Average absolute height of the Himalayas. Nepal, Himalayas - the highest mountains on Earth

16.10.2019

I cannot boast that I have climbed one of the peaks of this great mountain system. But at its foot I was able to visit. Feelings are simply indescribable.

The Himalayas are located in five countries at once

I was able to contemplate the Himalayas in India, but in addition to this country, this mountain system "found its home" in Pakistan, Bhutan, China and Nepal. These great rivers feed from the Himalayan glaciers:

Ganges;
Brahmaputra.

Not only curious tourists come here in droves, but also professional climbers, most of whom want to conquer the peaks of Chomolungma or Everest (they belong to this mountain system). But with ski resorts everything is bad here, or rather, there are very few of them. The most famous is called Gulmarg.

Just think, the area of this mountain system is 650,000 kilometers. This is more than any European country.

There are a lot of interesting parks here, some of them are under the protection of UNESCO. If possible, visit the National Park at Nanda Devi. I also happened to spend one day in the Ladakh region. It was recently opened for tourists. Just amazing people live here who honor Tibetan traditions and wear national clothes.

A little about tours to these places

The so-called high season in the Himalayas lasts from early May to late October. The rest of the time it is cold here and tourists don't really want to go here. If we talk about classic tours, which includes visits to all iconic attractions, the price tag for them starts at $ 1,200. Flights are not included in this price.

Nepal

This state is called the heart of the Himalayas. It is in this Federal Republic that the snow-capped peak of Chomolungma is located. To "climb" to the highest point of the planet, thousands of extreme lovers and daredevils flock here every year like moths.

For the first time this peak was conquered more than half a century ago. Of course, not all climbers manage to climb here safely, every year a lot of people die here. But recently, one climber even went downhill skiing from here.

Himalayas - it is here, at the third pole of cold, that almost all of the most high mountains in the world, which are considered to be those whose height exceeds 8000 meters.

There are not so many such mountains on earth, only fourteen. Moreover, they are all located in the place of the globe where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates collide. This place is called the "Roofs of the World".

Since people became infected with mountaineering, the dream of each of them has become to visit the Himalayas and conquer all these eight-thousanders.

Routes on M ...

Valley before ...

View of Nangap ...

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 deep cracks, and on the slopes of the mountains so much snow settles that over time it compresses and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes the passage through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to come down, which, rushing downward, 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, dramatically reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of the so-called altitude 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.

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.

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 highest mountains on our planet.

1950, June 3 - Annapurna

French climbers Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal climbed the peak of Annapurna, the height of which is 8091 meters. 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 climbs 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 climbed 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 the summit with a height of 8848 m. In Tibetan this mountain is called Chomolungma, which means "Goddess Mother of Snows." 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 do it back in 1921. Then they 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 carry out 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 with 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 carried out measurements of 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 been 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 Pazang Dawa Lama. Cho-Oyu summit is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur-Himal mountain range, mountain range Chomolungma, 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, including the senior group of Sherpa guides, reached the summit. 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. Makalu means "Big Black" in Tibetan. Such unusual name It is given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and the snow simply does not hold on to them, so it remains bare for most of the year.

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, local residents warned 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 due to 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 most high 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 started climbing. 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, their village suffered misfortunes: 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. In 1955, a special delegation arrived from Japan to settle the matter with the locals. 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 having arranged a 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 team Soviet Union climbed along the southern side, which was 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.

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 eight-thousander. The first time the Germans tried to climb Broad Peak 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 were unsuccessful for 21 climbers who died while trying to climb. Mortality 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, 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 attempting 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 " White Mountain"noticed back in 1950, the French, members of the expedition in 1950. But then it seemed to them not available and they moved to Annapurna.

Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna and the Argentines tried to climb to its summit back in 1954. But because of 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. Eight Chinese climbers were the first to conquer Shishabangma: 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 "Gosaintan" 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 above 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. As part of the program "All 14 8000ers of the World", there is an ascent to the main peak. In total, there were 302 successful ascents to Shishabangu. 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 all 14 highest peaks of Zamli one by one. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, in 1978, together with Peter Habeler along the classical route through the South Col, and in 1980 alone along the northern route, and during the monsoon season. Both ascents without the use of oxygen apparatus.

