

Annapurna I is the most dangerous peak among eight-thousanders

Annapurna I is the first of the eight-thousander peaks, whose height is already below 8100 meters (officially 8091 meters). However, for all the years of climbing taken into account, she has the highest mortality rate among conquerors, almost one in three (32%). Although currently it is steadily declining from year to year. Annapurna is located in central Nepal and the entire mountain range stretches for more than 50 kilometers. Consists of many ridges of varying heights. From the highest points of Annapurna you can observe another giant - Jaulaguri, about 30 kilometers between them.

If you fly near these mountains by plane, you will see a majestic view of the nine main ridges of this massif. It is part of the national park of the same name, located in Nepal. There are several walking routes, along which indescribable views of the Annapurna peaks open.

Gasherbrum I

The summit of Gasherbrum I is part of the Baltoro Muztagh mountain range. Its height is 8080 meters and it is the eleventh eight-thousander on the planet. It is located in Pakistan-controlled territory near the border with China. Translated it means “beautiful mountain”. It also has another name - Hidden Peak, which translated from English means hidden peak. In general, in the Karakoram mountain system, to which Gasherbrum belongs, there are seven peaks, and three of them exceed 8 thousand meters, although not by much.

The first ascent of the peak dates back to 1958, and in 1984 the famous climber Reinhold Messner makes a traverse between Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II.

Broad Peak

The second highest peak in Karakurum, the middle brother between the two sisters Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II. In addition, literally 8 kilometers from Broad Peak there is another high relative - Mount Chogori. The first ascent of Broad Peak took place a year earlier than neighboring Gasherbrum I, in 1957

It itself consists of two peaks – Pre-summit and Main (8047 meters). The southwestern slopes are much easier than the opposite, northeastern ones, and it is on them that the classic routes to the Main Peak are laid.

Gasherbrum II

Just below Broad Peak there is another peak among the eight-thousanders - Gasherbrum II (height 8035 meters). Either its relative lowness affected it, or for another reason, but the first ascent to this peak dates back to a year earlier than on Broad Peak, in 1956. The main routes of peak conquerors pass along its southwestern slope. It is least susceptible to mountain falls and avalanches. It is used by many climbers who begin to conquer everything above 8 kilometers.

This mountain fully justifies its name, in good weather the boundaries between gray and black limestone rocks are clearly visible, corresponding to different age boundaries, which, in combination with crystal clear snow, creates unique landscapes.

Shishabangma

The majestic iceberg with a height of 8027 meters is the lowest of all known eight-thousanders. Located in the Himalayas, in China. It consists of three peaks, two of which - Main and Central (8008 meters) exceed 8 kilometers. Translated from the Tibetan language it means “harsh climate”.

The first conquest of this peak was made by a Chinese expedition in May 1964. It is considered one of the least difficult peaks, although more than 20 climbers have died on its slopes over the past years.

The highest mountains in the world on the world map


This is a brief overview of all 14 eight-thousanders on the planet. Each mountain is unique in its own way and the saying applies to each of them: “ better than the mountains there can only be mountains.”

The process of formation of mountains on Earth lasts millions of years. They arise from collisions of huge tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust.

Today we will get acquainted with the highest mountains on 6 continents and see how they look against the backdrop of the highest mountain peaks in the world - the “eight thousand meters”, whose height above sea level exceeds 8,000 meters.

How many continents are there on Earth? Sometimes it is believed that Europe and Asia are 2 different continents, although they are one continent:

Before we start talking about the tallest mountains on the 6 continents, let's take a look at the overall chart of the tallest peaks on Earth.

“Eight-thousanders” is the common name for the 14 highest mountain peaks in the world, whose height above sea level exceeds 8,000 meters. They are all in Asia. Conquering all 14 "eight-thousanders" of the planet - conquering the "Crown of the Earth" - is a great achievement in high-altitude mountaineering. As of July 2012, only 30 climbers managed to do this.

North America - Mount McKinley, 6,194 m

This is the highest double-peaked mountain in North America, named after the 25th President of the United States. Located in Alaska.

Indigenous peoples called this peak “Denali,” which means “great,” and during the period of Russian colonization of Alaska it was simply called Big Mountain.

Mount McKinley as seen from Denali National Park:

The first ascent of the main summit of McKinley took place on June 7, 1913. There are 5 large glaciers on the slopes of the mountain.

South America - Mount Aconcagua, 6,962 m

This highest point American continent, South America, as well as the western and southern hemispheres. Belong to the longest mountain range world - Andam.

