The highest point of the Himalayas. Open left menu himalayas

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 physiographic 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 northwest, the Himalayas border on the Hindu Kush, in the southeast - on the Sino-Tibetan mountains. 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 uplift of the Himalayas has not ended even now, 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, the Sutlej, the 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 in 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 Himalayas). 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, and until October, when the action of the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in violent streams, carrying away the masses of detrital material that they deposit as 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, undersized 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 wet 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 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, even higher dominated by coniferous forests of pines and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara). 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.

Himalayas - in the world, the name of which, translated from Sanskrit, literally means "a place where snow lives." Located in South Asia, this mountain range divides the Indo-Gangetic Plain and is home to most of the closest points to the sky on planet Earth, including Mount Everest, the highest point (the Himalayas are called the "roof of the world" for a reason). It is also known under another name - Chomolungma.

mountain ecology

The Himalayan mountains are characterized by a wide variety of landscape forms. The Himalayas lie on the territory of as many as five states: India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Pakistan. Three large and powerful rivers originate in the mountains - the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The flora and fauna of the Himalayas is directly dependent on climate, precipitation, mountain heights and soil conditions.

The surroundings of the foot of the mountains are characterized by a tropical climate, while on the peaks there is eternal ice and snow. Annual rainfall increases from west to east. The unique natural heritage and height of the Himalayan mountains are subject to modification due to various climatic processes.

Geological features

Himalayas - mountains consisting mainly of sedimentary and mixed rocks. A distinctive feature of the mountain slopes is their steepness and peaks in the form of a peak or ridge, covered with eternal ice and snow and occupying an area of ​​about 33 thousand km². The Himalayas, whose height in some places reaches almost nine kilometers, are relatively young compared to other, more ancient mountain systems of the Earth.

Like 70 million years ago, the Indian plate is still moving and moving up to 67 millimeters per year, and over the next 10 million years it will move 1.5 km in the Asian direction. What also makes the peaks active in terms of geology is that the height of the Himalayan mountains is increasing, gradually rising by about 5 mm per year. Such insignificant, at first glance, processes over time have a powerful effect in geological terms, in addition, the region is unstable from a seismic point of view, earthquakes sometimes occur.

The river system of the Himalayas

The Himalayas are the third largest ice and snow deposits in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. There are approximately 15 thousand glaciers in the mountains, which contain about 12 thousand cubic kilometers of fresh water. The highest areas are covered with snow all year round. The Indus, which originates in Tibet, is the largest and full-flowing river, into which many small ones flow. It flows in a southwestern direction through India, Pakistan and flows into the Arabian Sea.

The Himalayas, whose height at the highest point reaches almost 9 kilometers, are characterized by great river diversity. The main water sources of the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin are the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Yamuna rivers. The Brahmaputra joins the Ganges in Bangladesh and together they flow into the Bay of Bengal.

mountain lakes

The highest Himalayan lake, Gurudongmar in Sikkim (India), is located at an altitude of about 5 kilometers. In the vicinity of the Himalayas there are a huge number of picturesque lakes, most of which are located at an altitude of less than 5 kilometers above sea level. Some lakes are considered sacred in India. The Nepalese lake Tilicho in the vicinity of the Annapurna mountain landscapes is one of the highest mountains on the planet.

The great Himalayan mountain ranges contain hundreds of beautiful lakes in India and neighboring Tibet and Nepal. The Himalayan lakes give a special attraction to the magnificent mountain landscapes, many of which are covered with ancient legends and interesting stories.

Climate impact

The Himalayas have a great influence on climate formation. They prevent the flow of cold dry winds in a southerly direction, which allows a warm climate to reign in South Asia. A natural barrier is formed for the monsoons (which cause heavy rainfall) to prevent their northward movement. The mountain range plays its definite role in the formation of the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts.

The main part of the Himalayan mountains falls under the influence of subequatorial factors. In the summer and spring season it is quite hot here: the average air temperature reaches 35 °C. At this time of the year, the monsoons bring with them a large amount of precipitation from the Indian Ocean, which then falls on the southern mountain slopes.

People and culture of the Himalayas

Due to the climatic features of the Himalayas (mountains in Asia) are a fairly sparsely populated region. Most people live in the lowlands. Some of them make a living as guides for tourists and escorts for climbers who come to conquer certain mountain peaks. Mountains have been a natural barrier for many thousands of years. They stopped the assimilation of the interior of Asia with the Indian peoples.

Some tribes are based in the Himalayan mountain range, namely in Northeast India, Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, parts of West Bengal and others. More than 80 tribes live in Arunachal Pradesh alone. The Himalayan mountains are one of the largest places in the world with a large number of endangered animal species, as hunting is a very popular activity in the Himalayas. The main religions are Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. The famous Himalayan myth is the story of Bigfoot, who lives somewhere in the mountains.

Height of the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas rise almost 9 kilometers above sea level. They stretch for a distance of about 2.4 thousand kilometers from the Indus Valley in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east. Some mountain peaks are considered sacred by the local population and many Hindus and Buddhists make pilgrimages to these places.

On average, the height of the Himalayan mountains in meters, together with glaciers, reaches 3.2 thousand. Mountain climbing, which gained popularity at the end of the 19th century, became the main activity of extreme tourists. In 1953, from New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to conquer Everest (the highest point).

Everest: mountain height (Himalayas)

Everest, also known as Chomolungma, is the highest point on the planet. What is the height of the mountain? The Himalayas, famous for their hard-to-reach peaks, attract thousands of travelers, but their main goal is Chomolungma, 8.848 kilometers high. This place is just a paradise for tourists who cannot imagine their life without risk and extreme sports.

The height of the Himalayan mountains attracts a large number of climbers from all over the globe. As a rule, there are no significant technical difficulties with climbing certain routes, however, Everest is fraught with many other dangerous factors, such as fear of heights, sudden changes in weather conditions, lack of oxygen and very strong gusty winds.

Scientists have precisely established the height of each mountain system on Earth. This was made possible through the use of NASA's satellite surveillance system. By measuring the height of each mountain, they came to the conclusion that 10 of the 14 most on the planet are in the Himalayas. Each of these mountains belongs to a special list of "eight-thousanders". The conquest of all these peaks is considered the peak of the climber's skill.

Natural features of the Himalayas at different levels

The Himalayan swampy jungle, located at the foot of the mountains, is called "terai" and is characterized by a wide variety of vegetation. Here you can find 5-meter thickets of grass, palm trees with coconuts, ferns and bamboo thickets. At an altitude of 400 meters to 1.5 kilometers there is a strip of wet forests. In addition to numerous species of trees, magnolias, citrus fruits and camphor laurel grow here.

At a higher level (up to 2.5 km), the mountainous space was filled with evergreen subtropical and deciduous forests; here you can find mimosa, maple, bird cherry, chestnut, oak, wild cherry, and alpine mosses. Coniferous forests extend up to a height of 4 km. At such a height, there are fewer and fewer trees, they are replaced by field vegetation in the form of grass and shrubs.

Starting from 4.5 km above sea level, the Himalayas are a zone of perpetual glaciers and snow cover. The animal world is also diverse. In different parts of the mountainous surroundings, you can encounter bears, elephants, antelopes, rhinos, monkeys, goats and many other mammals. There are many snakes and reptiles that pose a great danger to people.

The Himalayas are the highest mountain system on Earth. To date, the peak of Chomolungma (Everest) has already been conquered about 1200 times. Including a 60-year-old man and a thirteen-year-old teenager managed to climb to the very peak, and in 1998 the first person with disabilities conquered the peak.

Solarshakti / flickr.com View of the snowy Himalayas (Saurabh Kumar_ / flickr.com) Great Himalayas - view on the way to Leh from Delhi (Karunakar Rayker / flickr.com) You will have to cross this bridge if you are going to Everest Base Camp (ilker ender / flickr.com) Greater Himalayas (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) Christopher Michel / flickr.com Christopher Michel / flickr.com Everest Sunset (旅者 河童 / flickr.com) Himalayas - From Airplane (Partha S. Sahana / flickr.com) Lukla Airport, Patan, Kathmandu. (Chris Marquardt / flickr.com) Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com) Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com) Ganges Bridge (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com) Kanchenjunga, Indian Himalayas (A.Ostrovsky / flickr.com) Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com) Manaslu - 26,758 feet (David Wilkinson / flickr.com) Wildlife of the Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com) Annapurna (Mike Behnken / flickr.com) ) On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com) A beautiful place in Kashmir (Kashmir Pictures / flickr.com) Abhishek Shirali / flickr.com Parfen Rogozhin / flickr.com Koshy Koshy / flickr.com valcker / flickr.com Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com) Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)

Where are the Himalaya mountains, the photos of which are so amazing? For most people, this question is unlikely to cause difficulty, at least they will answer exactly on which mainland these mountains stretch.

If you look at a geographical map, you can see that they are located in the northern hemisphere, in South Asia, between the Indo-Gangetic plain (in the south) and the Tibetan plateau (in the north).

In the west, they pass into the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain systems.

The peculiarity of the geographical position of the Himalayas is that they are located on the territory of five countries: India, Nepal, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), Bhutan and Pakistan. The foothills also cross the northern outskirts of Bangladesh. The name of the mountain system can be translated from Sanskrit as "abode of snows".

Height of the Himalayas

The Himalayas contain 9 of the 10 highest peaks on our planet, including the highest point in the world - Chomolungma, which reaches an altitude of 8848 m above sea level. Its geographic coordinates are 27°59′17″ north latitude 86°55′31″ east longitude. The average height of the entire mountain system exceeds 6000 meters.

The highest peaks of the Himalayas

Geographic description: 3 main steps

The Himalayas form three main steps: the Sivalik Range, the Lesser Himalayas and the Greater Himalayas, each of which is higher than the previous one.

1. Sivalik Range- the southernmost, lowest and most geologically young step. It stretches for about 1700 km from the Indus Valley to the Brahmaputra Valley with a width of 10 to 50 km. The height of the ridge does not exceed 2000 m. Sivalik is located mainly in Nepal, as well as in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
2. The next step is the Lesser Himalayas, it passes north of the Sivalik ridge, parallel to it. The average height of the ridge is about 2500 m, and in the western part it reaches 4000 m. The Sivalik ridge and the Lesser Himalayas are strongly cut by river valleys, breaking up into separate massifs.
3. Greater Himalayas- the northernmost and highest step. The height of individual peaks here exceeds 8000 m, and the height of the passes is more than 4000 m. Glaciers are widely developed. Their total area exceeds 33,000 square kilometers, and the total fresh water reserves in them are about 12,000 cubic kilometers. One of the largest and most famous glaciers - Gangotri, is the source of the Ganges River.

Rivers and lakes of the Himalayas

The three largest rivers of South Asia - the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra - begin in the Himalayas. The rivers of the western extremity of the Himalayas belong to the Indus basin, and almost all other rivers belong to the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. The easternmost edge of the mountain system belongs to the Irrawaddy basin.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas. The largest of them are Lake Bangong Tso (700 km²) and Yamjo Yumtso (621 km²). Lake Tilicho is located at an absolute mark of 4919 m, which makes it one of the highest in the world.

Climate

The climate in the Himalayas is quite diverse. Monsoons have a strong influence on the southern slopes. The amount of precipitation here increases in the direction from west to east from less than 1000 mm to more than 4000 mm.

On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com)

The northern slopes, on the other hand, are in the rain shadow. The climate here is dry and cold.

In the highlands there are severe frosts and winds. In winter, temperatures can drop to minus 40 °C or even lower.

The Himalayas have a strong influence on the climate of the entire region. They are a barrier to cold dry winds blowing from the north, which makes the climate of the Indian subcontinent much warmer compared to neighboring regions of Asia located at the same latitudes. In addition, the Himalayas are a barrier to the monsoons that blow from the south and bring a huge amount of rainfall.

The high mountains do not allow these humid air masses to pass further north, which makes the climate of Tibet very dry.

There is an opinion that the Himalayas played a significant role in the formation of the deserts of Central Asia, such as the Takla-Makan and the Gobi, which is also explained by the rain shadow effect.

Origin and geology

Geologically, the Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain systems in the world; refers to the Alpine folding. It is composed mainly of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, crumpled into folds and raised to a considerable height.

The Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates, which began approximately 50-55 million years ago. During this collision, the ancient Tethys Ocean closed and an orogenic belt was formed.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the Himalayas is subject to altitudinal zonation. At the foot of the Sivalik Range, the vegetation is represented by swampy forests and thickets, known locally as "terai".

Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com)

Above, they are replaced by evergreen tropical, deciduous and coniferous forests, and even higher - by alpine meadows.

Deciduous forests begin to prevail at absolute elevations of more than 2000 m, and coniferous forests - above 2600 m.

At an altitude of more than 3500 m, shrub vegetation already predominates.

On the northern slopes, where the climate is much more arid, the vegetation is much poorer. Mountain deserts and steppes are common here. The height of the snow line varies from 4500 (southern slopes) to 6000 m (northern slopes).

Wildlife of the Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com)

The local fauna is quite diverse and, like the vegetation, depends mainly on the height above sea level. The fauna of the tropical forests of the southern slopes is typical for the tropics. Elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, and antelopes are still found here in the wild; numerous monkeys.

