A mountain range is a group of mountains and massifs located close together usually in a line. Mountain ranges are found throughout the world and are mostly formed because of tectonic activity. Let’s take a look at the major mountain ranges in the world.
Major mountain ranges in the world
The Himalayas
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Pakistan
Mount Everest (8,848.86 m), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Lhotse (8,516 m)
Approximately 2,400 km
The Himalayas are perhaps the most famous of all mountain ranges. These mountains were formed when the Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian plate.
The Himalayan mountain range is home to the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest (8,848.86 m).
It is one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world. It began forming 40-50 million years ago.
The Himalayan mountain range is divided into three parallel subranges – the Sivalik Hills, the Lower Himalayan Range, and the Greater Himalayas.
The Himalayas are the source of three major rivers of the Indian subcontinent – the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, and the Indus.
The Alps
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Monaco, Liechtenstein
Mont Blanc (4,805.59 m), Monte Rosa (4,634 m), Dom (4,545 m)
Approximately 1,200 km
Satellite view of the Alps
The Alps is a famous mountain range that lies entirely in Europe. It was formed after the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Grenoble in France is the largest city in the Alps. It is also known as the “capital of the Alps“.
The Rocky Mountains
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
United States and Canada
Mount Elbert (4,401.2 m), Mount Massive (4,398 m), Mount Harvard (4,395.6 m)
Approximately 4,800 km
Rocky mountains
Rocky mountains were formed 80-55 million years ago.
The Rockies are subdivided into 4 subranges – the northern Rockies, the Middle Rockies, the southern Rockies, and the Canadian Rockies.
These mountains are sparsely populated with a population density of less than 10 people per square mile.
The Andes
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Aconcagua (6,961 m), Ojos del salado (6,893 m), Monte Pissis (6,793 m)
Approximately 7,000 km
Machu Picchu in the Andes
The Andes are the highest mountain range outside of Asia. They are also the longest mountain range on Earth above water.
The highest peak of the Andes, Aconcagua (6,961 m) located in Mendoza, Argentina is the highest peak outside Asia.
Ojos del Salado in the Andes is the highest active volcano in the world. It is a stratovolcano and has an elevation of 6,893 meters.
The summit of Chimborazo (6,264 m) is the farthest point on the Earth’s surface (even farther than Everest because of the equatorial bulge).
The Atlas
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia
Toubkal (4,167 m), Ouanoukrim (4,089 m), M’Goun (4,071 m)
Approximately 2,500 km
Atlas mountains
Perhaps not as well known as the other mountain ranges on this list, Atlas is a 2,500 km long mountain range in Northern Africa.
These mountains were once home to the extinct Barbary lion and the Atlas bear.
Sierra Nevada
Country
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
United States
Mount Whitney (4,421 m), Mount Williamson (4,383 m), North Palisade (4,343 m)
Approximately 650 km
Mount Whitney
Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the US states of California and Nevada.
Mount Whitney is the highest mountain of the Sierra Nevada range. It is also the highest mountain in the contiguous US. It stands at 4,421 m (14,505 ft).
Sierra Nevada is one of the youngest mountain ranges on Earth. It began forming roughly 40 million years ago.
The Western Ghats
Country
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
India
Anamudi (2,695 m), Meesapulimala (2,640 m), Doddabetta (2,637 m)
Approximately 1,600 km
Hairpin curves in the Western Ghats
Western Ghat is the second-highest mountain range in India. It runs along the western coast of India for about 1,600 kilometers.
A biodiversity hotspot, the western ghats provide safe haven to many threatened species like the Indian elephant, Nilgiri Tahr, Indian leopard, Nilgiri marten, etc.
The mountain range is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Mount Mitchell (2,037 m), Mount Craig (2,026 m), Clingman’s Dome (2,025 m)
Approximately 3,200 km
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains are a mountain range in North America located primarily in the United States with some part in Canada.
These mountains are the oldest in the continent of North America with some estimates saying they are are over 500 million years old.
America’s most popular National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in the Great Smoky Mountains which is a subrange of Appalachian mountains.
The Caucasus Mountains
Countries
Top 3 highest peaks
Length
Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia
Mount Elbrus (5,642 m), Dykh-Tau (5,205 m), Shkhara (5,203 m)
Approximately 1,200 km
Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in the Caucaus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains are a 1,200 km long mountain range between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
It includes the two parallel Greater Caucasus and lesser Caucasus mountain ranges.
Excelente artículo. Muy explícito. Gracias.