Himalayas Mountain Range

HIMALAYAS
MOUNTAIN RANGE
The Himalayas: Two continents collide
• Among the most dramatic and visible creations of plate-
tectonic forces are the lofty Himalayas, which stretch
2,900 km along the border between India and Tibet.
This immense mountain range began to form between
40 and 50 million years ago, when two large
landmasses, India and Eurasia, driven by plate
movement, collided. Because both these continental
landmasses have about the same rock density, one
plate could not be subducted under the other. The
pressure of the impinging plates could only be relieved
by thrusting skyward, contorting the collision zone, and
forming the jagged Himalayan peaks.
The Himalayas: Classification
• There are three ranges of Himalayas – Outer

Himalayas, Middle Himalayas, and the Inner
Himalayas.
• Himalayas are examples of fold mountains that are

formed at convergent boundaries due to the
collision of two tectonic plates.
The Himalayas: Benefits
• Many rivers that serve as a great water source for the Indian
subcontinent originate at the Himalayas.
• They are home to many medicinal plants.
• They prevent dry wind. It also acts as a barrier for the

monsoon winds of the Indian ocean from crossing
over to Northern countries.
The Himalayas: People around the
Mountain
• The entire population flourishes on the resources
that flow from the Himalayas. Today, the Himalayan
population can be classified into three ethnic types,
namely Aryans, Mongoloids and Negroids. But the
truth about its original inhabitants is still a point of
debate.
• The Champa, Ladakhi, Balti, and Dard peoples live to
the north of the Great Himalaya Range in the
Kashmir Himalayas. The Dard speak Indo-European
languages, while the others are Tibeto-Burman
speakers. The Champa traditionally lead a nomadic
pastoral life in the upper Indus valley.
The Himalayas: People around the
Mountain
About 225 million years ago, India
was a large island still situated off
the Australian coast, and a vast
ocean (called Tethys Sea) separated
India from the Asian continent.
When Pangaea broke apart about
200 million years ago, India began
to forge northward.
Scientists have reconstructed
India's northward journey. About 80
million years ago, India was located
roughly 6,400 km south of the Asian
continent, moving northward at a
rate of about 9 m a century. When
India rammed into Asia about 40 to
50 million years ago, its northward
advance slowed by about half. The
collision and associated decrease in
the rate of plate movement are
interpreted to mark the beginning of
the rapid uplift of the Himalayas.
• The Himalayas constitutes
an imposing crescent-
shaped mountain range
extending for over 2500 km
from the south of the Indus
Valley beyond Nanga Parbat
in the west to Namcha
Barwa in the east (Fig.
17.1). The range varies in
width from 350 km in the
west to 150 km in the east.
The majestic mountain
chain showing prominent
southward convexity stands
like a wall bordering the
entire northern margin of
the Indian Subcontinent.
• The Himalayas and the
Tibetan Plateau to the north
have risen very rapidly. In just
50 million years, peaks such
as Mt. Everest have risen to
heights of more than 9 km.
The impinging of the two
landmasses has yet to end.
The Himalayas continue to
rise more than 1 cm a year.
Scientists believe that the
Eurasian Plate may now be
stretching out rather than
thrusting up, and such
stretching would result in
some subsidence due to
gravity.
• For thousands of years the
Himalayas have held a profound
significance for the peoples of
South Asia, as their literature,
mythologies, and religions
reflect. Since ancient times the
vast glaciated heights have
attracted the attention of the
pilgrim mountaineers of India,
who coined the Sanskrit name
Himalaya—from hima
(“snow”) and alaya
(“abode”)—for that great
mountain system. In
contemporary times the
Himalayas have offered the
greatest attraction and the
greatest challenge to
mountaineers throughout the
world.
Physical features:
• The most characteristic features of the Himalayas are their
soaring heights, steep-sided jagged peaks, valley and
alpine glaciers often of stupendous size, topography
deeply cut by erosion, seemingly unfathomable river
gorges, complex geologic structure, and series of
elevational belts (or zones) that display different ecological
associations of flora, fauna, and climate.
• The greater part of the Himalayas, however, lies below the
snow line. The mountain-building process that created the
range is still active. As the bedrock is lifted, considerable
stream erosion and gigantic landslides occur
4 Interesting Facts About the Himalayas
That Are Incredible!
1. Himalayas - The Youngest Mountain Range on
Earth:
• The Himalayas are often referred to as the youngest
mountain range on Earth. This label stems from the fact
that they began forming relatively recently in geological
terms, approximately 50 million years ago. This formation
process is still ongoing today, as the Indian tectonic plate
continues to collide with the Eurasian plate.
2. The World's Tallest Peaks
• The Himalayas are home to some of the world's tallest peaks,
making this mountain range a true wonder of the natural world.
The world's tallest peaks that can be found in the Himalayan
range, including the most famous of them all, Mount Everest:
• Mount Everest (Sagarmatha/Chomolungma): At an astonishing
height of 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level, Mount
Everest stands as the world's highest peak. It is located on the
border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of
China. Climbing Everest is an ultimate goal for mountaineers
and adventurers worldwide, with thousands attempting the
climb each year.
3. Diverse Ecosystems
• The Himalayas are renowned for their incredibly diverse
ecosystems, which range from lush subtropical forests
to frigid alpine deserts. This remarkable diversity is a
result of the wide range of altitudes and climates found
within the region.
4. The Birthplace of Major Rivers
• The Himalayas are often referred to as the "Water Tower
of Asia" because they serve as the birthplace of major
rivers that provide water to millions of people across
South Asia and beyond. The immense glacial and
snowmelt waters from the Himalayan peaks feed into
these rivers, ensuring a steady supply of water for
irrigation, hydropower, and other essential needs.
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HIMALAYAS

• There are three ranges of Himalayas – Outer

• Himalayas are examples of fold mountains that are

• They are home to many medicinal plants.

• They prevent dry wind. It also acts as a barrier for the

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