Higher up, there are Himalayan bears, mountain goats and sheep, yaks, etc. In the highlands, there is still such a rare animal as the snow leopard.

The Himalayas are home to many different protected areas. Among them, it is worth noting the Sagarmatha National Park, within which Everest is partially located.

Population

Most of the population of the Himalayas lives in the southern foothills and in the intermountain basins. The largest basins are Kashmir and Kathmandu; these regions are very densely populated, and almost all the land is cultivated.

Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com)

Like many other mountainous regions, the Himalayas are characterized by great ethnic and linguistic diversity.

This is due to the inaccessibility of these places, due to which the population of almost every valley or basin lived very apart.

Contacts even with neighboring areas were minimal, since in order to reach them, it is necessary to overcome high mountain passes, which in winter are often covered with snow, and they become completely impassable. In this case, some intermountain basin could be completely isolated until next summer.

Almost the entire population of the region speaks either Indo-Aryan languages, which belong to the Indo-European family, or Tibeto-Burman languages, which belong to the Sino-Tibetan family. Most of the population professes Buddhism or Hinduism.

The most famous people of the Himalayas are the Sherpas, who live in the highlands of Eastern Nepal, including in the Everest region. They often work as guides and porters on expeditions to Chomolungma and other peaks.

Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)

Sherpas have hereditary high-altitude adaptation, thanks to which, even at very high altitudes, they do not suffer from altitude sickness and do not need additional oxygen.

Most of the population of the Himalayas is employed in agriculture. In the presence of a sufficiently flat surface and water, people cultivate rice, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, etc.

In the foothills and in some intermountain basins, more heat-loving crops are also grown - citrus fruits, apricots, grapes, tea, etc. In the highlands, the breeding of goats, sheep and yaks is common. The latter are used as a beast of burden, as well as for meat, milk and wool.

Sights of the Himalayas

In the Himalayas there are many different attractions. This region has a huge number of Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples, as well as simply places considered sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com)

In the foothills of the Himalayas, the Indian city of Rishikesh is located, which is sacred to Hindus, and is also widely known as the yoga capital of the world.

Another sacred Hindu city is Hardwar, located at the point where the Ganges descends from the Himalayas to the plain. From Hindi, its name can be translated as "gateway to God."

Of the natural attractions, it is worth mentioning the Valley of Flowers National Park, located in the Western Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarkhand.

The valley fully justifies its name: it is a continuous flower carpet, quite different from ordinary alpine meadows. Together with the Nanda Devi National Park, it is a UNESCO heritage site.

Tourism

Mountaineering and hiking in the mountains are popular in the Himalayas. Of the hiking routes, the most famous track around Annapurna, passing along the slopes of the mountain range of the same name, in the north of the central part of Nepal.

Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com)

The length of the route is 211 km, and its altitude varies from 800 to 5416 m.

Sometimes tourists combine this track with a hike to Lake Tilicho, located at an absolute mark of 4919 m.

Another popular route is the Manaslu trek, which runs around the Mansiri-Himal mountain range and overlaps with the Annapurna route.

How long it will take to complete these routes depends on the physical fitness of the person, the time of year, weather conditions and other factors. In high altitude areas, you should not climb too quickly to avoid symptoms of altitude sickness.

The conquest of the Himalayan peaks is quite difficult and dangerous. It requires good training, equipment and implies the presence of mountaineering experience.

The types of landscapes and the possibility of conquering the mountains of eight-thousanders attract climbers from all over the world. Myths and legends envelop this piece of land, marked by the brightest spot (on a scale of heights) on the physical map of Eurasia. At the same time, the Himalayan system of hills is the youngest on the planet.

The highest mountain range of the Himalayas is located in South Asia, it stretches from west to east, its length is over 2400 km, its width is in the range of 180-350 km, and its area is about 650 km 2.

Regarding geographical objects, the ridge borders:

• north - Tibetan Plateau;
• south - Indo-Gangetic lowland;
• east - the valley of the Brahmaputra river;
• West - Indus Gorge.

The territory of the Himalayan mountains was divided among themselves by several Asian countries, the information is given in table 1.

Table 1.

No. p / p	State	Capital	Location on the Himalayan range
1.	Islamic Republic of Pakistan	Islamabad	West Side
2.	Republic of India	New Delhi	Western and central parts
3.	Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China	Lhasa PRC - Beijing	Northwestern part
4.	Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal	Kathmandu	central part
5.	Kingdom of Bhutan	Thimphu	East End
6.	People's Republic of Bangladesh	Dhaka	Eastern Foothills

Origin of the Himalayas and Geology

The Himalayan mountains on the map of geologists are marked as the youngest on Earth.

The age of the mountains is determined by their relief: the sharpness, the amplitude of the heights, the steepness of the slopes certifies their youth - the Himalayas belong to this type. The beginning of the formation of the system is about 38 million years ago. And in our time, tectonic movements do not stop, they just become less intense.

There is a historical and geological theory, according to which 200 million years ago there was one single continent on the globe. Under the influence of changes within the earth, it split into several continents.

Over time, they changed and collided with each other. So the Hindustan and Asian lithospheric plates collided, from this edge of both continents they deformed with the formation of high mountain ranges.

During formation, the massif was divided into 3 conditional steps, starting from the south:

1. The southern step of the Himalayas is the Sivalik Mountains. Its height does not exceed 1 km, width 10-50 km. There are several ranges and the Potvar Plateau in the mountain structure.
2. Small Himalayas. The width of the vast highlands is 80-100 km, the average height is 3.5-4 km, there are peaks, the highest is 6.5 km. The picturesque valleys of Kashmir and Kathmandu stretch between the Dauladar border range and the main Himalayan range.
3. Big Himalayas. The chain of ridges is broken into separate structures. The width reaches 90 km, the average height of the peaks is 5.5-6 km, it has 10 mountain ranges with peaks over 8 km.

Development and interesting facts

The development of mountains is associated with the desire to conquer the highest earthly peaks.

In total, there are 14 massifs on Earth with peaks above 8 km, the main share is in the Himalayas.

There are 10 mountain structures in which the heights of the peaks exceed this limit. Each of them was conquered by climbers more than once. But the most desirable goal of the climber is to conquer the highest peak of the planet - Chomolungma.

