The majestic Himalayas ... A harsh land of primeval beauty, where a person can be alone with the whole world. Thousands of square kilometers of mountains and amazing wildlife that evokes thoughts of the eternal secrets of life - all this can be found by a wanderer in the Himalayas. The pinnacle of the world is here, and we invite you to learn more about it.
Where are the Himalayas
About 70 million years ago, two giant tectonic plates collided - Indo-American and Eurasian. A powerful push marked the beginning of the largest mountain system on our planet. Just imagine: it occupies 0.4% of the total area of the planet, which is incredibly large in relation to other geographic objects.
The Himalayas are located on the mainland Eurasia, in the Asian part. They are bordered in the north by the Tibetan plateau, in the south by the Indo-Gangetic plain. The length of the system is more than 2,400 km, the width reaches 350 km. The southern part of the Himalayas is adjoined by the so-called Pre-Himalayas - the smaller Sivalik mountains. This mountain system contains many of the highest peaks in the world. The average height of the mountain ridges of the Himalayas is 6,000 meters. The highest is the famous Mount Everest (otherwise - Chomolungma, 8848 meters). And this, as we probably remember, is the highest point of our planet.
The Himalayan ranges give rise to the largest rivers in southern Asia: the Indu, Ganges and Brahmaputra.
We already have the first data, namely, where the Himalayan mountains are. More specifically about the countries that have a mountainous landscape, further.
Countries whose territories cover the Himalayas
Since the borders of the countries are divided practically regardless of the relief features, the mountain ranges of the Himalayas are located in several. These countries are India, Nepal, China (the area known as Tibet), Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Tajikistan. Each of them got a section of a beautiful natural formation.
The area of the entire mountain system is about 650 thousand square kilometers. Far from one another, many peoples live here. Natural conditions here are extremely tough: cold on high altitudes, dangerous terrain. However, the locals are delighted with their magnificent home.
The first secrets have already been revealed to us by the Himalayas: where are they located, the country (even several), which has on its territory mountainous areas... Further on the climatic conditions in the territories of the Himalayas.
Climate features
The Himalayan mountains are a particularly large form of relief. The mountains themselves on their southern side are swampy jungles, lush rainforests, conifers and deciduous trees, as well as a variety of shrub plants and meadows. Northern slopes not so rich and varied. Their surfaces are semi-deserts and mountain steppes. The ridges of the Himalayan ridges are of the Alpine type - sharp, steep. On them lie huge glaciers in immeasurable numbers.
It is noteworthy that the coordinates of the Himalayas are such that the mountain system serves as a natural climatic boundary between the tropics of the south and the desert lands north of the Himalayas. The colossal areas and great heights of the mountains greatly influenced the climate of the neighboring countries. So, south of the Himalayas, at their very foot, there is a city with the largest number precipitation on the planet. This is because the mountains delay the precipitation moving with air masses from the Indian Ocean, and they fall at their foot. At an altitude of 4500 meters above sea level in the Himalayas lies a zone of eternal snow.
The Himalayas, home to huge glaciers, impressed us. What about the inhabitants of the mountain range?
Inhabitants of the mountain system
Surprisingly, many people live in such harsh conditions as in the Himalayas. According to scientists, memorials about the first settlements of the territory of the mountain system date back to 8000 BC. e. People came from the south (peoples from the Indian subcontinent), and from the northeastern direction (Tibetans), and from the west (Turkic peoples).
People settled their settlements in the valleys. Their remoteness from one another contributed to the separate development of these ethnic groups.
Readers probably wondered: how can you survive in such inhospitable places? Those communities that led a sedentary lifestyle were engaged in subsistence farming where there were all the conditions for this: a horizontal surface, water, more or less fertile soil, suitable climate... The modern inhabitants of the Himalayan valleys also provide themselves with their own labor. Here is another phenomenon that struck us with the Himalayas, where some of the oldest natural farms are located.
For more high territories the key occupation of the local population is distant-pasture cattle breeding. The opportunity to do it is almost everywhere up to the edge of the snow.
And we will consider a few more facts that will be interesting to know about the Himalayas.
Apart from knowing where the Himalayas are, several other features of this corner of the planet will also be interesting. We know about the Himalayas that this is the most inaccessible, highest (in terms of average) mountain system in the world. But what does their name mean?
The word "Himalayas" means "Abode of Snow". And indeed: after all, already at an altitude of 4.5 kilometers, the snow never melts here. In terms of the amount of snow, this natural form is in third place on the planet. Only the Arctic and Antarctic have overtaken the Himalayas.
It is also interesting to know that in such a cold climate in most mountain areas, the Hindus are sure that they are the refuge of their god Shiva.
Mount Everest (Chomolungma) is the highest in the world (above sea level). She is associated with triumph. Extreme climbers from all over the world are literally trying to climb Everest. This first happened in 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summits. Mountaineering in the Himalayas is very popular. The mountain system contains ten of the fourteen eight-thousanders (in fact, their height is even slightly higher). Conquering them all is the dream of professional climbers.
