Apart from being the highest mountain range, the Himalayas are also the youngest mountain range among thousands of mountains spread across the entire planet.Still, they are just 70 million years old. The Himalayas is not just a mountain range for the countries through which they pass: they hold much more significance to them.Many of the South Asian countries consider this mountain to have sacred value as they are mentioned in many of the mythological stories of these countries. Check out some of the most unknown Himalayas facts!Himalayas’ Geographic LocationThe mountains of the Himalayas are located in South Asia and spread across six countries, occupying a whopping area of around 1491.3 mi(2400 km). The geographical location of these mountains plays a crucial role in the climate and ecological environment of most of these countries.The countries located in the vicinity of the Himalayan mountains are Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.The Himalayan range is not singular in these countries but, is accompanied by a series of parallel ranges from north to south direction such as the Greater Himalayas, the Middle(or lessor) Himalayas, and the Shivalik(or outer) Himalayas.The Himalayan mountain ranges are also divided into three zones from the west to the east stretch. Namely, all these zones are the western Himalayas, eastern Himalayas, and central Himalayas.The area covered by the Himalayas is approx. 0.4% of the entire globe, which is roughly around 1491 mi(2400 km).The weather in this region, especially around Tibet, is dry during the summer and winters experience heavy snowfall.Physical Characteristics Of The HimalayasThe Himalayas has many physical attributes. They are not just the highest mountain ranges but they have different physical characteristics that have an impact on maintaining the climate and topography of the surrounding countries.The formation of the Himalayas is the result of the collision of Eurasian and Indian plates (per the tectonic plate theory). The plates are still moving towards each other which leads to a slight increase in height of the Himalayas every year.One interesting Himalayas fact is that the region experiences many earthquakes but has not witnessed any volcanic eruptions due to the absence of subduction zones. This is due to the absence of oceanic plates.More than 15,000 glaciers are found in the Himalayas which makes it the third-largest snow deposit after the polar region.The Siachin glacier which is around 48 mi(77.2 km) long is the largest glacier outside of the polar region.Out of the 14 highest mountain peaks on the planet, 10 are in the Himalayas, including the highest peak in the world which is Mount Everest.The height of Mount Everest is 29032.2 ft(8849 m). It is located in Nepal where its Nepalese name is ‘Sagarmatha,’ which means the head of the sky. It is one of the most famous peaks on Earth.Other high peaks in the Himalayas are Kanchunjunga, Nanda Devi, K2(Mount Godwin Austin), Lhotse, Makalu, Dholagiri, Annapurna, and Nanga Parbat.Out of all the mountains and peaks in the Himalayas, the majority of the peaks are above 23622.1 ft(7200 m) in height.The name Himalayas of this range is a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘abode of snow’. This reflects how its peaks are always covered with snow. Mount Everest comes under the Greater Himalayas zone.Besides its great height, this mountain range also serves many important functions. The Himalayas are the source of Asia’s three major river systems: the Indus river, the Yangtze river, and the Ganga-Brahmaputra rivers. All these rivers flow throughout the year across different regions of the continent.The glaciers located in the Himalayas are a source of many perennial rivers of the Asian continent apart from the major river system just mentioned above. The rivers that are connected with the Himalayan glaciers are Huang Ho, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Tsangpo, Yarlung, Salween, and many others.The Himalayas protects India from the cold winds coming from central Asia and thus, act as a barrier to protect the country from cold winters.The Himalayas is blessed with not only the highest peak but also with one of the highest lakes in the world, the Tilicho lake. The Tilicho lake is situated in Nepal and is found on the Annapurna peak of the Himalayas at an average height of 14498 ft(4419 m) above sea level.Countries That The Himalayas Passes ThroughThe Himalayas pass through many countries stretching from the west to the east. It has occupied a major land area of some of them and has an impact on their climate as well. The Himalayas passes through six countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.Around 25% of the land area in the world is occupied by mountains among which the Himalayan mountains play an important role.Mount Everest, the highest Himalayan peak, occupies approximately 16% of Nepal’s land area.Out of the world’s 14 highest peaks, eight are in Nepal. The Himalayas occupy some of the major mountain peaks of the world, that is why Nepal is considered a world-renowned launching ground for treks in the Himalayas.Nepal is home to 1310 and more mountains within the height range of 18044.7-29028.9 ft(5500 m-8848 m).The Himalayas are known by different names in different countries. In India, it is called ‘Giriraj,’ which means ’the king of the mountains’. In Tibet, it is known as ‘Chomolungma,’ which means the ‘Goddess of the World’.The Himalayas acts as a natural boundary between China and India.For the countries involved, this mountain pass through it is not only a mountain but has a sacred place in the religion of these regions. The Himalayas owns a sense of respect in many religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.In the Hindu religion, it is believed that Kailash is the home of Hindu gods and goddesses.The glacier deposits such as the Gangotri and Yamunotri glacier from which the Ganga and the Yamuna river originates, occupy a sense of devotion as well as significance in the Hindu religion.Mount Everest derives its name from the famous Surveyor General of India, Colonel Sir George Everest. However, it was given this name out of respect by Sir Andrew Waugh.The first two men who were successful in climbing Mount Everest for the very first time were Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hilary.Wildlife In The HimalayasThe physical attributes of the Himalayan range consist of diverse topographies and ecology in the form of different varieties of forests and wildlife.The Himalayas is home to coniferous forests, evergreen forests, tropical rainforests, grasslands, and glaciers.On the higher altitudes of the Himalayas are found coniferous forests and grasslands. On the middle altitudes of the Himalayas, sub-tropical forests can be found. At the lower elevations of the Himalayas, rainforests are found.The Himalayas acts as a foundation in developing some of the world’s most unique species of flora and fauna that are native to this region only.The Himalayas is the home to many varieties of trees such as deodar, birch, pine, dogwood, and rhododendron plants.The Himalayas provides shelter to some of the rarest species of wild animals such as musk deer, mountain goats, wild goats, snow leopards, red pandas, and the Himalayan tahr.The Himalayas are known to be the home to a rarely found species of deer which is the musk deer. The musk deer are vulnerable to poaching for their scent.The Himalayas are the only place to look for a snow leopard. They are found at an elevation of up to 16,404.2 ft(5000 m). They have been listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Vulnerable species list. Around 3920-6390 snow leopards are left in the Himalayas.More than 300 different varieties of birds are found in the Himalayan regions such as Tibetan snow cock, hill partridge, Verditer flycatcher, Grey bush chat, Black-rumped flameback, and many more.
Apart from being the highest mountain range, the Himalayas are also the youngest mountain range among thousands of mountains spread across the entire planet.