The mountain is located in Argentina and means "Stone Guardian" in the Quechua language. Aconcagua is the largest extinct volcano on our planet.

In mountaineering, Aconcagua is considered a technically easy mountain if climbed along the northern slope.

The first recorded ascent of the mountain was in 1897.

Europe – Mount Elbrus, 5,642 m

This stratovolcano in the Caucasus is the highest peak in Russia. Considering that the border between Europe and Asia is ambiguous, Elbrus is often also called the highest European mountain peak.

Elbrus is a two-headed volcano with a saddle. The Western peak has a height of 5,642 m, the Eastern peak - 5,621 m. Last eruption dates back to 50 AD...

In those days, the eruptions of Elbrus were probably reminiscent of the eruptions of modern Vesuvius, but were more powerful. From the craters of the volcano at the beginning of the eruption, powerful clouds of vapors and gases, saturated with black ash, rose many kilometers upward, covering the entire sky, turning day into night. The earth shook from powerful tremors.

Nowadays, both peaks of Elbrus are covered with eternal snow and ice. On the slopes of Elbrus, 23 glaciers diverge in different directions. The average speed of glacier movement is about 0.5 meters per day.

The first successful ascent to one of the peaks of Elbrus was made in 1829. The average annual death toll during climbing on Elbrus is 15-30 people.

Asia - Mount Everest, 8,848 m

Everest (Chomolungma) is the top of our world! The first highest eight-thousander and the highest mountain on Earth.

The mountain is located in the Himalayas in the Mahalangur-Himal range, and South peak(8760 m) lies on the border of Nepal, and the Northern (main) peak (8848 m) is located in China

Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid. At the top of Chomolungma there are strong winds blowing at speeds of up to 200 km/h, and the air temperature at night drops to -60 Celsius.

The first ascent to the top of Everest took place in 1953. From the first ascent to 2011, more than 200 people died on the slopes of Everest. Now the climb to the top takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and setting up camps.

View from space:

Climbing Everest is not only extremely dangerous, but also expensive pleasure: the cost of climbing in specialized groups is up to 65 thousand US dollars, and the climbing permit alone, issued by the Nepalese government, costs 10 thousand dollars

Australia and Oceania - Mount Puncak Jaya, 4884 m

The highest peak in Australia and Oceania, which is located on the island New Guinea. It is located on the Australian Plate and is the highest mountain in the world located on an island.

The mountain was discovered in 1623 by Dutch explorer Jan Carstens, who saw a glacier at the top from afar. Therefore, the mountain is sometimes called the Carstens Pyramid.

The first ascent of Puncak Jaya took place only in 1962. The name of the mountain roughly translates from Indonesian as “Victory Peak.”

Antarctica - Windson Massif, 4,892 m

These are the highest mountains in Antarctica. The existence of the mountain range became known only in 1957. Since the mountains were discovered by American aircraft, they were subsequently named Vinson Massif, in honor of the famous American politician Carl Vinson.

View of Vinson Massif from space:

Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro, 5,895 m

It is the highest point in Africa, a huge dormant volcano with two well-defined peaks in northeastern Tanzania. The mountain has no documented eruptions, but local legends speak of volcanic activity 150-200 years ago.

The higher one is the peak of Kibo, an almost regular cone with powerful glaciation.

The name comes from the Swahili language and supposedly means "mountain that sparkles."

The snow cap that has covered the mountaintop for 11,000 years since the last Ice Age is rapidly melting. Over the past 100 years, the volume of snow and ice has decreased by more than 80%. It is believed that this is not caused by a change in temperature, but by a reduction in snowfall.

The highest peak in Africa was first conquered by German explorer Hans Meyer in 1889.

Ecology

The highest peaks are at the peak of the highest mountains of the seven continents. Among climbers they are known as " Seven Summits", which was first conquered by Richard Bass on April 30, 1985.

Here are a few interesting facts about the highest points in all parts of the world.


Highest mountain peaks

The other day the program Google Maps’ Street View invited everyone to enjoy the view of the highest peaks in the world, offering interactive galleries of the highest mountains on Earth.

Maps include panoramic view on 4 out of 7 peaks: Everest in the Himalayas of Asia, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe and Aconcagua in South America.

You can make a virtual ascent of these peaks without exposing yourself to the dangers of height and natural difficulties that climbers face.

1. The highest peak in the world and Asia - Mount Everest (Qomolangma)

Height of Mount Everest

8848 meters

Geographic coordinates of Mount Everest:

27.9880 degrees north latitude and 86.9252 degrees east longitude (27° 59" 17" N, 86° 55" 31" E)

Where is Mount Everest?

