The highest point of the Himalayan mountains. Where are the Himalayas located? What continent are the Himalayas on? The river system of the Himalayas

Since school days, we all know that the highest mountain on the planet is Everest, and it is located in the Himalayas. But not everyone clearly imagines where, in fact, the Himalayas are located? In recent years it has become very popular mountain tourism, and if you are fond of it, then this miracle of nature - the Himalayas, is definitely worth a visit!

And these mountains are located on the territory of five states: India, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. The total length of the largest mountain system on our planet is 2,400 kilometers, while its width is 350 kilometers. In terms of height, many peaks of the Himalayas are champions. Here are the ten highest peaks on the planet, with a height of more than eight thousand meters.

The highest point of the Himalayas is Everest or Chomolungma with a height of 8848 meters above sea level. The highest mountain in the Himalayas was conquered by man only in 1953. All climbs that were before were unsuccessful, because the slopes of the mountain are very steep and dangerous. Strong winds blow at the top, which, combined with very low night temperatures, are difficult tests for those who dare to conquer this hard-to-reach top. Everest itself is located on the border of two states - China and Nepal.

In India, the Himalayas, thanks to their gentler slopes, which are not so dangerous, have become a haven for monks who preach Buddhism and Hinduism. Their monasteries are located in large numbers in the Himalayas in India and Nepal. Pilgrims, followers of these religions and just tourists flock here from all over the world. Thanks to this, the Himalayas in these regions are very visited.

But ski tourism in the Himalayas is not popular, since there are no suitable gentle slopes for skiing, which could attract tourists en masse.

Where are the Himalayas located? Coordinates, map and photo.

All states where the Himalayas are located are popular mainly among climbers and pilgrims.

Traveling through the Himalayas is not such an easy adventure, it can only be done by a hardy and strong spirit. And if you have these forces in reserve, then you should definitely go to India or Nepal. Here you can visit beautiful temples and monasteries, spread out on picturesque slopes, take part in the evening prayer of Buddhist monks, and at dawn indulge in relaxing meditation and hatha yoga classes conducted by Indian gurus. Traveling through the mountains, you will see with your own eyes where such great rivers as the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra originate.

Movement of the continents: 2. Age of the Himalayas

Location, climate, sights of the Himalayas

Of all the mountain systems of the Earth, the Himalayas are the highest and most grandiose: many people note that the first impression of meeting this regal mountain range was amazing and even shocking - at the sight of endless mountain ranges under the blue sky, all “worldly” thoughts disappear somewhere.

Himalayas - location and climate

Geographically, the Himalayas “capture” the territory of five states at once: Pakistan - in the west, India, Nepal and China, as well as Bhutan - in the southeast. Between India and China, the Himalayas form a natural boundary; Nepal and Bhutan are located on the same border - we can say that these are mountainous countries. The Himalayas stretch for more than 2,400 kilometers, and the widest places reach 350 km - the climate throughout their territory is completely different and even contrasting. On the southern slopes in the summer there is a lot of rain - vegetable and animal world rich and varied, and on the northern slopes the climate is cold and dry. In the highest mountainous areas, winter frosts are not weak - about -40 ° C, and even in summer in some places real winter - up to -25 ° C. To this we can add the strongest winds - hurricanes, and sudden changes in temperature.

Briefly about the history of the Himalayas

Geologists believe that tens of millions of years ago the Himalayas were the bottom of the ocean. Of course, then these rocks were not high mountains - the growth of peaks began due to a collision tectonic plates, and lasted for millions of years, but the mountains turned out "for the glory": in no other mountain system in the world there are such a number of seven and eight-thousanders as here.

Since ancient times, people have sought to get to the peaks of the Himalayas.. Then they were driven by other desires: if the majority of modern climbers, first of all, want to become winners, then earlier those who hoped to join the greatest mysteries the Universe and make contact with amazing beings - however, there are still enough such people today, and gradually there are more of them.

The development of the Himalayas began in the 7th century AD.- then trade routes passed here, but the first explorers got here only by the 18th-19th centuries. It was extremely difficult to map the area, but this only increased the interest of European scientists: many of them lived in the Himalayas for years, and sincerely fell in love with these places and their inhabitants, despite the difference in worldview.

There were many expeditions to Everest - the highest peak of the world haunted people, enticing them with grandeur and inaccessibility, but for the first time it was conquered only in the middle of the 20th century. This was done by two climbers walking in a bundle - Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Norgay Tenzing from Nepal.

Some sights of the Himalayas

There are a huge number of attractions - cultural, historical and natural, in the Himalayas, and many are considered "important" and "main". There are about 3,200 Buddhist monasteries in Tibet alone, coexisting perfectly with Hindu and Muslim shrines.

In Northern India there is a place Ladakh - it is called the country of Buddha Maitreya - the Future. For Buddhists, and especially Tibetan, this place is extremely important, and tourists flock here from all over the world because here you can see life as it was many centuries ago. Local residents are still engaged in agriculture and crafts, using the methods of distant ancestors; observe ancient traditions and customs and even wear national costumes - in Russia, for example, few people know exactly what the Russian national costume looks like in general. The monasteries function the same as they did 1,000 years ago, and remain the most important centers of culture - it is said that there is no such thing even in classical Tibet.

