Where is the Himalaya mountain on the world map. Where are the Himalayas located? About the most impregnable mountains of the planet

One of the most famous miraculous wonders of the world are the Himalayan mountains. The point is not only in the scale of this creation of nature, but also in the huge amount of the unknown that these gigantic peaks conceal.

Where are the Himalayas located?

The Himalayan mountain range passes through the territory of five states - this is India, China, Pakistan, Nepal and Kingdom of Bhutan. The eastern foothills of the range touch the northern borders of the Republic of Bangladesh.

Mountain ranges rise in the north, completing the Tibetan Plateau, and separate from it vast areas of the Hindustan Peninsula - the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Even the average height of the entire mountain system reaches 6 thousand meters. It is in the Himalayas that the main number of "eight-thousanders" is located - mountain peaks, the height of which exceeds the mark of 8 kilometers. Of the 14 such peaks on the surface of the planet, 10 are located in the Himalayas.

Himalaya mountains on the map

Himalayas on the world map

The highest and most inaccessible mountains on the planet are the Himalayas. The name comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit, and literally means "Snow House". They are located on the continent in a giant loop, serving as a kind of border between Central and South Asia. The length of the mountain ranges from west to east is slightly less than 3 thousand km, and the total area of ​​the entire mountain system is about 650 thousand square meters. km.

The entire mountain range of the Himalayas consists of three peculiar steps:

• First - Himalayas(locally called the Shivalik Ridge) is the lowest of all, the mountain peaks of which do not rise more than 2000 meters.
• The second step - the ridges Dhaoladhar, Pir-Panjal and several others, smaller, is called Small Himalayas. The name is rather conditional, since the peaks are already rising to solid heights - up to 4 kilometers.
• Behind them are several fertile valleys (Kashmir, Kathmandu and others), serving as a transition to the highest points of the planet - Greater Himalayas. Two great South Asian rivers - the Brahmaputra from the east and the Indus from the west - seem to cover this majestic mountain range, originating on its slopes. In addition, the Himalayas give life to the sacred Indian river - the Ganges.

Mount Chomolungma, she is Everest

The highest point in the world, located on the border of Nepal and China - Mount Chomolungma. However, it has several names and some variation in the assessment of its height. The names of this mountain peak in local dialects have always been associated with the divinity of its origin: Chomolungma in Tibetan, literally - "Divine", in Nepal it is called the "Mother of the Gods" - Sagarmatha. There is another beautiful Tibetan name - "Mother - the queen of snow-white snows" - Chomo-Kankar. For Europeans, these names were too complicated, and in 1856 they called the mountain an Anglicized name. Everest, in honor of Sir George Everest, head of the British Colonial Geodetic Survey.

Official today Everest height - 8848 meters, taking into account the ice cap, and 8844 meters - the top of solid rock. But these indicators have changed several times in one direction or another. So, the first measurement, carried out in the middle of the 19th century, showed 29,000 feet (8839 meters). However, the scientific surveyors did not like the fact that the number was too round, and they freely added another 2 feet, which gave a value of 8840 m. Measurements continued a century later, when the height was determined at 8848 m. However, several geographers made their own calculations using the most modern means of radio direction finding and navigation. So two more values ​​\u200b\u200bappeared - 8850 and even 8872 meters. However, these values ​​have not been officially recognized.

Himalaya records

The Himalayas are a place of pilgrimage for the strongest climbers in the world, for whom conquering their peaks is a cherished life goal. Chomolungma did not submit immediately - since the beginning of the last century, many attempts have been made to climb the "roof of the world". The first to achieve this goal was in 1953 New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary accompanied by a local guide - Sherpa Norgay Tenzing. The first successful Soviet expedition took place in 1982. In total, Everest has already conquered about 3,700 times..

Unfortunately, they set the Himalayas and sad records - 572 climbers died when trying to conquer their eight-kilometer heights. But the number of brave athletes does not decrease, because "taking" all 14 "eight-thousanders" and getting the "Crown of the Earth" is the cherished dream of each of them. The total number of "crowned" winners to date is 30 people, including 3 women.

Ski resorts in India

The northern mountainous regions of India are a completely unique world, with its own philosophy and spirituality, ancient shrines and historical monuments, a colorful population and a variety of natural landscapes. Any traveler will always find a lot of interesting things here.

