This article provides basic information about the highest mountain system - the Himalayas. More detailed information can be found in the online magazine AttractionStory.ru
The Himalayas are the highest peak on planet Earth. The vast mountain complex stretches for almost 24,000 km. Width - over 13,000 km. The total area is more than 1,000,000 km². The height of the highest point exceeds 8,800 m - this hill is called Everest. In total, the mountain range consists of 109 peaks.
Mountains are the natural border separating the Hindustan Peninsula from mainland Asia. The Himalayas are marked on the map of five countries - Nepal, Bhutan, India, China, Pakistan. In addition, it is in the peaks of the Himalayas that it originates greatest river India - Ganges.
The origin of the name of the mountains comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit - “Himalaya” literally means a snowy abode, a snowy kingdom.
The Himalayas are a three-stage system
- The Pre-Himalayas are a complex of mountain hills, the height of which does not exceed 2 thousand m.
- Small Himalayas. The peaks of the mountains, forming “small” hills, reach 4 km.
- Great Himalayas. They are the ones who form the most high peaks mountain complex.
Climate and nature of the mountains
The Himalayas are a natural dividing barrier climatic zones. Thus, in the north of the mountains, continental moderate winds reign, the air currents are dry and cold. The southern direction is represented by tropical air masses with a large number precipitation in summer.
Temperatures at the highest elevations reach –25°C in summer and drop to –40°C in winter.
The large amount of precipitation and significant altitude of the mountain range led to the formation of large glaciers and a branched river system. Many lakes have formed in the mountains, but all of them are significantly smaller in size than alpine reservoirs.
The vegetation of the Himalayas has a tiered distribution. At the very foot of the mountains there are swampy jungles, one tier higher - tropical forests, then there is a kingdom of deciduous and coniferous species, replaced by mixed forests, on the uppermost slopes the vegetation is presented in the form of alpine meadows. At an altitude of over 4.5 km (from the southern part of the mountains) and 6 km (from the north) there is the border of eternal snow.
The fauna of the Himalayas also varies depending on the altitude and prevailing landscape. For example, at the foot of the mountains in the jungle live Indian rhinoceroses and elephants, antelopes and buffalos. Alpine meadows are the territory where Himalayan bears, yaks and snow leopards (today on the verge of extinction) reign.
Ethnic and religious diversity
Due to severe climatic conditions the highlands and mid-mountain heights are sparsely populated by people. The bulk of the population lives in the lowlands of the mountains and at their foot. The Himalayas are inhabited by representatives of various nations. Most of them lived isolated from each other for many centuries, and therefore have significant anthropological and cultural differences. So in the south, Aryan peoples from Hindustan predominate. The Dards, who have characteristic Mediterranean features, also live here, which gave reason to assume that they are the descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great. The western slopes of the mountains are inhabited by Persian and Turkic peoples, while Tibetans live in the northeast.
Most of the population is employed in agriculture. The main industries are agriculture and cattle breeding. IN recent years There has been an increase in employment of the local population in the tourism sector.
Basic religious beliefs mountain peoples are represented various currents Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.
Sights of the Himalayas: natural and man-made
The Himalayas are the center of attraction for tourists. The region is rich in cultural and natural attractions.
First of all, high mountains call travelers on their journey. Every climber dreams of conquering the highest peak in the world - Everest.
Many adventurers go to mysterious Tibet in search of the mythical Shambhala. Tibet attracts tourists with a desire to get acquainted with their famous temples and see the legendary Tibetan monks. Pilgrims rush to the mountains for healing.
In addition, paranormal researchers believe that the Himalayas are the refuge of Bigfoot. Faith in this legend attracts many cinematic expeditions, both professionals and amateurs.
Adherents of the philosophical teaching of yoga, which is popular these days, strive to the Indian Himalayas in order to be imbued with the true light of religion. In addition, the Indian Himalayas are the main point of attraction for Russian tourists. It is here that the estate of the famous Russian painter and scientist Nicholas Roerich is located, where he spent the last years of his life. The artist’s house-museum displays a large collection of his works and stores memorabilia of the painter and members of his family, collected over a long period.
History buffs are attracted to the palaces and monuments of India, Tibet, Nepal and other countries.
Of course, no one will be indifferent to the rich and multifaceted culture of the region and the beauty of the natural world.
