The highest mountain system in the world. The highest mountains

According to the data, it is this shield volcano located in the Hawaiian Islands that is the highest, given the height from the very base of the mountain.

As you know, with its height of 10203 meters, it is 1355 meters higher than Chomolungma. If you decide to visit this gigantic elevation, you will notice that most of the mountain is hidden under water, and only 4205 meters rise above sea level.

Mauna Kea has existed on earth for about a million years. According to experts, the last period of activity of the volcano was 500,000 years ago, the last eruption occurred approximately 4-5 thousand years ago, so it is considered inactive and there is no reason to worry.

It is believed that the top of the volcano mountain has all the best qualities intended for astronomical observation: humid air, temperature, number of sunny days per year, environmental conditions, etc. As you know, a number of powerful telescopes are already operating on its top, and in 214 the construction of the largest telescope in the world began there.

The highest mountains in the world from all continents. Description of the seven highest peaks by frequent light.

As you know, there is a project that includes a list of the highest peaks in the world around the world and it has the name "Seven Peaks". This seven includes the mountains of North and South America, as well as Asia and Europe. Climbers who have conquered all seven peaks automatically become honorary members of the Seven Peaks Club.

I consider it necessary to provide a list of mountains that are included in the list of "seven peaks":

• Chomolungma (Asia);
• Aconcagua (South America);
• McKinley (North America);
• Kilimanjaro (Africa);
• Elbrus or Mont Blanc (Europe);
• Vinson Massif (Antarctica);
• Kosciuszko (Australia) or Cartens Pyramid (Punchak Jaya) (Australia and Oceania).

Chomolungma (Everest) as the highest peak in Asia

Geographically, it laid its southern mountain ranges (8760 m) on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and the northern (main, 8848 m) - on the territory of China itself. The peak itself belongs to the Himalayas and the Mahalangur-Himal range. Its coordinates are 27.59`17` N. 86.55`31` E

An interesting fact is that we would not have known about this mountain, as the highest in the world, if in 1852, a certain mathematician and topographer Radhanat Sidkar, being in India, at a distance of 240 km. from India, did not determine this by trigonometric calculations.

The tallest Asian beauty has the shape of a trihedral pyramid. The southern skrod is notable for its geometric steepness and exposure, so snow and firn do not hold on it. As you know, many glaciers come down from the top, which end their existence at 5000 m-howl.

According to the facts, the first people to climb the highest peak were Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Yudmond Hillary, they climbed on May 29, 1953 through the South Col.

You should not hide the fact that the mountain is not very welcoming to guests. Its climate is very severe, the wind speed reaches 55 m/s, the temperature in some places drops to -60 degrees Celsius. According to statistics, every twentieth climber forever remains on the slopes of harsh peaks, even modern equipment and equipment do not help, as a result of which 200 climbers from 1953 to 2014 left their lives without conquering the highest peak.

Aconcagua is the second of the Seven Peaks, the highest peak in the western and southern hemispheres of the Earth.

As you know, in Argentina, in the central part of the Andes, the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua, is located. According to the data, this peak was formed at the confluence of two lithospheric plates Nazca and South American and is 6962 m in absolute height. It also has a large number of glaciers, the largest are the northeastern (Polish) and eastern.

Coordinates: 32.39`S 70.00`W

In comparison with Chomolungma, it will not be difficult to climb this peak if it is made from the northern slope. But despite this, it will be more difficult to conquer from the south or southwest. As you know, the British were the first to climb Mount Akonkaguu in 1898 with the expedition of Edward Fitzgerald.

The third of the "Seven Summits" is the highest mountain in North America - McKinley

Coordinates - 63.04`10` N 151.00`26` W

This miracle of nature is located in the center of the Denali National Park, in Alaska. As the story goes, until 1867, that is, until Alaska was sold to the United States, it was considered the highest mountain of the Russian Empire. The first person who saw it from two sides is Lavrenty Alekseevich Zagoskin, the leader of the Russian expedition.

March 17, 1913, American climbers under the command of Hudson Stack are considered the first people to conquer this peak.