Mount Everest or Chomolungma is highest mountain on earth, which is located in the area Mahalangur Himal in the Himalayas. The international border between China and Nepal runs along its top. The Everest massif includes the neighboring peaks Lhotse (8516 m), Nuptse (7861 m) and Changtse (7543 m).

The most high mountain in the world attracts many experienced climbers and amateurs from all over the world. Although technically there are no major problems in climbing the standard route, the biggest dangers on Everest are considered to be lack of oxygen, disease, weather and wind.

Other facts:

Mount Everest, also called Chomolungma translated from Tibetan as “Divine Mother of Snows” and from Nepali as “Mother of the Universe”. The mountain is considered sacred to local residents. The name Everest was given in honor of the British George Everest, who was the first to measure the height of the highest mountain peak peace.

Mount Everest annually rises by 3-6 mm and shifts to the northeast by 7 cm.

- First ascent of Everest committed by New Zealander Edmund Hilary(Edmund Hillary) and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay(Tenzing Norgay) as part of the British expedition on May 29, 1953.

The largest expedition to climb Everest consisted of 410 people who were part of the 1975 Chinese team.

- Safest year On Everest it was 1993, when 129 people reached the summit and 8 died. The most tragic year was 1996, when 98 people reached the summit and 15 people died (8 of them died on May 11).

Nepalese Sherpa Appa is the man who has climbed Everest the most times. He set a record by climbing 21 times from 1990 to 2011.

2. The highest peak in South America is Mount Aconcagua

Height of Aconcagua

6,959 meters

Geographic coordinates of Aconcagua

32.6556 degrees south latitude and 70.0158 west longitude (32°39"12.35"S 70°00"39.9"W)

Where is Mount Aconcagua located?

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas, located in the Andes mountain range in the province Mendoza in Argentina. Also this highest peak in both the western and southern hemispheres.

The mountain is part Aconcagua National Park. It consists of a number of glaciers, the most famous of which is the Polish Glacier in the northeast - a frequent climbing route.

Other facts:

- Name "Aconcagua" probably means from Araucanian "from the other side of the Aconcagua River" or from Quechua "Stone Guardian".

From a mountaineering point of view, Aconcagua is easy mountain to climb, if you go along northern route, which does not require ropes, pitons and other equipment.

- The first to conquer Aconcagua British Edward Fitzgerald(Edward FitzGerald) in 1897.

The youngest climber to reach the top of Aconcagua was a 10-year-old Matthew Monitz(Matthew Moniz) December 16, 2008. The oldest is 87 years old Scott Lewis(Scott Lewis) in 2007.

3. The highest mountain in North America is Mount McKinley

McKinley Height

6194 meters

Geographic coordinates of McKinley

63.0694 degrees north latitude, 151.0027 degrees west longitude (63° 4" 10" N, 151° 0" 26" W)

Where is Mount McKinley

Mount McKinley is located in Alaska in national park Denali is the most high peak in the USA and North America, and also third most prominent peak in the world after Mount Everest and Aconcagua.

Other facts:

Mount McKinley used to be the highest peak in Russia until Alaska was sold to the United States.

Local residents call it "Denali" (translated from the Athabasca language as "Great"), and the Russians who inhabited Alaska simply " Big mountain". Later it was renamed "McKinley" in honor of US President William McKinley.

- First to conquer McKinley American climbers led by Hudson Stack(Hudson Stuck) and Harry Carstens(Harry Karstens) June 7, 1913.

Best Climbing period: from May to July. Due to the far northern latitude, there is lower atmospheric pressure and less oxygen at the summit than other high mountains in the world.

4. The highest peak in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro

Height of Kilimanjaro

5895 meters

Geographic coordinates of Kilimanjaro

Latitude 3.066 degrees south and longitude 37.3591 degrees east (3° 4" 0" S, 37° 21" 33" E)

Where is Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and is located in Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania. This volcano consists of three volcanic cones: Kiba, Mawenzi and Shira. Kilimanjaro is a huge stratovolcano that began to form a million years ago when lava erupted in the Rift Valley region.

Two peaks, Mawenzi and Shira, are extinct volcanoes, while the highest, Kibo, is sleeping volcano, which may erupt again. The last major eruption occurred 360,000 years ago, but activity was recorded only 200 years ago.