Gulmarg (Valley of Flowers)

This resort is located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The height of the slopes is 1400-4138 m. Gulmarg was built in 1927 by the British when they "visited" India, so it practically meets European standards. The season here starts at the end of December and ends at the end of March.. Here they give out the appropriate equipment, so beginners should be comfortable enough, if, of course, they are not afraid of steep descents.

Narkanda

A small ski tourist center, located near Shimla city at an altitude of about 2400 meters, surrounded by a relic pine forest. Its snowy slopes are quite suitable for both beginner skiers and experienced masters.

Solang

A well-known place for extreme recreation in ski circles. It is famous for its well-developed infrastructure, both sports and tourism. All those who have visited these places always leave excellent reviews about the level of training of the coaching and service personnel of the resort.

Kufri

One of the most famous Indian ski tourist centers. It is located just two dozen kilometers from Shimla city, which for many years was the residence of the English Viceroy of India. Kufri is also remarkable for the fact that in the immediate vicinity of it there is a huge natural Himalayan Nature National Park, where all the wide variety of wild flora and fauna of these places is carefully preserved. Climbing up the slopes of the mountains, tourists manage to visit several climatic zones - from the rapidly flowering tropics to the harsh conditions of the northern latitudes.

Historical and cultural attractions of the Himalayas

For those who prefer to devote their time to exploring historical sites and cultural values, the Indian region of the Himalayas will provide these opportunities.

First of all, in these places, as already mentioned, there was a summer residence of the English viceroy in India - the Viceroy. That is why the small village shimla turned into a city the state capital of Himchal Pradesh. The famous museum, located in the Royal Palace, is replete with exhibits showing the cultural diversity of the region. Shimla is famous for its bazaar with woolen products traditional for these places, national Indian clothes, handmade jewelry made according to ancient technology. As a rule, no one is left indifferent to a horse riding tour of the surrounding picturesque mountains.

Tourists love India. Read - Russians most often come there for the winter.

The discovery of India is the merit of the Portuguese. in another article.

Dharamsala for Buddhists, probably the same as Mecca for Muslims. Travelers here encounter the hospitality of the local population, unprecedented anywhere else in the world. This small town is the residence of the Dalai Lama himself, who brought his Tibetan people here after many years of exile.

To visit the Indian Himalayas, and not to visit the estate of Nicholas Roerich- unforgivable for a Russian! It is located in the town of Naggar, near the city of Manali. In addition to the environment in which the painter's family lived, visitors will see a large collection of genuine works by this great author.

Capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir city ​​of Shinagan- Another center of tourist pilgrimage. According to some theories, it was here that Jesus Christ found his last refuge. Travelers will definitely be shown the tomb of Yuz Asuf, a man identified with the Son of God. In the same city you can see unique floating houses - houseboats. No one, probably, left here without acquiring products from the famous Kashmir wool as a keepsake.

Spiritual and health tourism

The spiritual principles and the cult of a healthy body are so closely intertwined in various directions of Indian philosophical schools that it is impossible to draw any visible division between them. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the Indian Himalayas just to get acquainted with Vedic sciences, ancient postulates yoga teachings healing your body Ayurvedic canons Panchakarma.

The pilgrimage program must include visit caves for deep meditation, waterfalls, ancient temples, bathing in the Ganges- a sacred river for Hindus. Those who suffer can have conversations with spiritual mentors, get parting words and recommendations from them on spiritual and bodily cleansing. However, this topic is so extensive and versatile that it requires a separate detailed presentation.

The natural grandiosity and highly spiritual atmosphere of the Himalayas fascinates the human imagination. Anyone who has ever come into contact with the splendor of these places will always be obsessed with the dream of returning here at least once.

Captivating video timelapse of the unshakable Himalayas

This video was shot frame by frame on a Nikon D800 camera for 50 days over 5000 km. Places in India: Spiti Valley, Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Leh, Zanskar, Kashmir.