According to the stories, earlier the indigenous people, the Athabaskan Indians, called this mountain Denali, which means “great” in translation. It was also called “Big Mountain” during the Russian Empire. It received its final name in 1896 in honor of the 25th American president.

The highest mountain in Africa and the fourth of the "seven" - Kilimanjaro

Geographical coordinates: 3.04`00` S, 37.21`33` E

This mountain is a potentially active volcano in northeastern Tanzania. Its ridge is made up of three extinct volcanoes: Shira is located in the west from 3962 m above sea level, Kibo in the center with a height of 5891.8 m, and in the east Mawenzi with a height of 5149 m.

Speaking about the appearance of the mountain, its peaks are covered with an ice cap. Unfortunately, this glacier is actively melting and its height is barely noticeable as in the old days, and experts predict its complete disappearance by 2020. Such active melting may be due to the clearing of nearby forests and reduced rainfall.

As evidenced by the facts, in 1889 the first ascent to this peak was made by Hans Meyer. It is important to say that the conquest of this mountain is not considered difficult from a technical point of view. since it is located close to the equator and is located at the intersection point of all types of altitudinal zonation.

The highest peak in Russia and Europe - Elbrus

Geographical coordinates: 43.20`45` N, 42.26`55` E

Due to the ambiguity of the border between Asia and Europe, there are currently disputes about the belonging of this mountain to Europe. With a positive answer, this mountain can be considered the highest point in Europe, if not, then Mont Blanc can claim this peak.

About the location: as you know, Elbrus is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachevo-Cherkessia, which is in the Caucasus.

Outwardly, it looks like an auger-shaped cone of a volcano, with a height of 5642 m in the west, and 5621 m in the east. According to the data, in the 50s. before. AD last eruption was observed.

The hills of this mountain are covered with glaciers measuring 134.5 square kilometers, the largest of which are Big and Small Azau, Terskop.

From the point of view of climbers, the ascent is not difficult, but with the presence of particularly difficult routes. The first conquest was carried out during the expedition of General G.A. Emanuel, head of the Caucasian fortified line in 1929.

The highest mountain of Antarctica and the sixth of the "seven" - Vinson Massif

Geographic coordinates: 78.31`31` S, 85.37`01` W

The mountain is part of the Ellsworth Mountains and is geographically located 1200 km. from the South Pole. Its scale is 21 m long and 13 km. in width. Vinson Peak is the highest point of the massif.

It was discovered thanks to American pilots in 1957, and on December 18, 1966, a sunrise was recorded by Nicholas Clinch.

The fifth of seven and the first mountain in Europe "Mont Blanc"

Geographic coordinates: 45.49`58` N, 6.51`53` E

This beauty is located on the border of France and Italy and belongs to the mountain system of the Alps. Its length is 50 km. it is part of the Mont Blanc crystalline massif. The mountain has a large and majestic cover with a length of 200 km., Mer de Glace is the largest glacier.

Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard were the first to conquer the massif on August 8, 1786. Another interesting fact is that in 1886, during his honeymoon, Theodore Roosevelt conquered this mountain.

The seventh of the "Seven" and the first in continental Australia - Mount Kosciuszko

Geographic coordinates: 36.27`S 148.16`E

This array was discovered in 1840 and is located on the territory of the national park of the same name, in the Australian Alps in the south of New South Wales.

As you know, the name of the mountain in honor of the military and political figure Tadeusz Kosciuszko was given by the Polish traveler, geographer and geologist Pavel Edmund Strzelecki. It was he who in 1840 carried out the first conquest of this mountain.

The highest in Australia and Oceania and the seventh of seven - Carstens Pyramid (Puncak Jaya)

Geographic coordinates: 4.05` S, 137.11` E

It is impossible to miss the fact that there is currently a disagreement about which array should close the list of "seven" vertices. When taking into account the Austrian continent, Kosciuszko Peak will be considered, and when capturing the whole of Australia and Oceania, the Carstens Pyramid with a height of 4884 meters will be undeniably the highest. Because of this, two versions of the “seven peaks” were created, including two variants. But the main one is still considered the Pyramid of Carstens.

The peak is part of the Maoke massif and is located in the western part of the island of New Guinea.

