What country are the Himalayas in? Where are the Himalayas located: geographical location, description, height

I cannot boast that I have climbed one of the peaks of this great mountain system. But at its foot I was able to visit. Feelings are simply indescribable.

The Himalayas are located in five countries at once

I was able to see the Himalayas in India, but besides this country, this mountain system“found its home” in Pakistan, Bhutan, China and Nepal. The Himalayan glaciers feed these great rivers:

• Ganges;
• Brahmaputra.

Not only curious tourists come here in droves, but also professional climbers, most of whom want to conquer the peaks of Chomolungma or Everest (they belong to this mountain system). But with ski resorts everything is bad here, or rather there are very few of them. The most famous is called Gulmarg.

Just think, the area of ​​this mountain system is 650,000 kilometers. This more any European country.

There are a lot of interesting parks here, some of them are under the protection of UNESCO. Visit if possible national park in Nanda Devi. I also happened to spend one day in the Ladakh region. It has recently been opened to tourists. Simply amazing people live here who honor Tibetan traditions and wear national clothes.

A little about tours to these places

The so-called high season in the Himalayas lasts from the beginning of May until the end of October. The rest of the time it is cold here and tourists do not really want to go here. If we talk about classic tours, which includes visiting all the iconic attractions, the price tag for them starts at $ 1,200. Airfare is not included in this price.

Nepal

This state is called the heart of the Himalayas. It is in this Federal Republic that the snow-capped peak of Chomolungma is located. To “climb” to the highest point of the planet, thousands of extreme and daredevils flock here every year like moths.

For the first time this peak was conquered more than half a century ago. Of course, not all climbers manage to climb here safely; every year a lot of people die here. But recently, one climber even went down from here to skiing.

The Himalayas are replete with a huge number of rocky, almost vertical slopes that are very difficult to climb, you have to use all sorts of technical devices in the form of hammered hooks, ropes, special ladders and other climbing equipment. Often, rocky ledges alternate with deep cracks, and so much snow settles on the slopes of the mountains that it eventually compresses and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes passing through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to converge, which, rushing down, turn into huge avalanches that demolish everything in their path and can crush climbers in seconds.

The air temperature in the Himalayas, when climbing to a height, decreases by about 6 degrees for every 1000 meters. So if at the foot of the summer the temperature is +25, then at an altitude of 5000 meters it will be about -5.

At altitude, the movement of air masses is usually intensified, often turning into a hurricane wind, which makes movement very difficult, and sometimes makes it impossible, especially on narrow crests of mountain ranges.

Starting from 5000 meters, the atmosphere contains about half the oxygen at sea level that the human body is accustomed to. The lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the human body, sharply reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of the so-called mountain sickness - shortness of breath, dizziness, chills and interruptions in the work of the heart. Therefore, usually at this altitude, the human body needs time to acclimatize.

At an altitude of 6000 meters the atmosphere is so rarefied and poor in oxygen that complete acclimatization is no longer possible. No matter how much physical stress a person experiences, he slowly begins to suffocate. Climbing to a height of 7000 meters is already deadly for many, at such a height consciousness begins to get confused and it even becomes difficult to think. The height of 8000 meters is called the "death zone". Here even the strongest climbers can survive for only a few days at best. Therefore, all high-altitude ascents are carried out using breathing oxygen apparatus.

But the representatives of the Nepalese tribe of Sherpas, who permanently live in the Himalayas, feel quite comfortable at the height, and therefore, as soon as the Europeans began to “explore” the mountain peaks of the Himalayas, the men of this tribe began to work on expeditions as guides and porters, receiving payment for this. Over time, this became their main profession. By the way, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, paired with Edmund Hillary, were the first to climb the Himalayas - Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

But all these sometimes deadly dangers did not stop mountaineering enthusiasts. It took more than one decade for all these peaks to be conquered. Here is a brief chorology of climbing the most high mountains our planet.

June 3, 1950 - Annapurna

French climbers Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal climbed the Annapurna peak, whose height is 8091 meters. Anapurna is considered the seventh highest mountain in the world. Located in Nepal, in the Himalayas, east of the Gandaki River, which flows through the deepest gorge in the world. The gorge separates Annapurna and another eight-thousander Dhaulagiri.

Climbing Anapurna is considered one of the most difficult climbs in the world. Moreover, this is the only conquest of the eight-thousander that was made the first time, and besides, without oxygen apparatus. However, their feat was given high price. Since they were shod only in leather boots, Erzog froze all his toes and because of the onset of gangrene, the expedition doctor was forced to amputate them. For all the time, only 191 people successfully climbed Annapurna, which is less than any other eight-thousanders. Climbing Annapurna is considered the most dangerous, with a fatality rate of 32 percent, like no other eight-thousander.

1953, May 29 - Everest "Chomolungma"

Members of the English expedition, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Norgay Tenzing, were the first to conquer Everest, a peak with a height of 8848 m. In Tibetan, this mountain is called Chomolungma, which means “Goddess Mother of the Snows.” Her Nepalese name is Sagarmatha, meaning "Mother of the Universe". This is the highest mountain in the world. on the border between Nepal and China.

Everest is a triangular pyramid with three sides and ridges that extend northeast, southeast, and northwest. The southeast ridge is more gentle and is the most widely used climbing route. It was this route to the summit through the Khumbu Glacier, the Valley of Silence, from the foot of Lhotse through the South Col, that Hillary and Tenzing made their first ascent. And for the first time, the British tried to climb Everest back in 1921. They then could not go from the south side, due to the ban of the Nepalese authorities, and tried to rise from the north, from the side of Tibet. To do this, they had to go around the whole mountain range Chomolungma, having traveled over 400 kilometers to reach the summit from China. But the time for the detour was lost and the monsoons that began did not make it possible to carry out the ascent. After them, the second attempt on the same route was made in 1924 by British climbers George Lee Mallory and Andrew Irvine, which was also unsuccessful, ending in the death of both at an altitude of 8500 meters.

Despite its reputation for being extremely dangerous mountain The commercialized climbing of Everest has made it a very popular pastime for tourists over the past few decades. According to the latest data, 5656 successful ascents were made to Everest, at the same time, 223 people died. Mortality was about 4 percent.

July 3, 1953 - Nanga Parbat

The peak is located in northern Pakistan in the western part of the Himalayas. This is the ninth highest eight-thousander, 8126 meters. This peak has such steep slopes that even snow does not hold on its top. Nangaparbat means "Naked Mountain" in Urdu. The first to climb the peak was the Austrian climber Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian Himalayan expedition. He made the ascent alone, without an oxygen apparatus. The time of ascent to the summit was 17 hours, and with the descent 41 hours. It was the first successful ascent in 20 years of attempts, before that 31 climbers had already died there.

According to the latest data, a total of 335 successful ascents have been made on Nanga Parbat. 68 climbers died. The lethality is about 20 percent, which makes it the third most dangerous eight-thousander.

July 31, 1954 - Chogori, K2, Dapsang

The first to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world, was the Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. Although attempts to conquer K2 began in 1902.