In total, now in the world there are already 32 people who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders and these are probably not the last people who are waiting for the Himalayas.

Video: Himalayan Mountains. Where...

The Himalayas are considered to be the highest and most mysterious mountains of the planet Earth. The name of this array can be translated from Sanskrit as "land of snow". The Himalayas serve as a conditional separator between South and Central Asia. The Hindus consider their location as sacred land. Numerous legends claim that the peaks of the Himalayan mountains were the dwelling place of the god Shiva, his wife Devi and their daughter Himavata. According to ancient beliefs, the home of the gods gave rise to three great Asian rivers - the Indu, Ganges, Brahmaputra.

The origin of the Himalayas

It took several stages for the origin and development of the Himalayan mountains, which took a total of about 50,000,000 years. Many researchers believe that two colliding tectonic plates gave rise to the emergence of the Himalayas.

It is interesting that at present the mountain system continues its development, the formation of folding. The Indian plate is moving northeastward at a speed of 5 cm per year, while contracting by 4 mm. Scholars argue that such a move will lead to a further rapprochement between India and Tibet.

The speed of this process is comparable to the growth of human nails. In addition, intense geological activity in the form of earthquakes is periodically observed in the mountains.

An impressive fact - the Himalayas occupy a large part of the entire surface of the Earth (0.4%). This territory is incomparably large in comparison with other mountain objects.

On which continent are the Himalayas: geographic information

Tourists preparing for the trip should find out where the Himalayas are. Their location is the continent of Eurasia (its Asian part). In the north, the neighboring massif is the Tibetan Plateau. In the southern direction, this role went to the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The Himalayan mountain system stretches for 2,500 km, and its width is at least 350 km. The total area of the array is 650,000 m².

Many Himalayan ridges boast heights of up to 6 km. The highest point is presented, also called Chomolungma. Her absolute height is equal to 8848 m, which is a record among other mountain peaks on the planet. Geographical coordinates- 27 ° 59'17 "north latitude, 86 ° 55'31" east longitude.

The Himalayas are spread over several countries. Be proud of the neighborhood majestic mountains can not only the Chinese and Hindus, but also the peoples of Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan. Sections of this mountain range are also present in the territories of some post-Soviet countries: Tajikistan includes the northern mountain range (Pamir).

Characteristics of natural conditions

The natural conditions of the Himalayan mountains cannot be called soft and stable. The weather in this area is prone to frequent changes. Many areas have dangerous terrain and cold at high altitudes. Even in summer, frost persists down to -25 ° C, and in winter it increases to -40 ° C. On the territory of the mountains, hurricane winds are not uncommon, the gusts of which reach 150 km / h. In summer and spring average temperature air increases to +30 ° С.

In the Himalayas, it is customary to distinguish 4 climates. From April to June, the mountains are covered with wild herbs and flowers, and the air is cool and fresh. From July to August, rains dominate in the mountains, the largest amount of precipitation falls. In these summer months, the slopes of the mountain ranges are covered with lush vegetation, fog often appears. Warm and comfortable weather conditions remain until the arrival of November, after which a sunny frosty winter with heavy snowfalls sets in.

Description of the plant world

The Himalayan vegetation surprises with its diversity. On the southern slope subject to frequent precipitation, altitude zones, and at the foot of the mountains real jungle (terai) grow. In these places, large thickets of trees and shrubs are found in abundance. In some places, dense vines, bamboo, numerous bananas, low-growing palms are found. Sometimes you can get to the areas intended for the cultivation of certain crops. These places are usually cleared and drained by humans.

Climbing a little higher along the slopes, you can alternately take refuge in tropical, coniferous, mixed forests, behind which, in turn, are picturesque alpine meadows. In the north of the mountain range and in drier areas, the territory is represented by steppe and semi-deserts.

