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In what part of the world are the Himalayas located? The uniqueness of the Indian Himalayas

The Himalayan Mountains are the highest mountain system in the world. The Himalayas are located on the territory of several states. , Pakistan, China, India and Bhutan. The length of this mountain system is about 3000 km. Width up to 350 km.

The highest point is Mount Everest (Chomolungma), whose height is 8848 m above sea level. All mountains with a height of more than eight thousand meters, the so-called eight thousand meters, are located in the Himalayas. The exception is Mount Chogori (K2), which is located in Karakoram. The total area occupied by the Himalayas is approximately 650,000 km2. Gold, sapphires, copper are the minerals present. Among the attractions are temple complexes, located in the capital of Nepal Kathmandu and in the mountain range itself, national park Nepal Sagamatha, textile museum in Bhutan, etc.

Mountaineering and climate tourism are widespread in the Himalayas. The climate is mostly subequatorial. Spring and summer are usually accompanied by high temperatures and humidity. For the most part, this is typical for the southern part of the Himalayas. To the southeast of these mountains is the wettest place on the planet - Cherrapunji, an Indian city that receives over 11,000 mm of rainfall per year. On the northern side, the temperature is much lower, since the mountains there are protected from the effects of the monsoons on the southern side. Therefore, in the northern part the climate is cold and dry. Depending on the changes in altitude, the temperature will also change. Therefore, in summer, on mountain peaks, temperatures can drop to -20 degrees Celsius. In winter it can be below -40 degrees. Another characteristic feature is strong winds, reaching hurricane force high in the mountains, up to 200 km/h.

Scientists believe that the Himalayas consist of rocks that were part of the floor of the Tethys proto-ocean several million years ago. These mountains were formed when the Asian continent collided with the Hindustan tectonic plate. It is believed that the growth of the Himalayas was gradual. Therefore, different parts of these mountains are distinguished: Small and Greater Himalayas, Pre-Himalayas. The Greater Himalayas are the oldest. They were formed about 39 million years ago. A few million years later, the growth of the Lesser Himalayas began. The pre-Himalayas, whose second name is the Shivalik Mountains, are the youngest. They are approximately 7 million years old. The Himalayas are part of the seismic belt of the Eurasian continent. One of the main features Himalayan mountains– these are sharp peaks and a large angle on the slopes. Most of the peaks are glacial, and their total area is about 33 thousand km². One of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas is Gangotri. Length about 29 km. This glacier gives rise to the Ganges River. For followers of Hinduism, the glacier has sacred significance. Various rituals are performed here, including bathing in the icy water of Gangotri.

The Himalayas have attracted people since ancient times. According to Buddhism and Hinduism, there were many mythological creatures in this mountain range. It is believed that the Himalayas were, and Buddha was born on the southern side of these mountains. In the 7th century, trade routes between China and India opened in the mountain system. In the thirties of the 20th century, a project for opening railway passing through the mountain range. It was not implemented. For many years, starting from the 18th century, scientists from all over the world could not study the Himalayas well. It was impossible to determine the exact height of the peaks, and compiling maps turned out to be labor-intensive. IN mid-19th centuries, attempts were made to conquer Everest.

Chomolungma is the highest mountain peak on the planet. Its height is 8848 m. The name Chomolungma comes from the Tibetan language and means “Divine Mother of the Wind.” Other names, Everest and Sagarmatha, are of English and Nepalese origin respectively. The peak is named Everest in honor of the British subject, surveyor George Everest. The mountain consists of two peaks - northern and southern. The height of the Southern peak is 8760 m, and the Northern peak is 8848 m above sea level. There are others not far from Everest mountain peaks. For example, mountains Lhotse, Changtse. Lhotse is the fourth highest eight-thousander in the world. Many more recent measurements of the height of the mountain peak have not been officially recognized. The officially approved height is 8848 m.