Chogori Peak or Dapsang in another way - 8611 meters high, is located on the Baltoro Muztag ridge in the Karakorum mountain range, on the border of Pakistan and China. This mountain received an unusual name K2 in the 19th century, when a British expedition measured the heights of the Himalayas and Karakoram peaks. Each newly measured peak was given a serial number. K2 was the second mountain they stumbled upon and the name has stuck with it ever since. The locals call this Lamba Pahar, which means "High Mountain". Despite the fact that K2 is lower than Everest, climbing it proved to be more difficult. For all the time on K2 there were only 306 successful ascents. 81 people died while trying to climb. Mortality is about 29 percent. K2 is not rarely called a killer mountain

October 19, 1954 - Cho Oyu

The first to climb the peak were members of the Austrian expedition: Herbert Tichy, Josef Yohler and Sherpa Pazang Dawa Lama. The peak of Cho Oyu is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range, the Chomolungma mountain range, about 20 km west of Mount Everest.

Cho-Oyu, in Tibetan means "Goddess of Turquoise". It has a height of 8201 meters, it is the sixth highest eight-thousander. A few kilometers west of Cho Oyu is the Nangpa-La pass, 5716 m high. This pass is the passage from Nepal to Tibet, laid by the Sherpas as the only trading trail. Because of this pass, many climbers consider Cho Oyu the easiest eight-thousander. This is partly true, because all ascents are made from the side of Tibet. But from the side of Nepal, the southern wall is so difficult that only a few managed to conquer it.

A total of 3,138 people have successfully climbed Cho Oyu, more than any other peak except Everest. Mortality 1%, less than any other. It is considered the safest eight-thousander.

May 15, 1955 - Makalu

For the first time, the Frenchmen Jean Kuzi and Lionel Terre ascended the summit of Makalu. Climbing Makalu was the only one in the history of conquering eight-thousanders, when all nine members of the expedition, including the senior group of Sherpa guides, reached the summit. This happened not because Makalu is such an easy mountain, but because the weather turned out to be extremely successful and nothing prevented the climbers from achieving this triumph.

At 8485 meters, Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world, located just 20 kilometers southeast of Everest. Makalu means "Big Black" in Tibetan. Such unusual name given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and the snow simply does not hold on them, so it remains bare for most of the year.

Defeating Makalu proved difficult enough. In 1954, an American team led by Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, tried to do this, but they did not succeed. And only the French, after a lot of preparatory work and well-coordinated work of the team, managed to accomplish this. In total, 361 people successfully climbed Makalu, while 31 people died while trying to climb. The lethality of ascents to Makalu is about 9 percent.

May 25, 1955 - Kanchenjunga

British climbers George Band and Joe Brown were the first to successfully climb Kangchenjunga. Before climbing locals climbers were warned that a Sikkimese god lives on the top of this mountain and should not be disturbed. They refused to accompany the expedition and the British climbed on their own. But either due to superstition, or for some other reason, having risen to the top, they did not reach the very top for several feet, considering that the peak was conquered.

Kanchenjunga is located on the border of Nepal and India, about 120 kilometers south of Everest. The name "Kanchenjunga" in Tibetan means "Treasury of the five great snows." Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest mountain in the world. But after Everest and other eight-thousanders were measured, it turned out that it is the third highest peak in the world, its height is 8586 meters.

Another legend that exists in Nepal says that Kanchenjunga is a woman mountain. And women can not go to her on pain of death. Of course, climbers are not superstitious people, but nevertheless, only one female climber, Englishwoman Ginette Harrison, has climbed to its top for all the time. No matter what, but a year and a half later, Ginette Harrison died while climbing Dhaulagiri. For all the time, 283 climbers have successfully climbed Kanchenjunga. Of those who tried to rise, 40 people died. The lethality of climbing is about 15 percent.

May 9, 1956 - Manaslu

Mountain height of 8163 meters, the eighth highest eight-thousander. There have been several attempts to climb this peak. For the first time in 1952, when the Swiss and French teams, in addition to the British, entered the championship of Everest, the Japanese decided to conquer Manaslu Peak, located in Nepal, about 35 kilometers east of Annapurna. They scouted all the approaches and mapped out the route. The following year, 1953, they began to climb. But the blizzard that broke out broke all their plans and they were forced to retreat.

When they returned in 1954, the local Nepalese took up arms against them, referring to the fact that the Japanese had desecrated the gods and provoked their anger, because after the departure of the previous expedition, misfortunes befell their village: there was an epidemic, crop failure, the temple collapsed and three priests died. Armed with sticks and stones, they drove the Japanese away from the mountain. In 1955, a special delegation arrived from Japan to settle the matter with the locals. And only in the following year, 1956, having paid 7,000 rupees for damages and 4,000 rupees for the construction of a new temple and arranging a big holiday for the village population, the Japanese received permission to climb. Thanks to fine weather, Japanese climber Toshio Imanishi and Sirdar Sherpa Gyaltsen Norbu climbed the peak on May 9. Manaslu remains one of the most dangerous eight-thousanders. In total, there were 661 successful ascents of Manaslu, sixty-five climbers died during the ascent. Climbing mortality is about 10 percent.

May 18, 1956 - Lhotse

Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss, members of the Swiss team, became the first people to climb the 8,516-metre-high Lhotse, the fourth highest peak in the world.

Lhotse Peak is located on the border of Nepal and China, a few kilometers south of Everest. These two peaks are connected by a vertical ridge, the so-called South Col, the height of which is over 8000 meters throughout. Usually climbing is carried out along the western, more gentle slope. But in 1990 the team Soviet Union climbed up south side, previously considered completely inaccessible, as it is a 3300-meter almost vertical wall. In total, 461 successful ascents were made on Lhotse. For all the time, 13 climbers died there, the mortality rate is about 3 percent.

July 8, 1956 - Gasherbrum II

Peak with a height of 8034 meters, the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. Gasherbrum II was first climbed by Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart. They summited on the south side along the southwest ridge. Before climbing the peak itself, rising to a height of 7500 meters, they set up a temporary camp for the night, and then went on the assault early in the morning. It was a completely new, untested approach to climbing, which subsequently began to be used by climbers in many countries.

Gasherbrum II is the second of the four peaks of Gasherbrum in the Karakorum on the border between Pakistan and China, about 10 kilometers southeast of K2. The Baltoro Muztag ridge, which includes Gasherbrum II, is known for the longest Karakoram glacier, more than 62 kilometers long. This was the reason for the fact that many climbers descended almost from the very top of Gasherbrum II on skis, snowboards and even with a parachute. Gasherbrum II is considered one of the safest and lightest eight-thousanders. Gasherbrum II has been successfully climbed by 930 climbers and only 21 people have died in unsuccessful attempts to climb. Climbing mortality is about 2 percent.

June 9, 1957 - Broad Peak

Mountain height of 8051 meters, the twelfth highest eight-thousander. The first time the Germans tried to climb Broad Peak was in 1954, but due to low temperatures and stormy winds, their efforts were unsuccessful. Austrian climbers Fritz Wintersteller, Markus Schmuck and Kurt Dimberger were the first to climb the peak. The ascent was carried out on the southwestern side. The expedition did not use the services of porters and all the property was lifted by the participants themselves, which was quite a challenge.