In the Himalayas, there are trees that provide people with expensive wood and resin. Here you can get to the places where dhaka, fat trees grow. At an altitude of 4 km, tundra vegetation in the form of rhododendrons and mosses is found in abundance.

Local fauna

Himalayan mountains have become a safe haven for many endangered animals. Here you can meet rare representatives of the local fauna - the snow leopard, black bear, Tibetan fox. In the southern region mountain range there are all the necessary conditions for the residence of leopards, tigers and rhinos. The representatives of the north of the Himalayas include yaks, antelopes, mountain goats, wild horses.

In addition to the richest flora and fauna, the Himalayas abound in a variety of minerals. In these places, loose gold, copper and chrome ore, oil, rock salt, brown coal are actively mined.

Parks and valleys

In the Himalayas, you can visit parks and valleys, many of which are attributed to the fund World heritage UNESCO:

Sagarmatha.
Flower Valley.

Sagarmatha National Park belongs to the territory of Nepal. The highest peak in the world, Everest, and other high mountains are considered its special property.

Nanda Devi Park is a natural treasure of India, located in the heart of the Himalayan mountains. This picturesque place is located at the foot of the hill of the same name, and has an area of over 60,000 hectares. The height of the park above sea level is not less than 3500 m.

The most picturesque places of Nanda Devi are represented by grandiose glaciers, the Rishi Ganga River, mystical Lake Skeletons, around which, according to legend, numerous human and animal remains were found. It is generally accepted that the sudden fall of an unusually large hail led to mass deaths.

The Flower Valley is located not far from Nanda Devi Park. Here, on an area of about 9000 hectares, several hundred colorful plants grow. Over 30 species of flora that adorn the Indian Valley are considered endangered, and about 50 species are used for medicinal purposes. A variety of birds also live in these places. Most of them can be seen in the Red Book.

Buddhist temples

The Himalayas are famous for their Buddhist monasteries, many of which are located in remote places, and are buildings carved out of the rock. Most of the temples have a long history of existence, up to 1000 years old, and lead a rather "closed" lifestyle. Some of the monasteries are open to everyone who wants to get acquainted with the way of life of monks, interior decoration holy places. In them you can make nice pictures... Entry to the territory of other shrines for visitors is strictly prohibited.

The largest and most revered monasteries include:

Drepung located in China.
Temple complexes of Nepal - Bodnath, Budanilkantha, Swayambhunath.
Jokhang, which is the pride of Tibet.

A carefully guarded religious shrine ubiquitous in the Himalayas is the Buddhist stupa. These religious monuments were erected by monks of the past in honor of any important event in Buddhism, as well as for the sake of prosperity and harmony throughout the world.

Tourists visiting the Himalayas

The most suitable time to travel to the Himalayas is considered to be the period from May to July and September to October. During these months, vacationers can count on sunny and warm weather, lack of heavy rainfall and strong winds... For fans of adrenaline sports, there are few, but modern ski resorts.

In the Himalayan mountains, you can find hotels and inns of various price categories. In religious quarters, there are special houses for pilgrims and worshipers of the local religion - ashrams, which have ascetic living conditions. Accommodation in such premises is quite cheap, and sometimes it can be completely free. Instead of a fixed amount, the guest may offer a voluntary donation or help with the household.

This article provides basic information about the highest mountain system - the Himalayas. More detailed information can be found in the online magazine AttractionStory.ru

The Himalayas are the highest peak of the planet Earth. The vast mountain complex is almost 24,000 km long. Width - over 13,000 km. The total area is over 1,000,000 km². The height of the highest point exceeds 8 800 m - this hill is called Everest. In total, the mountain range consists of 109 peaks.

The mountains are the natural border separating the Indian subcontinent from mainland Asia. The Himalayas are marked on the map of five countries - Nepal, Bhutan, India, China, Pakistan. In addition, it is in the peaks of the Himalayas that India's greatest river, the Ganges, originates.

The origin of the name of the mountains comes from the ancient Indian Sanskrit - "Himalaya" literally means a snowy abode, a snowy kingdom.

