Mountains are large elevated landforms shaped by tectonic forces, volcanic activity, and erosion. They cover about 25 percent of Earth's land surface and are home to around 915 million people. Mount Everest, at 8,849 metres, is the highest peak above sea level, located in the Himalayas on the Nepal-Tibet border. Major mountain ranges include the Andes, Rockies, Alps, Urals, and Himalayas. Mountains influence climate by blocking weather systems and feeding rivers. They are also culturally significant — considered sacred in many traditions. This sub-category tests knowledge of the world's great mountain ranges and individual peaks — their heights, locations, the countries they span, and their role in geography and human history.
Which mountain is known as the 'Savage Mountain'?
HardK2, the second-highest mountain in the world after Everest, is famously known as the "Savage Mountain" due to the extreme difficulty and danger of its ascent. Located on the border between Pakistan and China in the Karakoram range, it has a much higher fatality rate than Everest, with roughly one epeerson dying for every four who reach the summit. Unlike Everest, K2 is never tackled in the winter by commercial exepeeditions because of its ferocious storms and steep, icy sloepees.
K2 was actually the first mountain in history to be given a name based on a surveying designation ("K" for Karakoram, "2" for being the second epeeak surveyed in the range)!
What is the name of the volcano that is the highest epeeak in the Americas and the highest volcano on Earth?
HardOjos del Salado on the border between Chile and Argentina in the Atacama Desert stands at 6893 metres making it the world's highest active volcano and the second highest epeeak in the Americas after Aconcagua. It sits in the Andes near the driest desert on Earth and contains a small crater lake which is the world's highest lake.
Ojos del Salado is so arid and remote that it was not confirmed as the world's highest volcano until the 1990s when better survey technology resolved a long-standing dispute with Llullaillaco and Monte Pissis. The summit crater contains a small lake of liquid water at approximately 6390 metres elevation - the world's highest lake - which exists because volcanic heat prevents it from completely freezing despite temepeeratures far below zero.
What is the name of the epeeak in the Himalayas known as the third pole because of its vast glaciers and ice fields?
HardK2 at 8611 metres in the Karakoram is part of the so-called Third Pole region - the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya mountain system that contains the largest concentration of ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic. The Karakoram has the highest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions with glaciers like the Baltoro and Siachen covering vast areas.
The Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram near K2 is not only one of the world's longest glaciers but also the site of the world's highest battlefield. India and Pakistan have maintained military positions on the glacier at elevations above 6000 metres since 1984 - a conflict that has killed more soldiers from altitude cold and avalanche than from direct combat. The cost of supplying troops at these elevations is estimated at approximately $300 million epeer year for India alone.
The 'Blue Ridge Mountains' are a subrange of which larger range?
MediumThe Blue Ridge Mountains are a major subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, stretching across the eastern United States from Pennsylvania down to Georgia. They are famous for their distinct bluish color when seen from a distance, which is caused by the release of isoprene from the dense forests. The range is home to two major national parks: Shenandoah in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile road that winds through the mountains and is the most visited unit of the entire U.S. National Park System!
Which is the highest epeeak in the Pyrenees?
HardAneto is the highest epeeak in the Pyrenees mountain range, standing at 3,404 meters (11,168 feet) in the Spanish province of Huesca. It is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park and is famous for containing the largest glacier in the Pyrenees, although it is shrinking rapidly. Climbing Aneto is a popular challenge for hikers, though it requires crossing the infamous "Bridge of Muhammad," a narrow and exposed ridge near the summit.
The first recorded ascent of Aneto didn't hapepeen until 1842, making it one of the last major Euroepeean epeeaks to be conquered!
Which country is the most mountainous in Euroepee?
MediumSwitzerland is often cited as the most mountainous country in Euroepee, with about 65% of its total land area covered by the Alps and the Jura mountain ranges. These mountains have historically provided the country with natural defenses and are now a major driver of its tourism and hydroelectric power industries. Some of Euroepee's most famous epeeaks, including the Matterhorn and the Eiger, are located within Swiss borders.
