Everyone knows that the highest mountain is Everest. Can you name the second highest? Or at least three more from the TOP-10 list? And how many eight-thousanders in the world do you know? Answers under the cut ...
No. 10. Annapurna I (Himalayas) - 8091 meters
Annapurna I is the highest peak of the Annapurna mountain range. The height of the mountain is 8091 meters. Ranks tenth among all the peaks in the world. Also, this peak is considered the most dangerous - the mortality rate of climbers for all years of climbing is 32%, but in the period from 1990 to the present, the mortality rate has dropped to 17%.
The name Annapurna is translated from Sanskrit as "The Goddess of Fertility".
The summit was conquered for the first time in 1950 by the French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. Initially, they wanted to conquer Dhaulagiri, but found it unapproachable and went to Annapurna.
No. 9. Nangaparbat (Himalayas) - 8125 meters.
Nangaparbat is one of the most dangerous mountains for climbing among the eight-thousanders. The height of the Nangaparbat peak is 8125 meters.
Among Europeans, the peak was first noticed in the 19th century by Adolf Schlagintweit during his trip to Asia and made the first sketches.
In 1895, Albert Frederick Mummery, a British climber, made the first attempt to conquer the summit. But he died along with his guides.
Then several more attempts were made to conquer in 1932, 1934, 1937, 1939, 1950. But the first successful conquest took place in 1953, when Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian expedition led by K. Herligkoffer, ascended Nangaparbat.
Nangaparbat has a mountaineer mortality rate of 21%.
No. 8. Manaslu (Himalayas) - 8156 meters.
Manaslu (Kutang) is a mountain that is part of the Mansiri-Himal mountain range in Nepal.
In 1950, Tillman made the first reconnaissance of the mountain and noted that it was possible to climb it from the northeast side. And only 34 years later, after several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the summit, on January 12, 1984, Polish climbers Ryszard Gajewski and Maciej Berbeka first ascended the main peak of Manaslu, conquering it.
The mortality rate among climbers on Manaslu is 16%.
No. 7. Dhaulagiri I (Himalayas) - 8167 meters.
Dhaulagiri I is the highest point of the Dhaulagiri mountain range in the Himalayas. The height of the summit is 8167 meters.
From 1808 to 1832, Dhaulagiri I was considered the highest peak in the world. Climbers drew attention to it only in the 50s of the 20th century, and only the eighth expedition was able to conquer the summit. A team of the best climbers in Europe led by Max Eiselin conquered the summit on May 13, 1960.
Translated from Sanskrit, dhavala or dalala means "white", and giri means "mountain".
No. 6. Cho Oyu (Himalayas) - 8201 meters.
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain peak in the world. Cho-Oyu height is 8201 m.
The first successful ascent was made in 1954 by an Austrian expedition, which included Herbert Tychy, Josef Yehler and Pazang Dawa Lama. For the first time, an attempt was made to conquer such a peak without oxygen masks and cylinders, and it was successful. With its success, the expedition opened a new page in the history of mountaineering.
To date, 15 different routes have been laid to the top of Cho-Oyu.
No. 5. Makalu (Himalayas) - 8485 meters.
Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world. Located in the central Himalayas, on the border of Nepal with China (Tibet Autonomous Region).
The first attempts to climb began in the mid 50s of the 20th century. This can be explained by the fact that most of the expeditions wanted to conquer Chomolungma and Lhotse, while Makalu and other lesser-known neighboring peaks remained in the shadows.
The first successful expedition took place in 1955. French climbers led by Lionel Terray and Jean Cozy conquered the summit on May 15, 1955.
Makalu is one of the most difficult peaks to climb. Less than 30% of expeditions are successful.
To date, 17 different routes have been laid to the top of Makalu.
No. 4. Lhotse (Himalayas) - 8516 meters.
Lhotse is the fourth highest peak in the world, 8516 meters high. Located on the territory of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The first successful ascent was made on May 18, 1956 by a Swiss expedition, which included Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger.
Of all attempts to climb Lhotse, only 25% were successful.
No. 3. Kanchenjunga (Himalayas) - 8586 meters.
Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world, but after calculations based on the data of the 1849 expedition, it was proved that the highest mountain is Everest.
At all the tops of the world, there is a tendency for mortality to decline over time, but Kanchenjunga is an exception. In recent years, the mortality rate during climbing to the top has reached 23% and is only growing. In Nepal, there is a legend that Kanchenjunga is a mountain-woman who kills all women trying to climb its top.