The Himalayas are a three-stage system

The Pre-Himalayas are a complex of mountain heights, the height of which does not exceed 2 thousand meters.
Small Himalayas. The tops of the mountains forming "small" heights reach 4 km.
Greater Himalayas. They form the highest peaks of the mountain complex.

Climate and nature of mountains

The Himalayas are a natural dividing barrier of climatic zones. So, in the north of the mountains, continental moderate winds reign, air currents are dry and cold. The southern direction is represented by tropical air masses with a lot of precipitation in summer.

Temperatures in the highest areas reach –25 ° C in summer and drop to –40 ° C in winter.

A large amount of precipitation and a significant altitude of the mountain range led to the formation of large glaciers and a branched river system. Many lakes have formed in the mountains, but all of them are significantly inferior in size to alpine reservoirs.

The vegetation of the Himalayas has a tiered distribution. At the very foot of the mountains there is a swampy jungle, a tier higher - tropical forests, then there is a kingdom of deciduous and coniferous species, replaced by mixed forests, on the upper slopes the vegetation is presented in the form of alpine meadows. At an altitude of over 4.5 km (in the southern part of the mountains) and 6 km (in the north), the border of eternal snows passes.

The fauna of the Himalayas also differs depending on the altitude and the prevailing landscape. For example, Indian rhinos and elephants, antelopes and buffaloes live in the jungle at the foot of the mountains. Alpine meadows are dominated by Himalayan bears, yaks and snow leopards (currently on the brink of extinction).

Ethnic and religious diversity

Due to the harsh climatic conditions, the highlands and mid-mountainous heights are poorly populated by people. The bulk of the population lives in the low-lying regions of the mountains and at their foot. The Himalayas are inhabited by representatives of various peoples. Most of them have lived in isolation from each other for many centuries, and therefore have significant anthropological and cultural differences. So in the south, Aryan peoples from Hindustan prevail. Dardas also live here, with characteristic Mediterranean features, which gave reason to assume that they are descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great. The western slopes of the mountains are inhabited by Persian and Turkic peoples, and Tibetans live in the northeast.

Most of the population is employed in agriculture. The main trades are agriculture, cattle breeding. In recent years, there has been an increase in employment of the local population in the tourism sector.

The main religious beliefs of the mountain peoples are represented by various currents of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

Sights of the Himalayas: natural and man-made

The Himalayas are the center of tourist attraction. The region is rich in cultural and natural attractions.

First of all, travelers are called by high mountains. Every climber dreams of conquering the most high summit of the world - Everest.

Many adventurers go to mysterious Tibet in search of the mythical Shambhala. Tibet attracts tourists and the desire to get to know their famous temples, see the legendary Tibetan monks. Pilgrims rush to the mountains for healing.

In addition, paranormal researchers believe that it is the Himalayas that are the place of refuge for Bigfoot. Belief in this legend brings together many cinematic expeditions of both professionals and amateurs.

Adepts of the now popular philosophical teaching of yoga strive to the Indian Himalayas in order to be imbued with the true light of religion. In addition, the Indian Himalayas are the main point of attraction. Russian tourists... It is here that the estate of the famous Russian painter and scientist Nicholas Roerich is located, where the last years of his life passed. The house-museum of the artist presents a large collection of his works and keeps the memorabilia of the painter and his family members, collected over a long period.

History lovers are attracted by the palaces and monuments of India, Tibet, Nepal and other countries.

Of course, the rich and multifaceted culture of the region and the beauty of the natural world will not leave anyone indifferent.

The mountain structure of the Himalayas is undoubtedly the highest in the world. It stretches for 2,400 meters from the northwest towards the southeast. Its western part is 400 kilometers wide, and the eastern one is about 150 kilometers.

In the article we will consider where the Himalayas are located, on the territory of which states the mountain range is spread, and who lives in this territory.

Kingdom of snow

The pictures of the Himalayan peaks are mesmerizing. Many will easily give an answer to the question of where these giants are located on our planet.

The map shows that they are located on a vast territory: from the northern hemisphere and ending, they cross South Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plain along the way. Further, they smoothly grow into other mountain systems.