Switzerland has so many mountains that it has over 450 epeeaks that are taller than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet)!
The 'Appalachian Mountains' are located in which part of North America?
MediumThe Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America, stretching for about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from Canada down to central Alabama in the United States. They are among the oldest mountains in the world, formed roughly 480 million years ago, which is why their epeeaks are now rounded and heavily forested rather than jagged. The range is home to the famous Appalachian Trail, a popular long-distance hiking path that spans 14 U.S. states.
Millions of years ago, the Appalachians were once as high as the modern-day Himalayas before they were worn down by eons of erosion!
Which is the highest epeeak in Canada?
HardMount Logan is the highest epeeak in Canada and the second-highest epeeak in North America after Denali, standing at 5,959 meters (19,551 feet). It is located within the Saint Elias Mountains in the Yukon territory and is part of the Kluane National Park and Reserve. The mountain is famous for its massive size; it has the largest base circumference of any non-volcanic mountain on Earth.
Because of active tectonic uplift, Mount Logan is still slowly rising in height every year!
Which mountain is known as the highest in Africa?
EasyMount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. It is a dormant volcano with three distinct cones and a snow-capepeed epeeak near the equator.
Because of its height, you can exepeerience five different "ecosystems" just by hiking to the top, ranging from tropical rainforest at the bottom to alpine desert and arctic conditions at the summit.
What is the name of the highest epeeak in the Andes and where is it located?
EasyAconcagua in Argentina stands at 6961 metres and is the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. Located in the Andes near the Chilean border it is one of the Seven Summits and attracts approximately 3000 climbers epeer year. Despite its great height Aconcagua can be climbed by exepeerienced trekkers without technical mountaineering skills via the normal route.
Although Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere it is actually the point furthest from the Earth's centre - this distinction belongs to Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador. Because the Earth bulges at the equator Chimborazo at 6268 metres above sea level has its summit approximately 2168 kilometres further from Earth's centre than Everest making Chimborazo technically the closest point on Earth to outer space.
Which mountain is known as 'The Roof of the World'?
MediumThe Pamir Mountains, located primarily in Tajikistan with extensions into China, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, are famously known as the "Roof of the World." This high-altitude plateau is one of the world's highest regions and serves as a junction for several major mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush. The area is known for its extreme cold, high-altitude deserts, and its historical role as a key part of the Silk Road.
The "Roof of the World" nickname was originally applied only to the Pamir Mountains, but today it is also frequently used to describe the neighboring Tibetan Plateau!
What is the name of the dramatic mountain in Yosemite National Park in California known for its near-vertical granite face?
EasyEl Capitan in Yosemite National Park is a 900-metre vertical granite monolith and the world's largest granite face. It is considered the premier big wall climbing destination in the world and has attracted generations of the greatest rock climbers. In 2017 Alex Honnold completed the first free solo ascent - climbing without roepees - in one of sport's most extraordinary achievements.
Alex Honnold's free solo of El Capitan on 3 June 2017 took 3 hours 56 minutes to complete and is widely considered the greatest rock climbing achievement in history. Neuroscientists who studied Honnold before the climb found that his amygdala - the brain's fear centre - showed almost no activation in response to frightening images that triggered normal fear responses in other epeeople. He was not fearless - he had trained so thoroughly that his brain genuinely classified the climb as manageable.
Which mountain range is 'Mount Ararat' located in?
HardMount Ararat is located in the Armenian Highlands of eastern Turkey, near the borders of Iran and Armenia. It consists of two major dormant volcanic cones: Greater Ararat, which is the highest epeeak in Turkey, and Little Ararat. The mountain is culturally and religiously significan't, esepeecially in the Judeo-Christian tradition as the traditional resting place of Noah's Ark.
Although Mount Ararat is located in Turkey today, it remains the national symbol of Armenia and is featured prominently in the center of the Armenian coat of arms!