The first ascent of Everest was organized in 1953. Until this point, numerous expeditions had only conquered peaks of seven thousand meters. The only exception is Mount Annapurna, which was conquered by French explorers in 1950. Its height reaches 8091 m. The ascent in 1953 was made by Tenzing Norgay, who was from Nepal, and Edmund Hillary from New Zealand. The route was laid through the South Col pass. Later other expeditions were organized. The year 1975 in the history of mountaineering was famous for the fact that the ascent of Chomolungma was accomplished by an expedition consisting of women. In 1976, Japanese climber Junko Tabei conquers the height of this peak. In 1990, the Russian woman Ekaterina Ivanova reached the summit of Everest for the first time. In May 1982, the first night ascent of Everest was made by Soviet climbers Sergei Bershov and Mikhail Turkevich. The route passed along the difficult southwestern slope of the mountain. The history of climbing Everest is very rich, with a considerable number of records. Among them is the 2008 record, when the oldest person, Nepalese Min Bahadur Sherkhan, 76 years old, conquered the mountain. Or the ten ascents of Ang Rita Sherpa, completed during 1996, each time without oxygen tanks. There is a very interesting, inherently unique ascent of the mountain by the American climber Eric Weihenmayer, who is blind. There are many records. And it won’t end there, since Everest will always attract climbers, researchers, and scientists from all over the world. Conquering the peaks of the Himalayan mountains is fraught with many difficulties. These may include hallucinations, weakening of memory, and decreased attention. All this is due to a decrease in the body’s resistance at high altitudes and oxygen starvation.

Mount Everest is located in the Himalayas. This Nepalese park covers an impressive area of 1148 km². This park received its status in 1976. In addition to Chomolungma, the park boasts the presence of other impressive peaks, including the eight-thousander Lhotse and Cho Oyu. The peak of Ama Dablam is a particularly beautiful mountain in the park. The word Sagarmatha is of Nepalese origin meaning "mother of gods".
– this includes Hinduism from all over the world. Built in this mountain system. For example, on the southern side of the Himalayas, in Indian territory, is the Shri Kedarnath Mandir Temple. It is built entirely of stone. The architecture is traditional Himalayan.

For many tourists, they are attractive not only, but also southern part mountains covered with dense vegetation. Typically, this area has very high humidity levels, reaching 5000 mm of precipitation per year. Both tropical plants and evergreen trees are common there. At the foot of the Himalayan mountains lie the Terai. This is a very swampy jungle. They are represented by various palm trees, bamboo, and tall grass. A little higher are dense forests with even higher rainfall. At an altitude of over 3000 m, forests give way to mixed-grass meadows. The plants there are low-growing and frost-resistant. And only when overcoming more than 4000 m, the mountain meadows are replaced by glaciers and an area of eternal snow. Most of the territory of the Himalayan mountains is protected by the state. Including the Nanda Devi Nature Reserve, which is located in the western part of the mountain system. The reserve has the world-famous Valley of Flowers. The fauna of the Himalayas is represented by rare species. For example, there are snow leopards and Himalayan bears.

In the Himalayas, as already mentioned, climate tourism is well developed. There are many resorts here. You can highlight , Shillong, . There you can fully enjoy the tranquility filled with the purest mountain air and magnificent views of mountain peaks and slopes. Common and ski slopes different levels of difficulty.

General information

The Himalaya mountain system at the junction of Central and South Asia is over 2,900 km long and about 350 km wide. The area is about 650 thousand km². The average height of the ridges is about 6 km, the maximum 8848 m is Mount Chomolungma (Everest). There are 10 eight-thousanders - peaks over 8000 m above sea level. In the northwest of the western chain of the Himalayas there is another highest mountain system - the Karakoram.

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture, although the climate allows for the cultivation of only a few types of cereals, potatoes and some other vegetables. The fields are located on sloping terraces.

Name

The name of the mountains comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit. "Himalaya" means "Abode of Snow" or "Kingdom of Snows".

