Mountains have been and will continue to be objects of admiration, some for their height and others for their history. In this article we will know the most famous mountains in the world. There are 15 the best known mountains in the world:
1. Mount Everest
Let’s start our list with perhaps the best known of all, Mount Everest.
It is the highest mountain on the planet at 8,848 meters above sea level. Its western name was a tribute to George Everest, a geographer and cartographer of the British Empire who worked in the area between 1830 and 1843.
The Nepalese call her Sagarmatha (“Forehead of Heaven”), while the Tibetans know her as Chomolungma (“’Mother of the Universe’”).
Everest, which marks the border between Nepal and China, was first climbed on May 29, 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa (Nepali mountaineer) Tenzing Norgay, Hillary being the first to reach the summit.
The first woman to crown it was the Japanese, Junko Tabei, in 1975. The Japanese, Yuichiro Miura, set several marks, one of them being the first to ski down the mountain (1970) descending more than 1,200 meters until he suffered a serious fall . He was also the first to summit at age 70 and 80 in 2003 and 2013, respectively.
Below is a video of what Everest looks like:
2. Mount K2
The second highest mountain in the world with 8,611 meters above sea level This peak of the Himalayas is the most international of the great mountains, since it is located in the territories of China and Pakistan and is claimed by India.
Among the 14 eight thousand mountains (elevation of the land above 8000 meters above sea level) on the planet, K2 is, together with Annapurna, the most difficult to climb, which makes it one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.
They call it “Wild Mountain”, since for every 4 climbers who climb it, one dies trying.
K2 has never been climbed in winter, being the only eight thousand with this distinction. It is claimed in the mountaineering community that to attempt it is to come too close to death.
The first summit of K2 was made by the Italians Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, in 1954.
Below is a video of how it looks:
3. Aconcagua
The list of highest mountains in America is headed by this Argentine peak of 6,960 meters above sea level, in the Las Heras Department of the Province of Mendoza, in the center-west of the Republic.
Although Aconcagua was only 40 meters from being the only one with 7 thousand meters above sea level in the American continent, its height is enough to be the highest in the world outside of Asia, being also the highest peak in the southern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere.
It is located in the Andes, the long mountain range of more than 7000 km that runs through South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean from the southern ends of Chile and Argentina, to the Caribbean Sea.
The first summit was made by the Swiss mountaineer, Matthias Zurbriggen, in 1897. It has several ski centers between 2,600 and 3,200 meters above sea level, which guarantee excellent snow for winter sports.
4. Mount Fuji
At 3,776 meters above sea level, Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak with its volcanic cone visible on the horizon from Tokyo on clear days.
It is classified as an active volcano despite the fact that its last eruption was in 1707, the year in which millions of cubic meters of ash reached the Japanese capital, but without producing lava flows.
The first complete climb was made by an unknown Buddhist monk in 663 AD. C. the top of it was closed to women until the end of the 19th century.
Mount Fuji is a great tourist attraction. It is easy to climb and the climbs are massive between spring and autumn. In winter it is covered with snow and the ascents decrease.
People with physical conditions and mountain experience can climb it in 3 hours. There are up to 4 routes up from the base of the mountain.
Among the photos of mountains in the world, the Fuji is one of the most printed for postcards.
5. Mount Vesuvius
Among the names of famous mountains, you cannot miss the name of this volcano that guards Naples from the bay, whose main one is 1,281 meters above sea level.
Mount Vesuvius’ fame is almost 2,000 years old for its 79 AD eruption that buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The Romans considered him an incarnation of the mythological hero, Hercules.
Its last eruption was in 1944 when it partially destroyed the city of San Sebastiano, which is why it is classified as a highly dangerous volcano due to the population density in its surroundings.
In 1878 a funicular was inaugurated that reached the summit and that at the time was the only transport system that allowed ascending to the peak of an active volcano.
It is now possible to reach a point that is 200 meters from the summit by road, so the walk to the top is shorter.
6.Kilimanjaro
The German missionary and explorer, Johannes Rebmann, was amazed in 1848 when accompanied by natives he came across a snowy mountain in hot, tropical Africa, territory of what is now Tanzania.
