The highest mountains on Earth are found in the Himalayas. This great mountain system of Asia forms a barrier between the Chinese region of Tibet to the north and the Indian subcontinent to the south. In the Sanskrit language of India, the name Himalayas means “abode of snow.” It refers to the vast permanent snowfields on the lofty peaks.

Origins

The Himalayas were formed by great movements in the Earth's crust more recently than many other mountains. Many tens of millions of years ago the Indian subcontinent was separate from the larger landmass containing the rest of Asia and Europe. For some 130 million years the subcontinent moved slowly along the Earth's surface on a collision course with the Eurasian landmass. About 50 million years ago the Indian subcontinent finally collided with the larger landmass. This began the long process by which the land was forced upward to form the Himalayas. Only within the last 600,000 years were the mountains pushed up to the point where they became the highest on Earth. The mountain-building process is still going on, sometimes leading to great landslides. (See also continental drift.)

Physical features

No other mountain range on Earth can compare to the Himalayas. Of Earth's ten highest peaks, nine are Himalayan, and the other (K2) is in the nearby Karakoram Range. The peak of Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level, is the highest point on the surface of the Earth. It lies on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Other high peaks in the Himalayas are Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu, all above 27,700 feet (8,400 meters).

From west to east, the Himalayas stretch without interruption for about 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers). The width of the mountain system varies from 125 to 250 miles (200 to 400 kilometers) from south to north. The Himalayan ranges cover an area of about 229,500 square miles (594,400 square kilometers). They can be grouped into several belts. From south to north they are the Outer, or Sub, Himalayas; the Lesser, or Lower, Himalayas; the Great, or Higher, Himalayas; and the Tethys, or Tibetan, Himalayas. The highest peaks are in the Great Himalayas, which form the backbone of the system.

The Himalayas are drained by many major rivers. The Indus flows from the western mountains to the Arabian Sea. The Brahmaputra begins in the eastern Himalayas and empties into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges, which begins on the southern slopes, also flows to the Bay of Bengal. Huge glaciers feed the upper courses of the rivers. At lower altitudes, rainfall adds to their flow.

Climate

Because of their great height, the Himalayas have a major effect on the climate of the regions to the north and south. The mountains act as a barrier to rain-bearing winds blowing from the south. As a result, the southern slopes in India receive heavy rain and snow while the northern slopes in Tibet remain dry. Cherrapunji, in northeastern India, gets 450 inches (1,140 centimeters) of rainfall per year, making it one of the world's rainiest places. The mountains also block the passage of cold air from the north into India during the winter. In the upper reaches of the mountains, temperatures are low all year, with permanent snow and ice. Winds often blow at more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour.

Plants and animals

Himalayan regions vary widely in altitude and in rainfall, supporting many varieties of plant life. The southern foothills are tropical, with rain forests of bamboo, palm, pine, and chestnut in the eastern and central regions. A valuable timber tree called sal grows on slightly higher ground in the west. Forests of oaks, pines, and cedars are found at elevations of about 4,500 to 11,000 feet (1,400 to 3,400 meters). Above this level is the Alpine zone, where no large trees grow. However, there are junipers, rhododendrons, mosses, and lichens. Alpine meadows extend up to about 16,400 feet (5,000 meters).

The most famous animal of the Himalayas is a legendary one—the yeti, or abominable snowman. Giant footprints found in the snow have led some people to believe that this monstrous creature roams the mountains. Scientists say that these tracks are actually made by bears and that the yeti does not exist.

People

The people of the Himalayas are a mixture of ethnic groups from the countries that form part of the mountains. In early times, Asian peoples began entering the mountains from the east and north. Indian peoples came from the south, and European groups migrated from the west. The groups overlapped and mixed in Nepal, which makes up the middle third of the Himalayas. Generally speaking, Tibetans and other Asian peoples live in the high mountains of the Greater and Tethys Himalayas while Indo-Europeans live in the lower Lesser Himalayas. Of the groups living in the Great Himalayas, the Sherpa stand out. They are hardy mountaineers who participate in expeditions to climb Everest and other peaks.

In religion, Tibet and Bhutan are mostly Buddhist. Most of the people of India and Nepal are Hindu, while Pakistan is Muslim. The Outer Himalayan region of Kashmir is mostly Muslim, but it was awarded to a Hindu prince by the British rulers of 19th-century India. The Hindus of India and the Muslims of Pakistan have both claimed this land ever since their countries became independent in 1947. Their dispute lasted into the 21st century.

Economy

The economic resources of the Himalayas include farmland, pastureland, forests, mineral deposits, and waterpower. Rice, corn (maize), wheat, millet, and sugarcane are among the major crops. Fruit orchards in Kashmir and other western valleys produce apples, peaches, pears, and cherries. Grapes and nuts are also grown in Kashmir. The Darjeeling district of northern India is famous for its tea. Sheep, goats, and domesticated yaks are raised on the rough grazing lands of the Himalayas. Mineral deposits of the mountains include coal, bauxite (the ore from which aluminum is made), mica, gypsum, sapphires, copper, iron ore, sulfur, graphite, lead, and zinc.

Study and exploration

Traders, shepherds seeking pastures, and pilgrims on religious quests were the first travelers in the Himalayas. In 1590 a Spanish missionary first mapped the mountains. In the middle of the 19th century surveyors made a systematic effort to measure the Himalayan peaks. The peak later named Mount Everest was identified as the highest point in the world in the 1850s. In recent years the region has been mapped in detail through the use of satellites.

Mountain climbers first turned their attention to the Himalayas in the 1880s. In the 20th century mountaineers from various nations climbed the highest Himalayan peaks for the first time. The most important event was the climbing of Everest. The New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit in 1953. The Himalayas continue to challenge an increasing number of trekkers and climbers every year.

Environmental issues

Climbers who litter mountain slopes with refuse and discarded equipment are a major concern among people wanting to preserve the natural environment of the Himalayas. However, deforestation is a larger problem. As human populations have grown, trees in many parts of the mountains have been cut for fuel and to clear land for farming. This has upset the natural balance, threatening the survival of some plants and animals.