Geography

All mountain range The Himalayas consists of three distinctive steps:

The first - the Pre-Himalayas (locally called the Shivalik Range) - is the lowest of all, the mountain peaks of which do not rise more than 2000 meters.
The second stage - the Dhaoladhar, Pir Panjal and several other smaller ranges - is called the Lesser Himalayas. The name is quite arbitrary, since the peaks already rise to respectable 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 - the Great Himalayas. The two great South Asian rivers - the Brahmaputra from the east and the Indus from the west - seem to embrace this majestic mountain range, originating on its slopes. In addition, the Himalayas give life to the sacred Indian river - the Ganges.

Records of the Himalayas

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

Unfortunately, the Himalayas also set sad records - 572 climbers died trying to conquer their eight-kilometer heights. But the number of brave athletes does not decrease, because “taking” all 14 “eight-thousanders” and receiving 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.

Minerals

The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Climatic conditions

The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the most high peaks, therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in the spring, during a short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend 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 large climatic differences within the Himalayas.

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

Natural waters

High altitude and heavy precipitation 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 further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.

Especially many rivers flow from the southern slope of the mountains. They begin in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothills, reach 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. These are the Indus, its tributary the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the 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 are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often 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 can be compared in size and beauty with the Alpine ones. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir Panjal range is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirques or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine.

Vegetation

On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras 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 peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, in places almost impassable due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.

Above the terai, evergreens grow on the wet slopes of mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m. tropical forests of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

The high-altitude 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 an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to lower humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation; the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is a complete absence of the Terai strip, the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and bushes, higher up there are some subtropical Mediterranean species like evergreen holm oak and golden olive, and even higher up coniferous forests of pine trees and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) predominate. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the meadow alpine vegetation is more diverse.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing 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 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 distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

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

Population and environmental issues

Most of the population is concentrated in middle lane 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; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high altitude of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are accessible only in summer. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

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

Attractions

Kathmandu: Budanilkantha, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath temple complexes, National Museum Nepal;
Lhasa: Potala Palace, Barkor Square, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery;
Thimphu: Bhutan Textile Museum, Thimphu Chorten, Tashicho Dzong;
Temple complexes of the Himalayas (including Sri Kedarnath Mandir, Yamunotri);
Buddhist stupas (memorial or reliquary structures);
Sagarmatha National Park (Everest);
National parks Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers.

Spiritual and health tourism

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 precisely to get acquainted with the Vedic sciences, the ancient postulates of the teachings of Yoga, and to improve the health of their body according to the Ayurvedic canons of Panchakarma.

The pilgrims' program necessarily includes visiting caves for deep meditation, waterfalls, ancient temples, and bathing in the Ganges, a river sacred to Hindus. Those suffering can have conversations with spiritual mentors, receive from them parting words and recommendations for spiritual and physical cleansing. However, this topic is so broad and versatile that it requires a separate detailed presentation.

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

About five or six centuries ago, a people called the Sherpas moved to the Himalayas. They know how to provide themselves with everything necessary for life in the highlands, but, in addition, they are practically a monopoly in the profession of guides. Because they are truly the best; the most knowledgeable and the most resilient.
Among the conquerors of Everest there are also “originals”. On May 25, 2008, the oldest climber in the history of climbing, a native of Nepal, Min Bahadur Shirchan, who was 76 years old at that time, overcame the path to the summit. There have been cases when very young travelers took part in expeditions. The latest record was broken by Jordan Romero from California, who climbed in May 2010 at the age of thirteen (before him, fifteen-year-old Tembu Tsheri Sherpa was considered the youngest guest of Chomolungma).
The development of tourism does not benefit the nature of the Himalayas: even here there is no escape from the garbage left by people. Moreover, in the future there may be severe pollution of the rivers that originate here. The main problem is that these rivers provide millions of people with drinking water.
Shambhala is a mythical country in Tibet, about which many ancient texts tell. Buddha's followers believe in its existence unconditionally. It captivates the minds of not only lovers of all kinds of secret knowledge, but also serious scientists and philosophers. In particular, the most prominent Russian ethnologist L.N. had no doubt about the reality of Shambhala. Gumilev. However, there is still no irrefutable evidence of its existence. Or they are irretrievably lost. For the sake of objectivity, it should be said: many believe that Shambhala is not located in the Himalayas at all. But in the very interest of people in the legends about her lies proof that we all really need the belief that somewhere there is a key to the evolution of humanity, which is owned by bright and wise forces. Even if this key is not a guide on how to become happy, but just an idea. Not yet open...

