The Himalayas were formed about 70 million years ago when India and Asia collided due to the movement of the Australian and Eurasion tectonic plates. The Himalayas are the world's youngest mountain range. Because of continual earthquakes and tremors, the Himalayan mountains continue to change and develop. The southern front of the mountain range moves about 20 millimeters each year.
The Himalayas span a number of countries in Asia including Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The famous Mount Everest is a part of the Himalayas and is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The Himalayas cover over 75 percent of Nepal. The main range of the Himalayas divides the Indian subcontinent and goes from the western Nanga Parbat to the eastern Sikkim and Bhutan.
Though the Himalayas are named after their snow-covered peaks -- the word Himalaya means "abode of snow" -- the climate of the Himalaya's varies greatly. Tropical conditions are found at the base of the Himalayas while peaks at high elevations may be covered with ice and snow. This diversity in climate means that many different species of plants and animals are found in the Himalayas.
Nine of the 10 highest peaks in the world are located in the Himalayas. These include Mount Everest, Mount Godwin Austin, also known as K2, and Kanchanjunga. Three of the world's major river systems originate in the Himalayas. These include the Indus, the Ganga-Brahmaputra and the Yangtze. The Himalayas cover a distance of 2,500 kilometers and form a curve from west to east.
