Overview

Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world, standing tall at 8,848.86 meters (29,030 feet) above sea level. Located in the Himalayan range, on the border between Nepal and Tibet, it is one of the most iconic and challenging mountains for climbers around the world. The mountain was named after Sir George Everest, a Welsh surveyor who was the first to survey the Himalayas.

Quick Facts about Mount Everest:

Name	Mount Everest Sagarmatha(Nepal) Chomolungma(Tibet) 珠穆朗玛峰/Zhumulangma( Chinese)
Elevation	8,848.86 meters (29,030 feet)
Location	Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas, on the border between Nepal and Tibet.
First Ascent	May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal.
Normal Route	Southeast Ridge(Nepal Side)

In this blog, I have presented 10+ facts about Mount Everest. So, let’s have a look!!!

Facts About Mount Everest

1. Everest Grows Every Year

Mount Everest’s height is influenced by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. This collision causes the Himalayan mountain range to rise by a few millimeters(about 4 mm) every year. As a result, the height of Mount Everest can increase or decrease slightly over time.

2. Mount Everest is Technically not Tallest

Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its base on the ocean floor to its summit. It rises about 10,200 meters (33,500 feet) from its base on the Pacific Ocean floor to its summit, which is at an altitude of 4,207 meters (13,803 feet) above sea level.

Mauna Kea is actually a shield volcano, which is formed by layers of lava that have built up over time. While it is not as famous as Mount Everest, it is a remarkable mountain that is known for its astronomical observatories located at its summit.

3. Everest is about 60 Million years old.

The age of Mount Everest, like that of most other mountains, is difficult to determine precisely. This is because the processes that form mountains, such as tectonic uplift and erosion, occur over such long time periods that it can be challenging to pinpoint exactly when a mountain began to form.

However, scientists believe that the Himalayan mountain range, which includes Mount Everest, began to form around 60 million years ago during the Cenozoic Era. This was a time of intense tectonic activity as the Indian subcontinent collided with the Eurasian plate, causing the land to buckle and fold and resulting in the formation of the Himalayan range.

4. Named after Sir George Everest

Mount Everest was named after Sir George Everest, a British surveyor who was the first to calculate the exact location and height of the mountain in the mid-19th century.

5. Other Names of Everest

Mount Everest is known by several other names in addition to its English name. Here are some of the other names for Mount Everest:

Sagarmatha: This is the Nepali name for Mount Everest, which means “Forehead (or Goddess) of the Sky”. It is the official name used by the Government of Nepal.
Chomolungma: This is the Tibetan name for Everest, which means “Goddess Mother of Mountains”.
Qomolangma: This is the Chinese name for Everest, which is also sometimes spelled as “Zhumulangma” or “Chomolangma”.
Peak XV: Before it was officially named Mount Everest, the mountain was referred to as Peak XV by the British Survey of India in the mid-19th century. The name reflected its position as the 15th highest peak in the world at the time
Deodungha: “Deodungha” is one of the documented local names for Everest(Darjeeling)

6. The mountain has two main climbing routes

Mount Everest has two main climbing routes, the South Col Route and the North Col Route.

The South Col Route is the most popular and frequently climbed route, and it starts from the south side of the mountain in Nepal. This route is also known as the Southeast Ridge and it was the route taken by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay when they became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
The North Col Route, also known as the Northeast Ridge, starts from the north side of the mountain in Tibet, China. This route is considered to be more difficult and technically challenging than the South Col Route, with steeper sections, icy terrain, and higher altitudes.

7. First Ascent on 1953

The first ascent of Mount Everest was made on May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal. They climbed the mountain via the South Col Route, which starts from the south side of the mountain in Nepal.