mountains

The Andes stretch 7,000 kilometres down the spine of South America — the longest mountain range on land, and a wall so high it creates deserts on one side and rainforests on the other. But it's not even close to the longest range on the planet. That title belongs to a mountain chain ten times longer, winding 65,000 kilometres around the globe entirely beneath the oceans, where most of Earth's volcanic activity quietly happens.

Mount Everest is not the tallest mountain on Earth — and it is not the closest point on Earth's surface to outer space. Both claims belong to other peaks depending on how you define 'tallest.' At 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) above sea level, Everest wins the elevation contest. But Mauna Kea in Hawaii stands 10,210 meters (33,500 feet) from seafloor base to summit. And Chimborazo in Ecuador, a relatively modest 6,263 meters above sea level, sits 6,384.4 km from Earth's center — 2.1 km farther than Everest's summit.

Bhutan is the world's most mountainous country — 98% of its territory is above 600m. Nepal has the world's highest peaks including Everest. The Himalayas, Andes, and Alps define some of Earth's most dramatic geography. Here's the full ranking of the world's most mountainous nations and what extreme altitude means for human life.