The unusual location of the mountains lies in the fact that they are located on the territory of 5 countries. Indians, Nepalese, Chinese, residents of Bhutan, Pakistan, and the northern side of Bangladesh can boast of the Himalayas.

How the Himalayas appeared and developed

This system of mountains, from the point of view of geology, is quite young. It has been assigned to the coordinates of the Himalayas: 27 ° 59′17 ″ north latitude and 86 ° 55′31 ″ east longitude

There are two phenomena that influenced the appearance of mountains:

The system was formed mainly from sediments and rocks interacting in the earth's crust. At first, they folded into peculiar folds, and then rose to a certain height.
The formation of the Himalayas was influenced by the merging of two lithospheric plates, which began about 50 million years ago. Because of this, the ancient Tethys Ocean disappeared.

The dimensions of the Himalayan peaks

This mountain system includes 10 of the 14 highest mountains on Earth, which have exceeded the 8 km mark. The highest of them is Mount Chomolungma (Everest) - 8,848 meters up. On average, all the Himalayan mountains exceed 6 km.

In the table you can see which peaks the mountain system includes, their height and the location of the Himalayas by country.

Three main steps

The Himalayan mountains have formed 3 main levels, each of which is higher than the previous one.

Description of the Himalayan steps, starting with the lowest in height:

The Sivalik Range is the southernmost, lowest and youngest level. Its length is 1 km 700 meters between the Indus and Brahmaputra lowlands, and from 10 to 50 km wide. The height of the Sivalik Upland does not exceed 2 km. This mountain range is located mainly on the land of Nepal, capturing the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Lesser Himalayas - the second step, going in the same direction as Sivalik, only closer to the north. On average, their height is about 2.5 km, and only in the west they reach 4 km. These two Himalayan steps have many river valleys that divide the massif into isolated sections.
The Greater Himalayas is the third level, which is much further north and higher than the previous two. Some peaks here are much more than 8 km in height. And the depressions in the mountain ridges are more than 4 km. Multiple glacial accumulations are located on an area of more than 33 thousand km 2. They contain fresh water in the volume of about 12 thousand km 3. The largest and most famous glacier - Gangotri - the beginning of the Indian river Ganges.

Himalayan water system

The three largest South Asian rivers - the Indus, Brahmaputra and the Ganges - begin their journey in the Himalayas. Western Himalayan rivers enter the catchment of the Indus River, and all others adjoin the Brahmaputra-Ganges basin. The easternmost side of the Himalayas belongs to the system. Also in this mountain structure there are many naturally occurring bodies of water that have no connections with other rivers, seas and oceans. For example, the lakes Bangong-Tso and Yamjoyum-Tso (700 and 621 km 2, respectively). And then there is Lake Tilicho, which is located very high in the mountains - at an elevation of 1919 m, and is considered one of the highest in the whole world.

Vast glaciers are another feature of the mountain system. They cover an area of 33 thousand km 2 and store about 7 km 3 of snow. The largest and longest glaciers are Zema, Gangotri and Rongbuk.

Weather

The weather in the mountains is changeable, it is influenced by geographical position Himalayas, their vast territory.

On the southern side, under the monsoon influence, there is a lot of precipitation in summer - in the east up to 4 meters, in the west up to 1 meter a year, and in winter they almost never happen.
In the north, on the contrary, there is almost no rain at all, the continental climate prevails here, cold and dry. High in the mountains, severe frosts and increased winds occur. The air temperature is below -40 o C.

Temperature in summer time reaches -25 ° C, and in winter - up to -40 ° C. In mountainous areas, winds of up to 150 km / h are often encountered. In the Himalayas, the weather changes quite often.

The Himalayan mountain structure also affects the weather of the entire region. The mountains act as protection from freezing arid gusts of wind that blow from the north, so the climate in India is warmer than in Asian countries, which, by the way, are located in the same latitudes.

In Tibet, the weather is very dry, as all the monsoon winds blowing from the south and bringing a lot of precipitation cannot cross the high mountains. All moisture-containing air volumes settle in them.

