The Himalayas, also known as the Himalayan Mountains, including Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, which is the favorite climbing point of mountaineers; It not only provides water to billions of people, but also hosts many living species and shapes the belief system of its region.
Himalayas, Known as the Himalayan Mountains or the Himalayan mountain chain, this great mountain system also includes the world’s largest peaks. Happened millions of years ago The Himalayas, which were formed due to tectonic movements, It also includes Mount Everest, which is the favorite climbing point of mountaineers and is considered the highest mountain in the world. However, this is not the only feature of this mountain system that stands out.
Himalayas, It is a mountain chain that is thousands of kilometers long. The rivers connected to this mountain chain provide water to billions of people, host many living species and form the basis of the belief system of the region. Unfortunately, due to global warming, the glacier is gradually losing its structure. How did the Himalayas form, what features do they have, Let’s take a closer look at the importance of this mountain system.
How were the Himalayas formed?
This great mountain system, known as the Himalayas, the Himalayan Mountains or the Himalayan mountain chain; It lies in the east-west direction in the central south region of Asia. The length of this mountain system is exactly 2400 kilometers. Glaciers form a large part of the mountain range that passes through Pakistan, India, China, Nepal and Bhutan.
In order to answer the question of how the Himalayas were formed, it is necessary to go back to the times when the world was a single continent, millions of years ago. The collision of the Indian plate and the Asian plate The formation process of the Himalayan mountain system, which emerged 65 million years ago, still continues today due to continental movements.
When these two continental plates collided, something not easy happened and one of the plates got shorter. This shortening Formed by the Indian plate subducting the Asian plate. is estimated. The deformation at the Tibetan tip of the Asian plate compensated for some of the shortening, resulting in the Himalayas.
Where does the name Himalayas come from?
Located in the middle of Asia, this vast and high mountain system has been around for thousands of years since ancient times. forms the basis of the belief system of the region. People who believe that they are pilgrims by crossing the Himalayas come to this mountain in Sanskrit. snow meaning hima and domicile meaning mock up They derived a name from their words.
Drawing a natural and impassable border to the Indian peninsula, the main reason why the Himalayas got this name is not just a mountain. It is a large glacier formation. There are 9 of the 10 highest peaks in the world within this mountain system, which extends uninterruptedly from west to east. The highest of these is Mount Everest, as we all know.
Political significance of the Himalayas:
Such a large and magnificent mountain chain inevitably shapes the political climate of the region. Most of the Himalayas It is within the sovereignty borders of India, Nepal and Bhutan. A part of the mountain chain is located within the borders of Pakistan and China.
The Kashmir region of Pakistan, where part of the Himalayas passes, is between Pakistan and India. With an agreement made in 1972 considered as a common control point. China controls a large area in the Ladakh region, while India claims the eastern end of the Himalayas in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Notable peaks in the Himalayas:
- Mount Everest, 8,848 meters high, first climbed in 1953, is within the borders of China and Nepal.
- Chogo Gangri Peak, 8,611 meters high, first climbed in 1954, is within the borders of China and Pakistan.
- Kangchenjunga Peak, which is 8,586 meters high, which was first climbed in 1922, is within the borders of India and Nepal.
- First climbed in 1955, 8,462 meters high Makalu Peak is within the borders of Nepal.
- Dhaulagiri Peak, 8,167 meters high, first climbed in 1960, is within the borders of Nepal.
- The 8,125 meters high Nanga Parbat Peak, which was first climbed in 1953, is within the borders of Pakistan.
- The 8,091 meters high Annapurna Peak, which was first climbed in 1950, is within the borders of Nepal.
- The 7,817 meters high Nanda Devi Peak, which was first climbed in 1936, is within the borders of India.
Notable Himalayan climbers:
- Nasuh Mahruki is the first Turk to climb Mount Everest.
- Eric Shipton discovered the way to the summit of Everest.
- Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary were the first climbers to reach the summit of Everest.
- Nawang Gombu is the first mountaineer to climb Mount Everest but did not reach the summit.
- Jim Whittaker is the first American to climb Mount Everest.
- Reinhold Messner was the first mountaineer to climb all 14 mountains 8,000 meters above sea level, known as the Eight Thousands.
- Casey Mackins is the first mountaineer to climb Mount Everest starting from sea level.
Including Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world How did the Himalayas form, what is its significance? We answered the curious questions such as and talked about what you need to know about this mountain system. The fact that the Himalayas are getting warmer and their glaciers are melting is a worrying development for the world.