The Himalayas in art, literature and cinema

Kim is a novel written by Joseph Kipling. It tells the story of a boy who admires British imperialism while surviving the Great Game.
Shangri-La is a fictional country located in the Himalayas, described in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton.
Tintin in Tibet is one of the albums of the Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé. Journalist Tintin investigates a plane crash in the Himalayas.
The film "Vertical Limit" describes the events taking place on Mount Chogori.
Several levels in Tomb Raider II and one level in Tomb Raider: Legend are located in the Himalayas.
The film "Black Narcissus" tells the story of an order of nuns who founded a monastery in the Himalayas.
The Kingdom of the Golden Dragons is a novel by Isabel Allenda. Most of the events take place in the Forbidden Kingdom, a fictional state in the Himalayas.
Drachenreiter is a book by German writer Cornelia Funke about Brownie and a dragon traveling to the "Edge of Heaven" - a place in the Himalayas where dragons live.
Expedition Everest is a themed roller coaster at Walt Disney World Resort.
Seven Years in Tibet is a film based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Heinrich Harrer, which describes the story of the adventures of an Austrian mountaineer in Tibet during the Second World War.
G.I. Joe: The Movie is an animated film that tells the story of the Cobra-La civilization, which survived the Ice Age in the Himalayas.
Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter story that tells about the fictional region of the Himalayas, dominated by a self-proclaimed king.

Translated into Russian, the word “Himalayas” means “kingdom of snow.” This highest mountain system in the world rises on the border between Central and South Asia and separates the Tibetan Plateau from the Indus and Ganges lowlands (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 ancient Tethys, where the convergence of the marginal zones of Eurasia and the Hindustan block, which separated from Gondwana, took place.

Relief. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic boundary. 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. In the north-west, the Himalayas border on the Hindu Kush, in the south-east - on the Sino-Tibetan mountains. The total length of the mountain system is more than 2400 km, width - 200-350 km. The Himalayas are part of China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

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

Rice. 50. Comparative profile of the Alps and 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 sediments above sea level.

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

Peculiarities geological structure- the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, the 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 edge of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in Neogene-Quaternary times 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 stretching 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, Sutlej, Brahmaputra - were formed 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 sediments folded in the middle of the Quaternary period. They are known collectively as the Siwalik Mountains; their height in Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are pressed closely to the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - dunes. The Siwalik Mountains fall steeply to the north and south.

The next highest step of 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 strip is characterized by intense folding, faulting and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise up to 6000 m. In the northwest, the Pir Panjal ridge with a height of more than 6000 m stretches, then to the southeast it is replaced by the Lesser Himalayas proper, which join the Greater Himalayas (Main Himalayas). Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire Himalayan system narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-high Mahabharata Mountains, and even further east - the high and highly dissected Duar Mountains.

Between the Small and Great 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 being Srinagar. The existence of a lake that formerly filled the basin is evidenced by terraces well defined on the slopes. Several residual lakes remain 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; it contains most of the population of this high mountainous country.

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 Nangaparbat massif (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight-thousandth giants rise, covered with snow and ice: 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 particularly stand out. Kanchenjunga (8598 m) is magnificent and majestic, only slightly inferior to it.