Among the images of mountains in the world, that of Kilimanjaro never ceases to amaze with its African snow.
It is a mountain of 3 volcanoes, Kibo being the highest with 5,892 meters above sea level, the highest summit on the African continent. It is famous throughout the world for the enchantment produced by skiing in Africa on natural snow and for the beauty and richness of its biodiversity.
Kilimanjaro’s snow is rapidly disappearing, and it is estimated that by 2050 there will be no more of it, due to global warming and deforestation.
7. Popocatepetl
Its 5,500 meters above sea level make Popocatépetl the second highest peak in Mexico, only surpassed by Citlaltépetl’s 5,636 meters above sea level.
It is assumed that the Tecuanipas arrived very close to the volcanic summit during pre-Hispanic times.
The first written testimony about his rise was left by Hernán Cortés in 1519, when he sent an expedition commanded by Diego de Ordaz in search of sulfur to make gunpowder for firearms.
Cortés related that the expeditionaries arrived very close to the top and decided to return due to the intense smoke and the noise emitted by the mountain.
Although only authorized people can ascend Popo due to its constant activity, the Iztaccíhuatl- Popocatépetl National Park is a magnificent setting for hiking, hiking, mountain biking, camping and observing biodiversity.
8. White Mountain
Mont Blanc or Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and, excluding Russia and Georgia, the highest peak in Europe. It rises 4,810 meters above sea level on the border between France and Italy. According to the 1860 treaty, the summit is shared by both countries.
Monte Blanco was called “Cursed Mountain” during the Middle Ages due to the belief that its glaciers were moved by infernal forces and that witches celebrated diabolical parties on the descending ice masses.
The mountain was first summited in 1786 by the hunter and guide, Jacques Balmat, and the doctor and climber, Michel Gabriel Paccard, both French.
The first female summit was that of the French Marie Paradis who in 1808 climbed in the company of Balmat, which earned her to be considered the first mountaineer in history.
It is possible to admire it from the funiculars and it is crossed by a tunnel that constitutes a border crossing between France and Italy.
9. Mount Denali
The 6,190 meters of Mount Denali, formerly Mount McKinley, make it the highest peak in North America. Without a doubt, one of the important mountains on a planetary scale. It is in the mountain range that runs through Alaska from central to south.
His name means in the Athabascan indigenous languages, “The Great”. Between 1896 and 2015 it was officially known as Mount McKinley in honor of William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States. Then it changed to Denali, his name in the native languages.
The mountain is only 3 degrees from the Arctic Circle, being the world’s mountain among the six thousand that has the northernmost location.
The extreme cold makes it difficult to climb, which is also complicated by the 4,000 meters that must be covered from the base camp and by the low amount of oxygen at the summit.
The first ascent was made by Hudson Stuck, Walter Harper, Harry Karstens and Robert Tatum, in 1913.
10. Etna Volcano
Among the famous mountains of Europe and the world, we must include this active volcano that dominates the Sicilian landscape at 3,330 meters above sea level.
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that Hephaestus, god of fire and greatest blacksmith in mythology, had his forges inside the volcano where the Cyclops and giants acted as assistants.
Typhoon, Latin divinity of hurricanes, supposedly slept under Etna and when he woke up he produced volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
The name comes from the nymph Etna, daughter of Uranus and Gea, who was ahead of the mafia in the resolution of a dispute between Hephaestus and Demeter, for the possession of Sicily.
There are not many with the mythological fame of Etna among the mountains of the world. It is also one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, although it is classified as moderately dangerous.
Since 1865 it has reduced its height by 22 meters due to eruptions.
11. Snowy Eyes of the Salado
It is shared by Argentina and Chile in the Andes Mountains, being the highest peak of the second of these countries with 6,893 meters above sea level, the second highest in America and the highest volcano on the planet.
The ascent is easier from the Chilean side because climbers can make the journey in vehicles from Copiapó, at 383 meters above sea level, to a refuge at the University of Atacama at 5,825 meters above sea level, with an acclimatization period in Laguna Verde located at 4,245 meters above sea level.
The first summit was made by Jan Alfred Szczepański and Justyn Wojsznis, mountaineers from the second Polish expedition, in 1937.
Although it has never erupted, it is frequently emitting fumaroles.
