Himalayas

Himalayas Range

The north face of Mount Everest as seen from the path to the base camp in Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. Countries Bhutan, People's Republic of China, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Burma, Afghanistan

Highest point Mount Everest - elevation 8,848 m (29,029 ft) 275917N - coordinates 865531E27.98806N 86.92528E The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of a massive mountain system that includes the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and other, lesser, ranges that extend out from the Pamir Knot.

Together, the Himalayan mountain system is the world's highest, and home to the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, which include Mount Everest and K2. To comprehend the enormous scale of this mountain range, consider that Aconcagua, in the Andes, at 6,962 metres (22,841 ft) is the highest peak outside Asia, whereas the Himalayan system includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 m (23,600 ft). The main Himalayan range runs west to east, from the Indus river valley to the Brahmaputra river valley, forming an arc 2,400 km (1,500 mi) long, which varies in width from 400 km (250 mi) in the western Kashmir-Xinjiang region to 150 km (93 mi) in the eastern TibetArunachal Pradesh region. The range consists of three coextensive sub-ranges, with the northernmost, and highest, known as the Great or Inner Himalayas. Some of the world's major river systems arise in the Himalayas, and their combined drainage basin is home to some 3 billion people (almost half of Earth's population) in 18 countries. The Himalayas have profoundly shaped the cultures of South Asia; many Himalayan peaks are sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Geologically, the origin of the Himalayas is the impact of the Indian tectonic plate traveling northward at 15 cm per year to impact the Eurasian continent, about 40-50 million years ago. The formation of the Himalayan arc resulted since the lighter rock of the seabeds of that time were easily uplifted into mountains. An often-cited fact used to illustrate this process is that the summit of Mount Everest is made of marine limestone.

Lesser Himalaya

Himalayas from Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Also called Mahabharat Range, the Lesser Himalayas is a prominent range 2,000 to 3,000 meters (6,600 to 9,800 ft) high formed along the Main Boundary Thrust fault zone, with a steep southern face and gentler northern slopes. They are nearly continuous except for river gorges, where rivers from to the north gather like candelabra in a handful of places to break through the range. At these elevations and above the biogeography of the Himalayas is generally divided by the Kali Gandaki Gorge in central Nepal, one of the deepest canyons in the world. At the middle elevations of the range, the subtropical forests yield to a belt of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests growing between 1,500 and 3,000 meters (4,900 and 9,800 ft), with the western Himalayan broadleaf forests to the west of the Gandaki River, and the eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests to the east. The western broadleaf forests stretch from the Kashmir Valley, across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and through western Nepal. The eastern broadleaf forests stretch across eastern Nepal, through Sikkim and Bhutan, and through much of Arunachal Pradesh.

jochen-schlenker-shanti-stupa-leh-ladakh-indian-himalayas-india-asia

Origins and growth

The 6,000 km plus journey of the India landmass (Indian Plate) before its collision with Asia (Eurasian Plate) about 40 to 50 million years ago The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet and consist mostly of uplifted sedimentary and metamorphic rock. According to the modern theory of plate tectonics, their formation is a result of a continental collision or orogeny along the convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This is referred to as a fold mountain. The collision began in the Upper Cretaceous period about 70 million years ago, when the northmoving Indo-Australian Plate, moving at about 15 cm per year, collided with the Eurasian Plate. About 50 million years ago, this fast moving Indo-Australian plate had completely closed the Tethys Ocean, the existence of which has been determined by sedimentary rocks settled on the ocean floor, and the volcanoes that fringed its edges. Since these sediments were light, they crumpled into mountain ranges rather than sinking to the floor. The Indo-Australian plate continues to be driven horizontally below the Tibetan plateau, which forces the plateau to move upwards. The Arakan Yoma highlands in Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal were also formed as a result of this collision. The Indo-Australian plate is still moving at 67 mm per year, and over the next 10 million years it will travel about 1,500 km into Asia. About 20 mm per year of the India-Asia convergence is absorbed by thrusting along the Himalaya southern front. This leads to the Himalayas rising by about 5 mm per year, making them geologically active. The movement of the Indian plate into the Asian plate also makes this region seismically active, leading to earthquakes from time to time.

Edge of the World

Although seemingly timeless, the Himalaya are anything but unchanging. The mountains themselves continue to grow an average of one centimeter per year, with some peaks rising ten centimeters in a single year. More alarming are the profound environmental and cultural changes occurring throughout the region. In Himalaya: Life on the Edge of the World, David Zurick and P. P. Karan explore these dynamic changes through geological records, scientific reports, and official documents dating back over a century and through years of field research and travel which have given them an intimate knowledge of the landscape and people of the Himalaya.

