Mapping the world’s highest mountains by continent

Mapping the world’s highest mountains by continent

From the snow-capped Himalayas in Asia to the dormant Mauna Kea in Hawaii, mountains have always been a magnet for humans.

They are geological wonders, sacred spaces, crowning glory of nature and nations. And although there are mountain ranges all over the world, some peaks quite literally stand out from the rest.

in this drawing, Arijit Gupta uses Data from various sources Including Wikipedia, Peakbagger, and EarthENV to highlight three mountains crowning each of the world’s continents.

1. Asia

With its three highest peaks all exceeding 8,000 metres, Asia has the highest mountains in the world in terms of absolute height.

Towering over the famous Himalayas Mount Everest On the border between China and Nepal is the highest mountain peak on Earth. Climbers train for months, sometimes years, to scale this challenging peak.

The Karakoram mountain range is not far from Mount Everest K2 between Pakistan and China. While its peak is just over 200 meters shorter than Everest’s summit, it is said that more bad weather locally makes it much more Dangerous for climbers.

main peak Kanchenjunga, another Himalayan mountain located between India and Nepal, has a height of 8586 meters. While this peak is the third highest in the world, its range consists of four other peaks not far behind.

2. South America

The Coronation Peaks of South America are seen along the Andes mountain range, starting at the highest mountain peak in the Southern Hemisphere –Aconcagua.

Aconcagua is located in Argentina at a staggering 6,961 meters above sea level. It is also the highest mountain peak in the Americas.

Ojos del Salado On the border between Argentina and Chile is the second highest. This peak ranks as the world’s highest volcano, as its upper reaches contain lava domes, lava flows, and craters.

another argentinian mountain, Monte PiecesIt stands just 100 meters above Ojos del Salado. At 6,793 metres, the mountain is still the third highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere.

3. North America

Unlike the continents above, the highest mountains in North America are spread across a few different mountain ranges.

United State Denali In the Alaskan mountain range is the highest mountain in North America at an altitude of 6190 meters. Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali’s subarctic location and elevation are said to make it the coldest mountain in the world.

It is located in the Canadian Yukon Territory. Mount Logan It is the second highest mountain in North America. Thanks to a process known as tectonic uplift, its height is actually still increasing by about 0.35 millimeters each year.

Mexico Pico de Orizaba, which is an extinct volcano, comes in third place. Although they are part of the volcanic belt chain through distant Mexico, all of the continent’s largest mountains are part of the North American Cordillera of connected mountain ranges.

4. Africa

Africa is home to three of the highest peaks in the world, and some of the most diverse climates on the side of the surrounding mountains.

Tanzania Mount Kilimanjaro It is the highest peak in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Climbing Kilimanjaro is a unique experience, as it takes you through five different ecoregions including rainforests, swamplands, alpine deserts, and glaciers.

Meanwhile, Africa’s second highest peak is in Kenya, its namesake Mount Kenya, in fact three distinct peaks. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to various wildlife species, including elephants and hyenas.

Followed by the Rwenzori Mountain Range Mount Stanley. Located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is locally believed to be a sacred site where the ancestors reside on the mountain tops.

5. Europe

The Caucasus Mountains on the fringes of Eastern Europe contain the continent’s highest mountains.

Mount Elbrus In Russia it is the number one, with an altitude of 5642 m. The mountain is a dormant volcano with a symmetrical double cone shape, but since its last eruption was about 50m, it is currently covered with snow and glaciers.

nearby Goa Dekh Tau It is the second highest mountain in Europe. It has a sharp, pyramid-like top that rises steeply from its base, and is located a few kilometers north of the Georgian border.

Just across the border on the south side shkharaIt is the third highest peak in Europe. It is known for its distinctive double summit, with the western summit being slightly higher than the eastern summit.

6. Oceania

While many of the above continents have high-level mountain peaks located in different countries, Oceania lies entirely within Indonesia on the island of New Guinea.

It is the highest peak in Oceania Puncak JayaAlso known by other local names including Carstens pyramid, the mountain that Puncak Jaya is a distinct peak. It is the world’s highest mountain on an island, and reaching its summit is a difficult climb due to its remote location and challenging terrain.

Decades ago, second place Somantri was known as Polo survivedIt was higher than Puncak Jaya. However, that has changed because melting ice since the 1850s has helped isolate and articulate the local peaks of the Carstens pyramid. Today, Sumantri stands at 4,870 meters and is the second highest on the continent.

To the east in the Jayawijaya mountain range, Ponchak mandala It is the third on this list. But as a free-standing mountain it is sometimes considered the second highest peak in Oceania, while the Sumantree does not qualify as a branching summit of the Carstens Pyramid.

Bonus: Antarctica

Although not mapped, Gupta also included data on mountains in Antarctica, which are unlike any other mountains on Earth.

These mountains are relatively low and often completely covered with ice and snow.

the Vinson Massif It contains the highest peak in Antarctica, known as Mount Vinson. Discovered in 1958, the mountain is a challenging climb with plenty of icy terrain, and was the last of the Seven Summits to be first climbed in 1966.

Mount Terry It is the second highest on the continent and is only 13 kilometers from Vinson. Its height is only 40 meters shorter, but it is also more difficult to reach.

relatively, Shin Mountain– the third highest peak on the continent – it is also sometimes summited by experienced mountaineers who come to Antarctica to climb Mount Vinson.

This article was published as part of the Visual Capitalist Creators Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite creators around the world.