In the north-west of India, in Punjab, there is the city of Amritsar: this is the holy city of the Sikhs - followers of an amazing religion that preaches simple and eternal values. This is a brotherly attitude towards all the people of the Earth, respect and love, free will and good deeds. With all this, the Sikhs are an independent people, and they are ready to defend their rights and freedoms very seriously: according to the rules, every Sikh must wear a dagger or a short sword under his clothes, which is never used as a weapon of violence.

Amritsar's main attraction is the Golden Temple., or Harimandir Sahib, built in the 16th century: its lining is really of real gold, and it is a fascinating sight, reflected in the waters of the lake in the center of which it is located.

Photo: sights of the Himalayas

Of course, the lake is also sacred: it is called the Lake of Immortality, and the locals bathe in its waters, wanting to improve their health or be healed of illnesses. Any tourist who knows how to treat local religious traditions with respect can enter this temple: shoes must be removed and a headscarf must be covered - they are given out at the entrance.

Of course, in the Himalayas now you can not only visit the sights and shrines, but also have a great rest - leisure in the mountains becomes very popular with tourists from different countries. One of the types of such recreation is trekking, or hiking - a hike along the paths in the mountains, which allows you to get a good physical activity and at the same time admire surrounding nature. For those who do not want to strain the muscles, you can ride small horses - they are provided by the drivers for rent, and they also lead them by the reins, so everything is quite safe. Fans of more intense sensations will enjoy rafting on mountain rivers: even those who have never rafted in fast water can afford it - there are levels for beginners and for professionals.

By historical places organized interesting excursions, and in a short time, tourists manage to visit different climatic zones: there are several of them in the Himalayas - from swampy jungles and subequatorial wet forests at the foot of the mountains to eternal snow and ice on their peaks.

Valley of Flowers in the Himalayas

Photo: sights of the Himalayas

There are enough natural wonders in the Himalayas, but not all of them are in close proximity: perhaps this is even for the better - this way they remain “safe and sound”. Fortunately, in the Himalayas, many territories are protected by the state.

In the western part of the Himalayas, in a high mountainous region, is the Valley of Flowers, now declared a National Park and contributed by UNESCO to your List. These are not those alpine meadows, which are many in the mountains of different countries - this is really a valley, completely covered with flower carpets, and the colors here are the most unexpected - for example, fields of bright blue Himalayan poppies. There are many hundreds of flowers here, and there are those that are not found anywhere else on the planet. Anyone who manages to get here during the flowering season - from June to September, will be very lucky, but for European tourist it's not that easy. First you need to drive for a long time, then climb about 14 km on foot along a beautiful but narrow gorge to a special camp, and from there, on a specially organized route, you can get to the Valley of Flowers.

When is the best time to go to the Himalayas? It depends on what you are going to do there and what kind of weather you need. From April to June - fogs and rains, but the sunsets are very beautiful; then the air becomes cleaner and fresher, and from September to November it is warm and sunny. It is frosty in the mountains in winter, but the sun is also usually bright, and the snow is fluffy and soft - a great combination for lovers of ski holidays.

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Himalayas - "abode of snow", Hindi.

Geography

Himalayas - the highest mountain system the globe, is located in Asia (India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan), between the Tibetan Plateau (in the north) and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south). The Himalayas range from 73°E in the northwest to 95°E in the southeast. The total length is more than 2400 km, the maximum width is 350 km. The average height is about 6000 m. The height is up to 8848 m (Mount Everest), 11 peaks are more than 8 thousand meters.

The Himalayas are divided into three levels from south to north.

• Southern, lower step (Pre-Himalayas). Sivalik mountains, they are made up of the Dundva, Chouriagati (average height 900 m), Solya-Singi, Potvarskoe plateau, Kala Chitta and Margala ranges. The width of the step lies in the range from 10 to 50 km, the height is not more than 1000 m.

• Small Himalayas, second step. Extensive highlands 80 - 100 km wide, average height - 3500 - 4000 m. Maximum height - 6500 m.

Includes part of the Kashmir Himalayas - Pir-Panjal (Kharamush - 5142 m).

Between the outlying ridge of the second stage, called Dauladar "White Mountains"(average height - 3000 m) and the Main Himalayas at an altitude of 1350 - 1650 m lie the valleys of Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) and Kathmandu.

• The third stage is the Great Himalayas. This step is strongly dissected and forms a large chain of ridges. The maximum width is 90 km, the height is 8848 m. The average height of the passes reaches 4500 m, some exceed 6000 m. The Great Himalayas are divided into Assam, Nepal, Kumaon and Punjab Himalayas.

- The main Himalayan range. The average height is 5500 - 6000 m. Here, on the site between the Sutlej and Arun rivers, there are eight out of ten Himalayan eight-thousanders.