This concludes our article on where the Himalayas are and what this mountain system is about, coming to an end.
Conclusion
"The abode of the snows", the Himalayas - mountains to which the prefix "most" is firmly attached. The tallest, the most inaccessible ... And people strive to get here in order to experience the power of nature, which created such a miracle. But the Himalayas do not invite guests. They are unwavering and tough. However, courageous travelers should try to become friends with the "heavenly". Yes, indeed "heavenly", because the sky is so close here!
The Himalayas abound with a huge number of rocky, almost vertical slopes on which it is very difficult to climb, you have to use all sorts of technical devices in the form of hammered hooks, ropes, special ladders and other climbing equipment. Often rocky ledges alternate with deep cracks, and so much snow settles on the mountain slopes that it compresses over time and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes passage through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to come down, which, rushing down, turn into huge avalanches, sweeping away everything in their path and capable of crushing climbers in seconds.
The air temperature in the Himalayas, when rising to an altitude, decreases by about 6 degrees for every 1000 meters. So if at the foot of the summer the temperature is +25, then at an altitude of 5000 meters it will be about -5.
At altitude, the movements of air masses are usually intensified, often turning into a hurricane wind, which makes movement very difficult, and sometimes makes it impossible, especially on narrow ridges of mountain ranges.
Starting at 5000 meters, the atmosphere contains approximately half of the oxygen at sea level to which the human body is accustomed. Lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the human body, sharply reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of the so-called mountain sickness - shortness of breath, dizziness, chills and interruptions in the work of the heart. Therefore, usually at this altitude, the human body needs time to acclimatize.
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At an altitude of 6,000 meters, the atmosphere is so rarefied and poor in oxygen that full acclimatization is no longer possible. Regardless of what kind of physical stress a person is experiencing, he begins to slowly choke. Climbing to a height of 7000 meters is already mortally dangerous for many, at such a height consciousness begins to get confused and even it becomes difficult to think. The height of 8000 meters is called the "zone of death". Here, even the strongest climbers can survive for only a few days at best. Therefore, all high-altitude ascents are carried out using breathing oxygen apparatus.
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But the representatives of the Nepalese Sherpa tribe, permanently living in the Himalayas, feel quite comfortable at the height, and therefore, as soon as the Europeans began to "master" Mountain peaks Himalayas, the men of this tribe began to work on expeditions as guides and porters, receiving payment for this. Over time, this became their main profession. By the way, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, paired with Edmund Hillary, were the first to climb the summit of the Himalayas - Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
But all these sometimes deadly dangers did not stop mountaineering enthusiasts. It took more than one decade to conquer all these peaks. Here is a short chorology of climbing the most high mountains our planet.
1950, June 3 - Annapurna
French climbers Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal climbed the peak of Annapurna, which is 8091 meters high. Anapurna is considered the seventh highest mountain in the world. Located in Nepal, in the Himalayas to the east of the Gandaki River, which flows through the deepest gorge in the world. The gorge separates Annapurna and another eight-thousander Dhaulagiri.
Climbing Anapurna is considered one of the most difficult ascents in the world. Moreover, this is the only conquest of an eight-thousander that was accomplished the first time, and besides, without oxygen apparatus. However, their feat came at a high cost. Since they were shod only in leather boots, Erzog froze all his toes and because of the onset of gangrene, the expedition doctor had to amputate them. For all the time, only 191 people have successfully ascended Annapurna, this is less than any other eight-thousanders. Climbing Annapurna is considered the most dangerous, with a mortality rate of 32 percent, like no other eight-thousanders.
1953, May 29 - Everest "Chomolungma"
The members of the English expedition, the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Norgay Tenzing, were the first to conquer Everest, a summit of 8848 meters. Nepalese her name is "Sagarmatha", that is, "Mother of the universe." It is the tallest mountain in the world. on the border of Nepal and China.
Everest is a triangular pyramid with three sides and ridges that stretch northeast, southeast and northwest. The southeastern ridge is gentler and the most widely used climbing route. It was this route to the summit through the Khumbu glacier, the Valley of Silence, from the foot of Lhotse through the South Col, Hillary and Tenzing blazed their first ascent. And for the first time the British tried to climb Everest back in 1921. They then could not go from the south side, because of the ban of the Nepalese authorities and tried to rise from the north, from the side of Tibet. To do this, they had to go around the entire Chomolungma mountain range, having covered more than 400 kilometers, in order to get to the top from China. But the time for the detour was lost and the monsoons that began did not make it possible to make the ascent. After them, the British climbers George Lee Mallory and Andrew Irwin made a second attempt on the same route in 1924, which was also unsuccessful, ending in the death of both at an altitude of 8500 meters.
