Description to topographic map set Himalayas

Topographic map set Himalayas has now a short reference article. In this article one will find information about the geologic structure and tectonic relief of Himalayas. Also one will get to know what rivers, lakes and glaciers are situated in Himalayas. There is a detailed description of climate in Himalayas as well.

The Himalayas is the world’s highest mountain massif. The Himalayas extend for over 2,400 km from the north southward, from the Tibetan Plateau to the Indus-Gangetic Plain; they are situated on the territory of India, Nepal, China, Pakistan and Bhutan. The width of this mountain system varies from 180 to 350 km, and its total area is about 650,000 sq km. The average height of the Himalayas is about 6,000 m, while the system includes 11 peaks towering over 8,000 m. The highest peak, which is also the world’s highest summit, is Mount Everest (Chomolungma), which rises to a height of 8,848 m.

The northern, shorter slopes of the Himalayas are bounded by the valleys of the Tsangpo River (the Brahmaputra) and the upper Indus. The most important rivers in south Asia start in the Himalayas - the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The lakes in the Himalayas have tectonic and glacial origins; there are plenty of them in the western Himalayas in particular (Vular, Tsomorari and other lakes).

The distinguishing feature in the geological structure of the Himalayas is a series of flat-lying overthrust plates which moved from the north to the south, forming superposed folds. The tectonic relief of the Himalayas is characterised by a lengthwise dissection which is mostly noticeable in depressions that separate highland massifs - himals.

The total glaciation area is over 33,000 sq km.

The Himalayas is a popular area for international mountaineering (mostly in Nepal).

The climate in the western Himalayas is characterised by sharp temperature variations and a strong wind. The eastern Himalayas have a warmer and more humid climate with monsoon rainfall patterns.