Where Is Mount Everest? The Border Summit

Mount Everest (Sagarmatha / Chomolungma / Zhumulangma) sits on the border between Nepal and China (Tibet Autonomous Region), in the Mahalangur Himal subrange of the Himalayas.

Coordinates

27°59′17″ N, 86°55′31″ E. Summit elevation: 8,848.86 m (2020 China–Nepal joint survey).

National Claims

• Nepal (south side): Khumbu region, Sagarmatha National Park. Standard Southeast Ridge route (Hillary/Norgay 1953). Base Camp 5,364 m. Tourism hub: Lukla airport, Namche Bazaar.
• China/Tibet (north side): Qomolangma National Nature Preserve. North Ridge route (Chinese 1960, Messner solo 1980). Base Camp 5,150 m (driveable road). Stricter permits, fewer climbers.

Regional Context

The Himalayas span five countries: Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, Pakistan. Everest is on the Nepal–China border. Nearby 8,000ers: Lhotse (8,516 m), Makalu (8,485 m), Cho Oyu (8,188 m) — all within 20 km.

Name Origins

• Sagarmatha (Nepali): "Forehead of the Sky."
• Chomolungma (Tibetan/Sherpa): "Goddess Mother of the World."
• Everest (English): Named 1865 for Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India—who never saw it and opposed the honor.

The summit is a geopolitical line: climbers stand with one foot in Nepal, one in China (or straddle the border marker). The mountain belongs to both—and to the planet.