Some climbing facts:

• The first summit of Annapurna was conquered in 1950 by the Frenchmen M. Erzog and L. Lachenal. It was the first world conquest of the eight-thousander peak.
• The first ascent of Chomolungma in 1953 was made by New Zealander E. Hillary with Sherpa T. Norgay. Sherpas are the people of Nepal, the best guides in the mountains.
• Japanese Junko Tabei in 1976 was the first woman to conquer Chomolungma. The first European in 1978 was the Pole V. Rutkevich.
• The oldest person who conquered Chomolungma is 76-year-old Nepalese M.B. Shirchan in 2008. The youngest is 13-year-old Californian D. Romero in 2010.
• A group of 11 Russians conquered Chomolungma for the first time in 1982. The first Russian woman E. Ivanova conquered the height in 1990.
• The highest peak was conquered 3700 times, 570 climbers died during the ascents.

Peaks

Separately standing mountain structures can have several peaks over 8 km. A brief description is provided in Table 2.

Table 2.

No. p / p	Array name	Height, m	year of conquest	The country	Short description
1.	Chomolungma (Everest)	8848	1953	Nepal, Tibetan AR	It has 2 peaks above 8 km. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
2.	Kanchenjunga	8586	1955	Nepal, India	An array of 5 peaks, 4 of them are higher than 8 km. Part of a mountain in Kanchenjunga National Park
3.	Lhotse	8516	1956	Nepal, Tibetan AR	An array of 3 peaks, all above 8 km
4.	Makalu	8463	1955	Nepal, Tibetan AR	Consists of 2 peaks, both above 8 km
5.	Cho Oyu	8201	1954	Nepal, Tibetan AR	It is part of the Chomolungma massif. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
6.	Dhaulagiri	8167	1960	Nepal	An array of 11 peaks, 10 of which are higher than 7 km
7.	Manaslu	8156	1956	Nepal	An array of 3 peaks, one above 7 km, the other - 6 km
8.	Nanga Parbat	8126	1953	Pakistan	Consists of 4 peaks, 2 - from 7 km, 1 - from 6 km
9.	Annapurna	8091	1950	Nepal	The ridge has a length of 55 km, 13 peaks are distinguished above 7 km, and 16 - 6 km
10.	Shishabangma	8027	1964	Tibetan AR	It is part of the Langtang ridge, has 3 peaks, the height of two is above 8 km

Weather

The Himalayan mountains on the map are indicative and are a barrier that separates the southern Indian lowland from the northern Tibetan plateau.

On the slopes on the northern side, the climate is continental cold with rare precipitation barely reaching 100 mm per year. Monsoon winds blow in the south, bringing heavy rainfall. During the summer period, precipitation up to 4 m falls in the eastern part, less in the west - more than 1 m.

At the tops of the system, the temperature in winter is up to -40°С, and in summer it is not higher than -25°С. Due to constant winds, weather conditions can change dramatically. Hurricane winds often blow, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h.

On the southern slope, the weather has 4 seasons:

• April-June is a cool spring with a lush growth of herbs and flowers.
• July-August is the summer rainy season with fogs, the flora develops especially rapidly.
• September-October - warm autumn, comfortable warm days come.
• November-March - frosty winter with snowfalls and clear days.

Himalayan water system

The water system of the Himalayas is connected with the ice and snow caps of the mountain peaks. The snow border of the south begins from the east at an altitude of 4.5 and from the west - 5.1-5.3 km.

On the northern side, the border is higher - up to 1 km. Glaciers have formed on all high mountain peaks, in the west they have a valley character (the tongue of the glacier is located in the valley), in the east - dendritic (valley, formed from several tongues).

Glaciers give rise to numerous rivers and full-flowing rivers that pass through the next 2 steps of the Himalayas and flow down to the lowlands. Information about the most famous rivers is given in table 3.

Table 3

river name	Length, km	Source	mouth	Through which countries does it flow
indus	3180	Tibetan Plateau	Arabian Sea	China (TAR), India, Pakistan
Sutlej	1536	Tibetan Plateau	Indus river	China (TAR), India, Pakistan
Brahmaputra	2896	Confluence of the Jangtsi and Chema-Yundung rivers	strait of bengal	China (TAR), India, Bangladesh
Ganges	2700	The confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers	strait of bengal	India, Bangladesh

The reservoirs for lakes are pits that appeared in the process of movement of ice masses. Another condition for the creation of lakes is the dams of mud masses during the movement of ice avalanches on rivers. The well-known lakes of the system are usually sacred and are symbols of religious worship. Table 4 provides brief information about some of the lakes.

Table 4

lake name	Location in countries	Height above sea level, m
Ansu	North Pakistan, Kaghan Valley	5027
Pangong Tso	North of India, southwest of Tibet AR	4334
Manasarovar	Tibet AR, southwestern region	4557
Gosaikund	Nepal, north central part, Rusawa district	4380
mebarzo	Bhutan, Central District, on the Tang River, Bumthang Region	3000

Flora and fauna

On the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, an altitudinal zonality of climatic conditions, the world of flora and fauna is formed. The stages of the eastern and western zones are different; information is presented in Table 5.

Table 5

No. p / p	Belt height, km	Belt Description	Flora representatives	Fauna representatives
Eastern zone
1.	Up to 0.8-0.9	Terai - swampy jungle	Khair, sissou, bamboo, orchids, creepers, rattan	Rhinos, deer, fallow deer barasingi, crocodiles
2.	Up to 1-1.2	Tropical evergreen forests	Lianas, epiphytes, sal tree, shoreya
3.	Up to 2	Tropical, subtropical forests	Oaks, maples, magnolias, chestnuts, Nepalese alder
4.	Up to 2.5	Evergreen and deciduous forests	Oaks, longleaf pines, epiphytes	Wild boars, serows, Himalayan taras, red pandas, pheasants, Danfe pheasants, deer, bears
5.	Up to 3.2	Forests are evergreen with an admixture of deciduous	Himalayan spruce, Neapolitan cherry, Simon's multiflorum, maples, hemlock, rhododendrons
6.	Up to 4	evergreen forests	Himalayan fir, birch, rodendrons, junipers
7.	Up to 4.2		Rodendrons, junipers, honeysuckle	Himalayan marmots, snow leopards, snowcock, pika, snow partridges, redstarts, musky deer, wild yaks, llamas
8.	Up to 5.2		Alpine herbalists, flower beds, lichens, moss
Western zone
1.	Up to 1.5	Rainforests	Chestnuts and oaks, creepers, longleaf pine	Gauras, buffaloes, tigers, leopards, deer
2.	Until 3	subtropical evergreen forests	Cedars, Himalayan cedars, spruces, oaks, firs, cedar, neem, banyan tree	Wild boars, serau, bears, red panda, pheasants, gorals
3.	Up to 4.3	Subalpine, alpine stripes	Rare birches, pines, rodendrons, mostly shrubs, thickets of sedges, mosses, lichens	Marmots, deer, yaks, llamas, snow leopards, snow partridge, redstarts, woodpeckers, mountain pheasants

The inhabitant of the northern slopes of the Himalayan mountains is the snow leopard.

