Solarshakti / flickr.com View of the snowy Himalayas (Saurabh Kumar_ / flickr.com) Great Himalayas - view on the way to Leh from Delhi (Karunakar Rayker / flickr.com) You will have to cross this bridge if you are going to Everest Base Camp (ilker ender / flickr.com) Greater Himalayas (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) Christopher Michel / flickr.com Christopher Michel / flickr.com Everest Sunset (旅者 河童 / flickr.com) Himalayas - From Airplane (Partha S. Sahana / flickr.com) Lukla Airport, Patan, Kathmandu. (Chris Marquardt / flickr.com) Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com) Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com) Ganges Bridge (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com) Kanchenjunga, Indian Himalayas(A.Ostrovsky / flickr.com) Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com) Manaslu - 26,758 feet (David Wilkinson / flickr.com) Animal world Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com) Annapurna (Mike Behnken / flickr.com) On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com) A nice place in Kashmir (Kashmir Pictures / flickr.com) Abhishek Shirali / flickr.com Parfen Rogozhin / flickr.com Koshy Koshy / flickr.com valcker / flickr.com Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com) Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)
Where are the Himalaya mountains, the photos of which are so amazing? For most people, this question is unlikely to cause difficulty, at least they will answer exactly on which mainland these mountains stretch.
If you look at geographical map, you can see that they are located in the northern hemisphere, in South Asia, between the Indo-Gangetic plain (in the south) and the Tibetan plateau (in the north).
In the west, they pass into the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain systems.
Peculiarity geographical location Himalayas in that they are located on the territory of five countries: India, Nepal, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), Bhutan and Pakistan. The foothills also cross the northern outskirts of Bangladesh. The name of the mountain system can be translated from Sanskrit as "abode of snows".
Height of the Himalayas
The Himalayas contain 9 of the 10 highest peaks on our planet, including the highest point in the world - Chomolungma, whose height reaches 8848 m above sea level. Its geographic coordinates are 27°59′17″ north latitude 86°55′31″ east longitude. Average Height the entire mountain system exceeds 6000 meters.
The highest peaks of the Himalayas
Geographic description: 3 main stages
The Himalayas form three main steps: the Sivalik Range, the Lesser Himalayas and the Greater Himalayas, each of which is higher than the previous one.
- Sivalik Range- the southernmost, lowest and most geologically young step. It stretches for about 1700 km from the Indus Valley to the Brahmaputra Valley with a width of 10 to 50 km. The height of the ridge does not exceed 2000 m. Sivalik is located mainly in Nepal, as well as in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
- The next step is the Lesser Himalayas, it passes north of the Sivalik ridge, parallel to it. The average height of the ridge is about 2500 m, and in the western part it reaches 4000 m. The Sivalik ridge and the Lesser Himalayas are strongly cut by river valleys, breaking up into separate massifs.
- Greater Himalayas- the northernmost and highest step. The height of individual peaks here exceeds 8000 m, and the height of the passes is more than 4000 m. Glaciers are widely developed. Their total area exceeds 33,000 square kilometers, and the total fresh water reserves in them are about 12,000 cubic kilometers. One of the largest and most famous glaciers - Gangotri, is the source of the Ganges River.
Rivers and lakes of the Himalayas
The three largest rivers of South Asia - the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra - begin in the Himalayas. The rivers of the western extremity of the Himalayas belong to the Indus basin, and almost all other rivers belong to the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. The easternmost edge of the mountain system belongs to the Irrawaddy basin.
There are many lakes in the Himalayas. The largest of them are Lake Bangong Tso (700 km²) and Yamjo Yumtso (621 km²). Lake Tilicho is located at an absolute mark of 4919 m, which makes it one of the highest in the world.
Climate
The climate in the Himalayas is quite diverse. Monsoons have a strong influence on the southern slopes. The amount of precipitation here increases in the direction from west to east from less than 1000 mm to more than 4000 mm.
On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com)
The northern slopes, on the other hand, are in the rain shadow. The climate here is dry and cold.
In the highlands there are severe frosts and winds. In winter, temperatures can drop to minus 40 °C or even lower.
The Himalayas have a strong influence on the climate of the entire region. They are a barrier to cold dry winds blowing from the north, which makes the climate of the Indian subcontinent much warmer compared to neighboring regions of Asia located at the same latitudes. In addition, the Himalayas are a barrier to the monsoons blowing from the south and bringing a huge amount of rainfall.
High mountains do not allow these humid air masses to pass further north, which makes the climate of Tibet very dry.