The northern slope of the Greater Himalayas is flatter and more accessible than the southern one. The Ladakh ridge with a height of up to 7728 m stretches along it. Many rivers originate on its slopes, which then cross the Main Range. To the north of Ladakh, behind the wide longitudinal valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, the marginal ridges of the Tibetan Plateau (Trans-Himalaya) rise.

Useful fossils. The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Climatic conditions. The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in the spring, during a short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend 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 large climatic differences within the Himalayas. The 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 belt 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 an altitude of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6...7 °C, in July 18...19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 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 heavy precipitation 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 further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.

Vegetation. On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras 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 peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, in places almost impassable due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, 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 river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes above 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 give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of subtropical flora, for example, magnificently flowering magnolias found. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt. The high-altitude 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 an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.

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 distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

Population and environmental problems. Most of the population is concentrated in the middle zone 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; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

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

The Himalayan mountains extend for approximately 2500 km across several Asian countries. Nine of the ten highest peaks in the world are located here, including Everest. The word "Himalaya" in Sanskrit means "abode of snow". Many of Asia's major rivers originate here. The Himalayas are the third largest deposit of ice and snow. It is also home to a large number of plants, birds and animals.

Description of the Himalayas

Probably the most popular reason people travel to Tibet and Nepal is to see the tallest and most impressive mountain range in the world. No trip to these countries is complete without visiting the Himalayas, especially Mount Everest.

Over the centuries, a unique culture has developed here, which unites nature and people into one whole. This region is the birthplace of Buddha. It's full of sacred natural places such as secret valleys and high mountain lakes.

The Himalayas, home to various natural areas, face many challenges and governments are forced to provide for and protect their people natural heritage. Protected areas become isolated pockets, and scores of poachers destroy rare wildlife to fill the illegal market. The effects of global climate change are melting glaciers at a rate faster than ever recorded in human history, threatening a vital source fresh water for billions of people in Asia.

Geomorphotectonic characteristics

The Himalayas are a crescent-shaped mountain range extending from the southern Indus Valley beyond Nanga Parbat in the west to Namjagbarw in the east. Its width varies from 350 km in the west to 150 km in the east. The majestic mountain range stands like a wall bordering the entire northern edge of the Indian subcontinent.

Geomorphologically, their most unique feature is their height. The Himalayas are famous for containing 10 of the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters.

An important geomorphotectonic feature is the sharp bend of the Himalayas and their associated mountain ranges, which connect to the Sulaiman and Kirthara ranges in the west. A similar sharp bend is observed at the eastern end, where the mountain range joins the northeastern Indo-Myanmar range represented by the Naga and Arakan Yoma mountains. These two sharp bends on either side are known as the "syntactic bends" of the Himalayan range. The highest peaks are located in different parts of the mountains, but most of them are concentrated in the central part.

Geophysical characteristics

They are as unique as the geomorphotectonic features of the mountain range. The most distinctive feature is the thickness of the earth's crust, which increases from about 35 to 40 km on the Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra plains to 65 to 80 km over the Greater Himalayas. The thickness of the continental crust underlying the mountains is reflected in a pattern of negative gravity anomalies between > -150 and > −350 mGal along the entire length of the mountain belt.

Himalayan geomorphology reflects various aspects of structural geomorphological features that arose in response to orogenic forces (relating to the final stage of development of tectonically mobile zones of the earth's crust) that occurred during the relatively recent history of erosion. The mountain range is axially divided into several units, each of which has a distinct lithotectonic and geomorphological character and evolutionary history.

