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20 Highest Mountains in the World


A list of the 20 highest mountains in the World, with their respective heights. Everest is the world highest mountain with a height of 8848 meters above sea level; Broad peak is the world’s 12th tallest mountain with a height of 8051 meters.

20 Highest Mountains in the World

1. Mount Everest | 8848 m (29028.87 ft)

Mount Everest Height

Mount Everest is officially the highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8848 m (29028.87). Everest is also called Sagarmatha or Chomolungma; it is located at the border of China and Nepal. The ginormous mountain is part of the Mahalangur Himalaya mountain ranges; its coordinates are 27°59′17″N86°55′31″E.

Mount Everest is listed in three categories of mountains: Ultra, Eight-thousander and Seven Summits. On 29 May 1953, the summit of Everest was reached by New Zealand Mountaineer – Edmund Hillary and Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer, Tenzing Norgay.

About three hundred and eighty (380) people have died, trying to climb Mount Everest. Causes of death include blizzard, altitude sickness, falling from the cliff and even frostbite.

2. K2 | 8611 m (28251.31 ft)

K2 Height
By Maria Ly from San Francisco, USA – K2CC BY 2.0Link

K2 is the second highest mountain in the world; with a height of 8611 m (28251.31 feet). It is located at Baltistan, Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan Tashkurgan, Xinjiang, China – at the border of China and Pakistan. K2 is classified in three categories of mountains: Ultra, Seven Second Summits, and Eight-thousanders.

On 31 July 1954, Achille Compagnoni (Italian mountaineer), and Lino Lacedelli ( Italian mountaineer), climbed to the summit of K2. K2 is responsible for the death of many climbers. It is estimated that about one person dies on the mountain for every four who reach the summit.

3. Kanchenjunga | 8586 m (28169.29 ft)

Kanchenjunga Height

Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8586 m (28169.29 feet). It is located at the border of Nepal and India, and its coordinates are 27°57′42″N86°55′59″E.

The mountain is listed in five categories of mountains: Ultra-prominent peak, country high point (India), Seven Third Summits and Eight-thousander.

About fifty-three (53) people have died while climbing Kanchenjunga. On 4 May 1980, Alfonso Medina (Mexico) and Hugo Saldaña (Mexico), disappeared from the mountain. Also, on 12 April 1977, Sukhvinder Singh (India), fell to his death while climbing to the summit. In 1955, Pemi Dorje (India), also fell to his death. Finally, in 1931, Babulall (India), died on the mountain, after falling ill.

4. Lhotse | 8516 m (27939.63 ft)

Lhotse Height
By Jamie O’Shaughnessy – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Szumyk., Public Domain, Link

Lhotse is the fourth (4th) highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8516 m (27939.63 feet). The mountain is located at the border between Nepal and China. Its coordinates are 27°57′42″N86°55′59″E.

On May 18 1956, Ernst Reiss (Switzerland) and Fritz Luchsinger (Switzerland), reached the summit of Lhotse. About 30 people have died while climbing Lhotse. In 2012, Temba Sherpa (Nepal) fell off the face of the mountain to his death. Also, on 20 May 2013, Hsiao-Shih Lee (Taiwan) died on the mountain; cause of death was altitude sickness. Finally, on 17 May 2018, Rustem Amirov (Russia) died on the mountain; cause of death was also altitude sickness.

5. Makalu | 8485 m (27837.93 ft)

Makalu Height
By Indra Rai – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0Link

Makalu is the 5th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8485 m (27837.93 feet). It is listed as an Ultra and an Eight-thousander. Makalu is located at the border between Nepal and China; its coordinates are 27°53′23″N87°05′20″E.

On May 15 1955, Jean Couzy (French Mountaineer) and Lionel Terray (French climber), reached the summit of Makalu. Kazakh Denis Urubko and Simone Moro (Italian Alpinist), reached the summit in winter for the first time in 2009.

About thirty-six (36) people have died while trying to reach the summit of Makalu. On 26 September 1954, Dilli Bahadur Verma (Nepal) died on the mountain due to pneumonia. Also, on 14 May 2001, Eric Resch of Australia disappeared from the face of the mountain. Most recently, on 14 May 2018, Ang Dawa Sherpa (Nepal) died of altitude sickness, on the mountain.

6. Cho Oyu | 8188 m (26863.52 ft)

Cho Oyu Height

Cho Oyu is the 6th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8188 m (26863.52 feet). This eight-thousander is located at Nepal(Province No. 1)–China (Tibet). Its coordinates are 28°05′39″N86°39′39″E.

Considered the easiest eight-thousander to climb, the mountain certainly hasn’t claimed as many lives as the infamous Annapurna I. About fifty-one (51) people have died on Cho Oyu. On 28 April 1958, Narendra Dhar Jayal (Indian Mountaineer) died of altitude sickness on the mountain. Also, on 16 May 2018, Park Shin-yong of South Korea died of exhaustion and altitude sickness on the mountain. Other people that have died on Cho Oyu are: Rostislav Krpec (Czech Republic), Joerg Henning (Germany), Walter Nones (Italy), Serguey Nikitin (Russia), Dennis Verhoeve (Netherlands), Guy Leveille (Canada), Adam Cinnamond (United Kingdom), Su-ya Kim (South Korea), Pasang Nuru (Nepal), Pasang Nima (Nepal), Noora Toivonen (Finland), Alexander Jaggi (Switzerland), Viktor Stepanov (Russia), Juan Carlos Piedra (Switzerland), Stefan Wörner (Switzerland), Pierre-Alain Steiner (Switzerland), Alois Thurmayr (Germany) and Chhowang (Nepal).