Himalayas (Skt. himalaya - abode of snows, from hima - snow and alaya - dwelling)

the highest mountain system on the globe, located on the territory of India, China, Nepal, and Pakistan, between the Tibetan Plateau (see Tibetan Plateau) (in the north) and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (see Indo-Gangetic Plain) (in the south). G. - the most powerful mountain system of the Earth with the highest peaks, the greatest height differences over short distances, deep (up to 4-5 km) gorges. Length over 2400 km, width from 180 to 350 km, an area of ​​about 650 thousand sq. km 2. Average height around 6000 m, 11 peaks over 8000 m(Chomolungma city - 8848 m- the highest peak in the world). The mountains have clear morphological and physiographic boundaries: in the north, the longitudinal tectonic valleys of the upper reaches of the Indus and Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) rivers; in the south, the northern edge of the Indo-Gangetic Plain; - the Hinduraj ridge, on the east - the gorge of the river. Brahmaputra. Georgia is the largest orographic, climatic, and floristic barrier between the deserts of Central Asia and the tropical landscapes of South Asia. However, due to the presence of through antecedent gorges of the rivers Indus, Sutlej, Karnali, and Arun, the watershed of the Indian Ocean basin and the drainless region of Central Asia does not run along Georgia, but along the mountain systems adjacent to the north - the Karakorum and the Trans-Himalayas.

Relief. Mountains rise steeply above the Indo-Gangetic plain in three grandiose steps; km, to E. from 88 ° E. d. narrows to 5-10 km), average height 900-1200 m. This ridge is separated from the next step by a large fault, along the line of which there is a series of intermountain basins (duns), occupied in the past by lakes. 2nd stage - Small (Low) G. - a system of individual mountain ranges and ridges (average height 3000-4000 m, tops up to 6000 m). The mountains are strongly dissected and are characterized by steep southern and more gentle northern slopes. The western part - the Pir-Panjal ridge - a jagged narrow ridge on a wide flattened base: in the central part (the Dhaoladhar, Mahabharat ridges) the mountains rise sharply (up to 5000 m), characterized by sharp ridges and deep valleys. To the east of the tectonic valley of the river. Tista southern slope is divided by hanging valleys and is called "duars" (doors). The 2nd stage is separated from the 3rd stage by an extensive depression with a chain of tectonic intermontane depressions and ancient glacial basins (Kathmandu, Srinagar, etc.). 3rd step - Large (High) Mountains, or the Main Himalayan Range, width 50-90 km. Starts in S.-Z. from the Nangaparbat massif (8126 m), where it is widest (over 300 km), has raised edges, between which lie high uplands (Deosai, Rushpu, etc.). To Yu.-V. from the river valley The Sutlej Big Mountains form a powerful ridge with a number of the highest massifs and peaks covered with glaciers. To V. from the river. Tista Large G. are significantly reduced. Here, deeply incised river valleys, relatively poorly dissected massifs and domed peaks are common.

Geological structure and minerals. In the geological structure of Georgia, a number of parallel tectonic zones stand out (from north to south). tectonic scheme ). Along the southern foot of the mountains stretches the Cis-Himalayan (Indo-Gangetic) piedmont trough, filled with Cenozoic terrigenous deposits of the molasse type, with a total thickness of up to 10 km. The occurrence of rocks is horizontal in the south, slightly inclined to the north, with folds and overthrusts overturned to the south in the Sivalik Mountains.

The main boundary fault (of the deep type) separates the Cis-Himalayan trough from the zone of development of Precambrian metamorphic rocks of the Small and Large Glands. Among the Precambrian rocks of the Small G., blocks of Paleozoic (Krol Formation) and presumably Mesozoic (Tal Formation) formations are tectonically clamped; Continental accumulations of the Gondwana system (Upper Paleozoic) and effusive rocks of basic composition (Panjal traps) are also known here. Cases of thrusting of some strata onto others from north to south are known, but the true amplitudes of the thrusts cannot be determined because of the poor knowledge of the stratigraphy of the ancient strata. Many researchers (A. Ganser and others) believe that there are large overthrusts and shariazh overlaps. The complex of Precambrian rocks of the Greater Mountains (the southern slope and axial part of the Main Himalayan Range)—gneisses, crystalline schists, phyllites, and other deeply metamorphosed strata—is complicated by microfolding and plating and forms large dome-shaped uplifts.

A deep fault (“structural seam of the Indus”), represented by a system of steep ruptures inclined to the north, and accompanied by ophiolites, separates the next tectonic zone (Tibetan G.), which occupies the northern slope of the Main Himalayan Range, part of the Kashmir basin, the upper reaches of the Indus and the Brahmaputra and is composed of a continuous section of weakly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks from the Upper Precambrian to the Cretaceous and Paleogene inclusive. Structurally, this is a system of large synclinoria, complicated on the wings by smaller folds overturned towards the core of the synclinorium. The best section was studied in the valley of the river. Spiti (a tributary of the river Sutlej).