Despite its extremely dangerous mountain commercialized climbing Everest has made it a very popular tourist attraction over the past few decades. According to the latest data, 5656 successful ascents were made to Everest, at the same time 223 people died. The mortality rate was about 4 percent.
1953, July 3 - Nangaparbat
The peak is located in the north of Pakistan in the western part of the Himalayas. It is the ninth highest eight-thousander, 8126 meters. This peak has such steep slopes that even snow does not hold on top of it. In Urdu, Nangaparbat means "Naked Mountain". The first to climb the peak was the Austrian climber Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian Himalayan expedition. He made the ascent alone, without oxygen apparatus. The ascent time to the summit was 17 hours, and with the descent 41 hours. This was the first successful ascent in 20 years of attempts, before that 31 climbers had already died there.
According to the latest data, a total of 335 successful ascents have been made to Nangaparbat. 68 climbers were killed. The mortality rate is about 20 percent, which makes it the third most dangerous eight-thousander.
1954, July 31 - Chogori, "K2", "Dapsang"
The first to climb K2, the second highest peak in the world, were Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. Although attempts to conquer K2 began in 1902.
Chogori Peak or Dapsang Peak - 8611 meters high, is located on the Baltoro Muztag ridge in the Karakorum mountain range, on the border of Pakistan and China. This mountain received the unusual name K2 in the 19th century, when a British expedition measured the heights of the peaks of the Himalayas and Karakorum. Each newly measured peak was given a sequential number. K2 was the second mountain they stumbled upon and since then this name has stuck behind it for a long time. Locals call this Lamba Pahar, which means "High Mountain". Despite the fact that K2 is lower than Everest, it turned out to be more difficult to climb it. For all the time, there were only 306 successful ascents on K2. When attempting to climb, 81 people died. The mortality rate is about 29 percent. K2 is often called a killer mountain
1954, October 19 - Cho-Oyu
The first to climb the peak were the members of the Austrian expedition: Herbert Tichy, Josef Jöhler and the Sherpa Pazang Dawa Lama. The Cho Oyu summit is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range, the Chomolungma mountain range, about 20 km west of Mount Everest.
Cho-Oyu, in Tibetan means "Goddess of Turquoise." It has a height of 8201 meters, it is the sixth highest eight-thousander. A few kilometers to the west of Cho-Oyu is the Nangpa-La pass with a height of 5716 m. This pass is a passage from Nepal to Tibet, laid by the Sherpas as the only trade trail. Because of this pass, many climbers consider Cho-Oyu to be the simplest eight-thousander. This is partly true, because all ascents are made from the side of Tibet. But from the side of Nepal, the southern wall is so difficult that only a few managed to conquer it.
In total, 3138 people successfully climbed Cho Oyu, this is more than any other peak except Everest. Lethality is 1%, less than any other. It is considered the safest eight-thousander.
1955, May 15 - Makalu
For the first time, the Frenchmen Jean Cuzi and Lionel Terre ascended the top of Makalu. The ascent to Makalu was the only one in the entire history of the conquest of the eight-thousanders, when all nine members of the expedition reached the summit, including the senior group of Sherpa guides. This happened not because Makalu is such an easy mountain, but because the weather was unusually good and nothing prevented the climbers from achieving this triumph.
Makalu is 8485 meters high, the fifth highest mountain in the world, located just 20 kilometers southeast of Everest. In Tibetan, Makalu means Big Black. Such unusual name given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and snow simply does not hold on to them, therefore most for a year she remains naked.
It turned out to be difficult enough to defeat Makalu. In 1954, an American team led by Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, tried to do this, but they failed. And only the French, after a lot of preparatory work and well-coordinated teamwork, managed to do this. In total, 361 people have successfully climbed Makalu for all the time, while 31 people died while trying to climb. The mortality rate of Makalu ascents is about 9 percent.
1955, May 25 - Kanchenjunga
British climbers George Band and Joe Brown were the first to successfully climb Kanchenjunga. Before the ascent, the locals warned the climbers that a Sikkim god lives on the top of this mountain and should not be disturbed. They refused to accompany the expedition and the British went to the ascent on their own. But either because of superstition, or for some other reason, having climbed to the top, they did not reach the very top for several feet, believing that the top was conquered.
Kanchenjunga is located on the border of Nepal and India, about 120 kilometers south of Everest. The name "Kanchenjunga" in translation from Tibetan means "Treasury of the five great snows." Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest mountain in the world. But after Everest and other eight-thousanders were measured, it turned out that it is the third highest peak in the world, its height is 8586 meters.
Another legend in Nepal says that Kanchenjunga is a mountain woman. And women cannot go to it on pain of death. Of course, climbers are not superstitious people, but nevertheless, only one female climber, an Englishwoman, Jeanette Harrison, has climbed to its top for all the time. No matter what, but a year and a half later, Jeanette Harrison died while climbing Dhaulagiri. For all the time, 283 climbers have successfully climbed Kanchenjunga. Of those who tried to climb, 40 people died. The ascent mortality is about 15 percent.
