Himalayas: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026

News •

Alien menace or victim of xenophobia? The battle over Britain’s parakeets • Nov. 11, 2026, 6:44 AM ET (The Guardian)

Helicopters Collide Over Everest Trail, Killing 1 and Injuring 3 Others • Nov. 3, 2026, 6:19 PM ET (New York Times)

Himalayan Communities Are Relying on Centuries-Old Water Solutions In the Face of Climate Change • Oct. 30, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (Time Magazine)

UN climate fund promises $20 million for Nepal flood recovery, far short of billions needed • Oct. 23, 2026, 4:05 AM ET (AP)

Did You Know?

The Himalayas cover roughly 75% of Nepal.
Due to tectonic plate movement, the Himalayas grow taller every year.

Photos and Videos

Physical map of the Himalayan mountain ranges and surrounding regions, showing elevation with color gradients from green lowlands to brown and white high peaks. Major ranges, peaks, rivers, glaciers, and the Plateau of Tibet are labeled, along with international and disputed boundaries. An inset locator map highlights the region's position in Asia.

Snow-covered Mount Everest rises above surrounding peaks, viewed from Tibet, with a few wisps of cloud near the summit against a clear blue sky.

Machapuchare Peak in the Himalayas, Nepal, rises sharply with snow-covered slopes and a distinctive pointed summit, seen above dark, forested foothills.

A simplified geological cross section of the Himalayas running north to south, showing the Ganga Basin as a foreland basin, crystalline rock overthrusting the Indian Plate, and a steep thrust fault ramp beneath the Great Himalayas, with labeled features including the Main Boundary Thrust, Main Central Thrust, ophiolites, and Kangdese granites.

Snow-covered peaks of Kangchenjunga rise sharply above forested lower slopes, with dramatic ridges and clouds partially obscuring the Himalayan mountain range.

Indus River in Ladakh, India

The video thumbnail image shows a snowcapped mountain against a blue sky.

The impact of global warming on Himalayan glaciers

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Topics

Annapurna Ural Mountains Hindu Kush Kailash Range Karakoram Range Altai Mountains Tien Shan Mount Carmel Zagros Mountains Dhaulagiri

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