The geological history of Georgia is interpreted by researchers in different ways. According to the Soviet geologists M. V. Muratov, I. V. Arkhipov, G. P. Gorshkov, and others, the mountains belong to the Alpine geosynclinal (folded) region, which arose within the Tethys geosyncline; The Soviet scientists B. P. Barkhatov, D. P. Rezvoy, V. M. Sinitsyn, A. Ganser, B. A. Petrushevsky, and others, based on the fact that there are no typical geosynclinal sedimentary that G. was formed as a result of processing and activation in the Neogene-Anthropogenic time of the northern part of the Precambrian Indian platform; in this way G. sharply differ in the history of their geological development from those located to the southwest. Suleimanovy mountains and lying to Yu.-V. mountains of Arakan-Yoma, which emerged from the Alpine geosynclines.

Mineral resources are represented by deposits of copper, gold, chromite, sapphire associated with the complex of metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Small and Large G. Oil and gas deposits are known in the Pre-Himalayan foothill trough.

Climate. Mountains form a sharp climatic boundary between the region of the equatorial monsoons of Hindustan and the continental region of Central Asia. The climate of the western sector of Georgia is characterized by sharp fluctuations in temperature and strong winds. Winter is cold (average January temperature is -10, -18 °C), above 2500 m- with snowstorms. Summer is warm (average temperature in July is about 18°C), dry. The influence of the monsoon is insignificant and affects only a certain increase in humidity and cloudiness in July - August. Precipitation (about 1000 mm per year) are associated with cyclones, and in the valleys and basins they fall 3-4 times less than on the mountain slopes. The main passes are cleared of snow at the end of May. In western G. at an altitude of 1800-2200 m most of the climatic resorts of India (Shimla, etc.) are located. The eastern sector has a hotter and more humid climate with a monsoonal humidification regime (85-95% of annual precipitation falls from May to October). In summer at an altitude of 1500 m temperatures rise up to 35°C on the slopes, and even up to 45°C in the valleys. It rains almost continuously. On the southern slopes (at an altitude of 3000-4000 m) drops from 2500 mm(W.) up to 5500 mm(on V.); in the interior - about 1000 mm. In winter at an altitude of 1800 m the average January temperature is 4 ° C, above 3000 m- temperatures are negative. Snowfalls annually occur above 2200-2500 m, thick fogs in the valleys. Sev. the slopes of G. have a cold mountain-desert climate. Daily temperature ranges up to 45°С, precipitation is about 100 mm in year. In summer at an altitude of 5000-6000 m only during the day there are positive temperatures. Relative air humidity 30-60%. In winter, snow often evaporates without melting.

Rivers and lakes. The river network is more developed on the southern slope. In the upper reaches of the river, they are fed by snow and glaciers with sharp fluctuations in discharges during the day; in the middle and lower reaches - rainy, with a maximum flow in summer. The valleys are narrow and deep. Lots of rapids and waterfalls. Lakes of tectonic origin and glacial; there are especially many of them in the western part of Georgia (Vular, Tsomorari, and others).

Glaciation. The total area of ​​glaciation is over 33,000 sq. km 2. The longest glaciers on the Chomolungma massifs (up to 19 km) and Kangchenjunga (26 and 16 km); in Kumaon G. - Milam glaciers (20 km) and Gangotri (32 km), in Punjab G. - Durung Drung (24 km), Barmal (15 km). In Kashmir, the lower limit of glaciers is 2500 m, in central cities - 4000 m. Glaciation is more developed in the western part of G. In the west, the height of the snow boundary on the southern slopes is 5000 m, in the northern - 5700-5900 m, on V. - respectively 4500-4800 m and 6100 m. Glaciers are predominantly dendritic (Himalayan) type, descending at 1300-1600 m below the snow line. There are glaciers of the Turkestan type, which have small firn basins in comparison with the areas of runoff and are fed mainly by avalanches and avalanches of hanging glaciers. The northern slopes are characterized by gigantic curtains of corrugated ice that cover many of the peaks to their summits.

