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Year 6: Reaching the Summit: Mountain Ranges

The Atlas Mountains


High-Atlas Mountain Range, Morocco

The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in northwest Africa. They are not one mountain range but a series of ranges and extend about 2,400 km (1,500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The Atlas Mountain Range is commonly divided into six separate ranges: Middle Atlas, High Atlas, Anti-Atlas, Tell Atlas, Saharan Atlas, and the Aurès Mountains. 

The Alps


Lauterbrunnen valley in the Swiss Alps

The Alps is the greatest mountain range of Europe occupying roughly 68,000 square miles (176,000 square kilometers). It reaches from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west. The original meaning of the word was 'white'.

Resources in the Junior Library

What are mountain ranges?


Aerial view of the Caucasus Mountains, a mountain range in Eurasia
Image source: Kiddle.co

Mountain ranges (mountain chain, mountain belt) are groups or long chains of mountains. They can be found throughout the world and usually include highlands or mountain passes and valleys.

The Himalayas


The Himalayas from the International Space Station
Image source: Kiddle.co

The Himalayas are a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. From North to South, the Himalayas stretch across six nations: Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The 15 highest mountains in the world are found there; the main ones are Mount Everest, K2, Annapurna, and Nanga Parbat.

Nepal and Mount Everest


Colourful flags at the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal

Mt. Everest, seen from Tingri, a small village on the Tibetan plateau at around 4050m above sea level.
Image source: Kiddle.co

Nepal lies between China and India in South Asia. The country is slightly larger than the state of Arkansas. Nepal has the greatest altitude change of any location on Earth. The lowlands are at sea level and the mountains of the Himalaya are the tallest in the world. Mount Everest rises to 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) and is the world’s highest peak.

To learn more about Nepal and Mount Everest, visit the links below:

The Andes


Machu Pichuu, one of the Wonders of the World, can be found at the Central Andes, in Peru

The Andes are the longest mountain range of the world, and the second-highest after the Himalayas. They stretch over 7,000 km / 4,400 miles from the south of Argentina and Chile to the north of Colombia. They are also found in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The Andes mountain range is the highest mountain range outside Asia.

7 (or 8) Summits: The World’s Highest Mountains by Continent

For mountaineers, climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of each of the world's continents, would be the highest accomplishment of their sport. Visit the links below to find out more about the Seven Summits: 

Everest From Above

Photographer Renan Ozturk used specially modified drones to capture Everest and its surrounding peaks in 360-degree panoramas. Visit the link below to follow his journey: