One of the mountain systems Central Asia is called the Karakorum. This ridge of rocks is the highest on the entire planet. It is located northwest of the Himalayan chain. The name of the Karakorum mountains has Kyrgyz roots and translated into Russian means "black boulders".
General information about the mountain system
Length mountain range is about 550 km. Scientists have conditionally divided it into districts so that there are no difficulties in studying. The mountain system Karakorum is unmatched, since on its territory there is the maximum a large number of seven-thousanders, as well as various glaciers. The second highest is also located here. Mountain peak in the world.
The average height of the mountains in this chain is 6,000 m. The ancient routes to the Indian subcontinent passed through passes. They are located at an altitude of 4,600-5,700 m. It was possible to carry out the transition only in a certain period, which lasted 1-2 months a year.
Where is the mountain system located
Central Asia is the leader in the presence of the highest peaks in the world. There are such mountain systems as the Himalayas, Pamir, Tibetan Plateau, Kunlun and Karakorum. The last of them separates the mighty rivers Tarim and Indus. To find the Karakorum mountain system on the map, you need to know its coordinates: 34.5 o -36.5 o north latitude. and 73.5 o -81 o v.d.
The main areas of the chain are:
- Agyl-Karakorum... This area is located between the Raskemdar River and its tributary Shaksgam.
- Western Karakorum... Most of this region of the mountain range is located near the Hunza River. The large Karakorum highway also passes here. Geographically, most of the western region of the mountains belongs to Pakistan.
- KarakorumCentral... This territory of the mountain range is simultaneously controlled by several states: India, China and Pakistan. About 70 peaks located in this region are more than 7 and 8 thousand meters high. The Chogori mountain is also located here. It is the second largest after Everest (Chomolungma).
- Eastern Karakorum... Most of the mountains are under the control of India, with the exception of Northern part slope (Siachen Muztag ridge), which belongs to the territory of China. There are more than 30 peaks in this region, whose height exceeds 7,000 m.
Oddly enough, but in the mountainous areas there are human settlements. Locals live in the valleys of the intermountain region. They work as guides and porters, helping climbers to ascend to the summit.
Vegetation and animals
In the northern part of the Karakorum mountain system, there is a predominantly desert landscape. Vegetation is extremely rare, and after 2,800 m in height, it is completely absent.
Basically, shrubs of potash (calidium) and ephedra are found here. Huge areas are solid stone landscapes. In the place where the Raskemdar River originates, you can find thickets of barberry. Poplar grows from trees here. Teresken, feather grass and fescue grow on the territory of mountain steppes.
Forests are found in the southern part of the Karakorum mountain system. Conifers grow here: Himalayan cedars and pines. From deciduous - poplar and willow. A strip of forests stretches along the slopes to a height of up to 3,500 m.
The southern slopes are richer in vegetation. The locations of reservoirs (rivers, lakes) serve as pastures. They are also engaged in agriculture. Alfalfa, peas and barley are grown on the mountain slopes (up to 4,000 m), vineyards and apricot orchards are planted at the foot of the ridges.
The animal world is diverse. A variety of artiodactyls are found in the mountains:
- antelope of hell;
- wild mountain goats;
- antelope orongo;
- tours and donkeys.
From rodents here you can find gray hamsters, whistler hares and other members of the family. From the squad of predators, snow leopards and bears live in these places.
A variety of birds settle on the mountain slopes:
- partridge;
- the reel is red;
- saja;
- Tibetan mountain turkey (ular);
- white-breasted dove and others.
Among the birds of prey, capable of rising above 5000 m, there are kites, falcons, eagles, black hawks.
Climatic conditions
The climate in this region is quite contrasting. In the valleys located between the mountains, it is mostly warm and dry. This allows the local population to carry out agricultural activities, but nevertheless, artificial irrigation is indispensable here.
At an altitude of 5,000 m, where the snow boundary passes, climatic conditions more severe. The air temperature, on average, is 4-5 degrees below zero.
During the year over the Karakorum mountain system falls from 1,200 to 2,000 mm of precipitation. This is mainly snow. The main source of precipitation is cyclones coming from Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea in the spring and autumn. Monsoons brought from Indian Ocean, does not significantly affect the climatic conditions of this region, reaching G or Karakorum, they are significantly weakening.
The maximum amount of precipitation falls in the south and west of the chain. It also affects the height of the snow line:
- 6 200-6 400 m on the northeastern ridges;
- 5,000-6,000 m in the northern part of the mountain system;
- 4,600-5,000 m on the southwestern slopes.
The largest peaks of the mountain system
The largest peaks of the planet are located in the Karakorum chain. Its lowest region is the northern part of the Agyl-Karakorum mountain system. The highest peak is Surukwat Kangri (6 792). There are no mountains here that would have overcome the seven thousandth threshold.
The three highest peaks of the eastern part of the chain:
- Saser Kangri (7 672 m);
- Mamostong Kangri (7 516 m);
- Teram Kangri (7 462 m).
In the Western Karakorum, the highest are:
- Dastogil (7 885 m);
- Batura (7 795 m);
- Rakaposi (7 788 m);
- Ogre (7,285 m).
In the Karakorum mountain range highest point located in the central part. It is called Chogori. This mountain is second only to Chomolungma in size. Its height is 8 611 m. In the same part there are other giants:
- Masherbrum (7 806 m);
- Saltoro Kangri (7 742 m);
- Crown (7,265 m).
Mount Chogori
Karakorum is known all over the world as the place where the second highest mountain is located. This eight-thousander is located on the border of Kashmir (territory controlled by Pakistan, Baltoro Range) and the Chinese Autonomous Region (Xinjiang Uygur District). Chogori is translated from the Western Tibetan dialect of Balti as "high". It also has other names: Godwin-Austen, K2 and Dapsang.
A European expedition discovered the summit in 1856. She was named K2. Climbers Aleister Crowley and Oscar Eckenstein tried to climb Mount Chogori in 1902, but their attempt was unsuccessful. For the first time, an Italian expedition managed to reach the summit. In 1954, on July 31st, Lino Lacedelli and Achilla Compagnoni became the first climbers to conquer Chogori.
Today there are 10 routes along which the ascent to the summit is carried out.
Glaciers
The largest non-polar glaciers located in Asia are located on the slopes of the Karakorum mountain range. Baltoro is the largest of them. The area of glaciers is about 15, 4 thousand km ².
Due to global warming, there is a tendency for ice melting all over the world. But scientists have identified a place where glaciers, on the contrary, continue to grow - this is mountain system Karakorum. To understand the reasons for this anomaly, scientists analyzed the weather indicators of this region, starting in 1861. Also, an assumption was made up to 2100.
As experts have found out, the growth of the ice cover is due to high humidity, which occurs due to the annual monsoons. Most of the moisture falls out in the form of precipitation during the winter, which is why a large accumulation of the snow layer occurs. So the current rate of warming is likely to have no effect on the glaciers of the Karakorum. As scientists predict, their growth will be observed until 2100.
- Initially, the name Karakorum was the name of the pass that connected India and China. It was located at an altitude of 5,575 m. Over time, the name spread to the entire mountain system.
- The construction of the Karakorum highway cost $ 3 billion.
- With the help of a car, you can cross the mountains only through the Khunjerab pass.
- The Highway Cycle Route is one of the most popular with travelers.
- In the Karakorum mountains there is one of the most difficult wall routes in the world - climbing the Trango Towers.
For most people living in the stone jungle, the idea of spending a couple of days in the mountains seems like the perfect vacation solution. It should be borne in mind that the mountains suitable for such a vacation are slightly different from those presented in this list. The highest mountain peaks offer rather harsh conditions. Interestingly, almost all of these peaks are located in the Himalayas. There are practically no traces of civilization here, the conditions are so harsh in these mountains. Nevertheless, expeditions are constantly sent there, the most courageous people dare to climb these high peaks. Even if you don't plan on doing the same, you should still check out the list of these mountains.
Nuptse, Mahalangur-Himal
The name of this mountain, translated from Tibetan, means "western peak". Nuptse is located on the Mahalangur-Himal ridge and is one of the mountains surrounding Everest. It was first conquered in 1961 by Dennis Davis and Sherpa Tashi. This peak is the 20th highest in the entire world and opens up this impressive list. 
Distagil Sar, Karakorum
This point is located among the Karakorum ridges in Pakistan. Distagil Sar rises to 7884 meters in height and extends three kilometers in width. In 1960, Gunther Sterker and Dieter Markhar, who were representatives of the Austrian expedition, conquered the summit. V this region this mountain is the highest, and in the list it was in the nineteenth place. 
Himalchuli, Himalayas
This peak is part of the Himalayas in Nepal and is located near an even higher peak. With a height of 7894 m, Himalchuli can be called the second largest in this mountain range. The summit was first climbed in 1960 by the Japanese Hisashi Tanabe. Since then, few have dared to repeat his impressive achievement. 
Gasherbrum IV, Karakorum
This is one of the peaks of the Gasherbrum ridge located in Pakistan. It is part of the northeastern edge of the Baltoro glacier, belonging to the Karakorum. The name in Urdu means "shining wall". The other three peaks of Gasherbrum exceed the mark of eight thousand meters, and this one rises about 7932 meters. 
Annapurna II, Annapurna massif
These peaks are part of a single massif that makes up the bulk of the Himalayas. This peak rises to 7934 meters and is located in the east of the Annapurna massif. It was first conquered by Richard Grant, Chris Bonington and Sherpa Ang Nima in 1960. Since then, we have climbed the summit only a few times, because the conditions are so harsh. 
Gyachung Kang, Mahalangur Himal
This mountain is located between the two highest points in the world, exceeding eight thousand meters. It is part of the Mahalangur-Himal ridge, which stretches along the border of Nepal and China. The mountain was first conquered in 1964, it was a Japanese expedition. Among the mountains below eight thousand meters, this one is the largest, its height is 7952 meters. 
Shishabangma, central Himalayas
All the mountains described below exceed a height of eight thousand meters! Shishabangma is the lowest of them, but this does not mean that it is easy to conquer. It is located between China and Tibet, in a limited area where foreigners are not allowed. This is for security reasons. In Tibetan dialect, the name means “ridge over grassy plains”. 
Gasherbrum II, Karakorum
As mentioned above, Gasherbrum is part of the Karakorum. It is a 8035 meter peak that was conquered by Austrian climbers in 1956. This peak is also known as K4, which means that it is the fourth in the Karakorum chain. 
Broad Peak, Karakorum
This 8051 meter high mountain is quite popular among climbers. It belongs to the Baltoro glacier and ranks twelfth in the list of the highest. The conditions on the slopes are extremely harsh, so it is almost impossible to climb up most of the year. It is not surprising that there are few climbers who have conquered this peak. 
Gasherbrum I, Karakorum
Another name for this mountain is Hidden Peak. This is because this is an extremely remote place from civilization, where it is difficult to get. The 8080-meter peak was conquered for the first time in 1956, when Americans Pete Schoening and Andy Kaufman climbed here. 
Annapurna I, Annapurna massif
Tenth place on the list! The further you go, the more impressive the scale of the mountains becomes and the fewer people who have conquered them. The main peak of the Annapurna massif is the tenth largest in the world and rises to 8091 meters. The name translated from Sanskrit means "full of food". 
Nangaparbat, Himalayas
It is the ninth largest peak, rising to 8126 meters. The mountain is located in Pakistan and is known as the "killer peak" because the largest number of unsuccessful climbing attempts is associated with Nangaparbat. I never managed to climb the peak in winter: severe weather with strong wind make the task simply impossible. 
Manaslu, Himalayas
The name translated from Sanskrit means "intellect" or "soul". This is a peak located in the Himalayas not far from Annapurna. This peak is 8163 meters high. This area is considered a nature reserve and is protected for environmental reasons. 
Dhaulagiri I, Dhaulagiri massif
These mountains stretch one hundred kilometers from the Kalingandaki River to the Bheri River. One of the peaks of this massif rises to 8167 meters and is the seventh largest in the world. The highest point is named in Sanskrit, the word "dhaula" means "shining", and "giri" means "mountain". 
Cho Oyu, Mahalangur Himal
The name translated from Tibetan means "turquoise goddesses". It is a peak with a height of 8201 meters, which is the highest in this ridge and located twenty kilometers west of Everest. With its moderate slopes and close passages, this mountain is considered the easiest option to climb eight thousand meters. However, it should be borne in mind that this lightness is only in comparison with other peaks of this size. An untrained traveler still cannot make such an ascent. 
Makalu, Mahalangur Himal
This is the fifth place on the list - a mountain with a height of 8485 meters! Mahalu Peak is part of the Mahalangur-Himal ridge and is located slightly in the distance. It is shaped like a pyramid with four sides. The summit was first conquered in 1955 by the French. 
Lhotse, Mahalangur Himal
The name translated from Tibetan means "southern peak". It is the second largest mountain in the massif, rising to 8516 meters. It was first conquered in 1956 by the Swiss climbers Ernest Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger.
Kangchenyunga, Himalayas
Until 1852, this peak was considered the highest in the world. Its height is 8586 meters. It is a peak located in India. This mountain range is called the "five snow peaks" and is worshiped by some Indians. Moreover, this place attracts tourists. 
K2, Karakorum
In Baltistan, a region of Pakistan, is the highest point of the Karakorum called K2. This mountain is 8611 meters high, known for the harshest conditions, it is incredibly difficult to climb to the top. Few succeeded, and in winter there was no successful ascent at all. 
Everest, Mahalangur-Himal
So, here is the leader of the list - Mount Everest, also known as Chomolungma. It was opened in 1802, and conquered in 1953, it was managed by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Since then, there have been thousands of expeditions here, but not all of them ended in success. After all, this is the summit at 8848 meters high! Climbing Mount Everest requires serious preparation and considerable financial investments, because without special equipment and oxygen cylinders, this the most difficult task is simply impossible.
This city was the first non-nomadic residence Genghis Khan, which, under his successor Ogedei and the following great khans, turned into a real sovereign capital, named from the nearest mountains Karakorum (from Turkic - "a fence of black stones").
The flourishing of the city lasted only 50 years, and the decline - from the moment when the heirs of the empire began to equip their own capitals on the territory of their newly formed possessions.
Where was the city of Karakorum
For the first time the assumption that traces of buildings discovered at the site of modern Kharkhorin on Orkhon in the center modern Mongolia, may be the capital of the Chingizids - the city of Karakorum, was expressed by the head of the expedition of the East Siberian Department of the Russian geographic society N. Ya. Yadrentsev in 1889. In his diaries N. Ya. Yadrentsev wrote: "We found huge ruins, to which it is not a shame to associate the city of jewels (Karakorum)." These were the first and only ruins found in the upper reaches of the Orkhon River. They later became identified with the Karakorum (founded in 1219, construction completed in 1235, destroyed by Chinese troops in 1380).
In the collection of works of the Orkhon expedition in 1892, conclusions about the belonging of the ruins ancient capital Mongols ( I think that is more correct than the Mughals) Karakorum is justified by the following words: “To the north of Erdene-Dzu Monastery there are ruins ancient city surrounded on three sides by an insignificant shaft. In the city itself, small ramparts and hills are noticeable - the remains of former houses, between which two main intersecting streets are clearly visible. On the SE corner of the city, there is a huge turtle with a quadrangular hole in the back for the insertion of a huge gravestone, similar to the monument to Kui-Tegin.
There are no traces left from the slab with the inscriptions. Around the turtle there is a rampart and 5 significant mounds, of which the middle one is of enormous volume. On the territory of the monastery, we have described stones with inscriptions brought to the monastery from the vicinity. Stones with the Chinese signs "Ho-lin" and "Ta-ho-lin" (the Chinese name of the city) and Persian inscriptions "Shekhr Khanbalik" (the Persian name of the city), translated by us as the name of the city of Karakorum, are especially common. All these stones, brought to the monastery from a nearby destroyed city, prove that this city was the capital of the first Genghis Khan - Karakorum.
