How much of the Earth is covered by mountains?

Around 26.5 per cent of the Earth’s land surface is covered by mountains. The continents of Europe and Asia are together called Eurasia. Together they take up around 36.2 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Around 33 percent of Eurasia is covered by mountains. North America comes next with 24 per cent of the land classified as mountainous. In South America, 19 per cent of land is mountainous and in Africa this figure is 14 per cent.

Asia has one of the tallest mountain ranges in the world, the Himalayas. The Himalayas are approximately 2,400 kilometres long and span China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bhutan. The Andes Mountain range stretches about 7,242 kilometres along the western side of South America and is the longest in the world. This range is famous for its volcanoes. The Alps Mountain range passes through France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. The Alps are known for its beautiful lakes.

One of the largest mountain ranges in North America is the Rocky Mountain range. It stretches 4,800 kilometres from Canada down to the state of New Mexico in the USA. The Appalachian Mountain range extends over 3,219 km and is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. They were formed nearly 480 million years ago. The Atlas Mountains are 1,497 km long and are found in North-western Africa. They are mineral-rich as well as home to a significant number of plant and animal species.

Picture Credit : Google

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