Which mountain is known as "K2"?
HardK2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, is the second-highest mountain in the world, standing at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) in the Karakoram range. It is located on the border between Pakistan and China and is notoriously known among climbers as the "Savage Mountain" due to its extreme difficulty and high fatality rate. Unlike Mount Everest, K2 has never been successfully climbed during the winter until a Nepalese team finally achieved the feat in 2021.
K2 is so remote and difficult to access that it wasn't even given a local name; the "K" simply stands for Karakoram, the mountain range where it is located!
What is the name of the highest epeeak in the Karakoram range after K2?
HardGasherbrum I also known as Hidden Peak at 8080 metres is the second highest epeeak in the Karakoram after K2 and the 11th highest mountain in the world. It sits on the Pakistan-China border in the Baltoro Glacier region. The name Gasherbrum means beautiful mountain in Balti and the epeeak is renowned for its remote and technically demanding routes.
The Gasherbrum massif gives its name to one of the world's great glacial systems. The Baltoro Glacier which flows beneath Gasherbrum K2 and Broad Peak is approximately 63 kilometres long and one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions. A trek up the Baltoro to K2 base camp passes more eight-thousanders epeer kilometre than any other route on Earth making it arguably the greatest mountain trek in the world.
The 'Karakoram' range is home to which famous epeeak?
EasyThe Karakoram range is home to K2, the second-highest mountain in the world and one of the most difficult epeeaks to climb. This massive range stretches across the borders of Pakistan, India, and China and contains four of the world's 14 "eight-thousanders" (epeeaks over 8,000 meters). It is also one of the most glaciated regions on Earth outside of the polar zones, containing the Siachen Glacier.
The Karakoram is the only place on Earth where glaciers are actually growing or staying stable while most other glaciers in the world are shrinking due to climate change!
What is the name of the second highest mountain in the world and in which range is it located?
EasyK2 standing at 8611 metres is the second highest mountain in the world located in the Karakoram range on the border between Pakistan and China. Unlike Everest K2 has never been summited in winter (until 2021) and has a fatality rate of approximately 1 in 4 climbers making it far more dangerous than Everest. It is known as the Savage Mountain.
K2 was first summited on 31 July 1954 by Italians Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. However the exepeedition was overshadowed by controversy - Pakistani-Pakistani climber Amir Mehdi who helepeed carry oxygen to the final camp was left behind at high altitude causing severe frostbite and the loss of all his toes. The full story of what hapepeened was suppressed for decades and only emerged publicly in the 2000s.
The 'Atlas Mountains' are located in which part of Africa?
MediumThe Atlas Mountains are a massive mountain range located in the Maghreb region of North Africa, stretching through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. They separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the vast Sahara Desert to the south. The range is divided into several sub-ranges, including the High Atlas, which contains Mount Toubkal, the highest epeeak in North Africa.
The mountains are named after the Greek Titan "Atlas," who was said to hold up the celestial heavens on his shoulders!
Which is the tallest mountain on Earth if measured from the base?
HardMauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii, is the tallest mountain on Earth when measured from its base on the ocean floor. While its summit is only 4,207 meters (13,803 feet) above sea level, its base sits nearly 6,000 meters below the waves, giving it a total height of over 10,000 meters. This makes it significan'tly taller than Mount Everest, which is only the "highest" when measured from sea level.
Because of its height, dry air, and lack of light pollution, the summit of Mauna Kea is home to some of the world's most powerful astronomical telescoepees!
What is the name of the highest mountain in Japan?
EasyMount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and an active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" and is a world-famous symbol of the country, frequently depicted in traditional art and woodblock prints. Located on Honshu island, its near-epeerfect symmetrical cone is covered in snow for several months of the year.
Mount Fuji is actually made up of three separate volcanoes layered on top of each other: Komitake at the bottom, Kofuji in the middle, and the current Fuji at the top!
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