1956, May 9 - Manaslu
The mountain is 8163 meters high, the eighth highest, eight-thousander. There were several attempts to climb this peak. For the first time in 1952, when, in addition to the British, the Swiss and French teams entered the championship of the conquest of Everest, the Japanese decided to conquer the Manaslu peak located in Nepal about 35 kilometers east of Annapurna. They scouted all the approaches and mapped out the route. The next year, 1953, they began to climb. But the ensuing blizzard broke all their plans and they were forced to retreat.
When they returned in 1954, the local Nepalese took up arms against them, referring to the fact that the Japanese defiled the gods and aroused their anger, because after the departure of the previous expedition, misfortunes befell their village: there was an epidemic, crop failure, temples collapsed and three priests died. Armed with sticks and stones, they drove the Japanese away from the mountain. To settle the matter with local residents, in 1955 a special delegation arrived from Japan. And only in the next 1956, having paid 7,000 rupees for damages and 4,000 rupees for the construction of a new temple and arranged big holiday for the population of the village, the Japanese received permission to climb. Thanks to the beautiful weather, Japanese climber Toshio Imanishi and sirdar sherpa Gyaltsen Norbu climbed the peak on May 9. Manaslu remains one of the most dangerous eight-thousanders. In total, there were 661 successful ascents of Manaslu, sixty-five climbers died during the ascent. The mortality rate of ascents is about 10 percent.
1956, May 18 - Lhotse
Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss, members of the Swiss team, became the first people who managed to climb the 8516 meter high Lhotse, the fourth highest peak in the world.
Lhotse Peak is located on the border of Nepal and China, a few kilometers south of Everest. These two peaks are connected by a vertical ridge, the so-called South Col, the height of which is over 8000 meters along its entire length. Usually ascents are carried out along the western, more gentle slope. But in 1990, the Soviet Union team climbed the southern side, previously considered completely inaccessible, since it is a 3300-meter, almost vertical wall. In total, 461 successful ascents were made on Lhotse. For all the time, 13 climbers have died there, the mortality rate is about 3 percent.
1956 July 8 - Gasherbrum II
The summit is 8034 meters high, the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. For the first time, Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart climbed Gasherbrum II. They ascended the summit along the southern side along the southwestern ridge. Before climbing the peak itself, having risen to an altitude of 7500 meters, they set up a temporary camp for the night, and then went on an assault early in the morning. It was a completely new, untested approach to rock climbing, which later began to be used by climbers from many countries.
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Gasherbrum II is the second of the four peaks of Gasherbrum in Karakorum on the Pakistan-China border, about 10 kilometers southeast of K2. The Baltoro Muztag ridge, which includes Gasherbrum II, is known for the longest glacier in the Karakorum, more than 62 kilometers long. This was the reason that many climbers descended almost from the very top of Gasherbrum II on skis, on snowboards and even with a parachute. Gasherbrum II is considered one of the safest and lightest eight-thousanders. 930 climbers successfully climbed Gasherbrum II and only 21 people died in unsuccessful attempts to climb. The mortality rate of ascents is about 2 percent.
1957, June 9 - Broad Peak
The mountain is 8051 meters high, the twelfth highest 8000m peak. The Germans tried to climb Broad Peak for the first time in 1954, but due to low temperatures and stormy winds, their efforts were unsuccessful. The first to climb the peak were Austrian climbers Fritz Wintersteller, Markus Schmuck im Kurt Dieberger. The ascent was carried out along the southwest side. The expedition did not use the services of porters and all the property was lifted by the participants themselves, which was quite difficult.
Broad Peak or "Jangyang" is located on the border between China and Pakistan, a few kilometers southeast of K2. This area is still little explored and geographers hope that over time it can gain sufficient popularity. For all the time, there were 404 successful ascents on Broad Peak. They turned out to be unsuccessful for 21 climbers who died while trying to climb. The mortality rate of ascents is about 5 percent.
1958, July 5 - Gasherbrum I "Hidden Peak"
The mountain is 8080 meters high. The summit belongs to the Gasherbrum - Karakorum mountain range. Attempts to climb Hidden Peak began a long time ago. In 1934, the members of the international expedition were able to climb only to an altitude of 6300 meters. In 1936, French climbers climbed the 6,900 meter mark. And only two years later, the Americans Andrew Kaufman and Pete Schoening climb to the top of Hidden Peak.
Gasherbrum I or Hidden Peak, the eleventh highest eight-thousander in the world, one of the seven peaks of the Gasherbrum massif is located in Kashmir in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Region on the border with China. Gasherbrum is translated from the local language as "Polished Wall", and it fully corresponds to this name. Due to its steep, almost polished, rocky slopes, climbing it was rejected by many. A total of 334 people have successfully climbed the peak, while 29 climbers have died while trying to climb. The mortality rate of ascents is about 9 percent.