The northern slopes are distinguished by a harsh climate, where even in summer the above-zero temperature rarely occurs at noon, at night it falls into the minus zone. Therefore, the vegetation, the animal world is very scarce.

parks and valleys

The Himalayan mountains (on the map you can see the presence of numerous national parks, reserves) have protective zones that are created to protect the unique wildlife.

They can be used for the purposes of scientific geographical and biological research. Some parks have become the property of the UNESCO lists. It is better to visit them in spring or autumn, the rest of the time there is heavy rainfall.

The most famous parks and valleys:

• India. "Valley of Flowers" located at an altitude of 4 km, in the north-west of the country. A picturesque alpine meadow with flora unique to this area. It is forbidden to live here, you can only move on foot. It is adjacent to the Nanda Devi Alpine Park (the highest peak is 7816 m). In India, there are 2 more parks with UNESCO heritage status: the Great Himalayas and Kanchenjunga.

• Nepal. "Valley of Kathmandu" located in the north-central part of the country. There are many historical and cultural international monuments on it. This sacred land has several pilgrimage centers on it. In the valley, 7 sites are on the UNESCO list. Another Sagarmatha park was created to protect the Chomolungma peak.

• Butane. "Royal Manas Park" located in the south of the country, combined with the "biological corridors" of several reserves and national parks. The height of the park reaches the ice fields. Therefore, all the climatic zones of the Himalayas with many different species of plants, animals, birds, insects participate in it. 2 more reserves under the protection of UNESCO: "Bumdeling" and "Sakten".

In Pakistan, the Tibet Autonomous Region of the PRC, Bangladesh, there are also many national parks that do not have UNESCO heritage status.

Buddhist temples

Buddhism is an ancient world religion. Since ancient times, Buddhist temples and monasteries have been built, the oldest temple complexes have not been spared by time. Preserved mostly medieval temples. Numerous adherents of esotericism, Buddhism and Hinduism come to these holy places.

Temples:

• Pakistan. Takht-i-Bahi- the complex was built in the 1st century. BC. near the city of Mardan in the north of the country. It was built in 4 stages, up to several centuries passed between the stages, the last extension was undertaken in the 6th-7th centuries. AD During the Hun invasion it was destroyed. It is on the UNESCO heritage list.
• India. Thabo Gompa Monastery in northern India is located at an altitude of 3.2 km. Founded in 996 AD. Rinchen Japo. The monastery has 8 temples and 24 stupas (a cult monolithic structure with a hemispherical outline).

• Tibetan AR. The oldest monastery in Tibet - Tholin located in the western part, built in 996. There are several halls on the territory, a group of 108 pagodas along the Sainchuan River. Excellent frescoes, a statue of Sakyamuni, paintings of King Atish have been preserved in the halls.
• Nepal. Stupa Swayambhunath located in the suburbs of Kathmandu, erected in 460, by the 13th century. became the largest center of Buddhism. Throughout history, it has been destroyed, restored, re-equipped, in 2015 it was partially collapsed due to an earthquake. The stupa is located on the mountain, in order to climb it you need to overcome 365 steps, there are several monasteries around it.

• Butane. Tamshing Lhakhang- a temple complex near the city of Jakar in the Bumthang valley. The complex has a main temple and monastic hostels. Here, once a year, festivals are held in honor of Pema Lingla, the founder of the monastery, he erected it in 1501. The culture of temple dances, reflecting the era of the founder of the monastery, has been preserved. Heritage of UNESCO.

Himalaya resorts

The Himalayan highlands are the natural heritage of all the countries in which they are located. The highest peaks of the planet Earth are concentrated here, therefore this system of mountains is a Mecca for climbers and hunters of extreme tourism.

Most popular places:

• In the Indian Himalayas the most popular resort is Gulmarg located on the slopes of the Pir Panjal mountains in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Winter entertainment is developed at the resort from December to March: luge, skiing, snowboarding, freeride (skating outside the equipped area). The skiing area is 4-2 km above sea level. During the summer, mountain biking and golf are available. Nearby there are 40 hotels with different accommodation conditions.

• Tibetan AR, the city of Purang in the Ngari region. This is an ancient center of trade and a transit point for pilgrims on their way to the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. For tourists, the city is open only in the summer from July to October, in winter the paths are covered with snow. Tourists can admire the local attractions. You can stay at the hotel, but there are not many of them.
• In Nepal, tourists appeared to ride ski equipment quite recently in the resort - Mount Annapurna by heli-skiing (landing at the base by helicopter). Skating is made from different heights from 3.4 to 5.5 km, descending to heights of 3.2-3.5 km. Accommodation or overnight stays are organized in nearby villages, where guesthouses (private households) are equipped.

• In Bhutan, tourism has the character of excursion and pilgrimage.. Hiking expeditions are made to religious complexes, or long mountain hikes up to 1 month. In temples, you can heal your body and soul using non-traditional methods; they also help to achieve harmony, peace and tranquility that reign in the country. You can stay not only in the capital, but also in the city of Paro in hotels from 2-5 stars.

Historical and cultural attractions

Himalayan sights in all countries are associated mainly with the religious ways of the countries. The religion of the celestial countries has imposed certain rules, and they are closely related to the mountain peaks. On the territories of the countries there are many holy places, there are fortifications and cultural buildings worthy of research by tourists.

It is enough to look at the map with historical values ​​and see that there are a lot of interesting places in this area of ​​the Earth:

• In Pakistan, one of the ancient monuments is the Altit Fort in the Hunza Valley. The fortress is built on a rock overlooking the valley. The ancient tower of Shikari Fort has reached the age of 1100 years. The fortress has small rooms with exquisitely carved wooden portals.

• In India, this is the summer residence of the Viceroy of England in the city of Shimla, Himchal Pradesh state, northeast of the country. The residence was built in 1888 with British chic, in which there are local motifs. The museum has many exhibits.

• In the Tibetan Autonomous Republic of China, they can offer a tour to the city of Burang. Above the city, on a mountain range, the Simbiling Monastery and the large Tegla Kar Fort were built - now the ruins of the fort remain, the monastery has been restored. Below them is a 9-storey ruined monastery of the Bon religion - Tsegu Gompa. Through Burang lies the path to the sacred lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash.

• In Nepal, it is worth staying in Kathmandu, it itself is an ancient city that has preserved many ancient buildings, there are palace complexes, museums and religious temples. There are about 50 historical and cultural monuments of the country on Durbar Square, the Hanuman Dhoka complex is especially interesting.

• Butane. Among the sights of the country stands out the national library, created in 1967 to preserve the historical heritage of the people. It is located in a beautiful octagonal building. In addition to books, ancient letters and historical documentation are stored there. There are other historical buildings around.