12. Matterhorn
It is one of the most important mountains in the world and, due to its pyramidal shape, possibly the most famous in the Alps. It is at 4,478 meters above sea level on the border between Switzerland and Italy.
The Cervino Mount has 4 faces that each face a cardinal point. The slope and the escarpments make it a major climbing challenge.
It was the last of the great peaks of the Alps to be crowned, on July 14, 1865, a crowning marked by tragedy due to the death of 4 of its climbers on the descent.
13. Mount Elbrus
The mountains of the continents are usually well defined in terms of their belonging to a continental space, but not Mount Elbrus, which, due to its location in the Caucasus, is still in doubt as to whether it is in Europe or Asia.
As it is in the western Caucasus, in Russian territory, it is assumed to be European, being the highest mountain in Europe and Russia with its 5,642 meters above sea level at its highest summit.
It has 2 peaks and the largest one was crowned in 1874 by a British expedition led by Florence Crauford Grove. Russian Khillar Khachirov had summited the smaller peak, 21 meters lower, 49 years earlier.
Mount Elbrús has a cable car and chair lifts. It is a popular destination enhanced by the rich Caucasian fauna.
14. Peak Mountain
The Ponta do Pico of the Portuguese in the Azores archipelago is one of the beautiful mountains in the world and the highest point in the country with 2,351 meters above sea level, not counting a greater length that plunges into the Atlantic to give the volcanic edifice almost 5,000 meters in all.
It is a recent volcano less than a million years old whose last eruption was in the 18th century. It is an easy climb for the fittest and the views of the Azores are spectacular from the top.
The ascent begins at 1,200 meters above sea level, so the route is less than 1,200 meters. You just have to register at Casa de la Montaña and pay €10, which includes a GPS to track you at all times.
15. Mount Wilhelm
The Germans baptized it with its Western name, but in the Papuan language it is called, Enduwa Kombuglu. It is in Papua New Guinea and with 4,509 meters above sea level it is the highest summit in Oceania.
It has two sections of ascent, one to a base camp that is appropriate for amateur hikers and another that reaches the top for more experienced athletes, preferably accompanied by a local guide.
It can be climbed at any time of the year, although from December to April it is more complicated because it is the rainy season.
It is hot during the day and cold at night.
The main mountains of the world
Among the main mountains in the world we must also include the Kanchenjunga, the Citlaltépetl and the Pico da Neblina.
Kanchenjunga is the highest peak in India and the third highest peak on Earth, after Everest and K2, with 8,586 meters above sea level.
The Citlaltépetl or Pico de Orizaba, an inactive volcano, is the highest elevation in Mexico with 5,747 meters above sea level
Pico da Neblina may not overshadow its Andean neighbors, but it is the highest in Brazil at 2,995 meters above sea level.
Map with the mountains of the world
The highest mountains in the world
The top 3 highest mountains in the world are Mount Everest (Nepal/China, 8,848 masl), Mount K2 (Pakistan/China, 8,611 masl) and Kanchenjunga (Nepal, 8,586 masl)
The top 5 is completed by Lhotse Peak (China/Nepal, 8,516 masl) and Makalu (China/Nepal, 8,485 masl)
The tallest mountains in the world by continent
The 2 mountains of each continent that constitute the maximum heights in Asia are Mount Everest and Mount K2.
In America, the Aconcagua and the Nevado Ojos del Salado.
In Africa, Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
In Europe, Mount Elbrus and Mount Dij-Tau; and in Oceania, Mount Wilhelm and Mount Giluwe.
America’s tallest mountains
The 5 tallest mountains in America are:
1. Aconcagua (6960 masl, Argentina)
2. Snowy Ojos del Salado (6893 masl, Argentina/Chile)
3. Mount Pissis (6793 masl, Argentina)
4. Cerro Bonete Chico (6759 masl, Argentina)
5. Huascarán (6757 masl, Peru).
The highest mountains in Asia
The 5 highest peaks in Asia and the highest mountains in the world are:
1. Mount Everest (8848 masl, Nepal/China).
2. Mount K2 (8611 masl, Pakistan/China).
3. Kanchenjunga (8586 masl, Nepal).
4. Lhotse (8516 masl, China/Nepal).
5. Makalu (8485 masl, China/Nepal).
The highest mountains in Europe
The 5 highest peaks in Europe are:
1. Mount Elbrus (5642 masl, Russia).
2. Mount Dij-Tau (5205 masl, Russia).
3. Mount Shkhara (5193 masl, Georgia).
4. Mount Koshtan-Tau (5151 masl, Russia).
5. Mount Kazbek (5047 masl, Georgia).
Monte Blanco occupies the sixth place with 4810 meters above sea level, being the first in Western Europe.