The mountain is named after the Dutch explorer Jan Carstens, who discovered it in 1623. For the first time its hills were conquered by a group of four Austrian climbers led by Heinrich Harrer in 1962.

The relief of our planet is bizarre, deep depressions are replaced by high mountains. There are 14 peaks on Earth that have “surpassed” the 8,000 m mark. But the highest of the “eight-thousanders”, which at first glance, are inaccessible, are especially attractive for climbers.

Conquering the highest peak on the planet is the dream of all climbers. What are the highest mountains in the world?

Fifth place - Makalu (8485 meters, Himalayas)

Opens the rating of the five highest mountains of Makalu Land. Located almost in the center of the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, the peak is part of the Mahalangur-Hemal mountain range. Extremely steep slopes and year-round glaciation make the mountain incredibly difficult to climb, with less than a third of all expeditions succeeding. The first successful attempt to conquer the summit was recorded in 1955. 26 climbers died during the ascents.

Related materials:

The biggest butterflies in the world

The mountain range consists of two peaks, its shape resembles a four-sided pyramid. The local population treats Makalu with respect and some fear, respectfully calling her the "Black Giant". Makalu peak height 8485 meters.

Fourth place - Lhotse (8516 meters, Himalayas)

The nearest "neighbor" of Everest is only 3 km, Lhotse is located on the border of China and Nepal and is part of the Nepalese Sagarmatha National Park. Known for a long time, the mountain was conquered only in 1956. Of all the "eight-thousanders", the summit has the least number of routes, and successful ascents make up only 25%.

The mountain has an unusual shape of a trihedral pyramid, it has three peaks, and each one is higher than 8000 meters. Translated from the Tibetan name Lhotse sounds like "southern peak". The height of this mountain is 8516 meters.

Third place - Kanchenjunga (Himalayas)

Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain peak in the world, its height is 8586 meters. Until the middle of the century before last, until Chogori and Everest were discovered, it was considered the highest in the world. The first successful ascent of the mountain happened in 1954. During the conquest of the summit, 40 climbers died. Moreover, contrary to the trend characteristic of other "eight-thousanders", the death rate does not decrease over time, but rather increases. According to Nepalese legend, Kanchenjunga is a mountain woman who, out of jealousy, kills women seeking to conquer the peak.

Related materials:

The strongest animals in the world

Located on the border of India and Nepal, the peak is extremely picturesque; in translation, its name sounds like “5 Treasures of the Great Snows”. The extraordinary beauty of Kanchenjunga captivated the Russian philosopher and educator Nicholas Roerich. On canvases, he captured the unique natural charm of the mountain peak.

Second place Chogori (Himalayas)

Chogori - the northernmost of the "eight-thousanders" peak is part of the Karakoram mountain range, located in two countries - China and Pakistan. Its height is 8611 meters. Discovered in 1856, the mountain received the "technical" name K2 - the second peak of the Karakorum. Chogori began to call her after a while. Climbing to the top has been undertaken since the beginning of the last century, but it was only possible to conquer it in 1954. 60 climbers conquering the summit cost their lives.

In addition to the official name, the peak has other, quite common ones - Dapsung, Godwin-Austen and Karakorum 2. The mountain peak is distinguished by severe weather conditions, climbing it is fraught with great difficulties. So far, no one has managed to conquer Chogori in winter.

Wherever this question is asked, the answer will always be "Mount Everest". However, few people think about the meaning of this question. Most people on the planet won't try to think twice and will immediately answer it the same way. Everest. Therefore, it is not in vain that when we compare the highest mountains on other planets in our solar system (for example, Mount Olympus on Mars), we definitely put Everest in comparison. The truth is that Everest is not the highest point on planet Earth.

The peculiarity of our planet is that instead of an ideal sphere, the Earth is an oblate spheroid. Therefore, those places that are near the equator, as a rule, are much further from the center of the planet than those that are located at its poles. Given this fact, Everest, like all the Himalayas, can hardly be called the highest point on the planet.