Division into zones

They are divided axially into the following five units. Each has distinctive lithotectonic characteristics and evolutionary history:

Sub-Himalayas, where there is a belt of late Tertiary molasse deposits 10-50 km wide, which form the Siwalik group. This belt also includes the older Murree formations and their equivalent, Dharamshalas.
The Lesser Himalayas, where there is a belt 60-80 km wide, which consists mainly of low-grade metamorphic rocks of the Proterozoic period. It is covered with layers of granite and metamorphic rocks.
The Greater Himalayas contain a belt of predominantly Precambrian metamorphic rocks. And younger (Cenozoic), 10-15 km thick. This is also the area of greatest uplift.
Trans-Himalaya: A belt of predominantly shelf (usually fossiliferous) late Proterozoic and Cretaceous sediments bounded by the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ), a relatively narrow belt of ophiolites and associated sediments. It is the junction of the Indian continental block with the Tibetan block. North of the ITSZ is a belt of 40-100 Ma granitoids known as the Trans-Himalayan Batholithic Granites.

Peaks

Mount Shisha Pangma is the fourteenth highest mountain in the world and the most high mountain, which is entirely located in the Himalayas of Tibet. Shisha Pangma is easy to reach. Nice view the summit opens from the Tong La pass along the Friendship Highway. Thong La Pass rises to an altitude of up to 5,150 meters and on a clear day offers magnificent views of the mountains.

Cho Oyu is the sixth most high peak on the planet and rises to 8201 meters. It is located along the border of Tibet and Nepal. Beautiful views of Cho Oyu can be seen from Gokyo, a small village in the Nepalese Himalayas that can only be reached by one of the most beautiful trekking routes. It starts and ends in Lukla and takes about 12 days.

The city of Old Tingri in Tibet also offers beautiful views of this giant peak. From Old Tingri, in 3 hours you can drive to the base camp, where expeditions to the mountain begin. Of the 14 peaks on the planet that rise above 8,000 meters, Cho Oyu is considered the least difficult to climb. This peak was first conquered in October 1954.

Makalu is one of the most beautiful of the 14 eight-thousanders. It is located 19 km from Mount Everest along the Tibet-Nepal border at an altitude of 8485 meters. It was first conquered in 1955.

There are other famous peaks. These are Karakoru, Kailash, Kanchenjunga, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna and Manasklu.

The largest mountain in the world

Everest is the highest point of the Himalayas ( 8848 meters). This is the highest peak on the planet. It can be viewed from both the Nepal and Tibet sides. The Himalayas on both sides look stunning. The small mountain Kala Patthar in Nepal offers stunning views of Everest. To get to Kala Patthara, you need to start from the small village of Lukla. From Lukla, it takes about 7 or 8 days to trek to Gorak Shep, the closest Everest base camp to Kala Patthar on the Nepal side. From Gorak Shep it will take 90 minutes to 2 hours of steep climb to reach Kala Patthar, which is 5545 meters high. However, Everest itself cannot be seen from the base camp on the Nepal side, although nearby Kala Patthara offers magnificent views.

The Nepalese and Sherpas call this mountain Sagarmatha, and the Tibetans call it Chomolungma (Chomolungma). Since the 1920s, many of the world's best climbers have attempted to scale Mount Everest, and May 29, 1953 marked the first successful ascent of Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) and Sir Edmund Hillary ( New Zealand).

Geography and ecology

They extend across the northeastern part of India. There is no clear answer to the question of which country the Himalayas are in: they pass through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. They stretch for about 2400 km. The Himalayan range consists of three parallel ranges, often called the Greater, Lesser and Outer Himalayas.

The two peaks, Everest and 2K (Chogori, designated as the second peak of the Karakoram), tend to dominate the perception of the region. The Himalayas are rich in biodiversity. The climate ranges from tropical at the foot of the mountains to perennial snow and glaciers at the highest altitudes.

Nature

Here you can find several natural areas. They are discussed below.