Broad Peak or "Jangiyang" is located on the border between China and Pakistan, a few kilometers southeast of K2. This area is still little studied and geographers hope that over time it can gain sufficient popularity. For all the time there were 404 successful ascents on Broad Peak. They were unsuccessful for 21 climbers who died while trying to climb. Climbing mortality is about 5 percent.

July 5, 1958 - Gasherbrum I "Hidden Peak"

The mountain is 8080 meters high. The peak belongs to the Gasherbrum-Karakorum mountain range. Attempts to climb Hidden Peak began a long time ago. In 1934, members of the international expedition were only able to climb to a height of 6300 meters. In 1936, French climbers overcame the line of 6900 meters. And only two years later, the Americans Andrew Kaufman and Pete Schoening climb to the top of Hidden Peak.

Gasherbrum I or Hidden Peak, the eleventh highest eight-thousander in the world, one of the seven peaks of the Gasherbrum massif, is located in Kashmir in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Region on the border with China. Gasherbrum is translated from the local language as “Polished Wall”, and it fully corresponds to this name. Because of its steep, almost polished, rocky slopes, climbing it has been rejected by many. A total of 334 people have successfully climbed the peak, while 29 climbers have died attempting the ascent. Climbing mortality is about 9 percent.

May 13, 1960 - Dhaulagiri I

"White Mountain" - 8167 meters high, the seventh highest of the eight-thousanders. Members of the European national team were the first to reach the summit: Dimberger, Shelbert, Diener, Forer and Nyima and Navang Sherpas. For the first time, an aircraft was used to deliver expedition members and equipment. On the " white mountain"Paid attention back in 1950 by the French, members of the 1950 expedition. But then it seemed to them not accessible and they switched to Annapurna.

Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna, and the Argentines tried to climb to its peak back in 1954. But due to a strong blizzard, only 170 meters did not reach the summit. Although Dhaulagiri is only the sixth tallest by the standards of the Himalayas, it is quite a tough nut to crack. So in 1969, the Americans, while trying to climb, left seven of their comrades on the southeast ridge. In total, 448 people successfully climbed the summit of Dhaulagiri I, but 69 climbers died during unsuccessful attempts. Climbing fatality is about 16 percent.

May 2, 1964 - Shishabangma

Peak with a height of 8027 meters. The first to conquer Shishabangma were eight Chinese climbers: Xu Jing, Zhang Zhunyan, Wang Fuzhou, Zhen San, Zheng Tianliang, Wu Zongyue, Sodnam Dozhi, Migmar Trashi, Dozhi, Yongten. For a long time, climbing this peak was prohibited by the Chinese authorities. And only after the Chinese themselves climbed to its top, it became possible for foreign climbers to participate in ascents.

The Shishabangma mountain range, in Chinese "Geosenzhanfeng", in Indian "Gosaintan" is located in China in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a few kilometers from the Nepalese border. It consists of three peaks, two of which are higher than 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. In the program "All 14 eight-thousanders of the world" there is an ascent to the main peak. In total there were 302 successful ascents of Shishabanga. Twenty-five people died trying to climb to the top. Climbing mortality is about 8 percent.

As can be seen from the chronology of ascents to the highest peaks of the Himalayas, it took more than 40 years to conquer them. Moreover, according to the analysis of the Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering, the most dangerous of all are: Annapurna, K2, and Nanga Parbat. On the ascents of these three peaks, the Himalayas took the life of every fourth person who encroached not on their impregnability.

And yet, despite all these mortal dangers, there are people who have conquered all the eight-thousanders. The first of them was Reinhold Messner, an Italian climber, a German by nationality from South Tyrol. And although already during the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1970, his brother Gunther died, and he himself lost seven toes; in the second ascent of Manaslu in 1972, his partner in a bunch died, this did not stop him. From 1970 to 1986 he climbed all 14 highest peaks of the Zamli one by one. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, In 1978, together with Peter Habeler along the classic route through the South Col, and in 1980 alone along the northern route, moreover, during the monsoon season. Both ascents without the use of oxygen apparatus.

In total, there are already 32 people in the world who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, and these are certainly not the last people who are waiting for the Himalayas.

The name Himalaya is derived from the spirit of the Sanskrit words: hima and alaja, which means "abode of snows." The highest mountains on earth occupy 80% of the area of ​​Nepal. Average Height Himalayas - 6,000 meters above sea level. The length of these high mountains is 2,500 km. But it is on the territory of Nepal that there are eight eight-thousanders - the highest mountain, whose height is more than 8,000 meters. Therefore, all climbers in the world dream of climbing the Himalayas at least once in their lives. Neither danger to life, nor cold, nor financial costs stop them. At the same time, the financial costs are quite significant. After all, if you want to conquer the peak, then in Nepal, just for the right to climb, you will have to pay a fairly serious amount, which is more than one thousand dollars. Here, this fee is called royalty. If you want to conquer Everest, then you will also have to stand in line, maybe even two years. With such a large number of people who want to conquer the Himalayas, there are peaks that are not popular.

For tourists eager to challenge the mountains, special routes have been laid at an altitude of 5.5 thousand meters. Those who manage to make the ascent will receive a well-deserved reward - unforgettable beauty landscapes of dangerous and deep gorges with lush vegetation and lush greenery or snow-capped rocky peaks. The most popular among ordinary tourists without special training is the route around Annapurna. During the days of the journey, those who decide to undertake such a journey, in addition to the excellent landscapes of mountainous Nepal, can also observe the life of local residents.

The highest mountain in the Himalayas is Mount Everest (8848 meters). Every student knows about this. In Tibet, she is called Chomolungma, which means "Mother of the Gods", and in Nepal - Sagarmakhta. All climbers dream of conquering Everest, but only climbers of the highest class can conquer it.

The Himalayas arose during the period of orogeny - the Alpine tectonic cycle and, by the standards of geology, very young mountains. The Himalayas arose in the place where the Eurasian and Indian subcontinental plates collided. Mountain building continues here today. The average height of the mountains increases annually by an average of 7 mm. That is why earthquakes are so frequent here.

Aiming for the sky Himalayan mountains ah, it is quite common to find fossilized marine organisms. They are called saligrams. According to scientists, their age is about 130 million years. Saligrams are like messages from the Ice Age. They are the best proof that the Himalayas "grew" out of the water. The Nepalese consider them the earthly incarnation of their god Vishnu. For the Nepalese, saligrams are sacred. Their export from the territory of Nepal is prohibited.

Video: "Climbing the top of Tulagi in Nepal (7059 m.) in 2010."

Film: Road to the Himalayas

Also, you can watch the 1999 Nepalese film The Himalayas (dir. Eric Valli) and the 2010 film NANGA PARBAT.

In conclusion, a few more photos of the Himalayas:

Himalayas

There are no higher mountains on Earth than the Himalayas and the Karakorum, and in no other mountain there are such sharp contrasts of nature as in the Himalayas.

It should be noted that the Himalayas are still very little explored and even in our time they keep a lot of unknown and unexplored. This is explained not so much by the vast territory occupied by this mountain system, but by the difficulty of penetrating into it due to the complexity of the terrain and the lack of roads.

The inaccessibility of the territory played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and hollows, intensive grazing on mountain slopes and an ever-increasing influx of climbers from different countries world, the Himalayas remain a haven for valuable plant and animal species.