There is an assumption that the Himalayas also took part in the formation of desert Asia, as they impeded the passage of rainfall.

Flora and fauna

The flora directly depends on the height of the Himalayas.

The base of the Sivalik Range is covered with swampy forests and terai (a kind of growth).
A little higher, green dense forests with a high tree stand begin, there are deciduous and coniferous plants. Further there are mountain meadows covered with dense grass.
Forests, which are composed of deciduous trees and small shrubs, prevail at an altitude of more than 2 km. And coniferous forests - more than 2 km 600 meters.
Above 3 km 500 meters, the kingdom of shrubs begins.
On the slopes from the north, the weather is drier, so there is much less vegetation. Mainly mountainous deserts and steppes prevail.

The fauna is very diverse and depends on where the Himalayas are located and their position above sea level.

In the southern tropics, wild elephants, antelopes, tigers, rhinos and leopards live, a very large number of monkeys.
The famous Himalayan bears, mountain rams and goats, yaks live a little higher.
And even higher, snow leopards are sometimes found.

There are many nature reserves in the Himalayas. For example, national park Sagarmatha.

Population

A significant part of people live in the southern Himalayas, the height of which does not reach 5 km. For example, in the Kashirskaya and Kathmandu basins. These areas are quite densely populated, land almost all are cultivated

In the Himalayas, the population is divided into ethnic groups. It so happened that it is difficult to get to these places, people for a long time lived in isolated tribes that had little contact with neighboring ones. Often in the winter, the inhabitants of a depression found themselves completely cut off from others, because it was impossible to get to the neighbors because of the snow blockages in the mountains.

It is known where the Himalayas are located - on the territory of five countries. Residents of the region communicate in two languages: Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burmese.

Religious views also differ: some praise Buddha, while others worship Hinduism.

The inhabitants of the Himalayas - the Sherpas - live high in the mountains of Eastern Nepal, including the Everest region. They often earn extra money as assistants on expeditions: they show the way and carry things. They are perfectly adapted to the height, so even at the most high points this mountain system does not suffer from a lack of oxygen. Apparently, this is betrayed at the genetic level.

The inhabitants of the Himalayas are mainly engaged in agricultural work. If the land plots are relatively flat and there is a sufficient amount of water in stock, then the peasants successfully grow potatoes, rice, peas, oats and barley. Where the climate is warmer, such as in the basins, lemons, oranges, apricots, tea and grapes grow. High in the mountains, the inhabitants keep yaks, sheep and goats. Yaks carry goods, but they are still kept for obtaining meat, wool and milk.

Special values of the Himalayas

There are many attractions in the Himalayas: these are Buddhist and Hindu monasteries, temples, relics. At the foot of the mountains is the city of Rishikesh - sacred place for Hindus. It was in this city that yoga was born, this city is considered the capital of harmony of body and soul.

The city of Hardwar or "Gateway to God" is another sacred place for local residents... It is located on the descent from the mountain of the Ganges River, which flows into the plain.

You can walk along national park"Valley of Flowers", which is located on the western side of the Himalayas. This area covered with beautiful flowers is national heritage UNESCO.

Tourist travel

In the Himalayan mountain system, sports such as climbing to peaks and hiking along mountain trails are immensely popular.

The most popular tracks are:

The famous path near Annapurna passes by the slopes of the mountain range of the same name in northern Nepal. The length of the journey is about 211 km. In height, it varies from 800 m to 5 km 416 meters. On the way, tourists can admire alpine lake Tilicho.
You can see the territory near Manaslu, which is located around the Mansiri-Himal mountains. It overlaps with the first route.

The travel time of these paths is influenced by the tourist's preparation, the season and the weather. It is dangerous for an untrained person to immediately climb to a height, as it can begin " altitude sickness“Besides, it’s unsafe. You need to prepare well, purchase special equipment for mountaineering.

Almost everyone knows where the Himalayas are and dreams of visiting there. Travel to the mountains attracts tourists from different countries, including from Russia. Remember that it is better to climb in the warm season, preferably in autumn or spring. It rains in the Himalayas in summer, and very cold and impassable in winter.