1960, May 13 - Dhaulagiri I
"White Mountain" - heights of 8167 meters, the seventh highest of the eight-thousanders. The first to climb to the top were the members of the European national team: Dimberger, Shelbert, Diener, Forer and the Sherpas Nyima and Navang. For the first time, an airplane was used to deliver expedition members and equipment. On the " White Mountain”Noticed back in 1950 by the French, members of the 1950 expedition. But then it seemed to them not available and they switched to Annapurna.
Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna and the Argentines tried to climb its summit back in 1954. But due to a strong blizzard, we did not reach the summit of only 170 meters. Although by the standards of the Himalayas, Dhaulagiri is only the sixth tallest, she is quite a tough nut to crack. So in 1969, while trying to climb, the Americans left seven of their comrades on the southeastern ridge. In total, 448 people successfully climbed to the top of Dhaulagiri I, but 69 climbers died in unsuccessful attempts. The mortality rate of ascents is about 16 percent.
1964, May 2 - Shishabangma
The summit is 8027 meters high. The first to conquer Shishabangma were eight Chinese climbers: Xu Jing, Zhang Zhunyan, Wang Fuzhou, Zhen San, Zheng Tianliang, Wu Tszunyue, Sodnam Dozhi, Migmar Trashi, Dozhi, Yongten. For a long time, climbing this peak was prohibited by the Chinese authorities. And only after the Chinese themselves climbed to its summit, there was an opportunity to participate in ascents and foreign climbers.
The Shishabangma mountain range, in Chinese "Geosenzhanfeng", in Indian "Gosintan" is located in China in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, a few kilometers from the Nepalese border. It consists of three peaks, two of which are over 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. As part of the program "All 14 eight-thousanders of the world" there is an ascent to the main peak. In total, there were 302 successful ascents to Shishabanga. Twenty-five people died while trying to climb the summit. The mortality rate of ascents is about 8 percent.
As can be seen from the chronology of ascents to the highest peaks of the Himalayas, it took more than 40 years to conquer them. Moreover, according to the analysis of the Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering, the most dangerous of all are: Annapurna, K2, and Nanga Parbat. On the ascents of these three peaks, the Himalayas took the life of every fourth person who encroached on their inaccessibility.
And yet, despite all these deadly dangers, there are people who have conquered all eight-thousanders. The first of these was Reinhold Messner, an Italian mountaineer, German by nationality from South Tyrol. And although already during the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1970, his brother Gunther died, and he himself lost seven toes; in the second ascent of Manaslu in 1972, his teammate in the bunch died, this did not stop him. From 1970 to 1986, he climbed one by one all the 14 highest peaks of Zamli. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, in 1978, together with Peter Habeler, along the classic route through the South Col, and in 1980 alone along the northern route, moreover, during the monsoon season. Both ascents without the use of oxygen apparatus.
In total, now there are already 32 people in the world who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders and these are probably not the last people who are waiting for the Himalayas.
Translated from the very ancient language planets, Sanskrit, Himalayas mean "stronghold of snow." To know where the Himalayas are, just look at the map of the Indian subcontinent.
The Himalayas are the highest mountain system on our planet, there are 10 peaks over 8 km high (there are 14 in the world) and 96 mountains with a height of 7.3 km (there are 109 of them on Earth!). Unlike the South American Andes, they do not form the longest mountain range (almost 7550 km), but are rightfully considered the “top of the planet”.
It is important to know that the mountains of the Himalayas are located between the Indo-Gangetic plain and the Tibetan plateau. This mountain range passes through the territory of several states at once: China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and the Kingdom of Bhutan, and in the east, the mountain range touches the northern borders of Bangladesh. The highest mountain system in the world attracts not only professional climbers, but also many fans of extreme tourism.
It is worth noting that the Himalayas began to be mastered not by the indigenous people, but by the Europeans in the 19th century, at the peak of the popularity of mountaineering.
When did the development of the highest mountain range begin?
Beginning in 1849, the Indian colonial government, represented by the Department of Land Management, has carried out tremendous work to develop detailed maps of the region. So, the huge work with the use of theodolite and leveling surveys gave a lot of data, the processing of which was completed only by 1856. Based on the results of the obtained topographic information, it became known that peak XV, located on the Tibetan-Nepalese border, has a height of 8840 m, which meant the highest mountain on the planet!
The peak was named after the English Colonel Sir George Everest, who served as the chief surveyor of the Queen of Great Britain in India. After the publication of the survey results, climbers all over the world have a new task - the highest mountain in the world must be conquered!
For those who do not even know where the Himalayas are, it will probably be interesting to know that only after the Second World War a man climbed to the top of Everest. Before that, starting from the 20s of the last century, climbers tried to conquer this peak only from the side of the Tibetan slopes. The reason was the stubbornness of the government of Nepal, which did not give access to expeditions on its territory. It was only after World War II that researchers were allowed to work on the southern slopes of the mountain.