After the fall of the Yuan Empire, in 1380 the city was completely destroyed by Chinese troops. From its former grandeur to the present day, only stone turtles have survived - pedestals for stone steles, on which the most important decrees of the central government were carved. According to legend, the city was protected from floods by four granite turtles. Two stone turtles are currently located just near the Erdene-Zuu monastery. One stone turtle can be seen at the walls of the Erdene-Zuu monastery from its northwest side, another not far in the mountains, in the southeast.
According to the testimony of the famous European travelers Plano Carpini (1246), Wilhelm Rubruk (1254), Marco Polo (1274), Karakorum, of that time, made an unforgettable impression, especially the splendor of the Khan's palace Tumen-Amgalan and the famous silver tree with a wonderful fountain, installed in front of the palace. Four pipes were run inside the tree up to its top; the openings of the pipes are facing down, and each of them is made in the form of the mouth of a gilded snake. Wine flowed from one mouth, clarified milk from the other, honey drink from the third, rice beer from the fourth.
Karakorum was the only city in that era over a vast territory
Large construction work in Karakorum, proclaimed the capital of the Mongol Empire, began under the second Great Khan Ogedei, the third son of Genghis Khan. The Great Khan issued a decree according to which each of his brothers, sons and other nobility was to build a beautiful house in Karakorum. The construction of the city was mainly completed in 1236. Its territory in the form of a quadrangle measuring about 2.5 by 1.5 km was surrounded by a low fortified wall. At the big tower in the fortress stood beautiful palace Ogedei Khan - Tumen Amgalan (Ten thousand prosperity or ten thousandfold tranquility).
The Tummen-Amgalan palace was erected by Ogedei Khan in 1235. The temple was located in the southwestern part of the city on an embankment platform 1.5 meters high, with walls as long as the range of an arrow. According to the description, the palace had 64 columns and stretched from north to south, resembling a ship in appearance, and its two sides were trimmed with two rows of columns. The entrance of the palace faces east, the two-tiered hipped roofs were decorated with green and red glazed tiles, big amount sculptural figures half dragons, half lions.
One of the largest buildings in the city was a large 5-tiered Buddhist temple, built in 1256 at the direction of Munhe Khan. Its height reached 300 chi (1 chi = 0.31 m), width 7 jean, or 22 m, on the lower floor in four walls there were statues of various deities.
All the threads of government of the huge Mongol empire converged in Karakorum. Roads were laid to it from the main cities of neighboring countries. The movement on the Karakoram-Beijing line, which was then called Dadu, was especially well superimposed.
The Chingizids left a huge mark on the history of China. But they did not stay in it forever.
20 years after the flight of the Chingizid rulers from the Celestial Empire and the accession of the Chinese national Ming dynasty in China, the city of Karakorum, under the Mongol rulers in Dadu (Beijing) for 150 years, was a provincial settlement, and for only 20 years it again became the capital of the Chingizid khans of Mongolia, having adopted them - expelled from the Chinese lands, was completely destroyed by the Minsk troops. And Mongolia itself has become a satellite of China by almost 500.
Mountains (peaks) of any part of the globe except for their hierarchies (height, legends, number dead people etc., etc.) have such differences that we sometimes do not even know.