Birth of Himalayas

The authors provide a comprehensive natural history of the region from the birth of the Himalaya out of the tectonic disruptions beneath the primordial Tethys Sea to the variety of landforms, habitats, and climates seen today; a lively study of the peoples who make the mountains their home, tracing human history in the Himalaya back more than a thousand years; and an in-depth analysis of the relationship between nature and society in the Himalaya and the pressing problems of environmental degradation, explosive population growth, spiraling poverty, and globalization confronting the region and its people. Challenging widely held assumptions about the current ecological crisis in the Himalaya that deforestation, for example, can be blamed exclusively on local villagers or that pollution and rampant resource exploitation occur uniformly throughout the range the authors detail a much more complex scenario in which the population explosion is only one of the many factors affecting the Himalayan landscape and in which some regions exhibit little of the environmental decline witnessed elsewhere.

Wildlife Corner

Himalaya also offers reasons for hope, documenting the success of wildlife preserves and national parks in protecting the region's fragile ecology, effective strategies of local environmental activists, the encouraging rise of ecotourism, and the introduction of both new and rediscovered techniques of sustainable agriculture. The fauna of the alpine ecosystem depends on the tubers and roots of these plants for survival when the thick blanket of winter snow covers the hill-sides, and sources of nutrition are at a premium. However, in the absence of these herbs many animals are moving away from affected regions as they are not able to sustain themselves. As a result, the chief predator of this alpine ecosystem - the Snow Leopard is forced to move with its prey and the animal populations get concentrated into smaller areas. Thoroughly researched, engagingly written, and lavishly illustrated with helpful maps and evocative photographs, Himalaya provides a compelling account of the mountain range's natural history, cultural diversity, environmental predicament, and future survival.

Himalayan Flora
Himalayan flora is the chief victim of this abuse. But the biggest threat to some of our Himalayan flora comes from a different quarter. The large-scale removal of certain mountain herbs and plants of medicinal value is bringing about different changes within the mountain ecosystem. These plants, which include species of Saussurea, Podophyllum, Geranium, Anemone and Potentilla constitute the chief source of lean season sustenance for the high altitude fauna such as the Bharal or the Blue Sheep and the Himalayan Red Bear. These root plants, which are systematically mined from entire hill slopes and meadows in portions of Himachal Pradesh and Garhwal, are subsequently processed locally and exported for use in perfumeries and medical preparations abroad and in India.

Ecosystem:

Himalayas have had profound influences on the climate, environment and population distribution etc on the Earth. An example is showing here - a scientific synergy acquired by Terra sensors in March 2000:

Himalayas (white) divided the Tibet (World's Roof) and the High concentration of water True color image draped over India sub-continent. The growth vapor, or humidity, appeared surface topography of the Earth of dense vegetation (darker just south of the Himalayas. greens) in the true color image.

The lush landscape attracts about a billion people reside industries produce a thick layer there. indicated by the reds and of haze, or aerosol particles yellows in this false-color (brown), image.

High levels of carbon monoxide (reds and yellows,) But these pollutants were not allowed to spread northward to the Tibetan Plateau.

The Himalayas range is the originate of numerous glaciers and many important rivers in Asia.

There is great variation in the Himalayan soils. The dark brown soils are well suited for growing fruit trees. The wet, deep, upland soils with high humus content are good for growing tea. Himalayan vegetation is based on altitude and rainfall and can be classified into four groups:

Tropical zone - Up to 1,000 - 1,200 m (3,280 to 3,940 ft) . Tropical ever green forests, Rose, chestnut, bamboo, alder, pine, laurel, and palm etc. Subtropical zone - Up to 2,200 m (7,220 ft). Deciduous forest with sal, oak, and magnolia temperate forests of cedar, birch, hazel, maple, and spruce Alpine zone - 2,200 to 2,700 m ( 7,220 to 8,860 ft ). With juniper, rhododendron, mosses, lichens etc Several kinds of flowering plants are found from 2,700 to 3,600 m (8,860 - 11,800 ft). Alpine meadows are found up to 5,000 m (16,400 feet).