Landscapes G. very diverse, especially on the southern slopes. Along the foot of the mountains from the East to the valley of the river. Jamna stretches swampy strip of terai - tree and shrub thickets (jungle) of soapwood, mimosa, fan palms, bamboos, bananas, mangoes - on black muddy soils. Above, up to 1000-1200 m on the windward slopes of the mountains and along the river valleys grow evergreen tropical rain forests of palms, laurels, pandanus, tree ferns, bamboos intertwined with lianas (up to 400 species). Above 1200 m to W. and 1500 m in the east there is a belt of evergreen broad-leaved forests, consisting of various types of oak and magnolias, above 2200 m temperate forests appear from deciduous (alder, hazel, birch, maple) and coniferous (Himalayan cedar, blue pine, silver spruce) species with mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. At an altitude of 2700-3600 m dominated by coniferous forests of silver fir, larch, hemlock, juniper with a dense undergrowth of rhododendrons. Red soils are characteristic of the lower part of the forest belt, and brown forest soils are characteristic of the higher part. In the subalpine zone - juniper-rhododendron thickets. Upper limit of alpine meadows around 5000 m, although some plants (Arenaria, Edelweiss) go above 6000 m.

The landscapes of western cities are more xerophytic. There are no terai, the lower parts of the slopes are occupied by sparse xerophytic forests and shrubs, above - monsoon deciduous forests with dominance of lard. From a height of 1200-1500 m Mediterranean subtropical species appear: evergreen holm oak, golden-leaved olive, acacia, in coniferous forests - Himalayan cedar, long-coniferous pine (chir), Macedonian blue pine. The shrub undergrowth is poorer than in the east, and the alpine vegetation is richer. In the forest belt, krasnozems, low-humus brown forest soils predominate, higher - brown pseudopodzolic soils; in the Alpine belt - mountain-meadow. In the forests of the lower slopes of the mountains and in the terai, large mammals live - elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, wild boars, antelopes, predators - tigers and leopards; there are many monkeys (mainly macaques and thin-bodied birds) and birds (peacocks, pheasants, parrots).

Mountain-desert landscapes with sparse dry grasses and shrubs dominate on the northern slopes of G.. Woody vegetation (groves of low-growing poplars) - mainly along river valleys. Among the animals dominated by representatives of the Tibetan fauna - Himalayan bears, wild goats, wild sheep, yaks. Lots of rodents. Up to height 2500 m slopes are processed. Plantation crops predominate - tea bush, citrus fruits. On irrigated terraces - fig. In the S. Himalayas, naked barley rises to a height of 4500 m. (Cm. map ).

Lit.: Ryabchikov A. M., Nature of India, M., 1950; Speight O. G. K., India and Pakistan, trans. from English, M., 1957; Arkhipov I. V., Muratov M. V., Postelnikov E. S., Main features of the structure and history of the development of the Alpine geosynclinal region, in the book: International Geological Congress, 22nd, 1964. Reports of Soviet geologists. Problem 11. Himalayan and Alpine orogeny, M., 1964; Rezvoy D.P., On the great geographic division of the Asian continent, ibid.; his own, Tectonics of the Himalayas, in the book: Folded Regions of Eurasia (Materials of the meeting on problems of tectonics in Moscow), M., 1964; Ganser A., ​​Geology of the Himalayas, trans. from English, M., 1967; Direnfurt G., Third Pole, per. from German, M., 1970.

L. I. Kurakova, A. M. Ryabchikov, D. P. Rezvoy(geological structure and minerals).

The southern slope of the Eastern Himalayas in Bhutan at an altitude of 4500 m.

Chomolungma massif in the Central Himalayas. On the right is Mount Makalu (8470 m).

Himalayas. Orography scheme.

Himalayas. Tectonic scheme.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what "Himalayas" is in other dictionaries:

Himalayas- Himalayas. View from space Himalayas abode of snows, Hindi. Contents 1 Geography 2 Geology 3 Climate 4 Literature 5 Links Geography of the Himalayas ... Tourist Encyclopedia

The highest mountain system of the Earth; India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan. Name from Nepal. himal snow mountain; Himalayas is a generalized name for many individual himals that have their own names. A common interpretation of the name Himalayas, as ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

The highest mountain system in the world, between the Tibetan Plateau (in the north) and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south). The length of St. 2400 km, width up to 350 km. Among the high ridges approx. 6000 m, maximum height up to 8848 m, Chomolungma (Everest) highest ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

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 are destroyed faster. In connection with human economic activity, the area of ​​virgin corners of nature is rapidly declining. 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.
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 at different heights 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 are various types of 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 are inhabited by numerous woodpeckers. In the mountains, birds live even above the forest limit - among them the Himalayan snowcock.
Himalayas - a 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.