Earth as a sphere

The understanding that the Earth is a spherical body came to people as early as the 6th century BC. The ancient Greeks were the first to know about it. And although this theory is attributed to Pythagoras, it is equally likely that it could equally have appeared by itself as a result of travel between Greek settlements. The fact is that sailors began to notice changes in the position and visibility of the stars, depending on the chosen geographical latitude.

Planet Earth. View from space of the western hemisphere

By the 3rd century BC, the theory of a spherical earth began to acquire quite scientific significance. By measuring the angle of cast shadows at various geographic locations, Eratosthenes (276 BC - 194 BC) - a Greek astronomer from Cyrene (modern Libya) - was able to calculate the circumference of the Earth with an error of 5-15 percent . With the rise of the Roman Empire and the adoption of Hellenistic astronomy, the theory of a spherical earth spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe.

Knowledge of this was preserved thanks to the transfer from generation to generation by monks, as well as thanks to the scholasticism of the Middle Ages. By the time of the Renaissance and the revolution in science (mid-16th - late 18th centuries), geological and heliocentric views had become established in science. With the advent of modern astronomy, more accurate measurement methods, and the ability to look at the Earth from space, mankind was still able to see the true shape and size of our planet.

Modern earth models

Let's clarify the situation a bit: the Earth is not a perfect sphere, but it's not flat either. In the first case, I would like to apologize to Galileo, in the second - to the flat Earth society. As mentioned above, the Earth has the shape of an oblate spheroid, which, in turn, is a consequence of the peculiarity of rotation. At the poles, it is, as it were, flattened, and in the equatorial part it is elongated. Many space objects of the solar system have the same shape (take at least or Saturn). Even rapidly rotating stars, such as one of the brightest, Altair, have the same shape.

Data from the 2014 Global Earth Model, where brighter colors indicate points farthest from the Earth's center

Based on some recent measurements, it was found that the polar radius of the Earth (that is, the distance from the center of the planet to one or another pole) is 6356.8 kilometers, while the equatorial radius (from the center to the equator) is 6378.1 kilometers. In other words, objects located along the equator are 22 kilometers farther from the center of the Earth (geocenter) than objects located at the poles.

Naturally, it is worth considering some topographical changes in certain areas, where some objects located near the equator are closer to the center, while others are further from the center of the Earth, compared to other objects of a particular region. The most notable exceptions are the Mariana Trench (the deepest place on Earth, at 10,911 meters) and Mount Everest, which is 8,848 meters above sea level. However, these two geological features represent a very small difference, if we take into account the general shape of the Earth. The difference in this case is only 0.17 percent and 0.14 percent, respectively.

The highest point on earth

In fairness, we note that Everest is indeed one of the highest points on our planet. The height at its peak is 8848 meters above sea level. However, due to its location in the Himalayan range (27 degrees 59 minutes north of the equator), it is actually lower than the mountains located in Ecuador.

Mount Chimborazo

It is here, where the Andes mountain range is located, that the highest point on planet Earth is located. The height of Mount Chimborazo is 6263.47 meters above sea level. However, due to its location (1 degree 28 minutes south of the equator) in the highest protruding part of the planet, its total height from the geocenter is about 21 kilometers.

View of Mount Everest from Kala Pathar

If we consider the issue in terms of distance to the geocenter, Everest is located at a distance of 6382 kilometers from the center of the Earth, while Chimborazo is located at 6384 kilometers. The difference with rounding is only about 3.2 kilometers, which at first glance may seem quite insignificant. However, when it comes to the titles of the “most-most”, you need to be precise.

Of course, even after such explanations, there will be people who will confidently say that Mount Everest is still the highest point on the planet, if we consider its height from the foot (base) to the peak. Unfortunately, they are wrong here too. Because in this case, the title of the highest mountain goes to Mauna Kea, a shield volcano located on the island of Hawaii. The height of the mountain from the base to the very top at Mauna Kea is 10,206 meters. This is the highest mountain on our planet. However, most of the mountain goes several thousand meters deep into the ocean, and therefore we can only see its peak with a height of 4207 meters.

However, those who consider Everest to be the highest mountain according to its height above sea level will be right. If we consider its height as the height above sea level, then Everest is indeed the highest mountain in the world.