The Himalayas are not only one of the most beautiful places created by nature. This is a sacred land, a place where, according to legend, Buddhist and Hindu deities live. Once these mountains were an insurmountable barrier between the states located to the south of them, and the fabulously rich cities lying to the north, on the Great Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara, Kashgar and Kotan.

Geographic location of the Himalayan mountains

From the French Alps to South Vietnam, the longest mountain belt on Earth stretches across Eurasia. On Earth there is no more mountains similar to those of Central Asia. Six mountain systems meet here. The largest and highest mountain system of the six is ​​the Himalayas. Translated from Sanskrit, this word means "abode of snows."

The Himalayas border the Hindu Kush in the northwest and the Sino-Tibetan Mountains in the southeast. The total length of the mountain system is more than 2400 km, the width is 200-350 km, and the area is about 650 thousand km2. The Himalayas are part of China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic frontier. The physical-geographical and geomorphological boundaries of the mountain system itself are clearly expressed. In the north, these are the longitudinal intermountain valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the south - the edge of the Indo-Gangetic plain, in the northwest and southeast - the transverse valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra.

Formation of the Himalayan mountain country geologists associate with the split of a single southern mainland - Gondwana into several plates. One of them, the Indian one, began to move north and collided with the Eurasian plate. At the point of collision, the earth's crust shrunk and formed a giant fold - the Himalayas.

The fossilized skeletons of fish and other marine animals found in the Himalayas indicate that these giant mountains were once marine sediments. Between 570 and 65 million years ago they were the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean. When the Indian tectonic plate, drifting north, collided with the Asian mainland, the Himalayan mountain range shot up. The growth process of the Himalayas took many millions of years, and not a single mountain system in the world can compare with them in terms of the number of peaks - "seven-thousanders" and "eight-thousanders".

Geologists have established that the emergence of the Himalayan mountains took place in at least three stages. The Great Himalayas were the first to form, about 38 million years ago. Then, between 26 and 7 million years ago, the Lesser Himalayas arose. At the third stage, about 7 million years ago, the Sivalik Mountains appeared. Movement at the junction of two tectonic plates is a continuous process. Over the past one and a half million years, mountains have grown by 1370 m.

The uplift of the Himalayas has not ended even now, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes and the high position of the Early Quaternary deposits above sea level. Every year, the Himalayas grow three to ten millimeters higher.

Geological structure and relief of the Himalayas

The structure of the mountains involves crystalline, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various ages, from Archean to Quaternary, crumpled into intense folds, complicated in the central parts by powerful thrusts and splits.

Peculiarities geological structure- the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, a very limited distribution of marine sedimentary strata and the presence of continental sediments close to those of Gondwana - give reason to consider the Himalayas as a mountain system that arose on the site of the outskirts of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in the Neogene Quaternary time in connection with the attachment of the Hindustan plate to the rest of Eurasia and the closure of Tethys. The Himalayas do not form ridges stretched over long distances, but break up into separate massifs, separated from one another by deep transverse river valleys. This is due to the fact that the valleys of the largest rivers - the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra - were laid down before the start of the general grandiose uplift of the mountains. The uplift was accompanied by the incision of rivers and the formation of epigenetic valleys of the Himalayas.

In its form, the Himalayas resemble a grandiose petrified wave, which to the south, towards the Indo-Gangetic lowland, falls in three successively decreasing steep ledges, and to the north, towards Tibet, only one more gentle one. The foothills of the Himalayas are composed of young deposits, collected in folds in the middle of the Quaternary. They are known under common name Sivalik mountains; their height in Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are pressed close to the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - duns. The Sivalik Mountains drop steeply to the north and south. The width of this step varies along its length and varies from 10 to 50 km. The Sivalik Mountains consist of parallel folds, transformed in separate areas due to the erosive activity of mountain rivers into a chain of hills. This applies especially to the interfluve of the Ganges and the Beas. The Sivalik mountains make up the Dundva, Chouriagati and Solya-Singi ranges, as well as the highlands - the Potvar plateau, Kala Chitta and Margala. Their average height does not exceed 600 m. Only Chouriagati reaches an average height of 900 m.

The next highest step in the Himalayas is the Lesser Himalayas; they are composed of crystalline Precambrian rocks, as well as highly metamorphosed sedimentary deposits of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene. This band is characterized by intense folding, faults and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise to 6000 m. In the northwest, the Pir-Panjal ridge stretches over 6000 m high, further to the southeast it is replaced by the Small Himalayas proper, which merge with the Big Himalayas (Main Himalayas). Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire system of the Himalayas narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-altitude Mahabharat Mountains, and even to the east, the high and heavily dissected Duara Mountains.

Between the Lesser and Greater Himalayas stretches a strip of tectonic basins, which in the recent past were occupied by lakes and processed by glaciers. The most famous in the west is the Kashmir Basin at an altitude of 1600 m, with the main city of Kashmir, Srinagar. The existence of a lake, which used to fill the basin, is evidenced by terraces well expressed on the slopes. Several residual lakes have been preserved on the surface of the flat bottom. The second large basin of the central part of the Himalayas - Kathmandu in Nepal - is located at an altitude of about 1400 m; most of the population of this mountainous country is concentrated in it. crowned with snow mountain peaks, deep rocky gorges, turbulent waterfall rivers and blue lakes surrounded by picturesque forests make these valleys the most beautiful corners of the globe.

To the north of the basins rise the Great Himalayas, reaching an average height of 6000 m. The Great Himalayas are the basis of the entire system. They reach their maximum height in Nepal. There, in a small space, there are 9 of the 14 highest peaks. This is a well-defined alpine ridge. At the western end of the Main Range, this is the grandiose Nanga Parbat massif (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight thousandth giants covered with snow and ice rise: Dhaulagiri (8167), Kutang (8126 m), Annapurna (8078 m ), Gosaintan (8013 m), and others. Among them, the highest peak in the world, Everest, with a height of 8848 m7, does not even stand out. Nepal is called Sagarmatha - "Lord of the sky", and in Tibet they call Chomolungma - "Goddess - mother of the world"). Gorgeous and majestic, only slightly inferior to her Kanchenjunga (8598 m). Four more "eight-thousanders" are located in the north-western continuation of the Himalayas - the Karakorum ridge.

The northern slope of the Greater Himalayas is flatter and more accessible than the southern one. Along it stretches the Ladakh ridge with a height of up to 7728 m. Many rivers originate on its slopes, which then cross main ridge. To the north of Ladakh, behind the wide longitudinal valleys of the Indus and the Brahmaputra, the outlying ranges of the Tibetan Plateau (Trans-Himalayas) rise.

The Himalayas are rich in minerals. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, alluvial gold, arsenic and chromium ores. Oil, combustible gases, brown coal, potash and rock salts occur in the foothills and intermountain basins.

Now in the Himalayas there are 75 peaks more than seven kilometers "growth". Dozens of peaks reach 7000 m, 11 peaks exceed 8000 m, the passes are on average at an altitude of 5000 m, which exceeds the maximum height of the Alps.

