Image Credits: Wikipedia.
The highest peak on Earth is Mount Everest. Here’s a detailed overview:
1. Location
- Coordinates: Mount Everest is located at approximately 27.9881°N, 86.9250°E.
- Mountain Range: It is part of the Himalayas, a mountain range in Asia.
- Borders: Mount Everest straddles the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The southern side lies in Nepal, while the northern side is in Tibet.
2. Height
- Elevation: Mount Everest’s official height is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) above sea level. This height was confirmed in a 2020 revision jointly announced by China and Nepal, slightly updating the previous figure.
- World Record: Mount Everest holds the record as the highest point on Earth’s surface, where the atmosphere is the thinnest and conditions are most extreme for life.
3. Name and Significance
- Local Names:
- In Nepal: Known as Sagarmatha (“Forehead in the Sky”).
- In Tibet: Called Chomolungma (“Goddess Mother of the World”).
- English Name: The name “Mount Everest” was given in 1865 by the British Royal Geographical Society, named after Sir George Everest, a former Surveyor General of India.
4. Formation
- Geological Background: Mount Everest was formed by the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. This tectonic activity, which began around 50 million years.