There is an opinion that the Himalayas played a significant role in the formation of the deserts of Central Asia, such as Takla-Makan and Gobi, which is also explained by the rain shadow effect.
Origin and geology
Geologically, the Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain systems in the world; refers to the Alpine folding. It is composed mainly of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, crumpled into folds and raised to a considerable height.
The Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates, which began approximately 50-55 million years ago. During this collision, the ancient Tethys Ocean closed and an orogenic belt was formed.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Himalayas is subject to altitudinal zonation. At the foot of the Sivalik Range, the vegetation is represented by swampy forests and thickets, known locally as "terai".
Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com)
Above, they are replaced by evergreen tropical, deciduous and coniferous forests, and even higher - by alpine meadows.
Deciduous forests begin to prevail at absolute elevations of more than 2000 m, and coniferous forests - above 2600 m.
At an altitude of more than 3500 m, shrub vegetation already predominates.
On the northern slopes, where the climate is much more arid, the vegetation is much poorer. Mountain deserts and steppes are common here. The height of the snow line varies from 4500 (southern slopes) to 6000 m (northern slopes).
Wildlife of the Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com)
The local fauna is quite diverse and, like the vegetation, depends mainly on the height above sea level. The fauna of the tropical forests of the southern slopes is typical for the tropics. Elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, and antelopes are still found here in the wild; numerous monkeys.
The Himalayan bears, mountain goats and rams, yaks, etc. are found higher up. In the highlands, there is still such a rare animal as the snow leopard.
The Himalayas are home to many different protected areas. Among them, it is worth noting the Sagarmatha National Park, within which Everest is partially located.
Population
Most of the population of the Himalayas lives in the southern foothills and in the intermountain basins. The largest basins are Kashmir and Kathmandu; these regions are very densely populated, and almost all the land is cultivated.
Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com)
Like many other mountainous regions, the Himalayas are characterized by great ethnic and linguistic diversity.
This is due to the inaccessibility of these places, due to which the population of almost every valley or basin lived very apart.
Contacts even with neighboring regions were minimal, since in order to reach them, it is necessary to overcome high mountain passes, which in winter are often covered with snow, and they become completely impassable. In this case, some intermountain basin could be completely isolated until next summer.
Almost the entire population of the region speaks either Indo-Aryan languages, which belong to the Indo-European family, or Tibeto-Burman languages, which belong to the Sino-Tibetan family. Most of the population professes Buddhism or Hinduism.
The most famous people of the Himalayas are the Sherpas, who live in the highlands of Eastern Nepal, including in the Everest region. They often work as guides and porters on expeditions to Chomolungma and other peaks.
Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)
Sherpas have hereditary high-altitude adaptation, thanks to which, even at very high altitudes, they do not suffer from altitude sickness and do not need additional oxygen.
Most of the population of the Himalayas is employed in agriculture. In the presence of a sufficiently flat surface and water, people cultivate rice, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, etc.
In the foothills and in some intermountain basins, more heat-loving crops are also grown - citrus fruits, apricots, grapes, tea, etc. In the highlands, the breeding of goats, sheep and yaks is common. The latter are used as a beast of burden, as well as for meat, milk and wool.
Sights of the Himalayas
In the Himalayas there are many different attractions. This region has a huge number of Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples, as well as simply places considered sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.
Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com)
In the foothills of the Himalayas, the Indian city of Rishikesh is located, which is sacred to Hindus, and is also widely known as the yoga capital of the world.
Another sacred Hindu city is Hardwar, located at the point where the Ganges descends from the Himalayas to the plain. From Hindi, its name can be translated as "gateway to God."
Of the natural attractions, it is worth mentioning the Valley of Flowers National Park, located in the Western Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarkhand.
The valley fully justifies its name: it is a continuous flower carpet, quite different from ordinary alpine meadows. Together with the Nanda Devi National Park, it is a UNESCO heritage site.
Tourism
Mountaineering and hiking in the mountains are popular in the Himalayas. From hiking trails the most famous track around Annapurna, passing along the slopes of the mountain range of the same name, in the north of the central part of Nepal.
Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com)
The length of the route is 211 km, and its altitude varies from 800 to 5416 m.
Sometimes tourists combine this track with a hike to Lake Tilicho, located at an absolute mark of 4919 m.
Another popular route is the Manaslu trek, which runs around the Mansiri-Himal mountain range and overlaps with the Annapurna route.
How long it will take to complete these routes depends on the physical fitness of the person, the time of year, weather conditions and other factors. In high altitude areas, you should not climb too quickly to avoid symptoms of altitude sickness.