The highest mountains in Africa
The 5 highest mountains on the African continent are:
1. Kilimanjaro (5892 masl, Tanzania).
2. Mount Kenya (5199 masl, Kenya).
3. Mawenzi volcano (5149 masl, Tanzania).
4. Mount Stanley (5109 masl, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Uganda).
5. Mount Speke (4890 masl, Uganda).
The highest mountains in Oceania
Behind Mount Wilhelm (4,509 masl) are Mount Giluwe (4,368 masl), Mount Kubor (4,359 masl), Mount Bangeta (4,121 masl) and Mount Kabangama (4,104 masl), all in Papua New Guinea.
Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain in Australia at 2,228m, ranking 12th on the ocean continent.
What is the largest mountain on each continent
The highest peak in Asia is Mount Everest. It is on the Sino-Nepali border and with 8848 meters above sea level it is the highest summit in the world.
In America it is Aconcagua (Argentina, 6,960 masl), in Europe, Mount Elbrus (Russia, 5,642 masl), in Africa, Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, 5,892 masl) and in Oceania, Mount Wilhelm (Papua New Guinea, 4,509 masl). ).
The map with the main mountains of the world
The most impressive snow-capped mountains in the world
Although altitude is not necessarily synonymous with snow, almost all of the noted peaks have snow-capped peaks at least in winter.
Some places that impress with their white winter beauty and skiing facilities are Whistler and Mount Norquay (Canada), Mount Aspiring National Park (New Zealand), Zermatt (Switzerland), Portillo (Chile) and Niseko (Japan).
The best mountain in the world to visit
It is probably Mount Fuji, Japan, since its beauty and excellent facilities for winter sports are added to its proximity to Tokyo, one of the cities with the highest standard of living in the world and with exciting daytime and nighttime attractions.
The most dangerous mountains in the world to visit
The most dangerous mountain to climb is Annapurna I, in Nepal, the tenth world summit with 8091 meters above sea level. For every 7 ascents there are 3 mountaineers who die trying on average.
Other highly dangerous peaks are Nanga Parbat (Pakistan, 8,125 meters above sea level), the ninth highest peak on the planet, and Mount K2 (China/Pakistan, 8,611 meters above sea level), the second highest peak on Earth.
Mount Denali, in America, is very risky due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle, which determines more extreme cold and less oxygen in the air.
The most beautiful mountains in the world
The Vinicunca or Rainbow Mountain offers a splendid gradation of colors to the eye thanks to its clays, sandstones, sands, claystones, phyllites and fanglomerates. It is at 5,200 meters above sea level on the way to the snowy Ausangate in the Cuzco region of the Peruvian Andes.
The Mountain of the Seven Colors, in China, has an amazing color and Mount Otemanu, with the Blue Lagoon at the foot, in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, is a space of spectacular beauty.
The highest and most important snow-capped mountains in the world
In the world they are Mount Everest, Mount K2 and Kanchenjunga, the 3 in Asia. In America they are the Aconcagua, the Nevado Ojos del Salado and Mount Pissis.
The highest mountain in the world under the sea
Everest, Aconcagua and other giants mentioned in this article are based on land, but what happens when the base of the mountain is under water?
Mauna Kea (Hawaii, USA) is considered the highest submerged mountain in the world. It is an inactive volcano at 4,200 meters above sea level, which does not even reach half of Everest, but when its almost 6 thousand meters are added between the base on the seabed and sea level, it reaches more than 10 thousand meters.
What are the mountains of the world?
The 100 tallest mountains in the world are all in Asia, with the overwhelming majority in the Himalayan Range and the Karakoram Range.
What is the highest elevation in the world?