Elephants, bison, and rhinoceroses inhabit the forested lower slopes of the Outer Himalayas. The snow leopard, brown bear, red panda, and The black bear, languor monkey, clouded leopard, and goat antelope live in the foothills. Tibetan yak are living above the tree line--above 3,050 m (10,000 ft). Endangered animal species, such as the rhinoceros, musk deer, and Kashmir stag, or hangul are now under protection. There are catfish in most Himalayan streams, and butterflies are extremely varied and beautiful. While one are enjoying the miracle of the Nature, one must not forget how to protect the vulnerable ecosystem of the Himalayas.

Lakes

A high Himalayan lake at an altitude of around 5,000 metres Sikkim, India The Himalaya region is dotted with hundreds of lakes. Most lakes are found at altitudes of less than 5,000 m, with the size of the lakes diminishing with altitude. Pangong Tso, which is spread across the border between India and China, and Yamdrok Tso, located in central Tibet, are amongst the largest with surface areas of 700 km, and 638 km, respectively. Other notable lakes include Gurudogmar lake in North Sikkim, Tsongmo lake, near the Indo-China border in Sikkim, and Tilicho lake in Nepal in the Annapurna massif. The mountain lakes are known to geographers as tarns if they are caused by glacial activity. Tarns are found mostly in the upper reaches of the Himalaya, above 5,500 metres.

Impact on climate

Pass in Ladakh with the typical Buddhist prayer flags and chorten The Himalayas have a profound effect on the climate of the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan plateau. They prevent frigid, dry Arctic winds blowing south into the subcontinent, which keeps South Asia much warmer than corresponding temperate regions in the other continents. It also forms a barrier for the monsoon winds, keeping them from traveling northwards, and causing heavy rainfall in the Terai region. The Himalayas are also believed to play an important part in the formation of Central Asian deserts, such as the Taklamakan and Gobi. The mountain ranges also prevent western winter disturbances in Iran from traveling further, resulting in snow in Kashmir and rainfall for parts of Punjab and northern India. Despite being a

barrier to the cold, northernly winter winds, the Brahmaputra valley receives part of the frigid winds, thus lowering the temperature in the North East India and Bangladesh. The Himalayas, which are often called "The Roof of the World", contain the greatest area of glaciers and permafrost outside of the poles. Ten of Asias largest rivers flow from here, and more than a billion peoples livelihoods depend on them. To complicate matters, temperatures are rising more rapidly here than the global average. In Nepal, the temperature has risen 0.6 degree C over the last decade, whereas the global warming has been around 0.7 degree C over the last hundred years.[11]

Mountain passes

The Himalayan range at Yumesongdong in Sikkim, in the Yumthang River valley The rugged terrain makes few routes through the mountains possible. Some of these routes include: Banihal is an important pass connecting the hill areas of Jammu to the Kashmir Valley. Zoji La lies between the vale of Kashmir and the Kargil district, and is the only Western entrance to the highlands of Ladakh. Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, India. Mohan Pass is the principal pass in the Siwalik Hills, the southern most and geologically youngest foothills running parallel to the main Himalayas in Sikkim. Kora La at 4,594 metres (15,072 ft) elevation on the Nepal-Tibet border at the upper end of Mustang. The Kali Gandaki Gorge (a graben), transects the main Himalaya and Transhimalayan ranges. Kora La is the lowest pass through both ranges between K2 and Everest, but some 300 metres (980 ft) higher than Nathula and Jelepla passes further east between Sikkim and Tibet. Arniko Rajmarg/Friendship Highway route from Kathmandu, Nepal crossing into Tibet at Kodari/Zhangmu, to Nyalam, Lalung-La pass (5,050m/16,570'), Tingri, Xgar, Lakpa La pass (5,250m/17,225'), to Lhatse on the Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra River about 460 road kilometers west of Lhasa. Gangtok in Sikkim to Lhasa in Tibet, via the Nathula Pass and Jelepla Passes (offshoots of the ancient Silk Road).

Panorama

2004 photo mosaic the Himalayas with Makalu and Mount Everest from the International Space Station, Expedition 8.

A panorama of Garhwal Himalaya from Dhanaulti, India

Major Peaks of the Himalayas:

Mt. Everest The Himalayas is the world's highest mountain range comprising all top ten of the world's highest peaks. In fact, the Himalayas includes 14 peaks more than 8,000 meters high and some 200 more than 6000 meters. Listed here are the panoramic sequence from East to West of over 7,000 meters major peaks in Himalayas : NAMCHA BARWA HIMAL China (Tibet) Namcha Barwa - 7,782m (25,531ft) Jailabaili Feng - 7,151 (23,460ft) Bhutan/ China (Tibet) Kula Kangri - 7,554m (24,783ft) CHOMOLHARI Bhutan Jichu Drake Chomolhari - 7,314m (23,995ft) KANCHENJUNGA HIMAL India/Mechi Zone, Nepal Talung - 7,344m (24,094ft) Kabru - 7,338m (24,074ft) Pathibhara (The Pyramid) - 7.123m (23,369ft) Gimmigela Chuli (Twin Peak) - 7,350m (24,113ft) Kirat Chuli (Tent Peak) - 7,365m (24,163ft) Kanchenjunga South - 8,474m (27,801ft) Kanchenjunga West - 8,420m (27,624ft) Kanchenjunga I(Main) Height: 8,598 m (28,208ft) Rank: 3 Latitude: 27 42 09 N Longitude: 88 09 01 E

Yalung Kang - 8,505m (27,903ft) Kangbachen - 7,903m (25,928ft) Kumbhakarna or Jannu (Mystery Peak) - 7,710m (25,294ft) Jongsang - 7,483m (24,550ft) Dome - 7,442m (24,415ft) JANAK HIMAL Mechi Zone, Nepal Janak Chuli (Outlier) - 7,035m (23,080ft) Nupchu - 7,028m (23,057ft) KUMBHAKARNA Koshi Zone, Nepal Makalu I Height: 8,463 m (27,776 ft) Rank: 5 Latitude: 27 53 23 N Longitude: 87 05 20 E Makalu II (Kangchugtse) - 7,678m (25,189ft) Makalu South - 8,010m (26,279ft) Baruntse - 7,220m (23,517ft) MAHALANGUR (CHAMLAN) HIMAL Koshi-Sagarmatha Zones, Nepal Chamlang - 7,319m (23,983 ft) Shantishikhar - 7,591m (24,904ft) KHUMBU (Everest Region) HIMAL Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal / China (Tibet) Shartse - 7,459m (24,471ft) Lhotse Shar - 8,383m (27,502ft) Lhotse I Height: 8,501 m (27,890 ft) Rank: 4 Latitude: 27 57 45 N Longitude: 86 56 03 E Lhotse Intermediate - 8,410m (27,591ft) Lhotse West I - 7,703m (25,272ft) Lhotse West II - 7,569m (24,832ft) Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha to the local Nepalis and Quomolongma to the Tibetans,) The highest peak in the world. Height: 8,850 m (29,035 ft) Rank: 1 Latitude: 27 59 17 N Longitude: 86 55 31 E Mt. Everest South - 8,754m (28,720ft)

Nuptse East - 7,815m ((25,639ft) Nuptse I - 7,879m (25,850 ft) Rank: 25 Latitude: 27 58 02 N Longitude: 86 53 14 Nuptse West I - 7,795m (25,573ft) Nuptse West II - 7,745m (25,409ft) Changatse - 7,550m (24,770ft) Peak 38 East - 7,502m (24,612ft) Shar Tse II (Peak 38) - 7,591m (24,904ft) Pumori - 7,145m (23,442 ft) Hunchhi - 7,161m (23,493ft) Gyachung Kang I - 7,952m (25,990 ft) Gyachung Kang II - 7,035m (23,080ft) Ngojumba Kang East (Ngoxumpga Ri) - 7,610m (24,966ft) Ngojumba Kang Central (Ngoxumpga Ri) - 7,646m (25,084ft) Ngojumba Kang West (Ngoxumpga Ri) - 7,806m (25,609ft) Cho Oyu Height: 8,201 m (26,906 ft) Rank: 6 Latitude: 28 05 37 N Longitude: 86 39 43 E Cho Oyu North - 7,570m ((24,835ft) Nganpai Gosum East - 7,110m (23,326ft) Nganpai Gosum Central - 7,296m (23,936ft) Nganpai Gosum West - 7,352m (24,120ft) BARUN Koshi-Sagarmatha Zones, Nepal Barun Tea - 7,129m (23,388ft) ROLWALING HIMAL Sagarmatha-Janakpur Zones, Nepal Melungtse - 7,181m (20,660 ft) Gauri-Shankar - 7,134m (23,442 ft) JUGAL HIMAL Bagmati Zone, Nepal Loengpo Gang (Big White Peak) - 7,083m (23,237ft) Shisha Pangma (Xixabangma) Height: 8,046m (26,397ft) Rank: 13 LANGTANG HIMAL Bagmati Zone, Nepal