Tourists visiting the Himalayas

Tourists visit the Himalayan mountain system for different purposes:

• mountaineering;
• skiing;
• pilgrimage;
• physical and spiritual recovery.

Tourists flock here by the thousands, every year the flow is growing. The most suitable period is May-July and September-October. Summer and winter are rainy and snowy seasons. The Himalayas are located on the territories of 5 states, so how to get here, get a visa, what fees the trip will be subject to, you need to find out in advance from your operator, or find information on the Internet.

The scale of the Himalayan system of peaks attracts not only tourists, but also scientists. Due to the long political isolation of mountainous countries and the inaccessibility of their territories, this area of ​​the Earth has not yet been sufficiently studied by biologists, geographers, geologists, and historians.

Although the study is gaining momentum, there is still an abundance of blank spots on all thematic maps of elevations.

Article formatting: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: the mysteries of the Himalayan mountains

Himalayas - the most mysterious place on Earth:

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 mountain 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.

The majestic Himalayas... A harsh land of pristine beauty, where a person can be left alone with the whole world. Thousands of square kilometers of mountains and amazing wildlife, evoking thoughts of the eternal secrets of life - all this can be found by a wanderer in the Himalayas. Here is the top of the world, and we invite you to learn more about it.

Where are the Himalayas

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

The Himalayas are located on the continent of Eurasia, in the Asian part. They border in the north with the Tibetan Plateau, in the south - with the Indo-Gangetic plain. 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 Sivalik Mountains. This mountain system contains many of the highest peaks in the world. The average height of the mountain ranges of the Himalayas is 6000 meters. The highest is the famous Mount Everest (otherwise - Chomolungma, 8848 meters). And this, as we probably remember, is the highest point on our planet.

The ridges of the Himalayas give rise to the largest rivers in southern Asia: the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra.

We already have the first data, namely, where the Himalayas are located. More specifically, about countries with a mountainous landscape on their territory, further.

Countries whose territories cover the Himalayas

Since the borders of the countries are divided almost regardless of the relief features, the mountain ranges of 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 plot of a beautiful natural formation.

The area of ​​the entire mountain system is about 650 thousand square kilometers. In remoteness from one another, many peoples live here. The natural conditions here are extremely harsh: cold at high altitudes, dangerous terrain. However, the locals are happy with their magnificent home.

The Himalayas have already revealed the first secrets to us: where are they, a country (even several), which has mountainous areas on its territory. Further on the 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 shrubs and grasslands. The northern slopes are 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 an unmeasured amount.

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 highest amount of precipitation on the planet. This happens because the mountains delay precipitation moving with air masses from the Indian Ocean, and they fall at their foot. At an altitude of 4500 meters above sea level in the Himalayas lies a zone of eternal snow.

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

Inhabitants of the mountain system

Surprisingly, in such harsh conditions as in the Himalayas, many people live. According to scientists, the records of the first settlements in the territory 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 settled 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 settled way of life were engaged in subsistence farming where there were all conditions for this: a horizontal surface, water, more or less fertile soil, a suitable climate. Modern inhabitants of the Himalayan valleys also provide themselves with their own labor. Here is another phenomenon that struck us in the Himalayas, where one of the oldest subsistence farms is located.

In the higher territories, the key occupation of the local population is pasture cattle breeding. The opportunity to do it is almost everywhere to the edge of the snow.

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

In addition to knowing where the Himalayas are, several other features of this corner of the planet will also be of interest. That this is the most impregnable, the highest (by average) mountain system in the world, we know about the Himalayas. 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 never melts here. By 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 areas of the mountains, Hindus are sure that they are the haven of their god Shiva.

Mount Everest (Chomolungma) is the highest in the world (above sea level). She is associated with triumph. Extreme people 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). To conquer them all is the dream of professional climbers.

On this, our article about where the Himalayas are located and what this mountain system is, comes to an end.

Conclusion

"The abode of the snows", the Himalayas are mountains to which the prefix "most" is firmly attached. The highest, most impregnable... And people tend 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 harsh. However, brave travelers should try to become friends with the "under heaven". Yes, indeed "under heaven", because the sky is so close here!

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

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

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

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

But ski tourism in the Himalayas is not popular, since there are no suitable gentle slopes for skiing, which could attract tourists en masse. All states where the Himalayas are located are popular mainly among climbers and pilgrims.

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

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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 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 inaccessible mountains of 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 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(local name - the Shivalik Range) - 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 hard 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, 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 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.

The globe, in Asia, in China, Pakistan, India, Bhutan and Nepal. They stretch in an arc about 2500 km long and 200-350 km wide. The area is about 650 thousand km 2. Height up to 8848 m (Mount Chomolungma - the highest peak in the world). 10 peaks exceed 8000 m, more than 100 - 7000 m.

In the north they are limited by the tectonic valleys of the upper reaches of the Indus and Brahmaputra rivers (Matsang, Tsangpo), in the west - by the Hinduraj ridge, in the east - by the Dihang gorge of the Brahmaputra river, in the south - by the Indo-Gangetic plain. The Himalayas are an important orographic, climatic and biotic barrier between the deserts of Central Asia and the landscapes of the monsoon tropics of South Asia.

Relief. The Himalayas are characterized by a clear strike of orographic elements from the northwest to the southeast. They include several parallel mountain ranges, rising from south to north with three giant steps, dissected by river gorges into separate massifs and blocks. The first step (above the Indo-Gangetic plain) is formed by the Sivalik ridge (Anti-Himalayas), height up to 3647 m (Mount Chaur). It reaches its greatest width (up to 120 km) in the western and central parts, to the east of 88° east longitude it narrows to 5-10 km. It is strongly dissected by deeply incised river valleys. The second stage - the Small (Low) Himalayas - is separated from Sivalik by a tectonic fault, along which there is a number of intermountain basins (duns), occupied in the past by lakes. It consists of a system of massifs and ridges. The ridges are strongly dissected, the southern slopes are steep, the northern ones are more gentle. In the west rises the Pir-Panjal range (up to 6632 m), in the central part - the Dhaoladhar (up to 5067 m) and Mahabharat (up to 2891 m) ranges with sharp ridges and deep valleys. A chain of intermountain depressions and ancient glacial basins (Kashmir, Kathmandu, etc.) separates the Small Himalayas from the highest level - the Great (High) Himalayas with the highest massifs and peaks covered with glaciers. This part of the Himalayas forms a powerful alpine ridge 50-90 km wide, with passes lying above 4500 m. The northern slopes have soft outlines, the southern slopes are steep, dissected by deep gorges. Glacial landforms are typical (kars, troughs, exaration forms, terminal moraines). The Great Himalayas begin in the northwest of the Nanga Parbat massif, where they are widest (over 300 km). High uplands (over 5000 m) and the Zaskar mountain range (up to 7756 m) are also located here. To the east of the Teesta river valley, the Greater Himalayas decline significantly. This part is characterized by deeply incised river valleys, relatively poorly dissected massifs with domed peaks. In the Himalayas, the intensity of erosion processes is high, landslides, mudflows are frequent, and avalanches in the middle and high mountains. From west to east, the Himalayas are usually divided into Punjab (from the gorge of the Indus River in the northwest to the valley of the Sutlej River), Kumaon (between the valleys of the Sutlej and Kali rivers), Nepal (in Nepal), Sikkim (within the Indian state of Sikkim) and Assamese (west of Bhutan).