The conquest of the Himalayan peaks is quite difficult and dangerous. It requires good training, equipment and implies the presence of mountaineering experience.
The Himalayas are replete with a huge number of rocky, almost vertical slopes that are 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 with deep cracks, and so much snow settles on the slopes of the mountains that it eventually compresses and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes passing through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to converge, which, rushing down, turn into huge avalanches that demolish everything in their path and can crush climbers in seconds.
The air temperature in the Himalayas, when climbing to a height, 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 movement of air masses is usually intensified, often turning into a hurricane wind, which makes movement very difficult, and sometimes makes it impossible, especially on narrow crests of mountain ranges.
Starting from 5000 meters, the atmosphere contains about half the oxygen at sea level that the human body is accustomed to. The lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the human body, sharply reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of the so-called mountain 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.
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At an altitude of 6000 meters the atmosphere is so rarefied and poor in oxygen that complete acclimatization is no longer possible. No matter how much physical stress a person experiences, he slowly begins to suffocate. Climbing to a height of 7000 meters is already deadly for many, at such a height consciousness begins to get confused and it even becomes difficult to think. The height of 8000 meters is called the "death zone". 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.
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But here the representatives of the Nepalese tribe of Sherpas, who permanently live in the Himalayas, feel quite comfortable at a 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 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 for all these peaks to be conquered. Here is a brief chorology of climbing the most high mountains our planet.
June 3, 1950 - Annapurna
French climbers Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal climbed the Annapurna peak, whose height is 8091 meters. Anapurna is considered the seventh highest mountain in the world. Located in Nepal, in the Himalayas, 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 the eight-thousander that was made the first time, and besides, without oxygen apparatus. However, their feat was given high price. Since they were shod only in leather boots, Erzog froze all his toes and because of the onset of gangrene, the expedition doctor was forced to amputate them. For all the time, only 191 people successfully climbed Annapurna, which is less than any other eight-thousanders. Climbing Annapurna is considered the most dangerous, with a fatality rate of 32 percent, like no other eight-thousander.
1953, May 29 - Everest "Chomolungma"
Members of the English expedition, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Norgay Tenzing, were the first to conquer Everest, a peak with a height of 8848 m. In Tibetan, this mountain is called Chomolungma, which means “Goddess Mother of the Snows.” Her Nepalese name is Sagarmatha, meaning "Mother of the Universe". This is the highest mountain in the world. on the border between Nepal and China.
Everest is a triangular pyramid with three sides and ridges that extend northeast, southeast, and northwest. The southeast ridge is more gentle and is 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, that Hillary and Tenzing made their first ascent. And for the first time, the British tried to climb Everest back in 1921. They then could not go from the south side, due to 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 mountain range of Chomolungma, passing more than 400 kilometers 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 second attempt on the same route was made in 1924 by British climbers George Lee Mallory and Andrew Irvine, which was also unsuccessful, ending in the death of both at an altitude of 8500 meters.
Despite its reputation as an extremely dangerous mountain, the commercialized climbing of Everest has made it a very popular pastime for tourists over the past few decades. According to the latest data, 5656 successful ascents were made to Everest, at the same time, 223 people died. Mortality was about 4 percent.
July 3, 1953 - Nanga Parbat
The peak is located in northern Pakistan in the western part of the Himalayas. This is the ninth highest eight-thousander, 8126 meters. This peak has such steep slopes that even snow does not hold on its top. Nangaparbat means "Naked Mountain" in Urdu. 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 an oxygen apparatus. The time of ascent to the summit was 17 hours, and with the descent 41 hours. It 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 on Nanga Parbat. 68 climbers died. The lethality is about 20 percent, which makes it the third most dangerous eight-thousander.
July 31, 1954 - Chogori, K2, Dapsang
The first to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world, was the Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. Although attempts to conquer K2 began in 1902.
Chogori Peak or Dapsang in another way - 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 an unusual name K2 in the 19th century, when a British expedition measured the heights of the Himalayas and Karakoram peaks. Each newly measured peak was given a serial number. K2 was the second mountain they stumbled upon and the name has stuck with it ever since. The locals call this Lamba Pahar, which means "High Mountain". Despite the fact that K2 is lower than Everest, climbing it proved to be more difficult. For all the time on K2 there were only 306 successful ascents. 81 people died while trying to climb. Mortality is about 29 percent. K2 is not rarely called a killer mountain
October 19, 1954 - Cho Oyu
The first to climb the peak were members of the Austrian expedition: Herbert Tichy, Josef Yohler and Sherpa Pazang Dawa Lama. The peak of Cho Oyu is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range, the Chomolungma mountain range, 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 west of Cho Oyu is the Nangpa-La pass, 5716 m high. This pass is the passage from Nepal to Tibet, laid by the Sherpas as the only trading trail. Because of this pass, many climbers consider Cho Oyu the easiest eight-thousander. This is partly true, because all ascents are made from the side of Tibet. And from the side of Nepal south wall so difficult that only a few managed to conquer.