Langtang Ri - 7,205m (23,638ft) Langtang Lirung - 7,246m (23,750 ft) GANESH HIMAL Bagmati Zone, Nepal Ganesh I (Yangra) - 7,429m (24,373ft) Ganesh III (Salasungo) - 7,110m ((23,326ft) Ganesh IV (Pabil) - 7,102m ((23,300ft) Ganesh II - 7,111m (23,329ft) SHRINGI HIMAL Gandaki Zone, Nepal Gosainthan - 8,013m (26,291ft) Shringi - 7,187m (23,579ft) SERANG/YANGRA HIMAL Gandaki Zone, Nepal Chamar - 7,187m (23,579ft) GORKHA/MANSIRI HIMAL Gandaki Zone, Nepal Himalchuli North - 7,371m (24,182ft) Himalchuli West - 7,540m (24,737ft) Himalchuli East - 7,893m (25,895ft) Nagadi Chuli (Peak 29) - 7,871m (25,823ft) Takura - 7,835m (25,705ft) Manaslu East - 7,895m (25,901ft) Manaslu North - 7,157m (23,480ft) Manaslu Height : 8,163 m (26,781 ft) Rank : 8 Latitude: 28 32 58 N Longitude: 84 33 43 E PERI HIMAL Gandaki Zone, Nepal Himlung - 7,126m (23,378ft) Nemjung - 7,140m (23,424ft) Gyajikang - 7,038m (23,090ft) Kanguru - 7,010m (22,998ft) Ratna Chuli - 7,035m (23,080ft) ANNAPURNA HIMAL Gandaki Zone, Nepal Annapurna-II - 7,937m (26,041 ft) Annapurna-IV - 7,525m (24,666 ft)

Annapurna-III - 7,556m (24,767 ft) ? Gangapurna - 7,455m (24,457 ft) ? Tarke Kang (Glacier Dome) - 7,193m (23,191 ft) Glacier Dome West - 7,069m (23,191ft) Khangshar Kang (Roc Noir) - 7,485m (24,556 ft) Annapurna-I Height : 8,091 m (26.545ft) Rank : 10 Latitude: 28 35 45 N Longitude: 83 49 20 E Annapurna Fang - 7,647m (25,088ft) Tilicho Peak - 7,134m (23,405ft) Annapurna Dakshin (Annapurna South/Moditse) - 7,219m (23,683ft) Baraha Shikhar (Fang) - 7,647m (25,089 ft) NILGIRI HIMAL Dhaulagiri Zone, Nepal Nilgiri South - 7,061m (23,166 ft) Nilgiri East - 7,134m (23,405ft) Nilgiri West - 7,055m (23,146ft) DHAULAGIRI HIMAL Dhaulagiri Zone, Nepal Dhaulagiri Height : 8,167m (26,795 ft) Rank : 7 Latitude: 28 41 46 N Longitude: 83 29 43 E Dhaulagiri-II - 7,751m (25,492 ft) Dhaulagiri-III - 7,715m (25,312 ft) Dhaulagiri-V - 7,618m (24,992 ft) Dhaulagiri-IV - 7,661m (25,133 ft) Gurja - 7,193m (23,599 ft) Dhaulagiri-VI - 7,268m (23,844ft) Churen Himal East - 7,371m (24,182ft) Churen Himal West - 7,371m (24,182ft) Putha Hiunchuli - 7,246m (23,772ft) SAIPAL HIMAL Seti Zone, Nepal Saipal - 7,031m (23,067ft) BYASRIKHI HIMAL Mahakali Zone, Nepal Api - 7,132m (23,398ft) Api West - 7,100m (23,293ft)

China (Tibet) Gurla Mandhata - 7,728m (25,355ft) NANDA DEVI India Nanda Devi - 7,817m (25,646ft) India/ China (Tibet) Kamet - 7,758m (25,452ft) Shillo - 7,025m (23,050ft) KARAKORAM India/Pakistan/China Mt. K2 (Godwin Austen) Height: 8,611m (28,250ft) Rank : 2 Gasherbrum I Height: 8,068m (26,470ft) Rank: 11 Broad Peak Height: 8,047m (26,400ft) Rank: 12 Gasherbrum II Height: 8,035m (26,360ft) Rank: 14 Pakistan Rakaposhi - 7,740m (25,550ft) Nanga Parbat Height: 8,125m (26,660 ft) Rank: 9 Haramosh Peak - 7,397m (24,270ft) HINDU KUSH Pakistan/Afghanistan Tirich Mir - 7,730m (25,363ft) Istor-O-Nal - 7,398m (24,272ft) Abi-Gamin - 7,360m (24,140ft) Nun - 7,198m (23,610ft)