Translated into Russian, the word "Himalayas" means "the kingdom of snows." This highest mountain system of the world rises on the border between Central and South Asia and separates the Tibetan Plateau from the lowlands of the Indus and the Ganges (see the map of the physical and geographical zoning of Eurasia with links to photographs of the nature of this region). It was formed during the Cenozoic within that part of the ancient Tethys, where there was a convergence of the marginal zones of Eurasia and the Hindustan block, separated from Gondwana.

Relief. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic frontier. The physical-geographical and geomorphological boundaries of the mountain system itself are clearly expressed. In the north, these are the longitudinal intermountain valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the south - the edge of the Indo-Gangetic plain, in the northwest and southeast - the transverse valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra. The Himalayas border the Hindu Kush in the northwest and the Sino-Tibetan Mountains in the southeast. The total length of the mountain system is more than 2400 km, the width is 200-350 km. The Himalayas are part of China, India, Nepal, Pakistan.

Dozens of peaks in the Himalayas reach 7000 m, 11 peaks exceed 8000 m, the passes are on average at an altitude of 5000 m, which exceeds the maximum height of the Alps (Fig. 50).

Rice. 50. Comparative profile of the Alps and the Himalayas

The highest peak of the Himalayas and the whole world - Chomolungma (Everest), (8848 m) - was conquered only in 1953. The rise of the Himalayas has not ended at the present time, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes and the high position of early Quaternary deposits above sea level.

geological structure. The structure of the mountains involves crystalline, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various ages, from Archean to Quaternary, crumpled into intense folds, complicated in the central parts by powerful thrusts and splits.

Features of the geological structure - the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, a very limited distribution of marine sedimentary strata and the presence of continental sediments close to Gondwanan - give reason to consider the Himalayas as a mountain system that arose on the site of the outskirts of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in the Neogene - Quaternary time in connection with the attachment of the Hindustan plate to the rest of Eurasia and the closure of Tethys.

The Himalayas do not form ridges stretched over long distances, but break up into separate massifs, separated from one another by deep transverse river valleys. This is due to the fact that the valleys of the largest rivers - the Indus, Sutleja, Brahmaputra - were laid down before the start of the general grandiose uplift of the mountains. The uplift was accompanied by the incision of rivers and the formation of epigenetic valleys of the Himalayas.

The foothills of the Himalayas are composed of young deposits, collected in folds in the middle of the Quaternary. They are collectively known as the Sivalik Mountains; their height on the territory of Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are pressed close to the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - duns. The Sivalik Mountains drop steeply to the north and south.

The next highest step in the Himalayas is the Lesser Himalayas; they are composed of crystalline Precambrian rocks, as well as highly metamorphosed sedimentary deposits of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene. This band is characterized by intense folding, faults and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise to 6000 m. In the northwest, the Pir-Panjal ridge stretches over 6000 m high, further to the southeast it is replaced by the Small Himalayas proper, which merge with the Big Himalayas (Main Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire system of the Himalayas narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-altitude Mahabharat Mountains, and even to the east, the high and heavily dissected Duara Mountains.

Between the Lesser and Greater Himalayas stretches a strip of tectonic basins, which in the recent past were occupied by lakes and processed by glaciers. The most famous in the west is the Kashmir Basin at an altitude of 1600 m, with the main city of Kashmir, Srinagar. The existence of a lake, which used to fill the basin, is evidenced by terraces well expressed on the slopes. Several residual lakes have been preserved on the surface of the flat bottom. The second large basin of the central part of the Himalayas - Kathmandu in Nepal - is located at an altitude of about 1400 m; most of the population of this mountainous country is concentrated in it.

To the north of the basins rise the Great Himalayas, reaching an average height of 6000 m. This is a well-defined alpine ridge, above which the highest peaks of the world rise. At the western end of the Main Range, this is the grandiose Nanga Parbat massif (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight thousandth giants covered with snow and ice rise: Dhaulagiri (8167), Kutang (8126 m), Gosaintan (8013 m ), etc. Among them, the highest peak of the world, Chomolungma (Everest), with a height of 8848 m, does not even stand out. Gorgeous and majestic, only slightly inferior to it, Kanchenjunga (8598 m).

The northern slope of the Greater Himalayas is flatter and more accessible than the southern one. Along it stretches the Ladakh Range up to 7728 m high. Many rivers originate on its slopes, then crossing the Main Range. To the north of Ladakh, behind the wide longitudinal valleys of the Indus and the Brahmaputra, the outlying ranges of the Tibetan Plateau (Trans-Himalayas) rise.

