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The world’s mountains were raised by the titanic forces that keep

the plates of Earth’s crust moving. Where the plates grind together,

the edges of continents are forced up into high, folded ridges, like

the Andes mountains in South America. Hot rock deep beneath

the surface may erupt through cracks in the folded rock to form

volcanoes. These also erupt where the crust is being torn apart,

and over “hotspots” deep within Earth. The landscape below has

been created from images of the highest peaks on each continent,

and one that rises from the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

MOUNTAINS

162

Hundreds of people

attempt to climb

Everest every year

The Alaskan peak of Mount

McKinley is covered with

snow throughout the year

The snowy summit

of Aconcagua is

part of Earth’s longest

mountain range

(^1) MOUNT EVEREST
The world’s highest peak, Everest lies
8,850 m (29,035 ft) above sea level. It is part
of the Himalayas, a range of fold mountains
created by the collision of India with Asia
50 million years ago. India is still moving
north, so the Himalayas are still rising.
(^2) MOUNT ACONCAGUA
The Pacific Ocean floor is plunging beneath
South America, rucking up its western edge to
form the rugged, earthquake-prone mountains
of the Andes. Mount Aconcagua is the highest
peak, at 6,959 m (22,834 ft).
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