Other facts:

There are several versions explaining Origin of Kilimanjaro. One theory is that the name comes from the Swahili word "Kilima" ("mountain") and the Kichagga word "Njaro" ("whiteness"). According to another version, Kilimanjaro is a European origin of the phrase kichagga, which means "we did not climb it."

Since 1912, Kilimanjaro has lost more than 85 percent of its snow. According to scientists in 20 years all the snow on Kilimanjaro will melt.

- First ascent was committed by a German explorer Hans Meyer(Hans Meyer) and the Austrian climber Ludwig Purtscheller(Ludwig Purtscheller) on the third attempt on October 6, 1889

- About 40,000 people They try to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro every year.

The youngest climber to climb Kilimanjaro is a 7-year-old Keats Boyd(Keats Boyd), who climbed on January 21, 2008.

5. The highest peak in Europe (and Russia) is Mount Elbrus

Height of Mount Elbrus

5642 meters

Geographic coordinates of Mount Elbrus

43.3550 degrees north latitude, 42.4392 east longitude (43° 21" 11" N, 42° 26" 13" E)

Where is Mount Elbrus located?

Mount Elbrus is an extinct volcano located in the western part Caucasus Mountains on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia in Russia. The summit of Elbrus is highest in Russia, Europe and western Asia. The western peak reaches 5642 m, and the eastern peak 5621 m.

Other facts:

- Name "Elbrus" comes from the Iranian word "Albors", which means "high mountain". It is also called Ming tau ("eternal mountain"), Yalbuz ("mane of snow") and Oshkhamakho ("mountain of happiness")

Elbrus is covered by a permanent ice sheet that supports 22 glaciers, which in turn feed the Baksan, Kuban and Malka rivers.

Elbrus located in a mobile tectonic region, and deep under the extinct volcano there is molten magma.

- First ascent the eastern peak of Elbrus was reached on July 10, 1829 Hilar Kachirov, who was part of the expedition of Russian General G.A. Emmanuel, and to the western (which is about 40 m higher) - in 1874 by an English expedition led by F. Crawford Grove(F. Crawford Grove).

From 1959 to 1976 it was built here cable car , which takes visitors to a height of 3750 meters.

Per year on Elbrus about 15-30 people die mainly due to poorly organized attempts to reach the summit

In 1997, an SUV Land Rover Defender climbed to the top of Elbrus, setting a Guinness world record.

6. The highest peak of Antarctica - Vinson Massif

Height of Vinson Massif

4892 meters

Geographic coordinates of the Vinson Massif

78.5254 degrees south latitude and 85.6171 degrees west longitude (78° 31" 31.74" S, 85° 37" 1.73" W)

Vinson Massif on the map

Vinson Massif is the highest mountain in Antarctica, which is located on the Sentinel Range in the Ellsworth Mountains. The massif is approximately 21 km long and 13 km wide and is located 1200 km from the South Pole.

Other facts

The highest peak is Vinson Peak, named after Carla Vinson- Member of the US Congress. The Vinson Massif was first discovered in 1958, and first ascent was committed in 1966.

In 2001, the first expedition reached the summit through Eastern route and measurements of the summit height were taken using GPS.

More 1400 people tried to conquer Vinson Peak.

7. The highest peak of Australia and Oceania is Mount Puncak Jaya

Height of Puncak Jaya

4884 meters

Geographic coordinates of Puncak Jaya

4.0833 degrees south latitude 137.183 degrees east longitude (4° 5" 0" S, 137° 11" 0" E)

Where is Puncak Jaya

Puncak Jaya or Carstens Pyramid is the highest peak of Mount Carstens in western Papua Province in Indonesia.

This mountain is highest in Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea, in Oceania (on the Australian plate), highest mountain on the island, and the highest point between the Himalayas and the Andes.

Mount Kosciuszko is considered the highest peak on the Australian continent., whose height is 2228 meters.

Other facts:

When Indonesia began administering the province in 1963, the peak was renamed Sukarno Peak in honor of the Indonesian president. Later it was renamed Puncak Jaya. The word "Puncak" means "mountain or peak" in Indonesian, and "Jaya" means "victory".

The top of Puncak Jaya conquered for the first time in 1962, Austrian climbers led Heinrich Garrer(Heinrich Harrer) and three other members of the expedition.

Access to the summit requires government permission. The mountain was closed to tourists and climbers from 1995 to 2005. Since 2006, access has been possible through various travel agencies.

Puncak Jaya is considered one of the most difficult climbs. It has the highest technical rating, but does not have the greatest physical requirements.