A total of 3,138 people have successfully climbed Cho Oyu, more than any other peak except Everest. Mortality 1%, less than any other. It is considered the safest eight-thousander.
May 15, 1955 - Makalu
For the first time, the Frenchmen Jean Kuzi and Lionel Terre ascended the summit of Makalu. Climbing Makalu was the only one in the history of conquering 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 turned out to be extremely successful and nothing prevented the climbers from achieving this triumph.
At 8485 meters, Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world, located just 20 kilometers southeast of Everest. Makalu means "Big Black" in Tibetan. Such an unusual name was given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and the snow simply does not hold on them, so it remains bare for most of the year.
Defeating Makalu proved difficult enough. In 1954, an American team led by Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, tried to do this, but they did not succeed. And only the French, after a lot of preparatory work and well-coordinated work of the team, managed to accomplish this. In total, 361 people successfully climbed Makalu, while 31 people died while trying to climb. The lethality of ascents to Makalu is about 9 percent.
May 25, 1955 - Kanchenjunga
British climbers George Band and Joe Brown were the first to successfully climb Kangchenjunga. Before climbing, local residents warned climbers that a Sikkimese god lives on the top of this mountain and should not be disturbed. They refused to accompany the expedition and the British climbed on their own. But either due to superstition, or for some other reason, having risen to the top, they did not reach the very top for several feet, considering that the peak was conquered.
Kanchenjunga is located on the border of Nepal and India, about 120 kilometers south of Everest. The name "Kanchenjunga" in Tibetan means "Treasury of the five great snows." Until 1852, Kangchenjunga 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 that exists in Nepal says that Kanchenjunga is a woman mountain. And women can not go to her on pain of death. Of course, climbers are not superstitious people, but nevertheless, only one female climber, Englishwoman Ginette Harrison, has climbed to its top for all the time. No matter what, but a year and a half later, Ginette Harrison died while climbing Dhaulagiri. For all the time, 283 climbers have successfully climbed Kanchenjunga. Of those who tried to rise, 40 people died. The lethality of climbing is about 15 percent.
May 9, 1956 - Manaslu
Mountain height of 8163 meters, the eighth highest eight-thousander. There have been several attempts to climb this peak. For the first time in 1952, when the Swiss and French teams entered the championship of Everest in addition to the British, the Japanese decided to conquer Manaslu Peak, located in Nepal, about 35 kilometers east of Annapurna. They scouted all the approaches and mapped out the route. The following year, 1953, they began to climb. But the blizzard that broke out 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 had desecrated the gods and provoked their anger, because after the departure of the previous expedition, misfortunes befell their village: there was an epidemic, crop failure, the temple collapsed and three priests died. Armed with sticks and stones, they drove the Japanese away from the mountain. To deal with local residents, in 1955 a special delegation arrived from Japan. And only in the next year 1956, having paid 7,000 rupees for damages and 4,000 rupees for the construction of a new temple and arranging a big holiday for the village population, the Japanese received permission to climb. Thanks to fine 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. Climbing mortality is about 10 percent.
May 18, 1956 - Lhotse
Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss, members of the Swiss team, became the first people to climb the 8,516-metre-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 throughout. Usually climbing is carried out along the western, more gentle slope. But in 1990, the Soviet Union team climbed the south side, previously considered completely inaccessible, as it is a 3300-meter almost vertical wall. In total, 461 successful ascents were made on Lhotse. For all the time, 13 climbers died there, the mortality rate is about 3 percent.
July 8, 1956 - Gasherbrum II
Peak with a height of 8034 meters, the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. Gasherbrum II was first climbed by Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart. They summited on the south side along the southwest ridge. Before climbing the peak itself, rising to a height of 7500 meters, they set up a temporary camp for the night, and then went on the assault early in the morning. It was a completely new, untested approach to climbing, which subsequently began to be used by climbers in many countries.
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Gasherbrum II is the second of the four peaks of Gasherbrum in the Karakorum on the border between Pakistan and China, about 10 kilometers southeast of K2. The Baltoro Muztag ridge, which includes Gasherbrum II, is known for the longest Karakoram glacier, more than 62 kilometers long. This was the reason for the fact that many climbers descended almost from the very top of Gasherbrum II on skis, snowboards and even with a parachute. Gasherbrum II is considered one of the safest and lightest eight-thousanders. Gasherbrum II has been successfully climbed by 930 climbers and only 21 people have died in unsuccessful attempts to climb. Climbing mortality is about 2 percent.
