List of longest mountain chains in the world
The world's longest mountain chain is the Andes,[1][2] about 4,350 miles (7,000 km) long. The chain stretches from north to south through seven countries in South America, along the west coast of the continent: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Aconcagua is the highest peak, at about 6,962 metres (22,841 feet).
This list does not include submarine mountain chains. If submarine mountains are included, the longest is the global mid-ocean ridge system which extends for about 40,000 miles (65,000 km).
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Formation [edit]
Large mountain chains are typically formed by the process of plate tectonics. Tectonic plates slide very slowly over the Earth's mantle, a lower layer of rock that is heated from the Earth's interior. Several huge sections of the earth’s crust are impelled by heat currents in the mantle, producing tremendous forces that can buckle the material at the edges of the plates to form mountains. Usually one plate is forced underneath the other, and the lower plate is slowly absorbed by the mantle. Where the two plates pass one another, heated rock from the mantle can burst through the crust to form volcanoes. The movement of the plates against one another can also cause earthquakes.
The list [edit]
| Rank | Range | Continent | Country | Coordinates | Approx. length | Approx. width | Max. elevation | Highest point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andes | South America |  Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia Ecuador Peru Venezuela |
32°S 70°W / 32°S 70°W | 7,000 km (4,350 mi) | 500 km (300 mi) | 6,962 m (22,841 ft) | Mount Aconcagua |
| 2 | Rocky Mountains | North America[3][4][5] |  Canada United States |
39°N 106°W / 39°N 106°W | 4,800 km (3,000 mi) | 300 km (200 mi) | 4,401 m (14,440 ft) | Mount Elbert |
| 3 | Transantarctic Mountains | Antarctica[6][7][8] |  Antarctica |
84°S 166°E / 84°S 166°E | 3,542 km (2,200 mi) | 400 km (250 mi) | 4,528 m (14,856 ft) | Mount Kirkpatrick |
| 4 | Great Dividing Range | Australia[9][10][11][12] |  Australia |
36°S 148°E / 36°S 148°E | 3,059 km (1,900 mi) | 650 km (400 mi) | 2,228 m (7,310 ft) | Mount Kosciuszko |
| 5 | Himalayas | Asia[13][14][15][16] |  Bhutan India Nepal Pakistan Burma Afghanistan China |
27°N 86°E / 27°N 86°E | 2,576 km (1,600 mi) | 350 km (220 mi) | 8,848 m (29,029 ft) | Mount Everest |
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Andes Mountains by Alan W./Knapp Gregory. 1999 Retrieve 2002
- ^ Windows to Universe The Andes Mountains by: Julia Genyuk. Retrieve 17 November 2008
- ^ USA tourist Rocky Mountain National Park by: Mike Leco(undated)
- ^ Tour Guide Article Rocky Mountain National Park by John William Uhler Retrieve 2007
- ^ Encyclopædia BritannicaRocky Mountains By Armand J. Eardley/Richard A. Marston
- ^ Antarctic Connection The Transantarctic Mountains(undated)
- ^ Aaron Martin TAM-The Transantarctic Mountains Retrieve 4/7/02.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica.Article-Online|Transantarctic Mountains Retrieve 22 march 2011
- ^ Australian Explorer Australian Travel Information - Great Dividing Range
- ^ Peakware World Mountain Encyclopedia- Great Dividing Range 1998
- ^ Encyclopædia BritannicaGreat Dividing Range
- ^ Great Dividing Range The Columbia Encyclopedia, Retrieve 2008
- ^ Travel Himalayas The legendary majestic Beauty- Himalayan Mountain Range
- ^ Indianchild HimalayasRetrieve September 1995
- ^ Himalayan Mountain Himalaya, A dream for all explorers
- ^ Explore Himalayan Mountain Ranges of Himalayas