Sivalik Ridge.

Geological structure and minerals. In tectonic terms, the Himalayas are a fold-cover mountain system of the same name, which is a link in the Cenozoic Alpine-Himalayan mobile belt. In their structure, three zones are distinguished, corresponding to the steps of the relief; in addition, the High Himalayas divide into two zones. The northern zone of the High Himalayas, called the Tethyan Himalayas, or Tethys-Himalayas, is composed of a sequence of marine sediments of the Middle Proterozoic - Eocene of great thickness (up to 17 km), accumulated on the gently sloping continental shelf of the Indian subcontinent (on the southern margin of the Tethys paleoocean). In the north, the Tethyan Himalayas are bounded by the Indus-Tsangpo tectonic basin, which marks the tectonic suture of the same name (suture), which is considered as a relic of the surface of the subduction zone, along which the Tethys crust sank northward under the southern margin of Eurasia with the formation of the Trans-Himalayan volcanic-plutonic belt (see the article Gandishishan ). In the suture zone, ophiolites come to the surface (their covers are established in the Tethyan Himalayas), metamorphic formations, sedimentary and igneous complexes. In the south, the Tethyan Himalayas are separated by a fault gently inclined to the north from the Central Crystalline Zone of the High Himalayas. This zone is composed of repeatedly metamorphosed, mainly Precambrian complexes - micaceous schists, quartzites, gneisses, migmatites, which are intruded by Miocene leucogranites. The last metamorphic event in the zone corresponds to conditions of very high temperatures and relatively low pressures. The metamorphic formations of the Central Crystalline Zone are thrust (along the Main Central Thrust) and partially overlie the Low Himalaya complexes, forming many isolated tectonic remnants. The zone of the Low Himalayas is formed by sedimentary strata of the Upper Proterozoic - Lower Eocene (sandstones, clays, limestones, tillites), similar to the cover of the Hindustan platform. The deposits have undergone greenschist metamorphism and have a cover-thrust structure. In the south, the zone of the Low Himalayas thrusts (along the Main Frontier Thrust) on the zone of the Cis-Himalayas (or the Outer Himalayas), which in tectonic terms is a foredeep that has arisen in recent times in front of the front of the growing Himalayan orogen and is filled with Miocene sandy-argillaceous and Pliocene coarse clastic molasses of common up to 7 km. The folded molasse complexes of the Cis-Himalayas are separated by a system of gentle faults of the Frontal Himalayan thrust from the undeformed and not involved in the uplift molasses of the Indo-Gangetic basin.

The formation of the Himalayas as a cover-folded mountain structure is associated with a collision (collision) of the Hindustan block with Eurasia, which began about 55 million years ago (at the end of the Paleocene). The maximum deformations occurred: at the beginning of the Miocene (20-25 million years ago), when the Main Central thrust was formed; in the late Miocene (15-10 million years ago) - the Main Frontier Thrust; at the end of the Pliocene - the Main Frontal Thrust. The recent uplift of the Himalayas is accompanied by intense seismicity concentrated mainly along thrust zones.

A few deposits of ores of copper and gold are known; chromites, precious stones (sapphire, etc.) associated with metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Low and High Himalayas. Deposits of oil and natural combustible gas have been discovered in the Cis-Himalayas.

Climate. The southern slopes of the Himalayas are heavily influenced by the Indian summer monsoon. The amount of precipitation decreases from the east (4000-5500 mm per year) to the west (1000-2000 mm). The hinterland receives about 400-750 mm of precipitation per year. Everywhere on the southern slope up to a height of 3000 m, the average annual temperatures are positive, above 4500 m - the area of ​​negative summer temperatures. The climate of the western part of the Himalayas is characterized by sharp fluctuations in temperature, strong winds. Average temperatures in July are about 18 °С, in January from -10 to -18 °С. The influence of the monsoon manifests itself in July - August south of the Pir-Panjal ridge. Winter precipitation is associated with cyclones bringing rain and snow. The main passes are cleared of snow at the end of May. The climate of the eastern part is hotter, with a pronounced monsoonal humidification regime. Summer temperatures at an altitude of 1500 m reach 35 °C, in the valleys they rise to 45 °C. In winter, at an altitude of 1800 m, the average January temperature is 4 °C. Snowfalls annually occur above 2200-2500 m, in the valleys there are thick fogs. Above 5000 m precipitation falls in the form of snow all year round. The climate of the northern slopes of the Himalayas is cold alpine desert. Daily temperature amplitudes reach 45 °C, precipitation is about 100 mm per year. In summer, at an altitude of 5000-6000 m, there are positive temperatures only during the day. In winter, snow often evaporates without melting.

Glaciation. On the southern slopes of the Punjab Himalayas, the snow line passes at an altitude of 4400-4600 m, in the Nepal Himalayas (on the slopes of Chomolungma) - 4700-4800 m, in the Assam Himalayas - 4600 m. On the northern, drier, slopes of the Himalayas, it rises to 5800-6100 m. The high position of the snow line and the significant steepness of the slopes do not contribute to the formation of large glaciers. The area of ​​modern glaciation of the Himalayas is small - about 33 thousand km 2. Most glaciers are grouped around the highest massifs. The largest glaciers in the Punjab Himalayas are Gangri (length 21 km), Shaffat (16 km), Milang (16 km), in the Kumaon Himalayas - Milam (20 km) and Gangotri (32 km, the largest in the Himalayas). In the Nepalese Himalayas, in the Chomolungma region, there are about 600 glaciers, including the Western Rongbuk and Khumbu 22 km long, in the Sikkim Himalayas, in the area of ​​the Kanchenjunga massif, there are Zemu glaciers (31 km) and Kanchenjunga (24 km). Most of the glaciers are retreating at an average rate of 10-15 m per year. The glaciers of the valleys are predominantly dendritic, of the Himalayan type, descending 1300-1600 m below the snow line. In the western part of the Himalayas, valley glaciers of the Turkestan type predominate, fed mainly by avalanches and avalanches of hanging glaciers. On the steep slopes - hanging and cirque glaciers. The northern slopes are characterized by gigantic curtains of corrugated ice that cover many of the peaks to their summits. Tongues of some glaciers are covered with a moraine cover for a considerable extent.