In the southern spur - Dhualagiri (8221 m); in the east, between the Miristi and Marsengdi rivers, the Annapurna massif (8091 m); further in the eastern spur - Manaslu (8128 m) and Himalchuli (7864 m); further north - Shisha Pangma (8013 m); between the Kosi and Arun rivers in the Khumbu Himal massif rises Cho Oyu (8153 m), Kyanchung Kang (7922 m) and the highest peak of the Himalayas - Everest (8848 m), surrounded by Lhotse (8501 m), Nuptse (7879 m) and Changtse (7537 m); east of Lhotse - Makalu (8470 m) and Chomolonzo (7804 m).

Behind the gorge of the river Arun main ridge slightly lowers - the peak of Jongsang (7459 m), a branched spur with the Kanchenjunga massif departs from it to the south, four peaks of which exceed a height of 8000 m ( maximum height- 8585 m).

Between the Indus and the Sutlej, the Main Range divides into the Western Himalayas and the Northern Range.

- Northern Ridge. In the northwestern part it is called Deosai, and in the southeastern part it is called Zanskar ("white copper") (the highest point is Kamet Peak, 7756 m). To the north is the Indus Valley, beyond which to the north is the Karakorum mountain system.

- Western Himalayas(Nanga Parbat, 8126 m). Between this range and Deosai lies the Deosai valley. South-east - Rupshu valley.

Unlike the southern slopes of the Himalayas, the northern ones do not have sharp outlines and are relatively little dissected.

On what continent and in what part of it are the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas are characterized by powerful glaciation (area over 33 thousand square km), the main form of glaciers is dendro-shaped, when glaciation from small formations in the upper part gradually merges into one large glacier below (Rongbuk Glacier (Everest)). Most major centers glaciation areas are Kanchenjunga (Zemu glacier (26 km)), upper Ganges - Gangotri (26 km), Drung Drung glacier (24 km), Rongbuk glacier (19 km) and Nanga Parbata - Rakhiot glacier (15 km).

Geology

The Himalayas formed during the Alpine Orogeny. The central crystalline core (gneisses, crystalline schists, granites, phyllites) of the mountain system is surrounded by sedimentary rocks of various ages (composed mainly of sandstones and conglomerates). These rocks were formed at the bottom of prehistoric seas that once covered large areas of the modern territory of Asia. In later times, the layers of the earth's crust were crushed into huge folds by the colossal force of the movement of continental blocks.

These folds, often overlapped and broken, form powerful thrust systems. In such formations, layers of earlier origin often lie on layers that formed much later. The resulting mountain system separated the Hindustan peninsula from central regions Asia.

Climate

Literature

1. Rototaev P. S. P79 Conquered Giants. Ed. 2nd, revised. and additional M., “Thought”, 1975. 283 p. from maps; 16 l. silt

2. Scientific and geographical encyclopedia.

Links

Himalayas. View from space Kathmandu valley Everest Rongbuk Glacier

Hissar fat-tailed sheep is the largest sheep of meat and tallow breed in the world. The breed is classified as coarse-haired, the weight of an adult uterus is approximately 90 kilograms, the weight of a ram reaches 120 kilograms. The best individuals weigh up to 190 kilograms, with a total mass of the fat-tailed part containing fat and fat from 10 to 20, and sometimes even 30 kilograms.

The uniqueness of the Indian Himalayas

Sheep are characterized by precocity and rapid growth, and also have a number of undeniable advantages that manifest themselves in different ways in industrial and domestic breeding of the breed:

1. Animals are able to carry without much damage to weight and appearance any severe weather conditions, therefore suitable for breeding in the most unfavorable regions of the world;
2. Hissar sheep feed on almost the same pasture, finding it even in the semi-desert and sun-scorched steppes;
3. The breed does not require any improvement in performance, since it was not bred artificially, but in the course of many years of non-targeted crosses of sheep of various steppe and rocks. Tajikistan is considered the birthplace of the breed, where it is still one of the most popular among local livestock breeders today;
4. Sheep can easily graze both in the steppe and on the steep slopes of the mountains, thanks to which they find food almost all year round;
5. Keeping sheep does not require high costs, with the correct organization of lambing time, sheep do not even need a sheepfold, their skin and wool are so warm and dense.

External signs of the Hissar breed

The Hissar sheep does not differ in its beautiful appearance, a long body, high and straight legs, a strongly built torso and short hair give the impression that the animal is poorly well-fed and does not have a sufficient degree of fat content. The height of an adult sheep at the withers can reach 1 meter or more. Sheep are distinguished by a small head, at the base of the nasal part of the skull there is a clearly visible hump. The head is decorated with hanging and very long ears. The neck of the sheep is short, but very wide. The chest protrudes forward for some distance, which is also clearly visible and allows an experienced specialist to determine the purity of the breed.

Sheep do not wear horns, even rams do not have a horn cover. Sheep have a raised and clearly visible fat tail, its weight reaches 40 kilograms with good fattening in sheep of the greasy type, while in the rest of the sheep the weight of the fat tail is on average 25 kilograms. The color of sheep's wool is dark brown or black, the overgrowth of the animal is weak, the annual shearing of wool with two shearings is no more than 2 kilograms from a ram and 1 kilogram from a uterus. In short, coarse wool there is a large admixture of dead hair and awn, therefore, these sheep are unsuitable for obtaining and selling wool for the production of expensive products.