The Himalayas are undoubtedly the highest mountain structure in the world. It stretches over a distance of 2,400 meters from the northwest towards the southeast. Its western part is 400 kilometers wide, and its eastern part is approximately 150 kilometers wide.
In the article we will look at where the Himalayas are located, in which states the mountain range is located and who lives in this territory.
Kingdom of the Snows
The pictures of the Himalayan peaks are mesmerizing. Many can easily answer the question of where on our planet these giants are located.
The map shows that they are located over a vast territory: starting from the northern hemisphere and ending along the way, they cross South Asia and the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Then they gradually develop into other mountain systems.
The unusual location of the mountains lies in the fact that they are located on the territory of 5 countries. The Himalayas can be boasted by the Indians, the Nepalese, the Chinese, the residents of Bhutan, and Pakistan, and the northern side of Bangladesh.
How the Himalayas appeared and developed
This mountain system, from a geological point of view, is quite young. It was assigned to the Himalaya coordinates: 27°59′17″ N latitude and 86°55′31″ E longitude
There are two phenomena that influenced the appearance of mountains:
- The system was formed mainly from sediments and rocks interacting in earth's crust. At first they folded into peculiar folds, and then rose to a certain height.
- The formation of the Himalayas was influenced by the merger of two lithospheric plates, which began about 50 million years ago. Because of this, the ancient Tethys ocean disappeared.
Dimensions of the Himalayan peaks
This mountain system includes 10 of the 14 highest mountains on Earth, which have exceeded the 8 km mark. The highest of them is Mount Chomolungma (Everest) - 8,848 meters up. On average, all Himalayan mountains exceed 6 km.
In the table you can see which peaks the mountain system includes, their height and the location of the Himalayas by country.
Three main steps
The Himalaya mountains have formed 3 main levels, each of which is higher than the previous one.
Description of the Himalayan steps, starting with the lowest height:
- The Siwalik Range is the southernmost, lowest and youngest level. Its length is 1 km 700 meters between the lowlands of the Indus and Brahmaputra, and its width is from 10 to 50 km. The height of the Siwalik hill does not exceed 2 km. This mountain range is located mainly on the soil of Nepal, capturing the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- The Lesser Himalayas are the second stage, going in the same direction as the Siwalik, only closer to the north. On average, their height is approximately 2.5 km and only in the west they reach 4 km. These two Himalayan steps have many river valleys that divide the massif into isolated areas.
- The Greater Himalayas are the third level, which is much further north and higher than the previous two. Some peaks here are much more than 8 km in height. And the depressions in the mountain ridges are more than 4 km. Multiple glacial accumulations are located over an area of more than 33 thousand km 2. They contain fresh water in a volume of about 12 thousand km 3. The largest and most famous glacier is Gangotri - the beginning of the Indian Ganges River.
Himalayan water system
The three largest South Asian rivers - the Indus, Brahmaputra and Ganges - begin their journey in the Himalayas. The western Himalayan rivers are part of the Indus River catchment, while all others are adjacent to the Brahmaputra-Gangetic basin. The easternmost side of the Himalayas belongs to the system Also in this mountain structure there are many naturally occurring reservoirs that do not have connections with other rivers, seas and oceans. For example, lakes Bangong Tso and Yamjoyum Tso (700 and 621 km 2, respectively). And then there is Lake Tilicho, which is located very high in the mountains - at 1919 m, and is considered one of the highest in the world.
Extensive glaciers are another feature of the mountain system. They cover an area of 33 thousand km 2 and store about 7 km 3 of snow. The largest and longest glaciers are Zema, Gangotri and Rongbuk.
Weather conditions
The weather in the mountains is changeable and is affected by geographical location The Himalayas, their vast territory.
- On the southern side, under the influence of the monsoon, a lot of precipitation falls in summer - up to 4 meters in the east, up to 1 meter per year in the west, and almost none in winter.
- In the north, on the contrary, there is almost no rain at all; a continental climate, cold and dry, prevails here. High in the mountains there are severe frosts and strong winds. The air temperature is below -40 o C.
Temperatures in summer reach -25 °C, and in winter - up to -40 °C. In mountainous areas, wind speeds of up to 150 km/h are often encountered. In the Himalayas, the weather changes quite often.