Climate, glaciation and water resources of the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas are the largest climate divide in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes prevails, to the south - tropical air masses. Up to the southern slope of the Himalayas, the summer equatorial monsoon penetrates. The winds there are so strong that it is difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in spring, during a short period of calm before the start of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope throughout the year, the winds of the northern or western rhumbs blow, coming from the continent supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but always dry. From the northwest to the southeast, the Himalayas stretch approximately between 35 and 28 ° N. sh., and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates great climatic differences within the Himalayas. Most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the band of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places, annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m, snow occurs throughout the year.

On the southern slopes up to a height of 2000 m average temperature January is 6-7 °С, July 18-19 °С; up to a height of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m does the average July temperature become negative. The snow limit in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humid, - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones. There is little precipitation on the northern slopes (about 100 mm), and temperature differences during one day can be 45 degrees.

High altitude and abundant rainfall contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute altitude. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the farther to the east and more precipitation, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. On Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, the most powerful glaciation, the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed.

These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main shaft. The Zemu glacier on Kangchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. from it originates one of the sources of the Ganges. The total area of ​​glaciers here is 33 thousand km².

The Himalayan glaciers differ from the glaciers of other mountain systems in terms of surface structure and ice properties. At high altitudes the snow is very dry. Sharp temperature changes often contribute to the formation of the thinnest crust of ice on the surface of the snow cover. Under it, active sublimation of snow occurs (the transition of a substance from a solid state to a gaseous state without first turning into a liquid), in which the snow evaporates and water vapor settles on the lower surface of the ice crust, thickening it and forming a crust. And under it the emptiness grows. As a result, the adhesion of the snow layer to the slope is broken and the snow cover is actually held on it only due to the strength of this crust (frost). Any disturbance of this crust (damage by a falling stone, etc.) is enough to create a favorable condition for the formation of snow avalanches, which are very characteristic of the Himalayas.

At lower altitudes, the influence of high daytime temperatures leads to a rapid process of firnization of snow and further transformation of firn into ice. At the same time, another process is also taking place - the rapid evaporation of snow from the surface (especially on the northern slopes) due to the great dryness of the air. This causes the fragility of fresh snow cover in the valleys and on the lower slopes. As a result, glaciers are almost always open; snow or firn cover is rare on them. The movement of people on such a surface is not difficult. Only during periods of heavy snowfalls can mountain slopes and glaciers be covered with a significant layer of fresh dry snow, and then the passage of snow-covered slopes and glaciers requires great care.

The Himalayas are characterized by powerful glaciation, which has not yet been fully determined, despite the large number of scientific and mountaineering expeditions. But there are no huge valley glaciers here, as, for example, in the Karakorum. To some extent, this is due to the greater straightness of the Himalayan ranges and the absence of side spurs that extend over long distances.

Glaciers of the Turkestan type are characterized by a very limited supply basin. They are formed mainly due to snow avalanches from the surrounding steep slopes, ice, landslides from the higher-lying hanging glaciers and only partially due to snow masses that fall or are blown by winds from the surrounding slopes. An example of such glaciers in the Himalayas is the Annapurna South Glacier.

Especially many rivers flow down from the southern slope of the mountains. They start in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothill zone, come out onto the plain. Some major rivers originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. This is the Indus, its tributary Sutlej and Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, ice and snow, so the main flow maximum occurs in summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high-mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-shaped valleys of the Himalayas abound with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid snowmelt begins, and until October, when the action of the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in violent streams, carrying away the masses of detrital material that they deposit as they leave the Himalayan foothills. Often monsoon rains cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that could be compared with the Alpine ones in size and beauty. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only a part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir-Panjal ridge is known for numerous glacial lakes, formed in ancient crater funnels or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine. Many of the lakes are located at high altitudes (up to 3500 m). The Srinagar (Kashmir) valley once served as the bottom of a huge lake that existed here. At present, the remains of this lake are scattered over the lowest parts of the valley in the form of small lakes - Vular, Anchar, Dal and others. Of interest on these lakes are floating islands formed from dense thickets of aquatic plants.

In the vast mountain valley of Kathmandu, as well as in Srinagar, there are many lakes and even more residual lake valleys, which the locals call "tal".

Researchers of the Himalayas explain their formation in this way. In former times, there were many dammed lakes on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. Stormy mountain streams and rivers gradually applied to them the products of the destruction of rocks. Gradually accumulating, the water broke through the dam, rushing down in a mighty stream, washing away everything in its path.

So, for example, as a result of the earthquake of 1841, a large collapse blocked the Indus River in the Ramgat region. The height of the blockage reached several hundred meters. Above it, a huge dammed lake was formed.

Soon the Indus broke through the dam. Masses of water, gushing through the gorge, washed away many villages, tore off not only vegetation, but also soil from the slopes. Water destroyed the roads passing through the gorge. The local population suffered huge material damage.

Altitudinal zonality, vegetation and animal world Himalayas

On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal belts from tropical forests to high mountain tundra are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Forests approach the foot of the mountains only in the Eastern Himalayas. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a kind of marshy strip with black silty soils, called terai. Terai are characterized by jungles - typical tropical rainforests - dense tree and shrub thickets, in places almost impassable due to vines and consisting of ferns, teak, soapwood, mimosa, bananas, undersized palms, bamboos. Among the Terai, there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops. This is the kingdom of tigers and wild elephants, snakes and monkeys. Zoologists believe that it is here that the highest density of the elephant population in the world. Animals feel completely safe in the jungle, even more so than in African reserves. After all, according to Buddhist laws, killing any living being is a mortal sin.

Above the terai, on the wet slopes of the mountains and along the river valleys, up to a height of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow from tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many lianas (including rattan palm) and epiphytes. The drier areas are dominated by less dense forests of sal tree, which lose their leaves during the dry period, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes of more than 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts, birches. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests are replaced by temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally representatives of subtropical flora, such as magnificently flowering magnolias, come across. At the upper border of the forest, conifers dominate, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. Lots of mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt that replaces forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and more sparse when moving to the alpine zone. The alpine meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, edelweiss, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the Alpine belt in the east reaches a height of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were found at an altitude of 6218 m. And, finally, from a height of five and a half kilometers, the realm of snow begins.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to less humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation, the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is absolutely no strip of terai there, the lower parts of the slopes of the mountains are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and thickets of shrubs. Only on the slopes of the foothills do rare groups of dry-loving plants appear, such as oleander or tree-like milkweed, very similar to a cactus from afar. And only from a height of a thousand meters do luxurious pine forests begin with an undergrowth of prickly jasmine. Higher, in the zone from 1800 to 2500 meters, there are some subtropical Mediterranean species such as evergreen holm oak and golden olive, even higher dominated by coniferous forests of pines and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara), a brother of the Lebanese cedar known since biblical times. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the alpine meadow vegetation is more diverse. And having risen to a height of two and a half kilometers, you find yourself in the zone of spruce forests. Only these shrubs, and ivy entwining tree trunks, together with climbing roses, remind us of the subtropics. Spruce forests are replaced with height by a real mountain desert, where even stunted grass comes across only in places. And all this is crowned, as always in the Himalayas, by snow and glaciers.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing towards Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of the large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a pronounced tropical character. In the forests of the lower parts of the slopes and in the Terai, many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common. There are still elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, wild boars, antelopes. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Macaques and thin-bodied are especially characteristic. Of the predators, the most dangerous for the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

In the upper belt of mountains and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to the Tibetan. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and rams, yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.