Rivers and lakes. Despite the high altitude, the Himalayas are not a watershed of the rivers of the Indian Ocean basins and the endorheic region of Central Asia. Due to the presence of through antecedent gorges, the sources of the Indus, Sutlej, Karnali, Arun rivers are located in the Karakoram and on the Tibetan Plateau. The largest rivers of South Asia, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, originate on the slopes of the Himalayas. The river network is more developed on the southern slope. In the upper reaches of the river, they are fed by snow and glaciers; in the middle and lower - rain, with a maximum flow of water in summer. The valleys are narrow and deep. The rivers have huge hydropower resources, which are practically not used. Large hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs have been created on the Sutlej and Beas rivers. Lakes (tectonic and glacial) are located mainly in the western part of the Himalayas below 5000 m (Vular, Tso-Morari, etc.); large alpine lakes - Bangong, Mapam Yumtso. When glacial lakes break through, glacial mudflows can occur.

Soils, flora and fauna. The landscapes of the Himalayas are very diverse, especially on the southern slopes. The maximum number of altitudinal belts is characteristic of the most humid slopes of the eastern part of the Himalayas. The foothills of the mountains are bordered by a strip of terai - swampy tree-shrub thickets (jungle) on meadow-marsh tropical soils. Above the slope, moist evergreen tropical forests grow on mountain red soils. Dipterocarp, palm, pandanus, tree ferns intertwined with vines (up to 400 species) predominate. At an altitude of 1200-1500 m, mountain evergreen subtropical forests of oaks, laurels, magnolias, and tea trees (castanopsis, phebe) dominate. Above 2000-2200 m, they are replaced by mixed deciduous forests on brown forest soils, in the forest stand of which species of temperate latitudes appear - maples, alder, hazel, birch and conifers (Himalayan pine, Himalayan spruce, dense fir). From a height of 3000 m begins a belt of mountain coniferous forests of pine, fir, hemlock, yew, juniper. At an altitude of 3700-3900 m, it is replaced by a subalpine belt - a crooked forest of huge rhododendrons and junipers with the participation of ferns, above 4000 m - a belt of alpine meadows, the upper limit of which runs at an altitude of about 5000 m, individual plants (Arenaria, edelweiss) rise to a height of 6100 m. In the central part of the Himalayas, in the spectrum of altitudinal zones, there is no belt of humid evergreen tropical forests, and up to a height of 600-1000 m, deciduous forests from lard with the participation of terminalia, albition, etc. dominate.

In the more arid western part of the Himalayas, the lower parts of the slopes (up to 600 m) are occupied by sparse xerophytic forests and shrubs with wild olive, an admixture of acacia, pomegranate, and oleander on mountain brown soils. Above (up to 1200-1500 m), monsoon deciduous forests grow with dominance of fat on mountain red soils, which are replaced by mountain subtropical mixed forests of holm oak and mountain pines with evergreen undergrowth. From a height of 2000-2500 m, mountain mixed subboreal forests of long-coniferous pine (chir), fir, Himalayan cedar (deodar) with oaks and maples dominate on low-humus brown forest soils. In the belt of 3000-3500 m, mountain coniferous forests of fir with an admixture of birch dominate on podzolized brown soils. Above 3500 m - subalpine birch crooked forest, thickets of juniper and rhododendrons, giving way to a belt of alpine meadows and shrubs on mountain meadow soils. The upper boundary of the distribution of vascular plants is 6300 m. The northern slope is characterized by desert-steppe landscapes with polster and xerophytic grasses on thin, stony mountain-desert soils. Woody vegetation (willows, poplars) is found in river valleys.

About 300 species of mammals live in the Himalayas, more than 10 of them are endemic (golden langur, Himalayan tahr, pygmy pig, etc.), 175 species of reptiles (about 50 species are endemic), 105 species of amphibians. The avifauna includes about 1000 species (15 species are endemic). The fauna of the Terai and low mountains of the Himalayas belongs to the Indo-Malay faunistic region. Large mammals live here - elephants, rhinos, gaurs, wild boars, several species of deer (muntzhak, sambar), predators - tigers and leopards, red wolf; birds - peacocks, pheasants, parrots. In the eastern part of the Himalayas, there is a binturong (viverrid family). The fauna of the middle and high mountains belongs to the Chinese-Himalayan subregion of the Holarctic region. Wild yak, musk deer, red deer (hangul), mountain sheep (argali, blue sheep), markhor goat, goral, takin, black Himalayan bear live in the forest and alpine belts. Clouded leopard and snow leopard (irbis) are endangered. Of the birds, the Himalayan snowcock, the Himalayan crested pheasant, and tragopans are common.

The most famous protected areas of the Himalayas are the national parks Corbett, the Greater Himalayas, Namdapha, Kanchenjunga (India); The World Heritage List includes the Manas Reserve, the Nandadevi National Parks and the Valley of Flowers (India), the Kathmandu Valley, the Chitwan and Sagarmatha National Parks (Nepal). In the Himalayas, mainly in Nepal, mountaineering is widely developed. Climatic resorts - Shimla, Macypi, Darjeeling and others (India).

The main occupation of the population is agriculture. On the northern slope of the Greater Himalayas (near Lake Tangra-Yumtso) are the upper boundaries of agriculture in the world. Excessive grazing of livestock in alpine meadows and forests has led to increased erosion and mudflow processes.

Lit .: Singh G. Geography of India. M., 1980; Senkovskaya N. F. Land resources of the Himalayas and problems of their use // Bulletin of Moscow State University. Ser. 5. Geography. 1982. No. 6; she is. Features of the distribution of mudflow phenomena in the Himalayas // Ibid. 1984. No. 6; Kononov Yu. V. The country of subtropics and snow-capped mountains. M., 1985; Bedi R. Animal world of India. M., 1987; Dolgushin L. D., Osinova G. B. Glaciers. M., 1989; Golubchikov Yu. N. Geography of mountainous and polar countries. M., 1996; State of Nepal's environment. Kathmandu, 2000; Khain V. E. Tectonics of continents and oceans (year 2000). M., 2001; Inventory of glaciers, glacial lakes and glacial lake outburst floods monitoring and early warning systems in Hindu Kush - Himalayan region. Kathmandu, 2002.

N. N. Alekseeva; Ark. V. Tevelev (geological structure and minerals).