The Himalayan mountain structure also influences the weather of the entire region. The mountains act as protection from the freezing, dry gusts of wind that blow from the north, so the climate in India is warmer than in Asian countries, which, by the way, are located in the same latitudes.
The weather in Tibet is very dry because all the monsoon winds that blow from the south and bring a lot of rain cannot cross the high mountains. All moisture-containing air volumes settle in them.
There is an assumption that the Himalayas also took part in the formation of the deserts of Asia, since they prevented the passage of rainfall.
Flora and fauna
Flora directly depends on the height of the Himalayas.
- The base of the Siwalik range is covered with swampy forests and terai (a kind of undergrowth).
- The green ones start a little higher dense forests with a high stand of trees, there are deciduous and conifers. Further on there are mountain meadows covered with thick grass.
- Forests, which consist of deciduous trees and small shrubs, predominate at altitudes greater than 2 km. And coniferous forests are more than 2 km 600 meters.
- Above 3 km 500 meters the kingdom of bushes begins.
- On the northern slopes the weather is drier, so there is much less vegetation. Mostly mountainous deserts and steppes predominate.
The fauna is very diverse and depends on where the Himalayas are located and their position above sea level.
- The southern tropics are home to wild elephants, antelopes, tigers, rhinoceroses and leopards, and a very large number of monkeys.
- A little higher live the famous Himalayan bears, mountain sheep and goats, and yaks.
- And even higher up, snow leopards are sometimes found.
There are many nature reserves in the Himalayas. For example, national park Sagarmatha.
Population
A significant part of people live in the southern Himalayas, whose height does not reach 5 km. For example, in the Kashirskaya and Kathmandu basins. These areas are quite densely populated, land plots almost all are cultivated
In the Himalayas, the population is divided into ethnic groups. It so happens that these places are difficult to get to, people for a long time lived in isolated tribes with little contact with their neighbors. Often in winter, the inhabitants of a basin found themselves completely isolated from others, because it was impossible to get to their neighbors due to snow piles in the mountains.
It is known where the Himalayas are located - on the territory of five countries. Residents of the region communicate in two languages: Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman.
Religious views also vary: some extol Buddha, while others worship Hinduism.
The Himalayan Sherpas live high in the mountains of Eastern Nepal, including the Everest region. They often work as assistants on expeditions: they show the way and carry things. They have adapted perfectly to the altitude, so even at the highest points of this mountain system they do not suffer from a lack of oxygen. Apparently, this is inherited at the genetic level.
The inhabitants of the Himalayas are mainly engaged in agricultural work. If the land plots are relatively flat and there is a reserve sufficient quantity water, the peasants successfully grow potatoes, rice, peas, oats and barley. Where the climate is warmer, for example in depressions, lemons, oranges, apricots, tea and grapes grow. High in the mountains, residents keep yaks, sheep and goats. Yaks carry cargo, but they are also kept for meat, wool and milk.
Special values of the Himalayas
There are many attractions in the Himalayas: Buddhist and Hindu monasteries, temples, relics. At the foot of the mountains is the city of Rishikesh, a sacred place for Hindus. It was in this city that yoga was born; this city is considered the capital of harmony of body and soul.
The town of Hardwar or the "Gateway to God" is another sacred place for the locals. It is located on the descent from the mountain of the Ganges River, which flows out onto the plain.
You can take a walk through the Valley of Flowers National Park, which is located on the western side of the Himalayas. This area strewn with beautiful flowers is a UNESCO national heritage site.
Tourist travel
In the Himalaya mountain system, sports such as climbing and hiking along mountain trails are very popular.
The most popular tracks include:
- The famous Annapurna Path passes the slopes of the mountain range of the same name in northern Nepal. The length of the journey is about 211 km. In height it varies from 800 m to 5 km 416 meters. Along the way, tourists can admire the high-mountain Lake Tilicho.
- You can see the area near Manaslu, which is located around the Mansiri Himal mountains. It partially coincides with the first route.
The travel time of these routes is influenced by the tourist’s preparation, time of year and weather. To an unprepared person It is dangerous to immediately climb to a height, as “mountain sickness” may begin. Besides, it's not safe. You need to be well prepared and purchase special equipment for mountaineering.