General characteristics

According to the indicators of the issuance of fat and meat, the sheep of the Hissar breed are among the best in the world. In addition, sheep have good milk qualities, the milkiness of sheep is so high that it allows the farmer to get up to 120 liters of milk in two months from one sheep, that is, the animal can produce up to 2.5 liters of milk per day, provided that the lambs are transferred to artificial fattening

Young animals grow very quickly, you can graze from the second day of life, with proper organized grazing, additional feed and juicy nutritious herbs, a lamb can gain weight up to 600 grams per day.

Sheep are very hardy, they can move day and night, when moving to long distance, for example, from summer to winter pastures and vice versa, the Hissar sheep is able to overcome a distance of 500 kilometers, which in no way affects its physical condition, because the breed was bred for this.

Use of wool

Another disadvantage of the breed, in addition to being unsuitable for wool production, is the insufficiently high fertility, which is only 110 -115%, that is, the birth of three or more lambs in a flock is rare.

sheep types

The Hissar breed of sheep is of three types, which differ in the areas of productivity:

1. A greasy type of sheep with a large fat tail. The total amount of fat during the slaughter of a sheep is much higher than in the animals of the other two types, the fat tail, in which almost the entire supply of fat is concentrated in sheep, occupies more than a third of the total length of the animal's body.
2. Meat-greasy type of sheep. Sheep belonging to this type have a fairly large fat tail pulled up to the level of the back.
3. Meat type of Hissar sheep. The fat tail of this type of sheep practically does not stand out and is not visible in any way, due to the fact that it is pulled up high to the back.

Regardless of the type of productive orientation, the sheep of the Gisar breed are kept the same everywhere. In winter, they are driven higher to the mountains, where there is no snow; in summer, they go down with them to summer pastures, closer to home. Heat, cold, strong wind and rain can only frighten a shepherd, but sheep are practically not afraid of them. Short hair dries quickly in the sun, regular haircuts protect against its increased amount. The only thing that sheep do not tolerate is moisture, like most fat-tailed sheep, they prefer dry spaces, fields and pastures in non-wetlands. Sheep endure frosts, of course, the construction of a barn does not hurt, but with insufficient funds and materials, you can get by with a simple shed, where the sheep could take refuge in a very severe cold, as well as for the lambing period.

The Hissar breed of sheep is nomadic, they are used to covering long distances in a day, so they should be bred in areas where there is no possibility of long-term grazing on fresh air not cost effective. Tatars, in whom the Hissar breed of sheep is most common, roam with animals throughout the year, milk, shear, take offspring and carry out mating also in a state of roaming.

Mating, period of pregnancy, care for offspring

The mating takes place in the same way as for all sheep, with one exception - it is almost always free, in the steppe shepherds do not particularly monitor the manifestation of hunting in queens, but simply graze rams and queens in a herd together, which allows you to get offspring from sheep throughout the year . Lambs reach a large weight very quickly; the meat type of the Hissar sheep can be slaughtered as early as 4-5 months.

In free mating, the ram covers the queens randomly and as much as it can cover in a day, usually no more than 10-15, and it also reveals hunting on its own.

The offspring of the sheep of the Hissar breed are nurtured for no more than 145 days, which is typical for any breed of sheep. During pregnancy, sheep are transferred to the most fertile pastures and kept there until the offspring appears. As soon as the lambs begin to grow stronger and gain weight, they are either sold for meat or driven to poorer pastures, in principle, young and adult animals can find food anywhere where there is at least some vegetation. Like all other sheep, animals of the Hissar breed give birth once a year.

Sheep are resistant to colds, practically do not get sick, but, as a rule, they still need some vaccinations, so you should not expect that after the acquisition, the sheep will find their own food, gain weight and do not require absolutely no supervision and care. Caring for lambs, shearing, milking, slaughtering - all these are the types of work that a sheep breeder who wants to breed Hissar sheep will have to do.

slaughter

Getting good lamb meat is possible only when young rams and ewes are slaughtered, therefore, Gissark sheep are sent for slaughter as early as 3-4 months, or even earlier, they do it en masse. Usually, several hundred lambs are born in the flocks by this time, ready to be slaughtered for meat, the yield of which is very good, farmers in the steppe and mountain regions feed and live off the sale of meat, fat and milk of sheep. But there is no need to move to the steppe regions to breed the breed, the sheep feels great anywhere where there are large pastures and a lot of free space. Mass slaughter takes place in specially equipped slaughterhouses, slaughtering a sheep at home is completely simple, for this you just need to hang it upside down, cut the cervical arteries and let the blood drain. The process takes no more than 5 minutes, after which you can start cutting the carcass.

So, the Hissar breed of sheep is the most unpretentious to any conditions of keeping, feeding and care, a large sheep quickly reaches a large weight, the amount of pure meat and fat, which is what attracts most livestock breeders.

Video: Hissar breed of sheep

Himalayas - a mountain system, is considered the highest in the world.

"Only mountains can be better than mountains." Ever since school, everyone knows that the highest mountains in the world, as well as the most picturesque and mysterious, are the Himalayas.

