Mount Everest Information

Mount Everest is undoubtedly one of the most amazing natural structures on planet Earth. A compilation of some interesting bits and pieces of Mount Everest information which is bound to leave you mesmerized.
The tallest natural structure on the planet Earth, Mount Everest attracts hordes of mountaineers from various parts of the world every year. Though several people try, not everyone is successful in scaling this mammoth structure. As of now, thousands of individuals have attempted to reach Mount Everest summit, but only a few hundred have actually accomplished the task. Reaching the summit of Mount Everest is a task involving tremendous expertise. At times, even professional mountaineers well versed with a great deal of Mount Everest information find it difficult to sustain the extremes of this gigantic structure. In fact, quite a few people have even lost their lives trying to conquer Mount Everest - the tallest mountain in the world.

Mount Everest Information
With a height of 8,848 m or 29,029 ft above the mean sea level, Mount Everest is considered to be the highest mountain on Earth. This mountain came into existence when the Himalayan mountain range was formed as a result of subduction of the Indo-Australian plate under the Eurasian plate. As the movement of these plates continues even today, the mountain continues to rise by a few centimeters every year. The peak is covered with glaciers and ice throughout the year, and the temperature here ranges between 0°F (in Summer) to -76°F (in Winter).

Mount Everest Location
Mount Everest is located in the Himalayan mountain range of the Indian Subcontinent, which is home to some of the biggest mountain peaks in the world. According to the coordinates, it is located at 27° 59' N latitude and 86° 55' E longitude. Mount Everest lies on the border of Nepal (Solukhumbu district) and Tibet (the Tingri County). Sir George Everest, the then Surveyor General of India, recorded the location of Mount Everest in 1841, and subsequently it was named Peak XV by Michael Hennessy. Eventually, the Royal Geographical Society changed its name from Peak XV to Mount Everest, as recommended by Andrew Waugh, in honor of Sir George Everest.

Mount Everest: Native Names
Although the peak is quite popular as Mount Everest all over the world, the locals refer to it by a range of native names. In Nepal it is referred to as Mount Sagarmatha, whereas in Tibet it is referred to as the Qomolangma Peak. The Chinese refer to its as Zhumulangma Peak or Mount Chomolungma, while the Limbu tribe refers to its as Chajamlungma.

Mount Everest Facts
The duo of Sir Edmund Hillary, hailing from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay, from Nepal, became the first people to scale Mount Everest, when they achieved this feat On May 29, 1953. Given below are more of such interesting facts about Mount Everest.
  • Junko Tabei of Japan became the first woman to scale Mount Everest on 16 May, 1975.
  • James Whittaker became the first American to scale Mount Everest on May 1, 1963.
  • Stacey Allison became the first American woman to climb Mount Everest on 29 September, 1988.
  • Gary Guller became the first person with one arm to reach the summit of Mount Everest May 23, 2003.
  • Kushang Sherpa is the only individual who has scaled Mount Everest from all four sides.
  • Nawang Gombu became the first individual to scale Everest twice on his second trip to the mountain in 1965.
  • Over the last six decades as many as 210 individuals have lost their lives attempting to climb Mount Everest.
This was a compilation of some of the most interesting aspects of Mount Everest information. For kids, this information about Mount Everest will be nothing short of a motivational tale of facing hardships to achieve the impossible. As Sir Edmund Hillary once famously said "Strong motivation is the most important factor in getting you to the top."
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Last Updated: 9/30/2011
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