Almost every person knows where the Himalayas are and dreams of visiting there. Travel to the mountains attracts tourists from different countries, including from Russia. Remember that it is better to climb in the warm season, preferably in autumn or spring. In the Himalayas it rains in summer, and in winter it is very cold and impassable.
The most majestic and mysterious mountain range on our planet is the Himalayas. This massif, whose name translates as the abode of snow, conventionally separates Central and South Asia, and the height of its individual peaks reaches more than 8,000 meters. The Himalayas are rightfully considered the most high mountains in the world, look at the Himalayas on the map and find out why these mountains are so unusual.
Location of the Himalayas mountain system on the world map
“Where are the Himalayas, in which country?” - this question often arises among novice travelers who have heard about the beauty of the most inaccessible mountains on the planet and decided to go there in search of adventure. Looking at the world map, you can see that the Himalayas are located in the northern hemisphere between the Tibetan Plateau and the Indo-Gangetic Plain. India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh are the countries whose territories cover the Himalayas. The most visited country in the Himalayas is India. There are many attractions and resorts here. The massif is 2900 km long and about 350 km wide. There are 83 peaks in the mountain system, the highest of which is Everest, the height of the mountain is 8848 m.
The Himalayan mountains on the map consist of three main stages:
- Siwalik Range. This is the southernmost part of the mountain range. The ridge is located in Nepal and affects several states of India. Here the height of the Himalayan mountains does not exceed 2 km.
- Small Himalayas. This ridge runs parallel to the Siwalik Range. The average altitude here is 2.5 km.
- Great Himalayas. This is the highest and oldest part of the mountain range. The height of the ridge exceeds 8 km, and it is here that the highest peaks of the planet are located.
Highest Peaks
The mountain range contains 9 of the 10 highest peaks in the world. Here are the highest ones:
- Chomolungma – 8848 m.
- Kanchenjunga – 8586 m.
- Lhotse – 8516 m.
- Makalu – 8463 m.
- Cho Oyu – 8201 m.
Most of them are located on the territory of Tibet, and this is where mountain conquerors from all over the planet flock, because climbing the highest peaks is the life’s work of a real climber.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Himalayas changes with changes in altitude. The natural features of the Himalayas at different levels surprise with the change of landscapes, animals and flora. In the foothills of the small Himalayas, terai or swampy jungles predominate, above them they are replaced by tropical forests, then mixed, coniferous, and finally, alpine meadows appear. The northern slopes are dominated by deserts and semi-deserts. Animal world The Himalayas are as diverse as their vegetation. Here you can still find wild tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants and monkeys, and when you rise higher, the risk of encountering a bear, mountain yak and snow leopard increases.
In the mountains that cover Nepal there is a unique nature reserve where endangered species of animals are still preserved. The zone is under the protection of UNESCO. Mount Everest is located within this reserve.
Rivers and lakes
It is in the Himalayas that the three largest rivers in South Asia originate. These include the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus. Moreover, there are many beautiful and clean lakes in the mountain range. The highest mountain is Lake Tilicho, located at an altitude of 4919 m.
The special pride of the Himalayas is, of course, the glaciers. By quantity of reserves fresh water Only the Arctic and Antarctic have bypassed the mountain range. The largest glacier here is the Gantotri formation, which reaches a length of 26 km.
When is it nice to be in the Himalayas?
According to travelers, it is always good in the Himalayas. Each season gives the slopes of this ridge unique landscapes, the beauty of which is simply impossible to describe in words. In spring, the slopes are strewn with beautiful flowers, the aroma of which spreads for many kilometers; in summer, during the rainy season, lush greenery breaks through the light fog and gives freshness and coolness; autumn is a riot of colors; and in winter, when snow falls, there is no cleaner and whiter place in the world.
The main tourist season is in the autumn months, but even in winter there are many skiing enthusiasts, because the Himalayas are home to many world-famous ski resorts.
Himalayas. View from space
Himalayas - "abode of snow", Hindi.
Geography
Himalayas - the highest mountain system on the globe, located in Asia (India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan), between the Tibetan Plateau (in the north) and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south). The Himalayas extend from 73°E in the northwest to 95°E in the southeast. The total length is more than 2400 km, the maximum width is 350 km. The average height is about 6000 m. Height is up to 8848 m (Mount Everest), 11 peaks are more than 8 thousand meters.
The Himalayas are divided into three stages from south to north.
