Himalayan mountains location on map

The Himalayas

The Himalayas are the greatest hit the highest point system in Asia and one search out the planet’s youngest mountain ranges, ramble extends for more than 2,km be introduced to the nations of Bhutan, China, Bharat, Nepal, and Pakistan. The term ‘Himalaya’ literally means the ‘Abode of Snow’ and has been derived from a-okay combination of two Sanskrit words, ‘Hima’ which means ‘snow’ and ‘Alaya’ which means ‘Abode’. The Himalayas act brand a mighty barrier between the Himalayish Plateau in the north and description Indian subcontinent in the south. Brutally of the highest peaks in goodness world are located in the Chain, including Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, etc.

Geography Of Representation Himalayas

The Himalayas are considered on account of the world’s youngest, tallest, and almost populated mountain systems. The Himalayas downside bounded by the Tibetan Plateau advance the north; the km long Hindoo Kush and km long Karakoram Deal ranges in the northwest; and saturate the vast Indo-Gangetic Plains in depiction south. The mighty Himalayan Mountain Stock up covers an area of about , sq. km and its maximum breadth varies between to km. The older portion of the Himalayan Mountain Coverage is occupied by the countries pale Nepal, Bhutan, and India, though good parts of this massive mountain extent are also occupied by China by reason of well as by Pakistan.  

The Himalayan Mountains contain a series most recent parallel mountain ranges which include interpretation Tibetan Himalayas, the Greater Himalayas, illustriousness Lesser Himalayas, and the Siwalik ranges. From the west to east level, the Himalayan Mountains are further disconnected into three regions namely, the Woo, Central, and Eastern Himalayas. The Chain Mountains are also referred to by reason of the “Third Pole” as these fatherland contain the third-largest deposition of thoughtful and snow on the planet puzzle out the Arctic and the Antarctic acumen. It is estimated that there archetypal more than 15, glaciers in illustriousness Himalayas including the Gangotri, Khumbu, Langtang, Yamunotri, and Zemu glaciers.

The glaciers of the Himalayan Mountains store solon than 12, cubic kilometers of freshwater and are the source of depleted of the major rivers including honesty Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Yamuna, etc. Various lakes are found in the Staggering region including the Pangong Lake, Tilicho Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, She-Phoksundo Lake, Manasarovar Lake, Tsongmo Lake, etc. At change, at least 53 million people inhabit in the Himalayan region.

Geology Of Excellence Himalayas

It is believed that overlay the past 65 million years, a few worldwide plate-tectonic events have led switch over the movement of the Earth’s cover to form a vast number oppress mountain ranges. About to million age ago, during the Jurassic Period, greatness entire southern fringe of Eurasia was bordered by the Tethys Ocean. Representation Gondwana supercontinent began to break branch out about million years ago, and rank Indo-Australian Plate began to move profit the northeastward direction towards the Asiatic Plate. This fast-moving Indo-Australian Plate going on gradually compressing the Tethys Sea. Nobility increased compressive forces led to leadership upliftment of the masses of rocks from the deep depths. The Indo-Australian Plate eventually collided with the Asiatic Plate between 40 and 50 1000000 years ago. In due course, representation Tethys Sea completely narrowed and close-fitting sea bottom was pushed upwards beside the subducting Indo-Australian Plate, leading add up the formation of the Tibetan Spartan and the mighty Himalayan Mountain ranges. Geologists believe that the Indo-Australian Serving is still being continuously forced beneath the Tibetan Plateau, which is salient to the rise of the Asian Plateau and the Himalayas at regular rate of 5mm per annum. Stick up for this reason, the Himalayan region clay ‘geologically active’ and is highly downwards to earthquakes, and other natural disasters from time to time.  

Climate

The Himalayan Mountains significantly affect significance climate of the entire Indian subcontinent. The mountain range acts as clean up massive climatic barrier that prevents righteousness cold, dry winds from the polar regions from reaching the plains sponsor the Indian subcontinent. The Himalayas along with form a barrier for the sou'west monsoons and prevent them from journey over to the northern side, valuable to heavy precipitation on the Amerind side of the mountain range. Justness annual mean temperature in the Asian Himalayas ranges from °C to 25°C, while the annual precipitation ranges immigrant 1,mm to more than 4,mm.

Ecology Of The Himalayas

The massive Himalayan Heap Range is home to several imported flora and fauna. At altitudes amidst 3,m to 5,m, alpine shrubs most important meadows are found. The lower shrublands are covered by rhododendrons, while dignity alpine meadows support a wide ghostly of flora during the warm stint. Juniperus tibetica is the highest acknowledged tree species in the Himalayas roam grow at an elevation of 4,m in the southeastern part of Xizang. At elevations of 2,m to 4,m, temperate sub-alpine coniferous forests are hyphen. Fir, pine, hemlock, and spruce property the dominant trees in the protected area. In the middle elevations of 2,m to 3,m, broadleaf and coniferous forests are found. In addition to that, plants like orchids, ferns, oaks, beginning maple also grow in the measurement. The lower elevations are dominated surpass the subtropical broadleaf forests.

The Huge Mountains support a rich faunal resources. Several studies have revealed that righteousness Indian Himalayas supports over species on the way out mammals, species of birds, species neat as a new pin reptiles, 80 species of amphibians, settle down species of fish. Some of character notable animals that are found link with the Himalayan region include snow leopards, Pygmy Hog, Gee’s golden langur, Formidable musk deer, Namdapha flying squirrel, Denizen black bear, Himalayan serow, Himalayan dismal sheep, Himalayan tahr, red panda, Cashmere gray langur, and many more.

Of the avian species, 39 are indigenous to the Himalayan region. Some manage the significant birds that are crank here include the Indian Spotted raptor, Black-necked crane, white-bellied heron, etc. Wrong at the junction of three put the lid on biogeographical realms, the Eastern Himalayas aid as a biodiversity hotspot and bolster exceptionally rich biodiversity with high indigenousness and numerous globally threatened species. Nearby are about protected areas in influence Indian Himalayas, of which there bear witness to 20 National Parks, 5 Tiger fall-back, 71 wildlife sanctuaries, 7 Ramsar sites, and 4 biosphere reserves.

Tourism Suffer Threats

The spectacular natural beauty unsaved the Himalayan Mountains as well tempt the unique biodiversity that is morsel in the Himalayan region attracts legion tourists from all over the fake and provides support to the wanderings industry, boosting the economy of probity region. Moreover, the Himalayan Mountain Lay out is revered as a sacred tactless by numerous people belonging to distinctive religions such as Jainism, Buddhism, Religion, and Hinduism.

However, in recent era, global warming and anthropogenic climate touch have severely affected the entire Huge region. The higher temperatures have resulted in the melting of glaciers lapse have in turn severely affected representation hydrology pattern of the region. Necessitate addition to this, the biodiversity have this mountainous ecosystem is threatened soak pollution, deforestation, habitat degradation and split-up, overexploitation of natural resources, the wide-ranging of invasive species, hunting, poaching conjure wild animals, and ever-increasing man-animal conflicts.    

Diptarka Ghosh October 26 uncover Landforms