Mountain meadows and shrubs: they can be found at an altitude of three to five thousand meters. These areas typically have cold winters and mild summers, which encourage plant growth. Rhododendrons rise above the bushes, while the alpine meadows located directly above them warm months are distinguished by a variety of flora. The snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, and musk deer live here.
Temperate coniferous forests: In the northeast, temperate subalpine coniferous forests are found at altitudes ranging from two and a half to 4,200 meters. Situated in an inland valley, these forests are protected from harsh monsoon conditions by the surrounding mountain ranges. Mostly pine, hemlock, spruce and fir grow here. Animal world represented by red pandas, takins and musk deers.
Moderate deciduous and mixed forests. At medium altitudes, from two to three thousand meters, the eastern region contains broadleaf and coniferous forests. These forests receive almost 200 cm of annual rainfall, mostly during the monsoon season. In addition to oaks and maples, orchids, lichens and ferns grow here. During the cold season, you can find more than 500 species of birds that stop here during the migration period. Golden monkeys, langurs, also live here.
Tropical and subtropical deciduous forests. They are located at a Himalayan altitude of 500 to 1000 meters along a narrow strip of the Main Himalayan Range. Due to the varied topography, soil types and rainfall levels, a wide variety of plants grow here. Subtropical dry evergreen forests, northern dry mixed deciduous forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, subtropical broadleaf forests, northern tropical semi-evergreen forests and northern tropical moist evergreen forests can be found here. Wildlife includes many critically endangered species, including tigers and Asian elephants. More than 340 different bird species can be found in this region.

Rivers and glaciers

The Indus, Yangtze, Ganges and Brahmaputra originate in the Himalayas. All of them are major river systems in Asia. The main ones in the Himalayas are the Ganges, Indus, Yarlung, Yangtze, Mekong and Nujiang.

The Himalayas are the third largest deposit of ice and snow in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. There are about 15,000 glaciers throughout the territory. The length of the Himalayan Siachen is 72 km. It is the largest glacier outside the poles. Other famous glaciers located in the Himalayas are Baltoro, Biafo, Nubru and Hispur.

What can you add to the description of the mountains? Please note a few interesting facts.

The Himalayas were created by the movement of tectonic plates that pushed India into Tibet.
Due to the large number of tectonic movements still occurring here, the mountains experience a lot of earthquakes and tremors.
This is one of the youngest mountain ranges on the planet.
Mountains influence air and water circulation systems and, accordingly, weather conditions in the region.
They cover approximately 75% of Nepal's territory.
Serving as a natural barrier for tens of thousands of years, they prevented early interaction between the inhabitants of India and the peoples of China and Mongolia.
Everest was named after Colonel Sir George Everest, a British surveyor who lived in India in the early to mid-nineteenth century.
The Nepalese name for Everest "Samgarmatha" translates to "Goddess of the Universe" or "Forehead of Heaven".

So, this article looked at the highest and most impressive mountain range in the world. This is the Himalayan range.

Majestic Himalayas... Harsh region pristine beauty, where a person can be alone with the whole world. Thousands of square kilometers of mountains and amazing wildlife, evoking thoughts of the eternal mysteries of existence - all this can be found by a wanderer in the Himalayas. The top of the world is here and we invite you to learn more about it.

Where are the Himalayas located?

About 70 million years ago, two giant tectonic plates collided - the Indo-American and Eurasian plates. A powerful shock laid the foundation for the largest mountain system on our planet. Just imagine: it takes up 0.4% of total area planet, which is incredibly large in relation to other geographical objects.

The Himalayas are located on the Eurasian continent, in the Asian part. They border on the Tibetan Plateau in the north and the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the south. The length of the system is more than 2400 km, the width reaches 350 km. Adjacent to the southern part of the Himalayas are the so-called Pre-Himalayas - the smaller Siwalik Mountains. This mountain system contains many of the highest peaks in the world. The average height of the mountain ridges of the Himalayas is 6000 meters. The highest is the famous Mount Everest (otherwise known as Chomolungma, 8848 meters). And this, as we probably remember, - highest point of our planet.

The Himalayan ranges give rise to the largest rivers in southern Asia: the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra.

We already have the first data, namely, where the Himalayas are located. More specifically about countries with mountainous landscapes below.