June 9, 1957 - Broad Peak
Mountain height of 8051 meters, the twelfth highest eight-thousander. The first time the Germans tried to climb Broad Peak was in 1954, but due to low temperatures and stormy winds, their efforts were unsuccessful. Austrian climbers Fritz Wintersteller, Markus Schmuck and Kurt Dimberger were the first to climb the peak. The ascent was carried out on the southwestern side. The expedition did not use the services of porters and all the property was lifted by the participants themselves, which was quite a challenge.
Broad Peak or "Jangiyang" is located on the border between China and Pakistan, a few kilometers southeast of K2. This area is still little studied 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. Climbing mortality is about 5 percent.
July 5, 1958 - Gasherbrum I "Hidden Peak"
The mountain is 8080 meters high. The peak belongs to the Gasherbrum-Karakorum mountain range. Attempts to climb Hidden Peak began a long time ago. In 1934, members of the international expedition were only able to climb to a height of 6300 meters. In 1936, French climbers overcame the line of 6900 meters. And only two years later, the 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. Because of its steep, almost polished, rocky slopes, climbing it has been rejected by many. A total of 334 people have successfully climbed the peak, while 29 climbers have died attempting the ascent. Climbing mortality is about 9 percent.
May 13, 1960 - Dhaulagiri I
"White Mountain" - 8167 meters high, the seventh highest of the eight-thousanders. Members of the European national team were the first to reach the summit: Dimberger, Shelbert, Diener, Forer and Nyima and Navang Sherpas. For the first time, an aircraft was used to deliver expedition members and equipment. On the " white mountain"Paid attention back in 1950 by the French, members of the 1950 expedition. But then it seemed to them not accessible and they switched to Annapurna.
Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna, and the Argentines tried to climb to its peak back in 1954. But due to a strong blizzard, only 170 meters did not reach the summit. Although Dhaulagiri is only the sixth tallest by the standards of the Himalayas, it is quite a tough nut to crack. So in 1969, the Americans, while trying to climb, left seven of their comrades on the southeast ridge. In total, 448 people successfully climbed the summit of Dhaulagiri I, but 69 climbers died during unsuccessful attempts. Climbing fatality is about 16 percent.
May 2, 1964 - Shishabangma
Peak with a height of 8027 meters. The first to conquer Shishabangma were eight Chinese climbers: Xu Jing, Zhang Zhunyan, Wang Fuzhou, Zhen San, Zheng Tianliang, Wu Zongyue, 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 top, it became possible for foreign climbers to participate in ascents.
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 higher than 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. In the program "All 14 eight-thousanders of the world" there is an ascent to the main peak. In total there were 302 successful ascents of Shishabanga. Twenty-five people died trying to climb to the top. Climbing mortality 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 not on their impregnability.
And yet, despite all these mortal dangers, there are people who have conquered all the eight-thousanders. The first of them was Reinhold Messner, an Italian climber, a 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 partner in a bunch died, this did not stop him. From 1970 to 1986 he climbed all 14 highest peaks of the Zamli one by one. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, In 1978, together with Peter Habeler along the classic route through the South Col, and in 1980 alone along the northern route, moreover, during the monsoon season. Both ascents without the use of oxygen apparatus.
In total, now there are already 32 people in the world who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, and this is probably not last people which the Himalayas await.
The Himalayas are considered to be the highest and mysterious mountains planet Earth. The name of this massif can be translated from Sanskrit as "the country of snow". The Himalayas serve as a conditional separator between South and Central Asia. Hindus consider their location to be sacred ground. Numerous legends claim that the peaks of the Himalayan mountains were the habitat of the god Shiva, his wife Devi and their daughter Himavata. According to ancient beliefs, the home of the gods gave rise to the three great Asian rivers - the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra.
Origin of the Himalayas
For the birth and development Himalayan mountains it took several stages, taking a total of about 50,000,000 years. Many researchers believe that two colliding tectonic plates gave rise to the Himalayas. 
It is interesting that at present the mountain system continues its development, the formation of folding. The Indian plate is moving towards the northeast at a rate of 5 cm per year, while shrinking by 4 mm. Scholars argue that such an advance will lead to 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 area is incomparably large in comparison with other mountain objects. 
