Mountain folk or people who live at altitudes of 300 m or more are generally a hardy lot. They have to adapt to the mountain environment, which is much more challenging than living in the plains or lowlands. To begin with the air is thinner in the mountains. The body needs to manufacture more red blood cells to make up for the lack of oxygen at high altitudes. Another drawback is that the soil is of poor quality on mountains. To top it all the weather is bitterly cold, and harsh.
To compensate for all this, mountain folk are usually tough and self-reliant, like the Highlanders of Scotland and the Quechuas of the Andes. Mountain folk like the Sherpas of Nepal are blessed with a modified genetic make-up that enables their bodies to use available oxygen more efficiently. Gurkhas, who originate from the mountainous region of Gorkha in Nepal, are among the fiercest soldiers in the world today. You could say that mountain folk are a cut above the rest!
Picture Credit : Google
