The Himalayan Mountains are in Asia, between the Tibetan Plateau and the Indian subcontinent. They stretch in an arc across several countries in South and Central Asia.
Basic location
The Himalayas form a long east–west mountain belt in southern Asia, acting as a high barrier between the Plateau of Tibet to the north and the plains of northern India and Pakistan to the south. The range runs for about 2,400–2,500 kilometers from northwest to southeast across the region.
Countries they pass through
Most of the Himalayas lie in or along the borders of:
- India and Nepal, which contain large central sections of the range.
- China (Tibet), Bhutan, and Pakistan, which share major stretches and many of the highest peaks.
Some definitions also include fringe areas touching Afghanistan and Myanmar at the far western and eastern edges.
More precise details
Geographically, the Himalayas extend roughly between 26°N and 35°N latitude and 74°E and 95°E longitude. Their western end is near Nanga Parbat in northern Pakistan, and their eastern end is near Namcha Barwa in Tibet, China. Mount Everest, the highest peak, lies on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the central Himalayas.