Useful fossils. The Himalayas are rich in minerals. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, alluvial gold, arsenic and chromium ores. Oil, combustible gases, brown coal, potash and rock salts occur in the foothills and intermountain basins.

climatic conditions. The Himalayas are the largest climate divide in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes prevails, to the south - tropical air masses. Up to the southern slope of the Himalayas, the summer equatorial monsoon penetrates. The winds there are so strong that it is difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in spring, during a short period of calm before the start of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope throughout the year, the winds of the northern or western rhumbs blow, coming from the continent supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but always dry. From the northwest to the southeast, the Himalayas stretch approximately between 35 and 28 ° N, and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates great climatic differences within the Himalayas. Most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the band of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places, annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m, snow occurs throughout the year.

On the southern slopes up to a height of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6 ... 7 ° C, in July 18 ... 19 ° C; up to a height of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m does the average July temperature become negative. The snow limit in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humid, - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones.

Natural water. High altitude and abundant rainfall contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the farther to the east and more precipitation, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. On Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, the most powerful glaciation, the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main shaft. The Zemu glacier on Kangchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. from it originates one of the sources of the Ganges.

Especially many rivers flow down from the southern slope of the mountains. They start in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothill zone, come out onto the plain. Some large rivers originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. This is the Indus, its tributary Sutlej and Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, ice and snow, so the main flow maximum occurs in summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high-mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-like valleys of the Himalayas abound with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid snowmelt begins, until October, when the action of the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in violent streams, carrying away masses of detrital material that they deposit when they leave the Himalayan foothills. Often monsoon rains cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that could be compared with the Alpine ones in size and beauty. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only a part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir-Panjal ridge is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirque funnels or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine.

Vegetation. On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal belts from tropical forests to high mountain tundra are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a kind of marshy strip with black silty soils, called terai. Terai are characterized by jungles - dense tree and shrub thickets, in places almost impassable due to vines and consisting of soapwood, mimosas, bananas, stunted palms, and bamboos. Among the Terai, there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.

Above the terai, on the damp slopes of the mountains and along the river valleys, up to a height of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow from tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many lianas (including rattan palm) and epiphytes. The drier areas are dominated by less dense forests of sal tree, which lose their leaves during the dry period, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes of more than 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests are replaced by temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally representatives of the subtropical flora, such as magnificently flowering magnolias, come across. At the upper border of the forest, conifers dominate, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. Lots of mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt that replaces forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and more sparse when moving to the alpine zone. The alpine meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the Alpine belt in the east reaches a height of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were found at an altitude of 6218 m.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to less humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation, the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is absolutely no strip of terai there, the lower parts of the slopes of the mountains are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and thickets of shrubs, higher there are some subtropical Mediterranean species such as evergreen holm oak and golden olive, coniferous forests of pines and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) predominate even higher. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the alpine meadow vegetation is more diverse.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing towards Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes of Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of the large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

Animal world. The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a pronounced tropical character. In the forests of the lower parts of the slopes and in the Terai, many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common. There are still elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, wild boars, antelopes. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Macaques and thin-bodied are especially characteristic. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

In the upper belt of mountains and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to the Tibetan. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and rams, yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.

Population and environmental issues. Most of the population is concentrated in the middle belt of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins, and tea bushes, citrus fruits, and vines are grown on terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high height of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Dirt roads or caravan trails pass through some passes, there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are only accessible during the summer. In winter, they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

The inaccessibility of the territory played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of the low mountains and basins, intensive grazing on the mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable plant and animal species. The real "treasures" are the national parks of India and Nepal - Nan-dadevi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan, included in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

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. Its western part reaches a width of 400 kilometers, the 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 South Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plain along the way. 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 influenced by the geographical position of the 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.

The temperature in summer 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, a very 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, the inhabitants of a hollow turned out to be completely isolated 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 of Eastern Nepal, including the region of Everest. They often earn extra money as assistants on expeditions: they show the way and carry things. They have perfectly adapted to the height, so even at the highest points of this mountain system they do not suffer from a 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 - a 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 the locals. It is located on the descent from the mountain of the Ganges River, which flows into the plain.

You can walk through the 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 well-known 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. On the way, tourists can admire the high-altitude 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.