The mythical Shambhala, the mysterious and formidable Bigfoot - this is only a small part of the myths and legends, hidden from us by eternal white ice. mountain peaks.

Geographical location and characteristics

The highest mountain system on the planet - the Himalayas, which in Sanskrit means "the abode of snows" is spread over the vast territory of Central Asia. They are located in the following countries:

• Chinese People's Republic (Tibet region);
• Nepal;
• India;
• Pakistan;
• Bangladesh (a small part of it).

The mountain range, which stretches for almost 2400 km, was formed approximately 50-70 million years ago as a result of the movement and collision of the Eurasian and Indo-American tectonic plates. But, despite such an ancient age in terms of earthly years, these mountains are still young by geological standards. The growth process of the Himalayas continues to this day, for example, the highest point on the planet - Mount Chomolungma (Everest) is growing by about 6 cm per year.

The mountain peaks of the Himalayas, sharp as peaks, rise on the Indo-Gangetic valley and consist of three steps:

The Great Himalayas are the most high part mountain range, rises above sea level by 4 km and above. By the way, in the Himalayas there are 10 of the 14 "eight-thousanders" - mountain peaks whose height exceeds 8 km, as well as the highest point in the world - Mount Chomolungma, as the locals call it Everest, by the name of geodesist George Everest, who in the middle of the 19th century determined the exact height of the peak. It amounted to as much as 8848 m.

A little lower, at an altitude of 2-4 km above sea level, there are fertile valleys, for example, Kathmandu and Kashmir, alternating with mountain ranges. These are the so-called Lesser Himalayas. The Himalayas, the second name is Sivalik. These are the youngest and lowest hills in the mountain system, their height does not exceed 2 km.

The area of ​​the ice sheet, located mainly on the slopes of high mountains, is 33 thousand square kilometers. The largest glacier is Gangotri (has a length of 26 km), it gives rise to the Ganges - the sacred river of the Hindus. There are also many picturesque alpine lakes in the Himalayas, for example, Lake Tilicho is located at an altitude of 4919 meters!

Himalayas on the map

Rivers

From the Himalayas originate and carry their stormy waters such major rivers planets like Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra.

Climate

Monsoons carry warm air from indian ocean, most years supply the southern slopes of the mountains with life-giving moisture. The same cannot be said about the northern slopes of the Himalayas. Warm southern air is not able to overcome the mountain heights, so there is an arid continental climate.

The air temperature in the mountains reaches -40 degrees Celsius in winter, and the wind speed is sometimes as much as 150 km/h. The Himalayas rank third on the planet in terms of the amount of snow and ice after the Arctic and Antarctic.

Flora and fauna of the Himalayas

Diversity flora The Himalayas are directly proportional to altitude. At the southern foothills of the mountains there are real jungles, which here are called "terai", a little higher they are replaced by tropical forests, then mixed, coniferous, and finally - alpine meadows.

meadows in the Himalayas photo

On the drier and desolate northern slopes, semi-deserts, steppes and mixed forests replace each other. Very valuable species of trees sprout in the Himalayas, for example, dhak, sal tree. The boundaries of the ice sheet pass at an altitude of approximately 6 km from north side and 4.5 km from the south. Above 4 km, vegetation of the tundra type is already found - mosses, dwarf shrubs, rhododendrons.

Sigarmatha National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Nepal. Here is the highest peak in the world, everyone famous mountain Everest, and two eight-thousander peaks, as well as such endemics (rare and endangered species of animals and plants) as (snow leopard), Tibetan fox, black and others.

Himalayan sheep photo

WITH south side Rhinos, tigers, leopards live and feel very comfortable. Bears, antelopes, yaks, wild horses and mountain goats live in the north.

Population

It is worth saying a little about the population of this mountainous region, because it is quite diverse. As early as 8000 BC, these mountains were inhabited by tribes. Ancient Aryans lived in the south, Persian and Turkic peoples in the west, Tibetan tribes in the east. They lived in isolated valleys, where they created their state formations and closed ethnic groups.

In the 19th century, the Himalayas were the possessions of the British Empire, and in 1947 - a zone of military conflict due to the division of India and Pakistan. The population is still engaged in subsistence farming. Cereal crops are grown on the southern damp slopes, while distant pastures are practiced in drier and less fertile regions.

Development and interesting facts

Among all the eight-thousanders, Chomolungma has always been of particular interest. Local tribes did not climb its peaks for a long time, considering the mountain sacred. Everest was first conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpas (Sherpas are people living in Eastern Nepal) Tenzing Norgay.

The first Soviet expedition took place in 1982. Since 1953, Everest has been conquered more than 3,700 times, however, there is another, more sad statistics - about 570 people died during the ascent. In addition to Everest, the most dangerous "eight-thousander" is considered mountain range Annapurna, the death rate among climbers since the first ascent is a whopping 41%! True, according to statistics for 1990-2008, Kanchenjunga (8586 meters above sea level) began to be considered the most dangerous peak, the mortality rate over these years was 22%.

flora Himalaya photo

The Himalayas are becoming more and more "inhabited" region of the planet every year. The flow of tourists from season to season increases, which entails the development of infrastructure and the entire tourism system as a whole. Not so long ago, the authorities of China and Nepal agreed to develop transport communication between their countries through the construction of a railway tunnel. It is expected that it will pass under the highest peak of the planet - Everest! Preparatory work on this project is already underway.

