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Information on Mountains

Mountains

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Damavand in winter, Iran

A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain
in a limited area. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill, but there
is no universally accepted standard definition for the height of a mountain or a hill although
a mountain usually has an identifiable summit. Mountains cover 54% of Asia, 36% of North
America, 25% of Europe, 22% of South America, 17% of Australia, and 3% of Africa. As a

whole, 24% of the Earth's land mass is mountainous. Also, 1 in 10 people live in mountainous
regions. All the world's major rivers are fed from mountain sources, [verification needed] and more
than half of humanity depends on mountains for water. [1][2]

The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and the things associated with
them.

Heights

Mountains are generally given as heights above mean sea level. The Himalayas average 5 km

above sea level, whilst the Andes average 4 km. Most other mountain ranges average 2 –
2.5 km. The highest mountain on Earth is Everest, 8,848 m (29,028 feet), set in the world's
most significant mountain range, the Himalayas.

15,000 ft (4700 m) high Mount Ushba in the Caucasus

Other definitions of height are possible. The peak that is farthest from the center of the
Earth is Chimborazo in Ecuador. At 6,267 m above sea level it is not even the tallest peak in
the Andes, but because Chimborazo is very close to the equator and the Earth bulges at the
equator, it is 2,150 m further away from the Earth's centre than Everest. The peak that

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