Names
Everest- the usual name of the highest point of the Earth was given to the peak after the name of the head of the Topographic Service of India, Sir George Everest, has at least two more names. The Tibetans call this mountain by their old word Chomolungma, and the Nepalese call it no less historical and eminent - Sagarmatha. At a time when the dispute flared up in full, what name to call the most high mountain, the famous Himalayist professor Gunter Oskar Direnfurt offered his vision of the solution to the problem. He believed that a neutral and geographically indisputable Khumbu Himal would be more appropriate. The Khumbu Himal mountain range is a huge mountain range, in which there are peaks: Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8463m), Cho Oyo (8201m) and the most beautiful peak in this company is Ama Dablam (6856m). Ural mountains- the very name "Ural" on geographical maps appeared only in the second half of the 18th century. Before that, the Ural Mountains were called: “ Ural ridge"," Earth Belt "," Belt Stone "or simply -" Stone ". So unusual geographical term some heights were also called: "Pavdinsky Stone", "Kon-Zhakovsky Stone", "Denezhkin Stone". Many Stones were named after settlements- villages and villages. Even several rivers got their names from the stones nearest to them. " White stone"Named for the color of its breed," Sharp Stone "- for its shape," Fighter-Stone "- for its character, so to speak: a great many rafts, barges and other ships crashed on this cliff in due time. Carstens pyramid... Under this name it is known by the majority of climbers applying for the program "7 Summits of the Earth". It is the highest point of Australia and Oceania - 4884 m. And is located in the western part of the island New Guinea... But the true name of this peak among the locals sounds like - Punchak-Jaya. The summit and the entire continent of Australia and Oceania are subject to active ice melting. In 10 years, not a trace of the glacier of this mountain will remain. This will mean that in the last 100,000 years, Australia and Oceania will become the first continent completely free of ice.
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The world's largest gold and copper mines are located in the spurs of Punchak-Jaya.
Gasherbrum-I and Broad Peak... In the area of the Karakorum glacier, Baltoro, there are two eight-thousanders, which have a second name: Gasherbrum I - 8068 m. - better known as Hidden Peak ("Hidden Peak"), Broad Peak - 8047 m. Has its local name - Falkhan Kangri.Height priority
Everyone knows that Everest is the highest point of the Earth. Is it so? Scientists have not yet finally determined the true height of the peak and, according to various sources, the height of Everest ranges from 8844 to 8852 m. Even in this uncertainty, Everest is still the leader. With regard to the heights of the mountains, today the "highest" is conventionally considered to be the distance from the sea surface to the very top of any peak, and the "greatest" is the distance from the foot of the mountain to its top. Thus, Everest at an altitude of 8848/8852 m is the most high mountain in the world, but not the largest. In this regard, there is a point of view that dormant volcano Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5895 m) rising directly from the African Plain above Mount Everest. Taking as a basis the fact that Everest stands on the enormous foundation of the Himalayas, we can agree with this. Another example. On the island of Hawaii, there is an extinct volcano called Mauna Kea, which rises only 4206m above sea level. But if you measure the depth to its solid (base) on seabed, then it grows up to 10200 m. It is almost 1200 m above Everest.
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Summit of Mauna Kea
The summit of Mauna Kea is so large that it plunges into the depths of the sea under its own weight. Local aborigines believe that the Hawaiian snow goddess Poliahu lives on the top of the mountain, among the clouds, and representatives travel companies wring their hands in despair - if not for the lack of oxygen at the summit, then ski vacation on Makuna Kea would be just amazing.Priority of independence
Karakorum... It has not yet been clarified whether this Mountain country an independent mountain system or is it a separate part of the Himalayas. The Karakorum is separated by river valleys: from the Himalayas - from the south, from Tibet - from the east, and from the Pamirs - from the north. The relief of the Karakorum is distinguished by very sharp forms and deep dissection. In the Western Karakorum there are a number of powerful peaks of the world, if we take into account the relativity of its foot to the highest point. So the top of Batura (7795 m) rises above the glacier of the same name by more than 4 km, Ultar peak (7388 m) rises 5.5 km above the Khunza valley. But the absolute record at the top of Rakaposi (7788 m), north slope which rises 6 km above the Hunza Valley! All in all, there are about 170 peaks in Karakorum with a height of more than 7000 m. This is a good half of the number of seven-thousanders located in all mountainous regions of the world.Danger of mountains
The question is complex and ambiguous. Mountains, in principle, are always dangerous for a person to be in them. But there is a small group of mountains that are included in the "priority" list under the conditional name - "Most dangerous mountains the world ".Eiger. (Switzerland). Height 3970 m.
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Kanchenjunga, Kanchinjunga. (Nepal, India). Height 8586 m
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Nanga Parbat. (Pakistan). Height 8126 m.
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K2, Chogori, Kyaogelifeng. (Pakistan, China), Height 8611 m.
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Annapurna. (Nepal). Height 8091 m.
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