Highest mountains in the world

Our world has impressive formations that awaken our amazement in one way or another. One of these is the highest mountain in the world, which challenges numerous climbers every year to overcome its summit.

Below you will find out which mountain is the highest in the world, how tall it is and its main characteristics. Therefore, continue reading below.

What is the highest mountain in the world

The name of the highest mountain in the world is Everest, a nickname it received in tribute to Sir George Everest who introduced it to the world in 1841, first calling it Peak 15.

However, to understand what the highest mountain in the world is called, we would have to delve a little deeper. Because originally the Tibetans called it Chomolungna or Qomolangmawhat does it mean Mother Goddess of Mountains. In Nepali it is known as Sagarmatha, which translates as sky goddess.

This peak is a sacred site and requires all climbers to apply for special permits and safe passages before attempting to reach its summit. It is a ceremony that is carried out in all cases at the base camp. It is carried out scrupulously before starting to climb the mountain.

Edmund Hillary and his Tibetan guide Tenzing Norgay were the first recorded people to climb Everest. They climbed the mountain in 1953 and together they hold the record.

The first records of its height were made in 1856. In the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India, English surveyors demonstrated that Everest was the highest peak in the world.

Mount Everest is part of the Himalayan mountains, where indigenous groups that are native to its valleys have long lived. The most famous of all is that of the sherpa. This word is often used to refer to mountain guides, although it is actually an ethnic group.

Climbing Mount Everest is the goal of almost every alpinist or climber. And yet it is a dangerous task. It requires a lot of preparation, experience in mountaineering in places of lower altitude, medical certification that demonstrates good health, equipment and a highly trained Nepalese guide.

How tall is the tallest mountain in the world?

So what is the tallest mountain in the world and how tall is it? Mount Everest was first measured in 1856, at which time it was assigned a height of 8,840 meters. In 1955 another measurement was made, resulting in a height of 8848 m.

©Tom Patterson
– Creative Commons

However, Chinese specialists claim that it actually measures 8,844 m. The scientists made a new measurement, under the hypothesis that its length could have changed since 2015. They achieved a more precise reading of 8,848.86 meters high from sea level, reaffirming that Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. world.

Where is the highest mountain in the world

The place where the highest mountain in the world is located is in the Himalayas. It is located between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.

Mount Everest is the main peak of the Himalayas, measuring 8848.86 m. It extends from the northeastern part of India, through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan to China.

This dominant Himalayan peak is more than a geographical landmark. It is also a symbol of culture. To visit it is to learn about Tibetan customs and explore the real life of the local people who live on Everest.

It is located on the border between China and Nepal, with its northern slope in Shigatse, which is an Autonomous region of Tibet in China. Its southern slope is influenced by the southwest monsoon of the Indian Ocean, with abundant rainfall and marine monsoon climatic characteristics.

List of the highest mountains in the world

Mount Everest is the highest, but it is not the only high peak on the planet. There are other formations of consideration that we will detail below from the smallest to the largest.

10- Annapurna I, Nepal.- 8091 m

It is the tenth highest mountain in the world, also famous because it is an ideal place for trekking. Despite not being the largest, it has the highest mortality rate, with 32% of attempts to reach its summit ending very badly.

© Theprotrekker
– Creative Commons

9- Nanga Parbat, Pakistan.- 8126 m

It is located in the Diamer district in the Gilgit Baltitan region of Pakistan, in the western Himalayas. It rises above the low valleys that surround it in all directions. One of its sides called the Rupal face It rises 4600 m above its base.

© Daniel Martin
– Creative Commons

8- Manaslu, Nepal- 8163 m

Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu were the first to climb it. They were part of the Japanese expedition that reached its summit on May 9, 1956. It was a controversial ascent that was opposed by locals who thought it was a sacred place.

© Samdesherpa
– Creative Commons

7- Dhaulagiri, Nepal – 8167m

It was climbed for the first time on May 13, 1960. But it is not very popular as people prefer the Annapurna I circuit which is only 34 km away. Its mountains are separated by the deepest gorge in the world, Kaligandaki.