New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgai conquered Everest (Nepalese name - Chomolungma) on May 29, 1953.
Best places to experience the Himalayas
Having looked at where the Himalayas are on the map and how they look, you understand that it is not the peak itself or the fact that there are the highest mountains that amazes and attracts, but the scale, the greatness of nature, because this mountain range occupies vast territories. You can see all the beauties of the top of the world, as the Himalayas are also called, only with your own eyes, and not sitting near a computer screen or old topographic maps.
No other country in the world can offer such service and convenience in exploring the Himalayas as India. Only through this country can you see the highest mountains of the planet, see outlandish animals, feel healing properties mountain climate.
Often tourists go to see Shimla - best resort foothills of the Himalayas (altitude 2 km above sea level). Once this city was the summer residence of the British colonial government, which moved here from the summer, red-hot Delhi. After India gained independence, this city became tourist center country. It is here that representatives of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhs make pilgrimages. Several of the most famous Tibetan temples are located on the banks of this reservoir. In addition, on the slopes of the mountains, you can find a lot of beautiful waterfalls. This is where the amazing Mountain Lake Revalsar.
Having visited this area, you can not only admire the mountain landscapes, but also climb mountains, go in for skiing, swimming, fishing.
When is it good in the Himalayas?
Worth mentioning extraordinarily beautiful nature of this mountain range, which simply cannot be accurately described in words - it must be seen. So, in summer months(from April to June) all the slopes are dotted with wild flowers, the air is filled with their smell, mixed with the aromas of pine needles, it is clean and cool.
If you wanted to find mountainous region with lush greenery and a temperate climate, then you should visit the Himalayas during the rainy season. From June to August, an amazing picture awaits you: slopes full of greenery in a light fog, sunsets with stunning colors that are difficult to even describe.
All autumn months it is very comfortable and pleasant to stay here, from September to November it is warm here, but in winter, with bright, snowy and frosty weather, there are fewer tourists in the Himalayas. Is that lovers winter species sports will come to go skiing or snowboarding.
The Himalayas are a mountain range located in the southern part of Asia. The Himalayas are part of states such as Nepal, India, Pakistan, Tibet and Bhutan. This mountain range is the highest in the world, reaching an altitude of almost 9000 meters above sea level. The Himalayas separate the Indian subcontinent from the interior of Asia. The very word "Himalayas" means "house of snow".
In the Himalayas, as many as 14 mountains exceed 8,000 meters in height, including K2, Nangaparbat and Mount Everest. The height of the latter is 8848 meters, making it the highest mountain in the world. The Himalayas stretch over 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from the Indus Valley in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east. Their width is from 100 to 250 kilometers.
Many mountain peaks are sacred to the people who live in the surrounding area. Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims come here and pray to God.
How the Himalayas were formed
Himalayas are among the youngest mountain systems in the world. They were formed when the Indian subcontinent, which was originally part of the southern plate, moved north and crashed into Asia. This movement began about 70 million years ago and continues to this day. The Himalayas are still getting taller, growing by about 7 cm per year. Earthquakes and volcanoes are proof of the region's high activity.
Rivers and lakes
Glaciers and permanent snowfields cover the high mountainous regions of the Himalayas. They are the source of streams that flow into the two large rivers of this region. The Indus flows into the West and through Pakistan into the Arabian Sea. The Ganges and Brahmaputra flow eastward and join in Bangladesh They form the world's largest river delta. 
Climate
Almost any type of climate is found at different altitudes in the mountains. The lower slopes in the south are home to tropical plants and tea. The trees grow to a height of 4000 meters. Wheat and other cereals grow in more high areas.
The Himalayas influence the climate in both India and Tibet. They form a barrier from the monsoon winds that blow from the Indian Ocean through India. Heavy rains fall on the outside of the mountains, while dry winds blow on the plains of Tibet.
Population
The Himalayas are very sparsely populated due to the harsh climate. Most people live on the low Indian slopes. Many people make their living as Sherpas by taking hikers and climbers to the peaks of the mountains.
Mountains have been a natural obstacle for millennia. They stopped people from China and the interior of Asia from mixing with the Indian population. Genghis Khan, Emperor of the Mongols, was stopped from expanding his empire southward due to the height of the mountains.
Most of the roads that cross the Himalayas are at an altitude of over 5,000 meters. In winter they are covered with snow and are almost impassable.
Tourism
Mountaineering has become a major tourism destination in Himalayan mountains... It began almost at the end of the 19th century when many climbers began climbing the peaks. In 1953, mountaineer Edmund Hillary and a representative of the indigenous Tibetan Sherpa people Tenzing Norgay were the first to conquer the highest point of our planet - the summit of Mount Everest.