Most of the population is concentrated in the middle belt of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins, and tea bushes, citrus fruits, and vines are grown on terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Because of high altitude The passes in the Himalayas significantly complicate communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes. Dirt roads or caravan trails pass through some passes, there are very few highways in the Himalayas. Passes are only available in summer time. In winter, they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

Himalayas as the center of cultural and natural heritage and pilgrimage center

The inaccessibility of the territory played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of the low mountains and basins, intensive grazing on the mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable plant and animal species. The real "treasures" are included in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage National parks India and Nepal - Nanda Devi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan.

The parks were created to help the rare animals of the Himalayas survive in the face of an ever-increasing influx of tourists, including many poachers. Deforestation by the local population harms the animals even more. Already, only twenty-five wild elephants have survived in all of Nepal. Just a few dozen left here tigers and rhinos. Live on protected lands and such rare animals as the snow leopard and the Himalayan black bear, the musk deer and the inhabitant of bamboo forests - the red panda.

This beast (also called a cat bear) is probably the most charming inhabitant of the Himalayan forests. During the day, he sleeps, wrapping his round, eared head with a fluffy tail, and at night he grazes in bamboo thickets, eating young shoots, as well as berries and acorns that have fallen to the ground.

To truly appreciate the beauty of the nature of the Himalayas, one must overcome the temptation to get by air directly to Kathmandu or another city in the depths of the mountains. It is better to climb to the snowy ridges by car along the winding mountain roads through Sivalik and Mahabharat. Only then can one appreciate all the diversity of the Himalayas, all the charm of its forests and meadows, rocky gorges and mountain lakes, the blinding whiteness of the snowy slopes and the jade transparency of glacial cliffs.

The Himalayas are one of the centers of pilgrimage in the world, especially for adherents of Buddhism and Hinduism. In most cases, in the holy Himalayan places there are temples to the glory of the deities, with whose deeds this or that place is associated. So, the temple of Sri Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to the god Shiva, and in the south of the Himalayas, at the source of the Jamuna River, in the 19th century. A temple was built in honor of the goddess Yamuna (Jamuna). Many are attracted to the Himalayas by the diversity and uniqueness of their natural features. One of the most important and at the same time the most difficult to pass is the Sagarmatha National Park. Everest is located on its territory. In the western region of the Himalayas, the possessions of the Nanda Devi reserve stretch, which since 2005 has included the Valley of Flowers, which enchants with a natural palette of colors and shades. It is kept by vast meadows full of delicate alpine flowers. Among this splendor, far from human eyes, rare species of predators live, including snow leopards (in wild nature there are no more than 7,500 individuals of these animals left), Himalayan and brown bears.

High impregnable mountains For a long time people have evoked two feelings: fear and reverence. The Hindus called this area Deviabhuni - "the land of the gods." Here, in their opinion, was the center of the Earth, designated sacred mountain The measure around which the sun, moon and stars revolve. Meru in India was identified with Mount Kailash in the Tibetan Trans-Himalayas. Next to her, sacred lake Manasarovar, as the locals believe, lives the main of the three supreme gods of the Hindu pantheon - Indra, the thunderer, who gives rain and fertility to the fields. At the top of Gaurishankar lived the great god Shiva with his wife Devi, the daughter of Himavat, who himself is the personification of the Himalayas. Shiva is one of the supreme gods included in the divine triad, the "master of animals." Therefore, it is quite logical that from his dwelling, located among the eternal snows of the Himalayas, the life-giving waters of the three great rivers of Asia - the Indus, the Brahmaputra and the Ganges - flow. And only Rama settled closer to the people, in the valley.

The founder of another powerful religion - Buddhism, Prince Gautama himself (the future Buddha) was also born here, in Nepal, 2500 years ago. Therefore, many pilgrims come every year here, to the shrine of Buddhism, the Muktinath temple, where an eternal flame burns in memory of the birth of a deity.

Thus, the Himalayas are not only one of the most beautiful places created by nature. This is a sacred land, a place where, according to legend, Buddhist and Hindu deities live. Once these mountains were an insurmountable barrier between the states located to the south of them, and the fabulously rich cities lying to the north, on the Great Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara, Kashgar and Kotan.

The history of the exploration and assault of the Himalayan mountains

The first Himalayan traveler mentioned in the chronicles, the Chinese monk Fa Xian, came here in 400 AD. e. in search of religious truth. The oldest accurate map of these places was compiled in the 30s of the 18th century by the French geographer Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Arville, who, however, could not correctly determine the height of many mountain peaks. At the beginning of the 19th century, the British, hunters of large animals, went here from India in search of tigers and bears. Returning from the Himalayas, they recounted local legends about strange footprints in the snow. This was the first hint of the existence of Bigfoot.

Already in the 7th century, the first trade routes appeared in the rugged Himalayas, connecting China and India. Some of these routes still play an important role in the trade of these two countries (of course, these days we are not talking about multi-day foot crossings, but about road transport). In the 30s. 20th century there was a plan to make transport links more convenient, for which it is necessary to lay railway through the Himalayas, but the project was never implemented.

However, serious exploration of the Himalayan mountains began only in the period of the 18th-19th centuries. The work was extremely difficult, and the results left much to be desired: for a long time, topographers could neither determine the height of the main peaks, nor draw up accurate topographic maps. But the ordeal only fueled the interest and enthusiasm of European scientists and researchers. In the middle of the 19th century, attempts began to conquer the highest peak in the world - Everest (Chomolungma). But the great mountain, towering 8848 meters above the earth, could give victory only to the strongest.

In the 50s 19th century the world's highest peak was known in the West simply as Peak XV. It was not until 1852 that English topographers established the exact height of Peak XV. The Indians called it Sagarmatha - "heavenly peak", and for the Tibetans it was Chomolungma - "mother-goddess of the earth." Everest was named by the British in 1862 in honor of Major Sir George Everest, Governor General of India, who had led an expedition to map the Himalayan Mountains six years earlier. So the highest mountain in the world lives now under three names.

It is clear that the climbers of the late XIX - early XX century, who have already managed to conquer the Matterhorn in the Alps (in 1865), Chimborazo and Aconcagua in the Andes (in 1880 and 1897), McKinley in Alaska (in 1913) and Kilimanjaro in Africa (in 1889), were eager to climb Chomolungma. But the Tibetan and Nepalese authorities until 1921 did not allow foreigners to disturb the peace of the sacred mountains.

By the end of the 19th century, Tibet and Nepal closed their borders to Europeans. And although in 1921 the Dalai Lama allowed one expedition to visit the country, she had only enough time to get to the foot of Everest and map its lower slopes. The famous English climber George Mallory was a member of this expedition.

