The 10 highest mountains in the world

“Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep me from you” went the old Motown smash hit song. But we wonder if the song’s writers knew exactly what they were getting into, as some of Earth’s mountains are, well, really tall! Earth.com presents: The 10 highest mountains in the world.

Annapurna I, Nepal

Annapurna I found in the Annapurna massif in Nepal’s Himalaya range is the tenth highest mountain at 8.091 meters (26,545 feet). Of the top ten, Annapurna is knows as the most deadly to climb.

Nanga Parbat, Pakistan

At 8,126 meter (26,660 feet) above sea level, this mountain is the western anchor of the Himalayas range in Pakistan. It is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

Manaslu, Nepal

Also known as “Kutang,” the name of the eighth highest mountain translates to “mountain of the spirit.” It is 8,163 meters (26,781 feet) above sea level and located in the Mansiri Himal range of the Nepalese Himalayas.  

Dhaulagiri I, Nepal

Translated from Sanskrit, its name means “dazzling, white, beautiful mountain.” Located in the Nepalese Himalayas, Dhaulagiri I is 8,167 meters (26,795 feet) above sea level.

Cho Oyu, China-Nepal

The western-most major peak of the Khumbu range of the Mahalangur Himalayas is 8,188 meters (26,864 feet) above sea level and stands on the China-Nepal border. The sixth highest mountain is 20 kilometers west of Mount Everest.

Makalu, China-Nepal

Also standing on the China-Nepal border, Makalu is in the Mahalangur range of the Himalayas. The four sided pyramid peak of Makalu stands at 8,485 meters (27,838 feet) above sea level.  

Lhotse, China-Nepal

Lhotse means “south peak” in Tibetan. The fourth highest mountain is in the Mahalangur range of the Himalayas.  The main summit is 8,516 meters (27,940 feet) above sea level and is located between the border of Tibet and the Khumbu region of Nepal.  

Kangchenjunga, Nepal-India

The third highest mountain lies in the Kangchenjega Himal range of the Himalayas, part of which is in Nepal, and part of which is in Sikkim, India. The mountain stands at 8,586 meters (28,169 feet) above sea level.

K2 (aka Mount Godwin-Austin or Chhogori), China-Pakistan

Commonly called “Savage Mountain” due to the extreme difficulty of its ascent, the second highest mountain on earth stands at 8,611 meters (2,8251 feet). It is located on the border of China and Pakistan in the Baltoro Muztagh region of the Karakoram range.

Mount Everest (aka Sagarmatha or Chomolungma), Nepal-China

The highest mountain in the world stands at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet). The international border between China (Tibet Autonomous Region) and Nepal runs along its highest peak. Mount Everest (named such in 1865 by the Royal Geographic Society) is located in the Mahalangur range of the Himalayas.

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By Darryl Joseph, Earth.com Staff Writer