© Sergey Ashmarin
– Creative Commons

6- Cho Oyu, Himalayas, Nepal – 8188m

It is the fourth and last member among the 8000 m mountains of Everest. It is considered the easiest to climb, because it has gentler slopes for the ascent.

© Goutam1962
– Creative Commons

5- Makalu, Himalayas, Nepal – 8485 m

A French expedition led by Jena Franco reached its summit in 1955. Its ascent was notable because ten members of the expedition reached the summit on that occasion. Normally this was a sort of one or two climbers per team.

© Ben Tubby
– Creative Commons

4- Lhotse, Himalayas, Nepal – 8516 m

Of all the mountains this is the closest to Everest. It is considered visually attractive, but it is not as visited. Its main summit was first climbed in 1956, yet Middle Lhotse was its highest unclimbed point for decades. The last ascent was in 2011 by a Russian expedition.

3- Kangchenjunga, Himalayas, Nepal/India – 8586 m

It is located between Nepal and Sikkim in India. It has three peaks on the border and two others in the Taplejung District of Nepal. It is the highest peak in India and was thought to be the largest in the world until 1852.

© MyDiscovery
– Creative Commons

2- K2, Karakoram, Pakistan/China – 8611 m

Its name was taken from the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India. Since there was no local name, it was preserved. He also called it Savage Mountain either Wild Mountainwhich describes very well what his ascension entails.

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Creative Commons

1- Mount Everest, Himalayas, Nepal – 8848 m

The world’s largest mountain has come under scrutiny. Photographs of large lines near the summit sparked a debate about possible overcrowding. In any case, it is still a great attraction for adventurous people.

© Vyacheslav Argenberg
– Creative Commons

Chimborazo is the highest mountain in the world

It seems that clearly the highest mountain in the world is Everest. And yet, this might not be entirely true. How is that possible? Well, it turns out that Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, South America is the true king of the mountains.

It is a stratovolcano that is part of the Andes mountain range. This makes it the furthest point from the center of the earth and consequently the highest based on distance.

The summit of Chimborazo rises 6,248 meters above sea level, which would seem not to be enough. But if measured from the center of the Earth, this is very different.

The reason for this is that the Earth is irregular, bulging at the equator and flattening out near the poles. This implies that mountains near the equator are technically higher than those in other areas. And Chimborazo is precisely at the waist of the world, while Everest is located 28 degrees to the north.

Chimborazo measures 6,263 m above sea level, making it lower than Everest. But if we take into account the equatorial bulge and measure which peak is furthest from Earth, Chimborazo surpasses any Himalayan peak by about 2000 meters.

The second highest mountain in the world

In this case we are talking about K2. It is also known as Chhogori or Qogir, Ketu or Kechu or Mount Godwin-Auten. It is located in Pakistan and is the highest point of the Karakoram Mountain Range.

© Kogo
– Creative Commons

It is also called Wild Mountain because its ascent is difficult and dangerous. It also has the second highest mortality rate among mountains that are around 8,000 meters high.

One in four people who have reached the summit has died trying. The danger level is greater from the Chinese side. That is why most climbs are done from Pakistan. It has never been climbed in winter.

The highest mountain in the world under the sea

Another mountain that competes hard with Everest for the title of the highest peak is Mauna Kea. It is a volcanic formation that is 4,207 meters high, so technically it is not too high.

However, Mauna Kea is an island in Hawaii. And if its length is measured from the seabed, this reverses the situation.

© Nula666
– Creative Commons

Leaving aside the water surrounding Mauna Kea and measuring the mountain from its underwater base, starting at the point where it begins to protrude from the surrounding crust, it has a height of 9,330 meters.

If both mountains were placed next to each other on a plane, there is no doubt that Mauna Kea would turn out to be the tallest.

The highest mountain in the world Ecuador

As we said before, the highest mountain on the planet could be Chimborazo, a formation in Ecuador. If its height is measured from the center of the Earth, it exceeds Everest by approximately 2000 meters.

Frequent questions