In 2011, a dinner party was held in the Himalayas at an altitude of 6805 meters! Climbers in the amount of seven people climbed to a record height, taking with them a table, chairs, appliances and food. Dinner still took place, despite the cold and strong wind. Initially, the climbing group wanted to dine at an altitude of 7045 meters, but the hurricane wind did not allow it.

The mountain structure of the Himalayas is undoubtedly the highest in the world. It stretches for a distance of 2,400 meters from the northwest towards the southeast. Her West Side in width reaches 400 kilometers, eastern - about 150 kilometers.

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

Kingdom of snow

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

The map shows that they are located on a vast territory: starting from the northern hemisphere and ending, they cross along the way South Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plain. Then they gradually develop 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, and residents of Bhutan, and 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 Himalaya coordinates: 27°59′17″ North and 86°55′31″ East

There are two phenomena that influenced the appearance of mountains:

1. The system was formed mainly from sediments and rocks interacting in the earth's crust. At first they formed into peculiar folds, and then rose to a certain height.
2. 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 ocean Tethys disappeared.

Dimensions of the Himalayan peaks

This mountain system includes 10 of the 14 highest mountains on Earth, which exceeded the mark of 8 km. 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 Himalaya mountains formed 3 main levels, each of which is higher than the previous one.

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

1. The Sivalik Range is the southernmost, lowest and youngest level. Its length is 1 km 700 meters between the lowlands of the Indus and the Brahmaputra, and its width is from 10 to 50 km. The height of the Sivalik hill 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.
2. The Lesser Himalayas is 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 areas.
3. The Great 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 amount 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, the Brahmaputra and the Ganges - begin their journey in the Himalayas. The western Himalayan rivers are included in the catchment of the Indus River, and all others are adjacent to the Brahmaputra-Gangetic basin. The easternmost side of the Himalayas belongs to the system. Also in this mountainous structure there are many naturally occurring reservoirs that do not have connections with other rivers, seas and oceans. For example, 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 around 1919 m, and is considered one of the highest mountains in the world.

Extensive 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 are the Zema, Gangotri and Rongbuk glaciers.

Weather

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

• On the south side, under the monsoon influence, a lot of precipitation falls in the summer - up to 4 meters in the east, up to 1 meter per year in the west, and almost never in winter.
• In the north, on the contrary, there is almost no rain at all; a 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. Winds up to 150 km/h are common in mountainous areas. In the Himalayas, the weather changes quite often.

The Himalayan mountain structure also affects the weather of the entire region. The mountains act as a protection against the freezing dry 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, because all the monsoon winds blowing from the south and bringing a lot of rain cannot cross the high mountains. All moisture-containing volumes of air settle in them.

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

Flora and fauna

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 consist of deciduous trees and small shrubs, dominate above 2 km. And coniferous forests - more than 2 km 600 meters.
• Above 3 km 500 meters the kingdom of bushes begins.
• On the slopes from the north, the weather is drier, so there is much less vegetation. Mostly mountainous deserts and steppes predominate.

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

• Wild elephants, antelopes, tigers, rhinos and leopards live in the southern tropics, very a large number of monkeys.
• A little higher live the famous Himalayan bears, mountain sheep and goats, yaks.
• And even higher sometimes there are snow leopards.

There are many nature reserves in the Himalayas. For example, Sagarmatha National Park.

Population

A significant part of the people lives 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, almost all of the land is cultivated.

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

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

Religious views also differ: some praise the Buddha, while others bow to Hinduism.

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

The inhabitants of the Himalayas are mainly engaged in agricultural work. If the plots of land are relatively flat and there is sufficient water in reserve, then farmers 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 also kept for meat, wool and milk.

Special values ​​of the Himalayas

There are many attractions in the Himalayas: 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 strewn with beautiful flowers is a national heritage of UNESCO.

tourist travel

In the Himalayas, sports such as climbing and hiking along mountain paths are very popular.

The most popular tracks include:

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

The preparation of the tourist, the time of year and the weather affect the time of passing these paths. It is dangerous for an unprepared person to immediately climb to a height, as "mountain sickness" may begin. Besides, it's unsafe. You need to prepare well, purchase special equipment for mountaineering.

Almost every person knows where the Himalayas are and wants to go there. Traveling to the mountains attracts tourists from different countries, including Russia. Remember that climbing is best done in the warm season, best of all in autumn or spring. In the summer it rains in the Himalayas, and in the winter it is very cold and impassable.

Himalayas - the highest mountain system of the Earth, located between the Tibetan Plateau (in the north) and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south). This majestic mountain system is spread over the territory of India, Nepal, China (Tibetan autonomous region), Pakistan, Bhutan. The mountain system of the Himalayas at the junction of Central and South Asia is over 2900 km long and about 350 km wide. The average height of the ridges is about 6 km, the maximum height is 8848 m - Mount Chomolungma (Everest). There are 10 eight-thousanders here - peaks with a height of more than 8000 m above sea level.