In 1921-1924, Mallory made three expeditions to the transcendental peak, hoping to become its winner. In his last attempt, in 1924, he and his companion Andrew Irwin apparently reached the highest point on the planet. The members of their expedition who remained below noticed the brave deuce through binoculars just two hundred meters from the top, after which they were hidden by fog. No one else saw the pioneers of Chomolungma alive. They did not return back. And only seventy-five years later, in 1999, Mallory's body was found in the snow not far from the summit. In all likelihood, on the descent, the climbers got into a snowstorm and froze. The first reliable conquest of Everest was carried out by a British expedition led by John Hunt 30 years later. After countless unsuccessful expeditions, on May 29, 1953, man finally managed to reach the summit of Everest.

The last assault was made by the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa Norgay Tenzing. Hillary later wrote of what he thought as he stood where no one was known to have stood before him: for success. I looked at Tenzing... and he couldn't hide his infectious, enthusiastic smile."

Thus, the "high-altitude pole" of our planet turned out to be the toughest nut to crack from all the cherished and hard-to-reach points of the earth's land, taken by storm in the 20th century. Recall that the North and South Poles were conquered by man more than forty years earlier, and the Arctic Pole of Inaccessibility five years before Chomolungma.

The attraction of Everest for climbers is undeniable, and the climbing season is short; unless, of course, they want to avoid low temperatures, gale-force winds and deep snow. Many attempts to reach the summit ended in failure, and sometimes the death of expedition members, but nothing stops climbers. Per last years climbers from all over the world have made successful ascents.

Climbers continue to storm the highest peak, but so far only about four hundred of them have managed to stand on the "roof of the world." The Himalayas in general, and Everest in particular, carefully guard their secrets. Even today they remain the only snow kingdom of its kind - the abode of the gods.

In general, the history of the assault on the Himalayan "eight-thousanders" is a whole epic that lasted fifteen years, starting in 1950, when the brave Frenchmen Erzog and Lachenal climbed the first of them - Annapurna, and ending with a successful ascent to the most difficult of these peaks - Mount Shisha Pangma - Chinese expedition in 1964. Many tragic pages are inscribed in the history of Himalayan ascents. Dozens of climbers remained forever on the slopes of the Abode of Snows. And yet every year new high-altitude expeditions go to the Himalayas. And to the question of what drives them to this most difficult and dangerous business, Mallory answered wonderfully. When asked why he was so eager to climb Everest, he simply said: “Because he is!”

There are peaks in the Himalayas that are more difficult than Chomolungma. Such, for example, is impregnable Kanchenjunga, the easternmost and second highest of the Himalayan "eight-thousanders", which rises to 8585 meters at the very border of Nepal and India. This most difficult peak for climbers gave up only by the fifth expedition, which stormed it in 1955. In the same year, the fifth highest peak in the world, Makalu (8470 meters), was also conquered. Its name translates as "Black Giant". Indeed, Makalu is so steep that ice and snow practically do not linger on the black slopes of this giant rock pyramid. Therefore, its black and gray silhouette stands out sharply against the background of the rest of the Himalayan peaks, wrapped in snow-white cloaks and covered with glacier caps.

And twenty-five kilometers northwest of Makalu there are four eight-kilometer peaks at once, like a guard of honor surrounding their ruler - Chomolungma. This gigantic mountain range resembles a frozen foamy surf of grandiose stone shafts rushing towards the sky. Moreover, the “smaller” mountains in this massif sometimes pose the most difficult tasks for climbers. So, at Mount Rapakosi, 7788 meters high, the steepest slope in the world. It rises six thousand meters above the Hunza valley, and the length of its slope is about ten kilometers. It is easy to calculate that the angle of elevation in this case is thirty-one degrees.

In the very north of Nepal, between the eight-kilometer massifs of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, there is the high-altitude Mustang Valley - the most important ancient caravan route from India and Nepal to transcendental Tibet. Through a giant gap between the mountains, as if into a wind tunnel, a strong wind rushes in from the north, from the Brahmaputra valley. "Draft" begins like clockwork every day at noon and ends after sunset, when the air temperature from the south and north sides of the Mustang is equal. Living in a constant wind, of course, creates terrible discomfort for the inhabitants of the valley. They have to build houses with very narrow windows, and even these are covered with oiled paper from the inside for warmth. And on the north side of the houses there are no windows at all, otherwise it is impossible to keep the heat in the rooms.

Conclusion

The study of the physical and geographical characteristics of the Himalayas made it possible to draw the following conclusions:

1. The Himalayas are located between the Tibetan Plateau in the north and the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the south of Eurasia and stretch for 2,400 km.

3. The relief is represented by a system of ridges and intermontane depressions (hollows). The mountains have steep slopes and pointed or ridge-shaped peaks, covered with eternal snow and glaciers. The total area of ​​glaciers here is 33 thousand km². The highest peak of the Himalayas is Mount Everest (8848 m), the highest mountain in the world. It was first conquered in 1953.

4. Most of the Himalayan mountains are located in a subequatorial climate. Climate formation occurs here under the condition of positive temperatures, but with a rather noticeable difference in the height of the sun according to the seasons. Summer and spring are hot here (up to 35°C). At this time of the year, the monsoon winds come here, which bring an abundance of precipitation from indian ocean, they fall mainly on the southern slopes of the mountains (more than 3000 mm). Air temperature at northern slopes The Himalayas are lower in winter, since precipitation from the Indian Ocean does not penetrate here, which has a softening effect.

5. Most of the rivers flowing from the Himalayan mountains are tributaries of the Indus and the Ganges. Their food is ice-rain. The flood is in the summer.

one). At the foot and in the foothills of the Himalayas are swampy jungles - terai. They are very rich in vegetation: grasses up to 5 m high, fan and coconut palms, bamboo.

2). At an altitude of 400 to 1500 m, there is a belt of subequatorial humid forests. This belt is characterized by magnolias, citrus fruits, camphor laurel.

3). Above, humid subequatorial forests are replaced up to 2000 m by evergreen subtropical forests, represented by mimosa thickets.

4). From altitudes of 2000 to 2500 m, evergreen forests begin to give way to deciduous forests dominated by maple, bird cherry, chestnuts, oaks, and cherries.

5). Above 2500 m, coniferous forests begin to predominate, which are located up to a height of 3500-4000 m.

6). Approximately from a height of 3500 m, woody vegetation begins to disappear, giving way to meadow vegetation with large herbs.

Through the mountains to the sea with a light backpack. Route 30 passes through the famous Fisht - this is one of the most grandiose and significant natural monuments in Russia, the highest mountains closest to Moscow. Tourists lightly pass all the landscape and climatic zones countries from the foothills to the subtropics, overnight stays in shelters.

There is no such density of tourist facilities as in the Bakhchisarai region anywhere in the world! Mountains and sea, rare landscapes and cave cities, lakes and waterfalls, secrets of nature and mysteries of history. Discoveries and the spirit of adventure... Mountain tourism here is not complicated at all, but any trail pleases with clean springs and lakes.

Adygea, Crimea. Mountains, waterfalls, herbs of alpine meadows, healing mountain air, absolute silence, snowfields in the middle of summer, the murmur of mountain streams and rivers, stunning landscapes, songs around the fires, the spirit of romance and adventure, the wind of freedom are waiting for you! And at the end of the route, the gentle waves of the Black Sea.