No. 2. Chogori (Karakorum) - 8614 meters.
Chogori is the second highest peak in the world. Chogori was first discovered by a European expedition in 1856 and was designated as Mount K2, that is, the second peak of the Karakorum.
The first attempt at climbing was made in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein and Aleister Crowley, but ended in failure.
The conquest of the summit took place in 1954 by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio.
To date, 10 different routes have been laid to the top of K2.
Climbing Chogori is technically much more difficult than climbing Mount Everest. In terms of danger, the mountain ranks second among the eight-thousanders after Annapurna, with a death rate of 24%. None of the attempts to climb Chogori in winter were crowned with success.
# 1. Chomolungma (Himalayas) - 8848 meters.
Chomolungma (Everest) is the highest peak of the Earth.
Translated from the Tibetan "Chomolungma" - "Divine (jomo) Mother (ma) of vital energy (lung)". The mountain is named after the Bon goddess Sherab Chamma.
The English name "Everest" was given in honor of Sir George Everest, the head of the Geodetic Survey of British India in 1830-1843. This name was proposed in 1856 by George Everest's successor Andrew Waugh after the publication of the results of his collaborator Radhanat Sikdar, who in 1852 first measured the height of "Peak XV" and showed that it is the highest in the region and probably in the whole world.
Until the first successful ascent to the summit, which took place in 1953, there were about 50 expeditions to the Himalayas and Karakorum (to Chomolungma, Chogori, Kanchenjunga, Nangaparbat and other peaks).
On May 29, 1953, New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered Everest.
In subsequent years, the highest peak in the world was conquered by climbers from different countries of the world - the USSR, China, USA, India, Japan, and other countries.
For all the time when trying to climb Everest, more than 260 people died on it. Nevertheless, more than 400 people try to conquer Chomolungma every year.
The answer to the question about the eight-thousanders - there are 14 of them in the world, of which 10 are in the Himalayas, and the remaining 4 are in the Karakorum.
Everyone knows that the highest mountain is Everest. Can you name the second highest? Or at least three more from the TOP-10 list? And how many eight-thousanders are there in the world? By the way, the highest mountain is not even Everest ...
No. 10. Annapurna I (Himalayas) - 8091 meters
Annapurna I is the highest peak of the Annapurna mountain range. The height of the mountain is 8091 meters. Ranks tenth among all the peaks in the world. Also, this peak is considered the most dangerous - the mortality rate of climbers for all years of climbing is 32%, but in the period from 1990 to the present, the mortality rate has dropped to 17%.
The name Annapurna is translated from Sanskrit as "The Goddess of Fertility". The summit was conquered for the first time in 1950 by the French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. Initially, they wanted to conquer Dhaulagiri, but found it unapproachable and went to Annapurna.
No. 4. Lhotse (Himalayas) - 8516 meters
Lhotse is the fourth highest peak in the world, 8516 meters high. Located on the territory of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The first successful ascent was made on May 18, 1956 by a Swiss expedition, which included Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger.
Of all attempts to climb Lhotse, only 25% were successful.
No. 3. Kanchenjunga (Himalayas) - 8586 meters.
Kanchenjunga ranks third in the ranking of the highest peaks in the world. The height of the summit is 8586 meters. Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world, but after calculations based on the data of the 1849 expedition, it was proved that the highest mountain is Everest. Mount Kanchenjunga was first conquered on May 25, 1955 by George Band and Joe Brown.
At all the tops of the world, there is a tendency for mortality to decline over time, but Kanchenjunga is an exception. In recent years, the mortality rate during climbing to the top has reached 23% and is only growing. In Nepal, there is a legend that Kanchenjunga is a mountain-woman who kills all women trying to climb its top.
No. 2. K2 or Chogori (Karakorum) - 8614 meters
K2 is the second of the highest peaks in the world. Chogori was first discovered by a European expedition in 1856 and was designated as Mount K2, that is, the second peak of the Karakorum. The first attempt at climbing was made in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein and Aleister Crowley, but ended in failure.
The conquest of the summit took place in 1954 by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio. To date, 10 different routes have been laid to the top of K2.
Climbing K2 is technically much more difficult than climbing Mount Everest. In terms of danger, the mountain ranks second among the eight-thousanders after Annapurna, with a death rate of 24%. None of the attempts to climb Chogori in winter were crowned with success.