Mount Everest has its summit at 8,848 meters above sea level, the highest elevation in the world.
Where are the highest mountains in the world?
Of the 100 highest mountains in the world, 48 are in the Himalayas, including Mount Everest and 9 of the 10 highest.
The Karakoram Range between India, Pakistan and China is home to 42 of the 100 highest peaks, including Mount K2, the second largest peak on the planet. The remaining 10 to complete the top 100 summits are also in Asia.
How tall are the tallest mountains in the world?
The highest mountains in the world are the eight thousand that exceed 8,000 meters above sea level, headed by Mount Everest (8,848 meters above sea level).
What are the most important mountains in the world?
If the importance of a mountain is measured by its altitude, dangerousness to climb, cultural relevance and interest as a tourist destination, the list could include Mount Everest, Mount K2, Aconcagua, Mount Vesuvius, Mount Fuji, Mount White, Kilimanjaro and Popocatépetl.
How many 8000 mountains are there in the world?
There are 14 eight-thousand mountains in the world, of which 10 are in the Himalayas and 4 in the Karakoram Mountains.
What are the 14 highest mountains in the world?
From largest to smallest they are:
- Mount Everest (Himalayas, China/Nepal)
- Mount K2 (Karakórum, Pakistan/China)
- Kanchenjunga (Himalayas, Nepal).
- Lhotse (Himalayas, China/Nepal).
- Makalu (Himalayas, China/Nepal).
- Cho Oyu (Himalayas, China/Nepal).
- Dhaulagiri (Himalayas, Nepal).
- Manaslu (Himalayas, Nepal).
- Nanaga Parbat (Himalayas, Pakistan).
- Annapurna I (Himalayas, Nepal).
- Gasherbrum I (Karakórum, Pakistan/China).
- Broad Peak (Karakórum, Pakistan/China).
- Gasherbrum II (Karakórum, Pakistan/China).
- Shisha Pangma (Himalayas, China).
On which continent are the 10 highest mountains in the world located?
In Asia.
What is the largest mountain on each continent?
From Asia is Mount Everest; from America, the Aconcagua; from Europe, Mount Elbrus; from Africa, Kilimanjaro and from Oceania, Mount Wilhelm.
What is the tallest mountain in the world and how tall is it?
The list of the highest mountains in the world is headed by Mount Everest. The so-called “roof of the world” has its summit at 8,848 meters above sea level
Where is the highest snow in the world?
It is Mount Everest and is located in the Himalayas (Asia), on the border between China and Nepal.
What is the longest mountain range in the world?
The longest mountain chain in the world is the Cordillera de los Andes, which extends 7,240 km throughout South America, between northern Venezuela and Colombia and southern Chile.
What is the second highest mountain range in the world?
In length, the Andes Mountain Range is followed by the Rocky Mountains, a chain that covers the United States and Canada with an extension of about 4,800 km.
As for the altitude of the peaks, the first is the Himalayan Mountain Range (China, Nepal, India and Bhutan) and the second is the Karakoram Mountain Range (India, Pakistan and China).
What are the world’s great mountain ranges?
In Asia, the most important are the Himalayan Range, the Karakoram Range, the Kunlun Range, and the Pamir Range. In Europe, the Alps; in South America, the Cordillera de los Andes; in Central America, the Central American Cordillera; in Mexico, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental; in the United States and Canada, the Rocky Mountains, the Alaska Range, and the Brooks Range; in Africa, the Atlas Massif and in Oceania, the Bismarck Mountain Range.
What is the name of the largest mountain range in the world?
The Cordillera de los Andes, with a length of 7,240 km and an estimated area of 3.37 million km 2 .
What are the types of mountains?
Depending on their height, they are usually referred to as high mountains, medium mountains and hills. Due to their formation, the most important types are the folded mountains caused by the collision of tectonic plates and the volcanic mountains, which arise and change their size as volcanic eruptions occur.
What do you think of our list with the most famous mountains in the world? Fantastic, right?
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See also:
- See our guide on the 15 things to do and see in Valle de Bravo
- Read our guide on the 20 tallest mountains in America that you have to visit
- Click to see our guide to the Desierto de los Leones National Park: everything you need to know