The Himalayas are the highest and most powerful mountain range in the world. the globe. It is assumed that tens of millions of years ago, the rocks that make up the Himalayan mountains formed the bottom of the ancient Tethys pra-ocean. The peaks began to gradually rise above the water as a result of the collision of the Indian tectonic plate with the Asian mainland. The growth process of the Himalayas took many millions of years, and not a single mountain system in the world can compare with them in terms of the number of peaks - "seven-thousanders" and "eight-thousanders".

Story

Researchers who studied the history of the origin of this in many respects unusual mountain system came to the conclusion that the formation of the Himalayas took place in several stages, according to which the regions of the Shivalik Mountains (Anti-Himalayas), the Lesser Himalayas and the Greater Himalayas are distinguished. The Great Himalayas were the first to break through the water surface, the hypothetical age of which is approximately 38 million years. After about 12 million years, the gradual formation of the Lesser Himalayas began. Finally, relatively recently, “only” seven million years ago, the “younger” mountains of Shivalik saw the sowing.

It is interesting that people climbed the Himalayas in ancient times. First of all, because these mountains have long been endowed with magical properties. According to ancient Buddhist and Hindu legends, many mythological creatures lived here. In classical Hinduism, it is generally accepted that Shiva and his wife once lived in the Himalayas. Shiva is the god of creative destruction, one of the three most revered gods in Hinduism. If Shiva is a kind of reformer, in modern terms, then Buddha - who achieved enlightenment (bodhi) - was born, according to legend, at the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
Already in the 7th century, the first trade routes appeared in the rugged Himalayas, connecting China and India. Some of these routes still play an important role in the trade of these two countries (of course, these days we are not talking about multi-day foot crossings, but about road transport). In the 30s of the XX century. there was a plan to make transport links more convenient, for which it is necessary to lay a railway through the Himalayas, but the project was never implemented.
Nevertheless, serious exploration of the Himalayan mountains began only in the period of the 18th-19th centuries. The work was extremely difficult, and the results left much to be desired: for a long time topographers could neither determine the height of the main peaks, nor draw up accurate topographic maps. But the ordeal only fueled the interest and enthusiasm of European scientists and researchers.
In the middle of the 19th century, attempts began to conquer the highest peak in the world - (Chomolungma). But the great mountain, towering 8848 meters above the earth, could give victory only to the strongest. After countless unsuccessful expeditions on May 29, 1953, a man finally managed to reach the summit of Everest: the first to overcome the most difficult route New Zealander Edmund Hillary was lucky, accompanied by Sherpa Norgay Tenzing.

The Himalayas are one of the centers of pilgrimage in the world, especially for adherents of Buddhism and Hinduism. In most cases, in the holy Himalayan places there are temples to the glory of the deities, with whose deeds this or that place is associated. So, the temple of Sri Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to the god Shiva, and in the south of the Himalayas, at the source of the Jamuna River, in the 19th century. A temple was built in honor of the goddess Yamuna (Jamuna).

Nature

Many are attracted to the Himalayas by the diversity and uniqueness of their natural features. With the exception of the gloomy and cold northern slopes, the Himalayan mountains are covered with dense forests. The vegetation of the southern part of the Himalayas is especially rich, where the level of humidity is extremely high and the average rainfall can reach 5500 mm per year. Here, like layers of a pie, zones of swampy jungle (the so-called terai), tropical thickets, stripes of evergreen and coniferous plants replace each other.
Many sites in the Himalayan mountains are under state protection. One of the most important and at the same time the most difficult to pass is the Sagarmatha National Park. Everest is located on its territory. In the western region of the Himalayas, the possessions of the Nanda Devi reserve stretch, which since 2005 has included the Valley of Flowers, which enchants with a natural palette of colors and shades. It is kept by vast meadows full of delicate alpine flowers. Among this magnificence, far from human eyes, rare species of predators live, including snow leopards (no more than 7,500 individuals of these animals remain in the wild), Himalayan and brown bears.

Tourism

Western Himalayas are famous for Indian mountain resorts high class (Shimla, Darjeeling, Shillong). Here, in an atmosphere of complete peace and detachment from the hustle and bustle, you can not only enjoy breathtaking mountain views and air, but also play golf or go skiing (although most of the Himalayan routes are classified as “for experts”, on the western slopes there are trails for beginners).
Not only lovers of outdoor recreation and exotics come to the Himalayas, but also seekers of real, unprogrammed adventures. Since the first ever successful ascent of the slopes of Everest became known to the world, thousands of climbers of all ages and levels of experience began to come to the Himalayas every year to test their strength and skills here. Of course, not everyone achieves their cherished goal, some travelers pay for their courage with their lives. Even with an experienced guide and good equipment, the journey to the top of Chomolungma can be a difficult test: in some areas, the temperature drops to -60ºС, and the icy wind speed can reach 200 m/s. Those who ventured on such a difficult transition have to endure the vagaries of mountain weather and hardships for more than one week: the guests of Chomolungma have every chance to spend about two months in the mountains.

general information

Countries: India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan.
Largest cities:, Patan (Nepal), (Tibet), Thimphu, Punakha (Bhutan), Srinagar (India).
Major rivers: Indus, Brahmaputra, Ganges.

Major airport: international Airport Kathmandu.

Numbers

Area: about 650,000 km2.

Average height: 6000 m.

highest point: Mount Everest (Chomolungma), 8848 m.

Economy

Agriculture: tea and rice plantations, cultivation of corn, cereals; animal husbandry.

Services: tourism (mountaineering, climatic resorts).
Minerals: gold, copper, chromite, sapphires.

Climate and weather

Average summer temperature: in the east (in the valleys) +35ºС, in the west +18ºС.

Average winter temperature: up to -28ºС (above 5000-6000 m temperatures are negative all year round can reach -60ºС).
Average rainfall: 1000-5500 mm.

sights

Kathmandu

The temple complexes of Budanilkanth, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath

National Museum of Nepal

Lhasa

Potala Palace

Among the conquerors of Everest there are also "originals". On May 25, 2008, the oldest climber in the history of ascents, a native of Nepal, Min Bahadur Shirchan, who at that time was 76 years old, overcame the path to the top. There were times when very young travelers took part in the expeditions. The last record was broken by Jordan Romero from California, who climbed in May 2010 at the age of thirteen (before him, the fifteen-year-old Sherpa Tembu Tsheri was considered the youngest guest of Chomolungma).

The development of tourism does not benefit the nature of the Himalayas: even here there is no escape from the garbage left by people. Moreover, in the future, severe pollution of the rivers that originate here is possible. The main trouble is that it is these rivers that provide millions of people with drinking water.

Shambhala is a mythical country in Tibet, which is described in many ancient texts. The followers of the Buddha believe in its existence unconditionally. It captivates the minds of not only lovers of all kinds secret knowledge but also serious scientists and philosophers. The most prominent Russian ethnologist L.N. Gumilev. However, there is still no irrefutable evidence of its existence. Or they are irretrievably lost. For the sake of objectivity, it should be said: many believe that Shambhala is not located in the Himalayas at all. But in the very interest of people in the legends about it lies the proof that we all really need faith that somewhere there is a key to the evolution of mankind, which is owned by the forces of light and wise. Even if this key is not a guide on how to become happy, but just an idea. Not yet open...