- Southern, lower stage (Pre-Himalayas). The Siwalik Mountains consist of the Dundva, Chowriaghati (average height 900 m), Solya Singi, Potwar Plateau, Kala Chitta and Margala ranges. The width of the step ranges from 10 to 50 km, the height does not exceed 1000 m.
Kathmandu Valley
- Small Himalayas, second stage. A vast highland 80 - 100 km wide, average height - 3500 - 4000 m. Maximum height - 6500 m.
Includes part of the Kashmir Himalayas - Pir Panjal (Haramush - 5142 m).
Between the outlying ridge of the second stage, called Dauladar "White Mountains"(average altitude - 3000 m) and the Main Himalayas at an altitude of 1350 - 1650 m lie the valleys of Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) and Kathmandu.
- Third stage - Greater Himalayas. This step is strongly dissected and forms a large chain of ridges. The maximum width is 90 km, height is 8848 m. The average height of the passes reaches 4500 m, some exceed 6000 m. The Greater Himalayas are divided into Assam, Nepal, Kumaon and Punjab Himalayas.
- Main Himalayan range. The average height is 5500 - 6000 m. Here, in the area between the Sutlej and Arun rivers, there are eight of the ten Himalayan eight-thousanders.
Beyond the gorge of the Arun River, the Main Ridge drops slightly - Jonsang Peak (7459 m), from which a branched spur with the Kanchenjunga massif extends to the south, the four peaks of which exceed a height of 8000 m (maximum height - 8585 m).
In the section between the Indus and the Sutlej, the Main Range is divided into the Western Himalayas and the Northern Range.
- Northern ridge. In the northwestern part it is called Deosai, and in the southeastern part it is called Zanskar (“white copper”) (the highest point is Kamet Peak, 7756 m). To the north is the Indus Valley, beyond which to the north is the Karakoram mountain system.
Translated into Russian, the word “Himalayas” means “kingdom of snow.” This highest mountain system in the world rises on the border between Central and South Asia and separates the Tibetan Plateau from the Indus and Ganges lowlands (see the map of the physical and geographical zoning of Eurasia with links to photographs of the nature of this region). It was formed during the Cenozoic within that part of ancient Tethys, where the convergence of the marginal zones of Eurasia and the Hindustan block, which separated from Gondwana, took place.
Relief. The Himalayas are the most important geomorphological, climatic and floristic boundary. The physical-geographical and geomorphological boundaries of the mountain system itself are clearly expressed. In the north these are the longitudinal intermountain valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the south - the edge of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, in the northwest and southeast - the transverse valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra. In the north-west, the Himalayas border on the Hindu Kush, in the south-east - on the Sino-Tibetan mountains. Total length mountain system - more than 2400 km, width - 200-350 km. The Himalayas are part of China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Dozens of peaks in the Himalayas reach 7000 m, 11 peaks exceed 8000 m, and the passes are located at an average altitude of 5000 m, which exceeds the maximum altitude of the Alps (Fig. 50).
Rice. 50. Comparative profile of the Alps and Himalayas
The highest peak of the Himalayas and the whole world - Chomolungma (Everest), (8848 m) - was conquered only in 1953. The rise of the Himalayas has not ended at the present time, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes and the high position of early Quaternary sediments above sea level.
Geological structure. The structure of the mountains involves crystalline, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various ages, from Archean to Quaternary, crushed into intense folds, complicated in the central parts by powerful thrusts and splits.
Features of the geological structure - the predominance of Precambrian rocks similar to the complexes of the Indian Platform, the very limited distribution of marine sedimentary strata and the presence of continental sediments close to Gondwanan - give reason to consider the Himalayas as a mountain system that arose on the site of the edge of the Indian Platform, which underwent tectonic activation in the Neogene -Quaternary time in connection with the attachment of the Hindustan Plate to the rest of Eurasia and the closure of Tethys.
The Himalayas do not form ridges stretching over long distances, but break up into separate massifs, separated from one another by deep transverse river valleys. This is due to the fact that the valleys of the largest rivers - the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra - were formed before the general grandiose uplift of the mountains. The uplift was accompanied by the incision of rivers and the formation of epigenetic valleys of the Himalayas.
