Other mountain
ranges are so young that
they are still growing,
like the Himalayas in Asia,
or the Andes in Latin America.
Which mountain ranges stretch from north to south? Which ranges stretch from
east to west?
Mountain Statistics
1/8 (one-eighth) of the world’s people live in the mountains.
1/4 (one-fourth) of the
world’s landscape is mountainous.
1/4 (one-fourth) of the
world’s tourists choose mountains
to play or relax in.
1/2 (one-half) of the world’s
people rely on mountain watersheds
for fresh water.
3/4 (three-fourths) of the
world’s countries have mountain
ranges or high plateaus.
1,000s (thousands) of different
languages are spoken in mountain
regions.
1,000,000,000 (one billion)
people consider Mt. Kailash
(in Asia) to be a sacred
mountain.
2,000,000,000 (two billion)
people depend on mountains
for food, hydroelectricity,
timber, or mineral resources.
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN ?
Mt. Everest is the highest
mountain on the earth. It
rises 8,850 metres above
the sea, on the border between
Nepal and China. Did you
know that Mt. Everest has
three names?
In the Nepali language it is called Sagarmatha, and in Tibetan it is called
Chomolangma (Goddess Mother of the Snows).
However, if you measure from the bottom of the ocean, the Hawaiian volcano
Mauna Kea has the greatest relief at 10,200
meters (only 4,203 metres are above sea level).
The very biggest mountains are out of this world. Olympus Mons on Mars is three
times higher than Mt. Everest!
Mountains are homes to people and wildlife. They are also beautiful and exciting
places to visit. But contact with the expanding modern world has brought many
threats to mountains. Cutting down forests, mining, wars, and global change
are upsetting the balance of nature in mountainous areas. Many people are working
to save the mountains, too. You can help by learning about mountains and finding
out how they are important in your community!
Explore maps of mountains? Try these links:
Mountains of the World:
Identify the mountain ranges of the world (Mountain Forum)
http://www.mtnforum.org/resources/atlas/world.htm
Peakware
World Relief Maps:
Zoom in on mountain ranges and follow the links for more information and facts
http://www.peakware.com/encyclopedia/zoom.htm
World
Atlas of Mountain Geology:
See the many kinds of mountain-building processes that formed our high landscapes
(Mountain Forum)
http://www.mtnforum.org/resources/atlas/atlas.htm
World Conservation Monitoring Centre’s Mountain Programme:
View regional GIS maps of mountains and mountain forests
http://www.wcmc.org.uk/habitats/mountains/region.html
Find more great learning resources by:
http://www.mountain.org/education/ search/find.cfm
Visit the site
http://www.mountain.org/education/search/result.cfm?subjectID=9
The Series are courtesy:
Mountain Forum/ Education
http://www.mountain.org/education/explore.htm
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