The Himalayan mountains stretch for about 2,500 km over several Asian countries... It is home to nine of the ten highest peaks in the world, including Mount Everest. The word "Himalayas" in Sanskrit means "abode of snow." Many major rivers of Asia originate here. The Himalayas are the third largest deposits of ice and snow. In addition, it is home to a large number of plants, birds and animals.
Description of the Himalayas
Probably the most popular reason people travel to Tibet and Nepal is to see the tallest and most impressive mountain range in the world. No trip to these countries is complete without visiting the Himalayas, especially Mount Everest.
For centuries, a unique culture has developed here that unites nature and people into one whole. This region is the birthplace of the Buddha. It is full of sacred natural places such as secret valleys and alpine lakes.
The Himalayas, home to various natural areas, face many challenges, and governments are forced to provide for their people and protect their natural heritage. Protected areas are becoming isolated hotspots, and a multitude of poachers are destroying rare wildlife, filling the illegal market. The effects of global climate change are melting glaciers at a rate higher than ever recorded in human history, threatening a vital source fresh water for billions of people in Asia.
Geomorphotectonic characteristics
The Himalayan Mountains are a crescent-shaped mountain range stretching from the southern Indus Valley beyond Nanga Parbat in the west to Namjagbarwa in the east. Its width varies from 350 km in the west to 150 km in the east. The majestic mountain range stands like a wall that bounds the entire northern edge of the Indian subcontinent.
Geomorphologically, the most unique feature is their height. The Himalayas are famous for having 10 out of 14 peaks above 8000 meters.
An important geomorphotectonic characteristic is the sharp bend in the Himalayas and associated mountain ranges, which in the west are connected to the Suleiman and Kirtara ridges. A similar sharp bend is observed at the eastern end, where the mountain range joins the northeastern Indo-Myanmar ridge, represented by the Naga and Arakan Yoma mountains. These two sharp bends on either side are known as the "syntactic bends" of the Himalayan Range. The highest peaks are located in different parts of the mountains, but most of them are concentrated in the central part.
Geophysical characteristics
They are as unique as the geomorphotectonic features of the mountain range. The most distinctive feature is the thickness of the earth's crust, which increases from about 35 to 40 km in the Indus-Ganga-Brahmaputra plains to 65-80 km above the Greater Himalayas. The thickness of the continental crust underlying the mountains is reflected in the pattern of negative gravity anomalies between> -150 and> -350 mGal along the entire length of the mountain belt.
Himalayan geomorphology reflects various aspects of structural and geomorphological features that arose in response to the action of orogenic forces (related to the final stage of development of tectonically mobile zones of the earth's crust), which occurred during a relatively recent history of erosion. The mountain range is divided axially into several units, each of which has a distinct lithotectonic and geomorphological character and evolutionary history.
Division into zones
They are axially divided into the next five units. Each of them has distinctive lithotectonic characteristics and evolutionary history:
- Sub-Himalayas, where there is a belt of late Tertiary molasse deposits 10-50 km wide, which form the Sivalik group. This belt also includes the older Murri formations and their equivalent, Dharamshalas.
- Small Himalayas, where there is a belt 60-80 km wide, which consists mainly of low-grade metamorphic rocks of the Proterozoic period. It is overlain by layers of granite and metamorphic rocks.
- The Greater Himalayas, where a belt of mostly Precambrian metamorphic rocks is located. And younger (Cenozoic), 10-15 km thick. This is also the area of the greatest uplift.
- Trans-Himalayas: a belt of predominantly shelf (usually fossil) deposits of the Late Proterozoic and Cretaceous, bounded by the Ind Tsangpo suture zone (ITSZ), a relatively narrow belt of ophiolites and associated deposits. This is the junction of the Indian continental block with the Tibetan block. To the north of the ITSZ lies a 40-100 million year old granitoids belt known as trans-Himalayan batholith granites.
Peaks
Mount Shisha Pangma is the fourteenth tallest mountain in the world and the tallest mountain that lies entirely in the Himalayas of Tibet. Shisha Pangma is easy to get to. Good view the top opens from the Tong La pass along the Druzhba highway. The Tong La Pass rises to an altitude of 5150 meters, and on a clear day, there is a magnificent view of the mountains.
Cho-Oyu is the sixth most high peak on the planet and rises to 8201 meters. It is located along the Tibet-Nepal border. Beautiful views of Cho Oyu can be seen from Gokyo, a small village in the Nepalese Himalayas that can only be reached via one of the most beautiful trekking routes. It starts and ends in Lukla and takes about 12 days.
The city of Old Tingri in Tibet also offers a beautiful view of this giant peak. From Old Tingri in 3 hours you can reach base camp where expeditions to the mountain begin. Of the 14 peaks on the planet that rise above 8000 meters, Cho Oyu is considered the least difficult to climb. For the first time this peak was conquered in October 1954.
