What are mountains?
Mountains are areas of land that are much higher than the land surrounding them.
They are higher and usually steeper than a hill and are generally over 600 metres high. They are often found together in a group called a mountain range.
Some well-known mountain ranges in the world include:
- the Himalayas in Asia, the tallest mountain range in the world
- the Andes in South America, the longest range on land in the world
- the Alps in Europe
- the Urals, a natural border between Europe and Asia
- the Rocky Mountains, the longest range in North America
- the Atlas mountains in North Africa
How are mountains formed?
The highest mountain ranges are created by tectonic plates pushing together and forcing the ground up where they meet. This is how the mountains of the Himalayas in Asia were formed.
Tectonic plates are also at work under the Atlantic Ocean.
Instead of forcing the ground up, the two plates in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean are actually moving apart in opposite directions.
This causes lava to erupt out of the gap that is left.
As it cools down, the lava creates a long line of mountains under the ocean called the Mid-ocean Ridge - the longest mountain range on Earth.
The longest mountain range on land is the Andes in South America. The Andes run for over 7,000km.
Other mountains (usually those that stand on their own) are created by ancient volcanoes.
Ben Nevis in Scotland was once a very large active volcano. It last erupted millions of years ago and the eruption was so violent that it caved in on itself.
Watch: Mountains
Learn about mountains with Sue Venir.
I’m heading to the top of Mount Elbert, the tallest of all the Rocky Mountains.
The Rocky Mountains, or Rockies for short, is a mountain range that stretches all the way from the USA into Canada.
A mountain range is a group of mountains found on land or under the sea, and they include the Andes in South America, the Himalayas in Asia, the Alps in Europe, or even the Mid-Atlantic Ridge deep in the ocean.
Some mountain ranges are formed when two sections of the Earth’s outer surface, called tectonic plates, push against each other and the pressure forces the ground up.
Not all mountains are formed this way.
Some of the biggest mountains in Britain like Ben Nevis in Scotland and Snowdon in Wales used to be volcanoes.
But they became extinct long ago, and haven’t been active for millions of years.
Here in the Rockies, I’ve been following the rivers that have carved a valley through the mountains.
It’s a sunny day today, but I’m going to have to put on another layer!
That’s because the higher I climb, the colder the temperature is.
If I was to climb a really tall mountain, like Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, I might also need an oxygen mask.
That’s because the higher you go the thinner the air becomes.
Which means there’s less oxygen around to breathe.
I’ve reached the top! And now I need to use my most important piece of equipment. My selfie stick!
What are the highest mountains in the UK?
The highest mountains in the UK are:
- Ben Nevis in Scotland (also the highest in the UK)
- Scafell Pike in England
- Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland
- Snowdon in Wales
Image caption, Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland and the UK.
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Did you know?
- Australia has a mountain range called the Australian Alps.
- There are mountain ranges in Antarctica.
- Asia has most of the highest mountain ranges in the world.
- About 24% of the world’s total land surface is covered by mountains.
Activity: Quiz – Mountains
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