Mount Everest (1)

Nestled within the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas lies Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth above sea level. Standing tall at a staggering 8,848.86 meters, this majestic peak draws in hordes of experienced climbers from all corners of the globe. With two main climbing routes - one from the southeast in Nepal and the other from the north in Tibet - the mountain presents a challenge to even the most seasoned of mountaineers. The dangers of Everest are well documented, with altitude sickness, extreme weather, and treacherous winds all posing significant risks, not to mention the threat of avalanches and the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. Tragically, over 300 people have lost their lives on the mountain, with many of their bodies remaining on the slopes to this day. Despite these dangers, the allure of conquering the peak has long drawn adventurers to its slopes. The first recorded attempts to summit the mountain were made by British climbers, who sought to tackle the north ridge route from the Tibetan side as Nepal was closed to foreigners at the time. It wasn't until 1953 that the mountain was finally conquered, when Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first documented ascent of the peak via the southeast ridge route. The Chinese team of Wang Fuzhou, Gonpo, and Qu Yinhua made the first reported ascent from the north ridge just seven years later in 1960.

Everest, known in Tibetan as Qomolangma (ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ, or "Holy Mother") and officially recognized as Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng in Chinese, has a long and varied history with regards to its name. It was first recorded in Chinese transcription in the Kangxi Atlas of 1721, and later appeared as Tchoumour Lancma on a 1733 map published in Paris. The mountain has also been known locally as "Deodungha" or "Holy Mountain," although it is unclear if this name is widely used. In the mid-19th century, the British surveyors of the region sought to preserve local names when possible, but were unable to find a commonly used local name for the mountain due to restrictions on foreigners in Nepal and Tibet. As a result, Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India, proposed that the mountain be named after his predecessor, Sir George Everest. Despite objections from Sir George himself, the Royal Geographical Society officially adopted the name "Mount Everest" in 1865. The mountain has also been referred to as "Gaurishankar" or "Gaurisankar," although this name is now used for a different peak located about 30 miles away. In the early 1960s, the Nepali government officially named the mountain Sagarmāthā, or "Goddess of the Sky," derived from the Nepali words for "sky" and "head."

In the early 19th century, the British began the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India with the goal of determining the locations, heights, and names of the highest mountains in the world. The survey team, equipped with giant 500 kg theodolites, made their way northward from southern India, eventually reaching the Himalayan foothills in the 1830s. However, Nepal was wary of foreign presence and refused to allow the British to enter the country, forcing them to continue their observations from the region of Terai, south of Nepal. Despite difficult conditions and the loss of several surveyors to malaria, the British persisted in their efforts. In 1847, Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India, observed a peak beyond Kangchenjunga, the highest peak at the time, from a station in the east of the Himalayas. Waugh's subordinate, John Armstrong, also saw the peak from a site further west and referred to it as peak "b." In an effort to verify the height of peak "b," James Nicolson conducted observations from various locations, the closest being 174 km away. Based on his measurements, Indian mathematician Radhanath Sikdar was the first to identify peak "b" as the highest in the world. It was declared to be 8,840 m (29,002 ft) tall, and officially named "Peak XV," later known as Mount Everest.

In 1856, after years of calculations, Andrew Waugh declared that Mount Everest (then known as Peak XV) was 8,840 meters (29,002 feet) tall based on observations made during the Great Trigonometrical Survey. In 1955, an Indian survey used theodolites to measure the mountain's height at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), a measurement that was reaffirmed by a Chinese survey in 1975. In 1999, an American expedition used GPS to measure the mountain's rock head at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) and its snow/ice cap at 1 meter (3 feet) higher, though this measurement has not yet been officially recognized by Nepal. In the late 1980s, a detailed topographic map of the Everest area was made using aerial photography.

In 2005, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping announced that Mount Everest's height was 8,844.43 meters (29,017.16 feet) with an accuracy of ±0.21 meters (8.3 inches). This measurement was based on the highest point of rock, not the snow and ice covering it. Nepal argued that the official height should be the snow height, while China claimed that it should be the rock height. In 2010, the two countries agreed that the official height is 8,848 meters, with Nepal recognizing China's measurement of the rock height at 8,844 meters. In December 2020, the two countries jointly announced that the new official height is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet). It is believed that the plate tectonics of the area are causing the mountain to grow and move northeastward, with rates of change estimated at 4 mm (0.16 inches) per year vertically and 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 inches) per year horizontally, although other accounts suggest more lateral movement.

The highest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest towers over the Himalayas, reaching an elevation of 8,848 meters above sea level at its summit. Located on the border between Nepal and China, this mountain is a popular destination for skilled mountaineers, who face dangers such as altitude sickness, treacherous weather, and avalanches while attempting to reach the top. The mountain's history dates back to the 19th century, when it was first surveyed by the British and given the name "Peak XV." It wasn't until 1856 that it was announced that this peak, now known as Mount Everest, was the highest in the world. In the 21st century, the mountain's height has been the subject of debate and measurement, with the Chinese and Nepali authorities ultimately agreeing on a height of 8,848.86 meters. Despite its impressive stature, there are a few other mountains that can claim to be the tallest when measured from base to summit, including Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Denali in Alaska.

Mount Everest is a mountain in the Himalayas, straddling the border between Nepal and China. It is the highest peak on Earth, with a summit standing at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level. Geologists have divided the rocks comprising Mount Everest into three units, known as formations. The Qomolangma Formation, also known as the Jolmo Lungama Formation, is the topmost formation and runs from the summit to the top of the Yellow Band, about 8,600 meters (28,200 feet) above sea level. It consists of greyish to dark grey or white, parallel laminated and bedded limestone. The North Col Formation, of which the Yellow Band is the upper part, makes up the majority of Mount Everest, between 7,000 and 8,600 meters (23,000 and 28,200 feet). The Yellow Band consists of intercalated beds of marble and phyllite. The lowermost formation, the Rongbuk Formation, is composed of highly folded and thrusted schistose rocks.