Makalu is one of the most beautiful of the 14 eight-thousanders. It is located 19 km from Mount Everest along the Tibet-Nepal border at an altitude of 8485 meters. He was first conquered in 1955.
There are also other famous peaks. These are Karakoru, Kailash, Kanchenjungu, Nanga Parbat, Annapurnu and Manasklu.
The largest mountain in the world
Everest is the highest point of the Himalayas ( 8848 meters). This is the most high peak on the planet. It can be viewed from both Nepal and Tibet. The Himalayas look stunning on both sides. The small Kala Patthar mountain in Nepal offers stunning views of Everest. To get to Kala Patthara, you need to hit the road from the small village of Lukla. From Lukla, it takes about 7 or 8 days to walk to Gorak Shep, which is the closest to the Kala Pattar Base Camp on Everest on the Nepal side. From Gorak Shepa, the steep climb will take from 90 minutes to 2 hours to Kala Patthar, which is 5545 meters high. However, Everest itself cannot be seen from the base camp on the Nepal side, although there are great views from nearby Kala Patthara.
The Nepalese and Sherpas call this mountain Sagarmatha, and the Tibetans call it Chomolungma (Chomolungma). Since the 1920s, many of the world's best climbers have attempted to climb Mount Everest, and on May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) and Sir Edmund Hillary ( New Zealand).
Geography and ecology
They stretch across the northeastern part of India. The question of which country the Himalayas are located in cannot be answered unequivocally: they pass through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. They stretch for about 2,400 km. The Himalayan Range consists of three parallel ridges, often referred to as the Greater, Lesser and Outer Himalayas.
Two peaks, Everest and 2K (Chogori, designated as the second peak of the Karakorum) tend to dominate the perception of the region. The Himalayas are rich in biodiversity. The climate ranges from tropical at the foot of the mountains to perennial snows and glaciers at the highest altitudes.
Nature
Here you can find several natural areas... These are discussed below.
- Mountain meadows and shrubs: they can be found at an altitude of three to five thousand meters. These areas usually experience cold winters and mild summers, which encourages plant growth. Rhododendrons rise above the bushes, while the alpine meadows, located directly above them, in warm months are distinguished by a variety of flora. The snow leopard, the Himalayan tar, and the musk deer live here.
- Moderate coniferous forests: In the northeast, temperate subalpine coniferous forests are found at elevations from two and a half to 4200 meters. Located in an inner valley, these forests are protected from the harsh monsoon conditions by the surrounding mountain ranges. Mainly pine, hemlock, spruce and fir grow here. Animal world represented by red pandas, takins and musk deer.
- Moderate deciduous and mixed forests. At medium altitudes, from two to three thousand meters, there are broadleaf and coniferous forests in the eastern region. These forests receive almost 200 cm of annual rainfall, mainly during the monsoon season. In addition to oaks and maples, orchids, lichens and ferns grow here. During the cold season, more than 500 bird species can be found, which stop here during the migration period. Golden monkeys - langurs also live here.
- Tropical and subtropical deciduous forests. They are located at an altitude of the Himalayas from 500 to 1000 meters along a narrow strip of the Main Himalayan Range. Due to the varied terrain, soil types and rainfall levels, a large number of plants grow here. Here you can find subtropical dry evergreen, northern dry mixed deciduous forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, subtropical broadleaf forests, northern tropical semi-evergreen forests and northern tropical moist evergreen forests. wildlife includes many endangered species including tigers and Asian elephants. More than 340 can be found in this region different types birds.
Rivers and glaciers
The Indus, Yangtze, Ganges and Brahmaputra originate in the Himalayas. All of them are the main river systems in Asia. The main ones in the Himalayas are the Ganges, Indus, Yarlung, Yangtze, Mekong and Nujiang.
The Himalayas are the third largest deposit of ice and snow in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. There are about 15,000 glaciers throughout the territory. The length of the Himalayan Siahen is 72 km. It is the largest glacier outside the poles. Other famous glaciers located in the Himalayas are Baltoro, Biafo, Nubru and Hispur.
What can be added to the description of the mountains? Pay attention to a few interesting facts.
- The Himalayan mountains were created by the movement of tectonic plates that pushed India into Tibet.
- Due to the large number of tectonic movements still taking place here, there are a lot of earthquakes and tremors in the mountains.
- This is one of the youngest mountain ranges on the planet.
- Mountains affect the air and water circulation systems and, accordingly, the weather conditions in the region.
- They cover approximately 75% of the territory of Nepal.
- Serving as a natural barrier for tens of thousands of years, they hindered early interaction between the people of India and the people of China and Mongolia.
- Everest was named after Colonel Sir George Everest, a British surveyor who lived in India in the early to mid-nineteenth century.
- The Nepalese name of Everest "Samgarmatha" is translated as "Goddess of the Universe" or "The Forehead of the Sky".
So, this article examined the highest and most impressive mountain range in the world. This is the Himalayan Range.