No. 1. Chomolungma (Himalayas) - 8848 meters
Chomolungma (Everest) is the highest peak of the Earth. Translated from the Tibetan "Chomolungma" - "Divine (jomo) Mother (ma) of vital energy (lung)". The mountain is named after the Bon goddess Sherab Chamma.
The English name "Everest" was given in honor of Sir George Everest, the head of the Geodetic Survey of British India in 1830-1843. This name was proposed in 1856 by George Everest's successor Andrew Waugh after the publication of the results of his collaborator Radhanat Sikdar, who in 1852 first measured the height of "Peak XV" and showed that it is the highest in the region and probably in the whole world.
Until the first successful ascent to the summit, which took place in 1953, there were about 50 expeditions to the Himalayas and Karakorum (to Chomolungma, Chogori, Kanchenjunga, Nangaparbat and other peaks). On May 29, 1953, New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered Everest.
In subsequent years, the highest peak in the world was conquered by climbers from different countries of the world - the USSR, China, USA, India, Japan, and other countries. For all the time when trying to climb Everest, more than 260 people died on it. Nevertheless, more than 400 people try to conquer Chomolungma every year.
The tallest mountains in the world are more than 8 kilometers high - these are the peaks that are impressive. Passenger planes fly at this height (8-12 kilometers). In fact, there are many more such mountains than fourteen. But only those that are separated from each other by a considerable distance are taken into account. All major eight-thousanders are located in Central Asia. Nepal, China, Pakistan, India. I wonder if this is the will of the gods or is it connected with something?
Not everyone is given to conquer at least one peak of the "14 gods", but there are those on our planet who seek to conquer all fourteen! At the moment, there were only 41 of them, out of more than 9 billion inhabitants of the planet. It is difficult to say what the height attracts them, perhaps only one: "... height, height, height ...".
It should be added that there is such a thing as “pure ascent”, that is, climbers made the ascent without using oxygen masks. For reference, even commercial airliners often fly regularly at lower altitudes.
More than 10 thousand ascents have been made on the great 8-thousanders.
About 7 percent of all ascents ended tragically. The bodies of many dead climbers remained at unconquered heights, due to the difficulty of their evacuation. Some of them serve as landmarks for modern conquerors of certain heights. For example, the height of 8500 meters on Everest for 17 years met climbers with the body of Tsewang Palzhor, who died on it in 1996. She even received an unofficial name - "Green Shoes", this is the color of the shoes was on the deceased climber. Why are the unconquered heights so attractive to us? Everyone has their own answer to this question.
Another well-known name is Chomolungma (from Tibetan “ Chomolangma"Means" Divine "or" Mother ". The highest point in the world and the most "prestigious" peak on our "blue" planet. Its height is 8848 meters above sea level. Its English name "Everest" is given in honor of Sir George Everest, head of the British India Survey.
Where is Everest
Everest is located on several hundred square kilometers, on the territory of mainly two states - Nepal and China. Chomolungma is a part of the Himalayan mountain system, the Mahalangur-Himal ridge (in the part called Khumbu-Himal). Perhaps no other peak on our planet attracts to its conquest like Chomolungma.
Climbing Mount Everest
The mountain was first conquered on May 29, 1953 by the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and the New Zealander Edmund Hillary.
Since the registration of the "ascending travelers", about three hundred people have already died. Even the most modern equipment and equipment does not allow all the thirsty inhabitants of our planet to conquer this height.
About half a thousand people try to conquer Everest every year. By 2018, more than 8,400 climbers managed to reach the summit, almost three and a half thousand of them climbed Everest more than once.
Climbing Mount Everest takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and camps. Climbers lose an average of 10-15 kilograms of their weight during this time.
The most dangerous part of the ascent is the last 300 meters to the top. Not all climbers can overcome this part. Strong winds of up to 200 km / h often blow at the summit. And the temperature throughout the year ranges from 0 ° C to -60 ° C.
The second highest mountain in the world, Chogori (K2)
Chogori (the second name is K2) is the second highest peak on the planet, but climbing it is considered much more difficult. Moreover, in winter, no one managed to conquer it at all, and the mortality rate when climbing this peak is the highest at 25%. Only a few hundred climbers managed to conquer this height.