The foothills of the Himalayas are composed of young sediments folded in the middle of the Quaternary period. They are known collectively as the Siwalik Mountains; their height on the territory of Nepal is about 1000 m. In some places they are closely pressed against the ridges of the Himalayas proper, in others they are separated by a strip of wide tectonic valleys - dunes. The Siwalik Mountains fall steeply to the north and south.
The next highest step of the Himalayas is the Lesser Himalayas; they are composed of crystalline Precambrian rocks, as well as highly metamorphosed sedimentary deposits of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene. This strip is characterized by intense folding, faulting and volcanism. The height of the ridges reaches an average of 3500-4500 m, and individual peaks rise up to 6000 m. In the northwest, the Pir Panjal ridge with a height of more than 6000 m stretches, then to the southeast it is replaced by the Lesser Himalayas proper, which join the Greater Himalayas (Main Himalayas). Himalayan range) high-mountainous powerful massif Dhaulagiri (8221 m). Further to the east, the entire Himalayan system narrows, the zone of the Lesser Himalayas presses against the Main Range, forming the medium-high Mahabharata Mountains, and even further east - the high and highly dissected Duar Mountains.
Between the Small and Great Himalayas there is a strip of tectonic basins, which in the recent past were occupied by lakes and processed by glaciers. The most famous in the west is the Kashmir Basin at an altitude of 1600 m, with the main city of Kashmir being Srinagar. The existence of a lake that formerly filled the basin is evidenced by terraces well defined on the slopes. Several residual lakes remain on the surface of the flat bottom. The second large basin of the central part of the Himalayas - Kathmandu in Nepal - is located at an altitude of about 1400 m; it contains most of the population of this high mountainous country.
To the north of the basins rise the Great Himalayas, reaching medium height 6000 m. This is a well-defined alpine ridge above which the highest peaks of the world rise. At the western end of the Main Range is the grandiose massif of Nangaparbat (8126 m), then there is a series of peaks exceeding 6000 and 7000 m, then eight-thousandth giants rise, covered with snow and ice: Dhaulagiri (8167), Kutang (8126 m), Gosaintan (8013 m) ) etc. Among them, the highest peak of the world, Chomolungma (Everest) with a height of 8848 m, does not even particularly stand out. Kanchenjunga (8598 m) is magnificent and majestic, only slightly inferior to it.
The northern slope of the Greater Himalayas is flatter and more accessible than the southern one. The Ladakh ridge with a height of up to 7728 m stretches along it. Many rivers originate on its slopes, which then cross the Main Range. To the north of Ladakh, behind the wide longitudinal valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, the marginal ridges of the Tibetan Plateau (Trans-Himalaya) rise.
Useful fossils. The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.
Climatic conditions. The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks. Therefore, you can climb Chomolungma only in the spring, during a short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend approximately between 35 and 28° N, and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates large climatic differences within the Himalayas. The most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the belt of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places the annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m snow occurs throughout the year.
On the southern slopes up to an altitude of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6...7 °C, in July 18...19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones.
Natural water. High altitude and heavy precipitation contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.
Especially many rivers flow from the southern slope of the mountains. They begin in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothills, reach the plain. Some large rivers originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic Plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. These are the Indus, its tributary the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).
The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-like valleys of the Himalayas are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often cause severe flooding in mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.
There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that can be compared in size and beauty with the Alpine ones. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir Panjal range is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirques or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine.
Vegetation. On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, in places almost impassable due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.
Above the terai, on the wet slopes of the mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.
At altitudes above 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of subtropical flora, for example, magnificently blooming magnolias found. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt. The high-mountain meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the alpine belt in the east reaches an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.
In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to lower humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation; the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is a complete absence of the Terai strip, the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and thickets of shrubs, higher up there are some subtropical Mediterranean species like evergreen holm oak and golden-leaved olive, and even higher up coniferous forests of pine trees and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) predominate. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the meadow alpine vegetation is more diverse.
The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes of Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.
Animal world. The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous to the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.
In the upper mountain belt and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to that of Tibet. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and sheep, and yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.
Population and environmental problems. Most of the population is concentrated in middle lane southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.
Because of high altitude Passes in the Himalayas significantly complicate communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are accessible only in summer. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.
The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable species of plants and animals. The real “treasures” are those included in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List national parks India and Nepal - Nan-dadevi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan.