What continent are the Himalayas located on: geographical information
Tourists preparing for a trip should find out where the Himalayas are. Their location is the continent of Eurasia (its Asian part). In the north, the massif's neighbor is the Tibetan Plateau. V southbound 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. total area array - 650,000 m².
Many Himalayan ridges boast a height of up to 6 km. The highest point is represented, also called Chomolungma. Its absolute height is 8848 m, which is a record among other mountain peaks of the planet. Geographical coordinates– 27°59′17″ north latitude, 86°55′31″ east longitude. 
The Himalayas are spread over several countries. Not only the Chinese and Indians, but also the peoples of Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan can be proud of their proximity to the majestic mountains. 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. In many areas there is dangerous terrain, and at high altitudes there is cold. Even in summer, frost remains here down to -25 ° C, and in winter it intensifies to -40 ° C. In the mountains, hurricane-force winds are not uncommon, gusts of which reach 150 km / h. Summer and spring average temperature air increases to +30 °C. 
In the Himalayas, it is customary to distinguish 4 types of climate. From April to June, the mountains are covered with wild herbs and flowers, coolness and freshness reign in the air. Starting in July and ending in August, rains reign in the mountains, the most a large number of precipitation. During these summer months, the slopes of the mountain ranges are covered with lush vegetation, fogs often appear. Until the arrival of November, warm and comfortable weather, followed by solar frosty winter with heavy snowfalls. 
Description of the flora
Himalayan vegetation surprises with its diversity. Altitude zones are clearly visible on the southern slope, subject to frequent precipitation, and real jungles (terai) grow at the foot of the mountains. In these places, large thickets of trees and shrubs are found in abundance. In some places, dense creepers, bamboo, numerous bananas, and undersized palm trees are found. Sometimes you can get to the areas intended for the cultivation of certain crops. These places are usually cleared and drained by man. 
Climbing a little higher up the slopes, you can alternately hide in tropical, coniferous, mixed forests, behind which, in turn, are picturesque alpine meadows. In the north mountain range and in drier areas the territory is represented by steppe and semi-deserts. 
In the Himalayas there are trees that give people expensive wood and resin. Here you can get to the places of growth of dhaka, sal trees. At an altitude of 4 km, tundra vegetation in the form of rhododendrons and mosses is found in abundance. 
local fauna
The Himalayan mountains have become a safe haven for many endangered animals. Here you can meet rare representatives of the local fauna - snow leopard, black bear, Tibetan fox. In the southern region of the mountain range, there are all the necessary conditions for living 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. Alluvial gold, copper and chromium ore, oil, rock salt, brown coal are actively mined in these places. 
parks and valleys
In the Himalayas, you can visit parks and valleys, many of which are included in the fund world heritage UNESCO:
- Sagarmatha.
- Flower Valley.
Sagarmatha National Park belongs to the territory of Nepal. Its special property is the world's highest peak Everest and other high mountains. 
Nanda Devi Park is a natural treasure of India, and is located in the heart of the Himalayan mountains. This picturesque place is located at the foot of the hill with the same name, and has an area of more than 60,000 hectares. The height of the park above sea level is at least 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. 
Not far from Nanda Devi Park is the Flower Valley. Here, on an area of about 9,000 hectares, several hundred colorful plants grow. Over 30 varieties 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 hard-to-reach places, and are buildings carved from 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, the interior decoration of holy places. They can do nice pictures. Entrance to the territory of other shrines for visitors is strictly prohibited.
The largest and most revered monasteries include:
- Drepung located in China.
- Temple complexes in Nepal Boudhanath, Budanilkanth, Swayambhunath.
- Jokhang, which is the pride of Tibet.
A carefully guarded religious shrine, found everywhere in the Himalayas, are Buddhist stupas. These religious monuments were built by the monks of the past in honor of some 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 for traveling to the Himalayas is the period from May to July and September-October. During these months, vacationers can count on sunny and warm weather, lack of heavy rainfall and strong winds. For lovers 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. Living in such premises is quite cheap, and sometimes it can be completely free. Instead of a fixed amount, the guest can offer a voluntary donation or help with the housework.
The Himalayas in India and China are the highest mountains on Earth.