In 2007, it was Russian climbers who managed to climb the most difficult section of the summit - the Western Face, and they did it without using oxygen equipment. The most massive conquest of Chogori took place in the summer of 2018. Of the group, which consisted of 63 people, one was killed. At the same time, Andrzej Bargiel became the first climber to descend on alpine skiing from the top of this mountain.
Kanchenjunga
Kanchenjaga is the third highest eight-thousander of the planet. Located in the Himalayas. Until the middle of the 19th century, it was considered the highest mountain peak, but now, after calculations, it is ranked third in height. At the moment, more than ten routes have been laid to climb this peak. Translated from Tibetan, the name of the mountain means "treasury of the five great snows."
Due to its location, Kanchenjaga is partly part of the national park of the same name in India. If you look at the mountain from India, you will notice that there are five peaks in this mountain range. Moreover, four out of five peaks rise to a height of more than eight thousand meters. They form a very colorful landscape by their combination, therefore this mountain is considered the most picturesque among their kind. One of the favorite places of Nicholas Roerich's creation.
The first conquest of this peak belongs to the English climbers Joe Brown and George Bend. It was completed on May 25, 1955. In Nepal, for a long period of time, there was a legend about Kanchenjag - a would-be woman who does not allow the fair sex to conquer their peak. Only in 1998 did the British woman Jeanette Harrison manage to do this. The general trend towards a decrease in the mortality rate when climbing mountain peaks, unfortunately, did not affect Kanchenjaga and is 22 percent.
Lhotse
Lhotse, a mountain peak on the border of China and Nepal, is 8,516 meters high. The mountain is located in close proximity to Chomolungma, the distance between them does not exceed 3 kilometers. They are separated by the South Saddle Pass, the top point of which is almost eight thousand. This closeness of two great peaks creates a very majestic picture. From a certain angle, you can see that Lhotse is like a three-sided pyramid. Moreover, at the moment there is the smallest number of climbing routes on each of these three faces. This is largely due to the fact that the slopes of the peaks are very steep, and the likelihood of avalanches is extremely high.
Unlike Chogori, this peak was still conquered in winter. It is worth noting that none of the individual climbers or groups have been able to pass along the traverse of all three peaks of this eight-thousander. The East Face of Lhotse also remains unconquered.
Makalu
Makalu is an unusually beautiful peak, but extremely difficult to climb. Less than 30% of organized expeditions ended in success. The mountain is located on the border of China and Nepal, just over 20 km southeast of Everest.
The mountain did not attract much attention for over a hundred years after it was marked on the maps. This is largely due to the desires of previous expeditions to conquer higher peaks located in the immediate vicinity of it. For the first time, the summit was conquered only in 1955.
In certain circles, the mountain is known as the "black giant". This name stuck to it due to the fact that the extremely sharp edges of the top do not allow snow to gain a foothold on them, and it often appears before its contemplators as black granite rocks. Since the mountain is located on the border of two eastern countries, its conquest refers to mystical factors, supposedly the mountain itself decides which expedition is allowed to climb, and who is not worthy of this fact.
Cho-Oyu
Cho-Oyu is a little over 8200 meters high. Near the summit lies the Nangpa-La pass, through which the main "trade route" of the Sherpas from Nepal to Tibet passes. Thanks to this route, many climbers consider this peak the most accessible for conquest of all eight-thousanders, although this is not entirely true. Just from the side of Nepal there is a very steep and difficult wall, so most of the ascents are carried out from the side of Tibet.
The weather in the Cho-Oyu area is almost always favorable for climbing, and its "accessibility" makes this peak a kind of springboard before climbing Everest.
Dhaulagiri I
The number one perfectly reflects the essence of the name of the mountain, it consists of many ridges, the highest of which reaches a height of 8167 meters. It is believed that the mountain has 11 peaks, of which only one is higher than 8000 meters, the rest lie in the range from 7 to 8 kilometers. Dhaulagiri is located in central Nepal and belongs to the Main Himalayan Range.
Despite the complexity of the name, it is translated very simply "white mountain". The story of her conquest is interesting. Until the 30s of the 19th century, it was considered the highest mountain on the planet. And the conquest of the summit was started only in the middle of the last century. For a long time it was impregnable, only the eighth expedition managed to reach the summit. Like other brethren, this peak has its own both simpler routes and very inaccessible slopes.
Manaslu
The mountain is located in the northern part of Nepal and reaches a height of 8163 meters. Due to its relative seclusion, this peak looks extremely majestic against the background of the surrounding splendor. Maybe this explains its name, which in translation means "mountain of spirits." For a long time, climbing the mountain was difficult due to hostile local residents (the name of the mountain suggests this). Avalanches often fell on local settlements, and only after long offerings to the highest gods of the Japanese expedition they finally managed to conquer this peak. The mortality rate among climbers conquering Manaslu reaches almost 18 percent.
The mountain itself and its surroundings are part of the National Park of the same name in Nepal. The indescribable beauty of the park prompted the country's authorities to create a hiking route for those who like to relax in the mountains.
Nangaparbat (Nanga Parbat)
One of the few eight-thousanders located not in China or Nepal, but in the territory controlled by Pakistan. There are four main peaks on the mountain, the highest of which is 8125 meters. The top of the mountain is in the top three in terms of the number of deaths during its conquest.
According to the history of the ascent, it is interesting that it was on this mountain that the first attempt was made to climb an eight-thousander. It was back in 1895. It is with this mountain that the first conquest of the peak is connected alone, and not as part of a prepared expedition. It is believed that it was here that the symbols of Nazi Germany were first seen, whose representatives, as you know, were close to the occult sciences.
Certain difficulties in planning expeditions to this peak are brought about by internal political disagreements on the territory of Pakistan.
Annapurna I - the most dangerous peak among the eight-thousanders
Annapurna I is the first of the eight-thousanders, whose height is already below 8100 meters (officially 8091 meters). However, for all the years of the ascents taken into account, she has the highest mortality rate among the conquerors, almost every third (32%). Although at present it is steadily declining from year to year. Annapurna is located in central Nepal and the entire mountain range stretches for more than 50 kilometers. Consists of many ridges of various heights. From the upper points of Annapurna, you can observe another giant - Jaulaguri, between them about 30 kilometers.
If you fly near these mountains by plane, you will see a majestic view of the nine main ridges of this massif. It is part of the national park of the same name located in Nepal. Several hiking trails pass along it, along which incredible views of the peaks of Annapurna open.
Gasherbrum I
The peak Gasherbrum I is included in the Baltoro Muztag mountain range. Its height is 8080 meters and it is the eleventh eight-thousander of the planet. It is located in the territory controlled by Pakistan near the border with China. In translation it means "beautiful mountain". She also has one more name - Hidden Peak, which translated from English means a hidden peak. In general, there are seven peaks in the Karakorum mountain system, to which Gasherbrum belongs, and three of them exceed 8 thousand meters, although not by much.
The first ascent to the peak dates back to 1958, and in 1984 the famous climber Reinhold Messner traverses between Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II.
Broad Peak
The second highest peak in the Karakurum, the middle brother between the two sisters Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II. In addition, literally 8 kilometers from Broad Peak is another high relative - Mount Chogori. The first ascent of Broad Peak took place a year earlier than the neighboring Gasherbrum I, in 1957
Itself consists of two peaks - the Pre-Peak and the Main (8047 meters). The South-West slopes are much easier than the opposite, North-East slopes, and it is on them that the classical routes of climbing the Main peak are laid.
Gasherbrum II
Just below Broad Peak there is another peak among the eight-thousanders - Gasherbrum II (8035 meters high). Either its relative lowness affected, or for another reason, but the first ascent to this peak dates back a year earlier than Broad Peak, to 1956. The main routes of the conquerors of the peaks pass along its southwestern slope. It is the least prone to rock falls and avalanches. It is he who is used by many climbers who begin to conquer everything above 8 kilometers.
This mountain fully justifies its name; in good weather, the boundaries between gray and black limestone rocks corresponding to different age boundaries are clearly visible, which, in combination with crystal clear snow, creates unique landscapes.
Shishabangma
The majestic 8027 meters high iceberg is the lowest of all known eight-thousanders. Located in the Himalayas, in China. It consists of three peaks, two of which - the Main and the Central (8008 meters), exceed 8 kilometers. Translated from the Tibetan language, it means "harsh climate".
The first conquest of this peak was made by a Chinese expedition in May 1964. It is considered one of the least difficult peaks, although more than 20 climbers have died on its slopes over the past years.
The highest mountains in the world on the world map
This is a brief overview of all 14 eight-thousanders of the planet. Each mountain is unique in its own way and the saying is true for each of them - “only mountains can be better than mountains”.
Answering the question about what is the highest point in the world, almost every high school student will confidently answer that it is. Other common names for the peak are Chomolungma and Sagarmatha. The summit lies at an altitude of 8848 meters above sea level. This indicator is recorded in numerous scientific papers and textbooks.
Location
The highest point of the world on the map is located on the border of states such as Nepal and China. The summit belongs to the Great Himalayas mountain range. At the same time, it should be noted that, based on the data that are all the time provided by instruments at the peak, as well as with the help of satellites, the researchers proved that Everest, in the literal sense of the word, does not stand still. The fact is that the mountain constantly changes its own moving to the northeast from India towards China. According to scientists, the reason for this lies in the fact that they are constantly moving and crawling one on top of the other.
Opening
The highest point in the world was discovered in 1832. At that time, an expedition of the British Geodetic Service was investigating some of the peaks that were on Indian territory in the Himalayas. During the execution of the work, British scientists noted that one of the peaks (which until then was marked everywhere as "Peak 15") is higher in comparison with other mountains that make up the ridge. This observation was documented, after which the peak was called Everest - in honor of the head of the geodetic service.
Significance to locals
The fact that the world is Everest, local residents assumed several centuries before the moment of its official discovery by European researchers. They respected the peak very much and named it Chomolungma, which literally translated from the local language means “the goddess - mother of the Earth”. As for Nepal, here it is known as Sagarmatha (heavenly peak). Residents of the nearby mountain areas say that at this peak, death and life are separated by a half-step, and people from all parts of the world are equal before God, regardless of their religion. During the Middle Ages, a monastery was built at the foot of Everest, which is called Ronkbuk. The building has survived to this day and is still inhabited.
Other opinions on altitude
In 1954, a number of studies and measurements of the summit were carried out using various instruments and aerial photography. According to their results, it was officially established that the highest point in the world has a height of 8848 meters. It should be noted that, in comparison with our time, the technique used then was not so accurate. This gave some scientists a reason to assert that the real indicator of the height of Chomolungma differs from the official value.
In particular, at the end of 1999 in Washington, as part of a meeting of the National Geographic Society, a proposal was put forward to consider that Everest lies above sea level at an altitude of 8,850 meters, in other words, two meters higher. Members of the organization supported this idea. This event was preceded by studies of several expeditions led by a famous American scientist named Branford Washbourne. First, he brought high-precision electronic equipment to the summit with his people. Subsequently, this allowed the researcher, using a satellite, to record the slightest deviations in the height of the mountain (in comparison with the previous data). Thus, the scientist was able to quite clearly show the growth dynamics of Chomolungma. Moreover, Washbourne identified the periods of the most significant increase in peak height.
Everest's growth process
The Himalayas are considered one of the most recent geological belts to form on our planet. In this regard, the process of their development is quite active (in comparison with others). Unsurprisingly, the world's highest point continues to rise. Studies show that the most intense growth becomes during high seismic activity not only on the Eurasian continent itself, but on the entire planet. For example, during the first half of 1999 alone, the height of the mountain increased by three centimeters. Several years ago, a geologist from Italy A. Desio, using modern radio equipment, established that now the summit of Chomolungma is at an elevation of 8872.5 meters above sea level, which is 25 meters higher than the officially recorded value.
The largest mountain on earth
There is no doubt that the highest point in the world is Mount Everest. At the same time, it would not be entirely correct to call it the largest mountain on the planet. The fact is that, judging by such an indicator as the total height, the largest mountain should be called Mauna Kea, located not far from Hawaii. The peak rises above sea level only 4206 meters. At the same time, its base lies at a depth of more than ten thousand meters under water. Thus, the total size of Mauna Kea is almost twice that of Everest.
Other highest points of the planet
Be that as it may, each of the continents has the most outstanding peak. The names of the highest mountains in the world by continent are as follows. The highest in South America and the second after Everest on the planet is the peak of Aconcagua (6959 meters), which is part of the Andes and is located in Argentina. Peak McKinley (6194 meters) is located in the US state of Alaska and closes the top three world leaders in this indicator. In Europe, Elbrus is considered the highest (5642 meters), and in Africa - Kilimanjaro (5895 meters). There is also a record holder in Antarctica. The highest mountain here is Vinson (4892 meters).