The Himalayan mountain range, including the Karakoram Mountains (the second highest mountain range located northwest of the western chain of the Himalayas), stretches for more than 2414 km along the northern border of the Hindustan peninsula, separating it from Asia lying to the north. The longest glacier outside the polar regions, Siyachen, is located in Karakorumen, stretching for 76 km.

At Mount Rakaposhi (7788 m) is the steepest slope in the world. This mountain rises 6000 m above the Hunza valley, and the length of the slope is almost 10 km; thus, the total angle of inclination is 31°.

The Karakoram Mountains stretch from the northwest, from northern Pakistan, to the southeast, across Kashmir in northern India. The Himalayas turn to the east, capturing the mountain kingdoms of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, and finally the province of Aru-nachal-Pradesh in the northeastern state of Assam. The northern borders of these countries lie along a mountainous watershed, to the north of which lie the Chinese regions of Tibet and Chinese Turkestan.

To the west of the Karakorum, the mountains divide into the Pamir and Hindu Kush, and in the east there is a sharp turn to the south, to less high mountains Northern Burma.

The peoples who inhabit the Himalayas have never been particularly eager to explore the mountains, not dictated by their immediate needs of life; this "high" honor fell mainly to more restless Europeans.

In the 19th century, while the pioneers of mountaineering began to storm the peaks European Alps, the Indian government department of land management calculated the location of a peak that seemed to be higher than the rest. Completed in 1856, processing of theodolite surveys of 1849 and 1850 showed that the height of Peak XV on the Tibetan-Nepalese border is 8840 m, and therefore it is the highest peak in the world. It was named after Colonel Sir George Everest, former Surveyor General of India.

After the First World War, the efforts of climbers concentrated mainly on approaches to Everest from the side of the Tibetan slopes, since Nepal was closed to any expeditions.

After the Second World War, Nepal opened its borders to explorers and exploration of the southern slopes began; however impregnable summit submitted only on May 29, 1953 to the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

Currently, the Himalayas are an area of ​​international mountaineering (mainly in Nepal).

The Himalayas rise above the Indo-Gangetic Plain in 3 steps, forming the Shivalik Mountains (Anti-Himalayas), the Lesser Himalayas (Pir Panjal, Dhaoladhar and others) and separated from them by a chain of longitudinal depressions (Kathmandu Valley, Kashmir Valley and others) Greater Himalayas, which are subdivided to the Assam, Nepal, Kumaon and Punjab Himalayas.

Peaks over 8 km above sea level make up the Great Himalayas, the lowest passes in them are located at altitudes over 4 km. The Greater Himalayas are characterized by alpine-type ridges, huge altitudinal contrasts, powerful glaciation (area over 33 thousand km²). From the east, this ridge is bounded by the Brahmaputra valley, and from the west by the Indus (these powerful rivers from three sides cover the entire mountain system). The extreme closing northwestern peak of the Himalayas is Nanga Parbat (8126 m), the eastern one is Namcha Barwa (7782 m).

The peaks of the Lesser Himalayas on average reach 2.4 km, and only in the western part - 4 km above sea level.

The lowest ridge, Shivalik, stretches along the entire mountain system from the Brahmaputra to the Indus, nowhere exceeding 2 km.

The main rivers of South Asia - the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra - originate in the Himalayas.

Highest peaks[edit | edit source]

The Himalayas are home to 10 of the 14 eight-thousanders in the world.

The highest peak of the Earth is located on the border of Nepal and China (Tibet Autonomous Region). In Nepalese, she is called the King of Heaven - Sagarmatha, and in Tibetan - the Divine Mother of the Earth (Chomolungma). The name Everest was given to the mountain during the first measurement of its height in the middle of the 19th century in honor of George Everest (eng. George Everest, 1790-1866), the chief surveyor of the topographic service of British India. The top of the mountain is located at an altitude of 8848 m above sea level.

The highest mountains in the world separate Hindustan from Asia.

Most travelers to reach the Himalayas fly to India or Pakistan and then travel north by train, highway and finally on foot. The way from the north, from Tibet, is more difficult.

The Himalayas, home to 96 of the world's 109 peaks over 7,300 meters, are undeniably the greatest mountain range on earth. And although the South American Andes form a longer (about 7500 km) mountain range, they are not so high. But facts and figures are one thing, and the awe-inspiring view of the Himalayas is quite another.

Although the highest mountain on our planet is better known throughout the world under English name Everest, her Nepalese name - Chomolungma - "Mother Goddess of Snows" - creates an image that can be applied to all the Himalayas.

The highest ascent is on the southern slope of Annapurna I (8091m) and the longest ascent is on the Rupal-facing slope of Nangaparbat Mountain in Karakoram at an elevation of 4482m.

Of the highest peaks of the ridge, K2 in Karakoram (8661 m) and Kangchenjunga (8586 m) should be named.