Where is it located and how to get there
Geographical coordinates:Latitude:29°14′11″N (29.236449), Longitude:85°14′59″E (85.249851)
Travel from Moscow-Come to China or India and there is a stone's throw. Don't Forget Your Mountain Equipment
Travel from St. Petersburg: You come to Moscow and then you come to China or India and there it's a stone's throw. Don't Forget Your Mountain Equipment
Distance from Moscow-7874 km., from St. Petersburg-8558 km.Description in the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron (published on the border of the 19th-20th centuries)
Himalayan mountains
(Himalaja, in Sanskrit - a winter or snow dwelling, among the Greeks and Romans Imans and Hemodus) - the highest mountains on Earth; separate Hindustan and the western part of Indochina from the Tibetan plateau and extend from the place where the Indus leaves them (at 73 ° 23 ′ E GMT) into southeast direction to the Brahmaputra (at 95 ° 23′ E) over 2375 km with a width of 220-300 km. The western part of the Himalayas (hereinafter referred to as G.) at 36 ° N. sh. so closely connected in one mountain knot (the greatest on Earth) with the beginning of the Karakorum ridge (see), which stretches at an insignificant distance from it, almost parallel to it, with the Kuen-Lun ridge, which limits Tibet from the north, and with the Hinduku, that all these four mountain ranges are part of one hill. The mountains make up the southernmost and highest of these ranges. The eastern end of the G. mountains passes approximately 28 parallels to the north. parts of the British province of Assam and Burma into the Yun-Ling Mountains, which already belong to China. Both mountain masses are separated from each other by the Brahmaputra, which cuts the mountains here and makes a bend from N to SW. If we imagine a line running south from Lake Mansarovar, which lies between the sources of the Settlej and the Brahmaputra, then it will divide the G. mountains into the west. and east. half and at the same time will serve as an ethnographic boundary between the Aryan population of the Indus basin and the population of Tibet. The average height of a city is 6941 m; numerous peaks well above this line. Some of them are higher than all the peaks of the Andes and represent the most high points earth's surface. Up to 225 of these peaks have been measured; of these, 18 rise over 7600 m, 40 over 7000, 120 over 6100. The highest of all Gaurisankar, or Mount Everest (Mount-Everest), at a height of 8840 m, Kantschinjinga at 8581 m and Dhawalagiri at 8177 m. All of them lie in the eastern half of the G. mountains. The average height of the snow line in the G. mountains is approximately 4940 m to the south. slope and 5300 m to the north. Of the huge glaciers, some descend to 3400 and even 3100 m. The average height of the passages (Ghâts) leading through the mountains through G., of which 21 are known, is 5500 m; the height of the highest of them, the passage of Ibi Gamin, between Tibet and Garhwal, is 6240 m; the height of the lowest, Bara-Latscha, is 4900 m. The mountains do not constitute one completely continuous and continuous chain, but consist of a system of more or less long ridges; partly parallel, partly intersecting between which lie wide and narrow valleys. There are no real plateaus in the G. mountains. Generally southern. the G. side of the mountains is more fragmented than the northern side; there are more spurs and side ridges, between which lie the states of Kashmir, Gariwal, Kamaon, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, more or less dependent on the Indo-British government. To the south On the side of the G. mountains, the tributaries of the Indus originate: Dzhelam, Shenab and Ravi, the Ganges with its left tributaries and the Jamuni.
G. mountains more than all other mountains on the globe rich in majestic beauties of nature; they present a particularly picturesque view from the south. As for the geological structure of the GG, sandstones and detrital rocks are predominantly visible near the sole. Above, up to approximately 3000-3500 m in height, gneiss, mica, chlorite and talc schist predominate, often cut through by thick veins of granite. Above - the peaks are composed mainly of gneiss and granite. Volcanic rocks are not found on the G. mountains, and in general there are no signs of volcanic activity at all, although there are various hot springs (up to 30 in number), the most famous of which are located in Badrinat (see). The vegetation is extremely diverse. At the southern sole of the east. half stretches unhealthy and unsuitable for settlement marshland, called Tarai, 15-50 km wide, overgrown with impenetrable jungle and giant grass. It is followed, up to a height of approximately 1000 m, by extremely rich, tropical and especially Indian vegetation, followed by forests of oaks, chestnuts, laurel trees, etc., up to a height of 2500 m. Between 2500 and 3500 m the flora corresponds to that of southern and central Europe ; conifers predominate, namely Pinus Deodora, P. excelsa, P. longifolia, Aties Webbiana, Picea Morinda, etc. The border of woody vegetation runs higher to the north. side (the last species of trees here is birch), than to the south. (here, one species of oak, Quercus semicarpifolia, rises above all). The next area of shrubs then reaches the border of snow and sowing. side ends with one type of Genista, to the south. - several species of Rhododendron, Salix and Ribes. Grain cultivation on the Tibetan side rises to 4600 m, on the Indian side only up to 3700; grasses grow up to 5290 m on the first one, and up to 4600 m on the second. The mountain fauna is also extremely interesting and very rich. To the south side up to 1200 m it is specially Indian; its representatives are the tiger, elephant, monkeys, parrots, pheasants and beautiful views chickens. In the middle region of the mountains there are bears, musk deer and various types of antelopes, and in the sowing. side adjacent to Tibet - wild horses, wild bulls(yaks), wild sheep and mountain goats, as well as some other mammals belonging to the fauna Central Asia and especially Tibet. The G. mountains not only constitute the political boundary between the Anglo-Indian possessions and Tibet, but in general also the ethnographic boundary between the Hindu Aryans living south of the G. mountains and the inhabitants of Tibet belonging to the Mongol tribe. Both tribes spread through the valleys deep into the G. mountains and mixed with each other in various ways. The population is most dense in extremely fertile valleys, at an altitude of 1500 to 2500 m. At an altitude of 3000 it becomes already rare.
History of the name (toponym)
Himalayas, from the Nepalese himal, "snow mountain".
The most majestic and mysterious mountain range on our planet is the Himalayas. This massif, whose name translates as the abode of snow, conditionally separates Central and South Asia, and the height of its individual peaks reaches more than 8,000 meters. The Himalayas are rightfully considered the highest mountains in the world, let's look at the Himalayas on the map and find out why these mountains are so unusual.
Location of the Himalayas mountain system on the world map
“Where are the Himalayas, in which country” - this question often arises among novice travelers who have heard about the beauty of the most impregnable mountains planet and decided to go there in search of adventure. Looking at a world map, you can see that the Himalayas are located in the northern hemisphere between the Tibetan Plateau and the Indo-Gangetic Plain. India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh are the countries whose territories cover the Himalayas. The most visited country in the Himalayas is India. There are many attractions and resorts here. The massif is 2900 km long and about 350 km wide. V mountain system There are 83 peaks, the highest of which is Everest, the height of the mountain is 8848 m.
The Himalayan mountains on the map consist of three main stages:
- Sivalik Ridge. This is the most southern part mountain range. The range is located in Nepal and affects several states of India. Here the height of the Himalayan mountains does not exceed 2 km.
- Small Himalayas. This range runs parallel to the Sivalik range. The average height here is 2.5 km.
- Big Himalayas. This is the highest and oldest part of the mountain range. The height of the ridge exceeds 8 km, and it is here that the most high peaks planets.
highest peaks
The mountain range contains 9 of the 10 highest peaks in the world. Here are the highest ones:
- Chomolungma - 8848 m.
- Kanchenjunga - 8586 m.
- Lhotse - 8516 m.
- Makalu - 8463 m.
- Cho Oyu - 8201 m.
Most of them are located on the territory of Tibet, and it is here that conquerors of mountains from all over the planet rush, because climbing the highest peaks is the life work of a real climber.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Himalayas changes with the change in altitude. The natural features of the Himalayas at different levels amaze with the change of landscapes, animals and flora. In the foothills of the small Himalayas, terai or swampy jungles predominate, above them they are replaced by tropical forests, then mixed, coniferous, and finally, alpine meadows appear. The northern slopes are dominated by deserts and semi-deserts. The fauna of the Himalayas is as diverse as the flora. Here you can still meet wild tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants and monkeys, and rising higher increases the risk of meeting with a bear, mountain yak and snow leopard.
On the territory of the mountains that capture Nepal, there is a unique nature reserve where endangered animal species still exist. The zone is under the protection of UNESCO. Mount Everest is located on the territory of this reserve.
Rivers and lakes
It is in the Himalayas that the three largest rivers of South Asia originate. These include, Brahmaputra and Indus. Moreover, in the mountain range there are many beautiful and clean lakes. The highest mountain is Lake Tilicho, located at an altitude of 4919 m.
The special pride of the Himalayas is, of course, glaciers. In terms of the amount of fresh water reserves, the mountain range was surpassed only by the Arctic and Antarctic. The largest glacier here is the Gantotri layer, which reaches a length of 26 km.
When is it good in the Himalayas?
According to travelers, it is always good in the Himalayas. Each season of the year gives the slopes of this ridge unique landscapes, the beauty of which is simply impossible to describe in words. In spring, the slopes are strewn with beautiful flowers, the aroma of which spreads for many kilometers, in summer, during the rainy season, lush greenery breaks through a light fog and gives freshness and coolness, autumn is rampant with colors, and in winter, when snow falls, there is no cleaner and whiter place in the world.
The main tourist season falls on the autumn months, but in winter there are many skiing enthusiasts, because there are many ski resorts world importance.
