7 Facts About The Himalayas Will Leave You Speechless

Here are some interesting and fun facts about the Himalayas you never would know otherwise.

1. It Is One Of The Youngest Mountain Ranges In The World

The Himalayas are close to 25 million years old and stand as one of the youngest mountains in the world. The mountain range was formed as a result of a collision between Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

2. It’s Also The Most Restless Set Of Mountains

The Indo-Australian plate is presently moving at 67 mm per year and in the next 10 million years it is calculated to travel about 1,500 km into Asia. No other mountain range is moving this fast.

3. The Himalayas, If Literally Translated, Means ‘Abode of Snow’

The Himalayas was named by joining two Sanskrit words — 'Hima', which means snow and ‘Alaya,’ which means abode, literally meaning 'Abode of Snow'. 

4. Mt. Everest’s Original Name Is 'Sagarmatha'

People in Nepal call the highest peak - 'Sagarmatha', which means 'Goddess of the Universe'. The Tibetians call it 'Chomolungma', which means 'Goddess Mother of Mountains'. Mount Everest was named in honour of Sir George Everest, the predecessor of Sir Andrew Waugh, the Surveyor General of India, 1865.

5. The Only Mountain Range That Streches Across 6 Different Countries

Six different countries namely India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The only mountain range in the world covering as many countries. 

6. It’s Home To Most Number Of Highest Peaks In The World

There are 25 peaks in the Himalayas, that exceeds 8,000 metres. Also, it is one of the few places on Earth where the snow never melts.

7. The Rivers Originating From The Himalayas Are Older Than The Peaks

The rivers flowing from the Himalayas are older than the Himalayan peaks. The Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra and Yarlung rivers originate from the Himalayas to form the three major rivers in the Asian continent.

Source:HolidayIq

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