The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world. About a third of all animal species living here - more than in other parts of India - belong to the protected.
Basic data:
The Himalayan mountain system belongs to natural landscapes that break down faster. In connection with economic activity man is rapidly shrinking the area of ​​virgin corners of nature. Free lands are built up, polluted and destroyed. Certain measures were taken to preserve this exceptionally valuable region, but, obviously, this was done too late. Cautious snow leopard (irbis), covered with beautiful thick yellow - gray spotted hair, light on the sides and white on the belly, became the object of hunting for hunters - sportsmen, poachers and fur traders.
Musk deer in the past lived everywhere in the Himalayan mountains. Musk - the secret of the musk glands of the male deer - has long been used in the perfume industry. As a result of active extermination, through the pursuit of man for profit, this animal was on the verge of extinction. In order to protect the musk deer, several reserves were organized, in particular, Kedernath and Sagarmatha National Park.
Other endangered species found in the Himalayas include the brown bear, the white-breasted or Himalayan bear, the red panda and the black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis). Black-necked cranes were discovered by the zoologist and traveler N. M. Przhevalsky. The Marco Polo sheep is a subspecies of argali, one of the largest Himalayan sheep.
People lead ecological agriculture.
The Chinese were the first to use musk - the secret of the musk gland of the musk deer - in the production of fragrances.
The Himalayas are the natural border between the Tibetan highlands of the pits and India, Bhutan and Nepal, connecting in the northwest with the Hindu Kush ranges.
Do you know that…
Of the 109 peaks over 7315 m, 96 belong to the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges.
Mount Chomolungma (Everest), whose height is 8848 m, is named after the English General George Everest (1790-1866), a surveyor, researcher of the topography of India. By the way, he rode a horse and his saddle was made of good quality where to buy a saddle for a horse, these questions are being asked now.
The length of the horns of the markhor goat, or markhor, living in the Himalayas (Capra falconeri) reaches 1.65 m.

The length of the Himalayas is about 2500 km, the width in some places reaches 400 km. The Himalayan mountains are mainly located on the territory of Nepal and Bhutan, between the Tibetan highlands and the Indo-Gangetic plain. This elongated mountain system crosses several climatic zones and has a rich fauna and flora.
Insects
The jungle in the foothills of the Himalayas is a favorable environment for many different insects. In the higher regions, most insects have a dark body color, due to which they accumulate solar heat during the day. Butterflies amaze with their ability to live at high altitudes, which fly at an altitude of 4500 m above sea level.
Relief formation
formed about 70 million years ago as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian platforms of the earth's crust, followed by deformation and uplift. The rich Himalayan flora and fauna includes South Asian, African and Mediterranean species.
In the east of the Himalayas, species that are native to Western China can still be observed today, and European Mediterranean species are found in the western part. Fossils indicate that typical African animals once lived here.
Vegetation
In the Himalayas, the following four belts of vegetation are distinguished: tropical, subtropical, temperate and alpine. All of them are located on different height and are characterized by different amounts of precipitation. Sivalik Mountains (Pereghimalaya) covered with tropical forests, consisting mainly of bamboo, oaks and chestnuts. In the western direction, with increasing altitude, the forests thin out, evergreen oaks, cedars and pines begin to dominate here.
At an altitude of 3700 m, the belt of alpine vegetation begins with its inherent rhododendrons and juniper.
mammals
The originality of the fauna of Tibet lies in the small number of species and the abundance of individuals, mainly ungulates - wild yaks, antelopes, mountain sheep. In a cold long winter, many animals - foxes, martens, weasels, hares, marmots, pikas - dig deep holes. Typical inhabitants of the Himalayas - different kinds mountain sheep. There are more of them here than in any other mountains of the world. A subspecies of the mountain sheep lives here - the Marco Polo sheep. Hunters, extracting his beautiful spiral horns, exterminated them almost completely. Another subspecies of argali lives here - the Tibetan argali, which can withstand extreme temperature fluctuations: both heat and winter cold. In the Himalayas, there are also such representatives of the bovid family: the bearded goat, markhor goat and blue ram, the Himalayan goral, tar and Takin, which is depicted on the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The Himalayan tahr lives on rocky slopes in the forest strand of mountains; females rise above the forest line in summer. Kak is the largest mammal in the region. Thanks to its long wool, which resembles felt, it survives in the highest and most inhospitable mountain regions. Animals domesticated by highlanders are reliable and hardy companions of man. Brown and Himalayan bears feed on carrion, they are very fond of sweet fruits and roots. Perhaps the legend of Bigfoot, Yeti, was inspired by the paw prints of the Himalayan bear.
The snow leopard, covered with thick fur, is not afraid of frost. The Himalayan bear is a shy animal.
Birds
The feathered Himalayan fauna includes Asian, European and Indo-Chinese species. local forests inhabited by numerous woodpeckers. In the mountains, birds live even above the forest limit - among them the Himalayan snowcock.
Himalayas - real paradise for birds of prey. Himalayan or snowy, vultures, bearded vultures and golden eagles, soaring high in the sky, look out for small animals and birds on the ground. The golden eagle occasionally attacks lambs and young musk deer. Many local birds are characterized by a bright multi-color color. In the pheasant family, the Himalayan pheasants stand out most with their plumage. The Himalayan pheasant lives in the eastern part of the Himalayas.
Himalayan vultures feed on the carcasses of deer and other large mammals.