Countries whose territories cover the Himalayas

Since the borders of countries are divided almost regardless of relief features, mountain ranges The Himalayas are located in several. These countries are India, Nepal, China (the area known as Tibet), Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Tajikistan. Each of them got a piece of beautiful natural formation.

The area of the entire mountain system is about 650 thousand square kilometers. At a distance from one another, many peoples live here. Natural conditions The conditions here are extremely harsh: cold at high altitudes, dangerous terrain. However local residents happy about our magnificent home.

The first secrets have already been revealed to us by the Himalayas: where they are, a country (even several) that has mountainous areas on its territory. More about climatic conditions in the territories of the Himalayas.

Climate Features

The Himalayas are a particularly large landform. The mountains themselves on their southern side are swampy jungles, lush tropical forests, coniferous and deciduous, as well as a variety of shrubby plants and meadows. Northern slopes not so rich and varied. Their surfaces are semi-deserts and mountain steppes. The ridges of the Himalayan ranges are of the Alpine type - sharp, steep. Huge glaciers lie on them in immeasurable quantities.

It is noteworthy that the coordinates where the Himalayas are located are such that the mountain system serves as a natural climatic boundary between the tropics of the south and the desert lands north of the Himalayas. The colossal areas and high altitudes of the mountains greatly influenced the climate of the surrounding countries. So, south of the Himalayas, at their very foot, there is a city with the largest number precipitation on the planet. This happens because the mountains trap precipitation moving with air masses from the Indian Ocean, and it falls at their feet. At an altitude of 4500 meters above sea level in the Himalayas there is a zone of eternal snow.

The Himalayas, where there are huge glaciers, impressed us. What about the inhabitants of the mountain system?

Residents of the mountain system

Surprisingly, many people live in such harsh conditions as in the Himalayas. According to scientists, records of the first settlements of the mountain system date back to 8000 BC. e. People came from the south (peoples from the Hindustan Peninsula), and from the northeast (Tibetans), and from the west (Turkic peoples).
People built their settlements in the valleys. Their remoteness from one another contributed to the separate development of these ethnic groups.

Readers must have wondered: how can one survive in such inhospitable places? Those communities that led a sedentary lifestyle engaged in subsistence farming where there were all the conditions for this: horizontal surface, water, more or less fertile soil, suitable climate. Modern inhabitants of the Himalayan valleys also provide for themselves with their own labor. Here is another phenomenon that amazed us in the Himalayas, where some of the oldest natural farming is located.

In higher territories, the key occupation of the local population is transhumance. There is an opportunity to practice it almost everywhere up to the edge of the snow.

And we will look at some more facts that will be interesting to know about the Himalayas.

Apart from knowing where the Himalayas are, several other features of this corner of the planet will also be interesting. We know about the Himalayas that this is the most inaccessible, highest (on average) mountain system in the world. But what does their name mean?

The word "Himalaya" means "Abode of Snow". And indeed: after all, already at an altitude of 4.5 kilometers, the snow here never melts. In terms of the amount of snow, this natural form is in third place on the planet. Only the Arctic and Antarctic have overtaken the Himalayas.
It is also interesting to know that with such a cold climate in most mountain areas, Hindus are sure that they are the refuge of their god Shiva.

Mount Everest (Qomolungma) is the highest in the world (above sea level). She is associated with triumph. Extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world are literally trying to climb Everest. This first happened in 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit. Mountaineering in the Himalayas is very popular. The mountain system contains ten of the fourteen eight-thousander mountains (in fact, their height is even slightly higher). Conquering them all is the dream of professional mountaineers.

This concludes our article about where the Himalayas are and what this mountain system is.

Conclusion

“The Abode of Snows”, the Himalayas are the mountains to which the prefix “most” is firmly attached. The highest, the most inaccessible... And people strive to get here in order to experience the power of nature, which created such a miracle. But the Himalayas do not invite guests. They are unshakable and stern. However, brave travelers should try to become friends with the “heavenly Empire”. Yes, truly “under heaven”, because the sky is so close here!

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