7. Dhaulagiri I | 8167 m (26794.62 ft)

Dhaulagiri I Height | 7th Tallest Mountain in the World
By Shadow Ayush – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0Link

Dhaulagiri I is the 7th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8167 meters (26794.62 feet). It is located in Nepal; its coordinates are 28°41′48″N83°29′35″E.

The summit of Dhaulagiri I, was first reached in 1960, by E. Forrer, Nawang, Nyima Dorje, E. Forrer, Nawang Dorje and Kurt Diemberger (Austrian mountaineer). On 21 January 1985, Andrzej Czok (Polish mountaineer) and Jerzy Kukuczka (Polish high-altitude climber), became the first people to reach the summit of Dhaulagiri I in winter.

The mountain has an estimated fatality rate of 16.2%. There has been about seventy-three (73) recorded cases of death on the mountain. On 30 June 1954, Francisco (Paco) Ibanez of Argentina, died on the mountain, after been exposed to the elements. Recently on 30 April 2018, Simone La Terra (Italy) was killed by a storm on the mountain. Some people who have died on Dhaulagiri I include: Darío Bracali (Argentina), Ricardo Valencia (Spain), Yukihiko Shinagawa (Japan), Masashi Fukumoto (Japan), Soo-ho Lee (South Korea), Dawa Dorje (Nepal), Chantal Mauduit (France), Nikos Papandreou (Greece), Galina Chekanova (Ukraine) and Gary Ball (New Zealand).

8. Manaslu | 8163 m (26781.5 ft)

Manaslu Height
By Wang Lama Humla – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0Link

Manaslu is the 8th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8163 m (26781.5 feet). Located in Nepal; its coordinates are 28°33′00″N84°33′35″E.

About seventy-nine (79) people have been killed while trying to reach the summit. On 4 May 1971, Ki-sup Kim (Korea) fell from the mountain to his death. Recently, Zoltan Benedek (Austria) died on the mountain. Some other people who died on Manaslu include: Gregory Ugo Costa (France), Catherine Ricard (France), Dawa Dorji Sherpa (Nepal), Ludovic Challeat (France), Phillippe Lucien Bos (France), Jafar Naseri (Iran), Eisa Mir-Shekari (Iran), Nobuaki Kuwabara (Japan), Haeng-su Park (South Korea), Levente Szabó (Hungary), Isao Kuribara (Nepal), Lenin Granados (Columbia), Juraj Kardhordo, Charles Schertz (United States), Nancy Jackson (United States), (Slovakia) and Zinur Halitov (Kazakhstan).

9. Nanga Parbat | 8126 m (26660.1 ft)

Nanga Parbat is the 9th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8126 m (26660.1 feet). It is located at Pakistan; its coordinates are 35°14′14″N74°35′21″E. 

On July 3, 1953, Hermann Buhl (Austrian mountaineer) reached the summit of Nanga Parbat; in doing so, he became the first man to reach the summit. Also on 16 February 2016, Ali Sadpara, Alex Txicon and Simone Moro (Italian mountaineer), became the first people to climb Nanga Parbat in winter.

Annapurna I Height | How High?

10. Annapurna I | 8091 m (26545.28 ft)

Annapurna I is the 10th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8091 m (26545.28 feet). On 3 June 1950, Louis Lachenal (French climber) and Maurice Herzog (French mountaineer), reached the summit of the mountain for the first time in history. Also, on 3 February 1987, Artur Hajzer (Polish mountaineer) and Jerzy Kukuczka (Polish high-altitude climber), reached the peak of the mountain, for the first time in winter.

Annapurna has claimed more lives than any eight-thousander; and is considered one of the most dangerous eight-thousander, to climb. Some people who have died on the mountain include: Ian Clough (United Kingdom), Kazumi Katagiri (Japan), Sadatoshi Takahashi (Japan), Leo Cerruti (Italy), Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz (United Kingdom), Gil Harder (United States), Pemba Tshering (Nepal), Andre Durieux (France), Werner Bürkli (Switzerland), Susumu Akamatsu (Japan), Yang-kun Chung (South Korea), Pasang Norbu (Nepal), Andres Ferrer (Spain), Toshiyuki Kobayashi (Japan), Akihiro Mori (Japan) and Samuli Mansikka (Finnland).

11. Gasherbrum I | 8080 m (26509.19 ft)

Gasherbrum I / Hidden Peak / K5 Height
By OLderman – AKE_1958, CC BY-SA 3.0Link

Gasherbrum I also known as Hidden Peak or K5, is the 11th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8080 m (26509.19 feet). Located at the border of Pakistan and China; with coordinates 35°43′28″N76°41′47″E. On July 7, 1956, Hans Willenpart, Josef Larch and  Fritz Moravec (Austrian mountaineer), reached the summit of the mountain. The mountain is an eight-thousander.

About forty (40) people, died while climbing Gasherbrum I. On 31 May 1986, Muhammad Ali Ghulam (Pakistan) died of pneumonia on the mountain. Also on 9 August 2013, Zdenek Hruby (Czech Republic) fell off the face of the mountain and died. 

Others that died on Gasherbrum I include Abel Alonso (Spain), Gerfried Göschl (Austria), Cedric Hählen (Switzerland), Jiri Danek (Czech Republic), Jose Antonio Anton (Spain), Claudio Gálvez Santibañez (Chile), Takashi Watanabe (Japan), Jorge Luis Brito (Mexico), Fayyaz Hussain (Pakistan), Andreas Bührer (Switzerland), and Muhammad Ali Ghulam (Pakistan).

12. Broad Peak | 8051 m (26414.04 ft)

Broad Peak Height | How High?

Broad Peak is the 12th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8051 m (26414.04 feet). It is located at the border between China and Pakistan; coordinates 35°48′38″N76°34′06″E.

About forty (40) people have been killed on Broad Peak. Causes of death include pneumonia, altitude sickness, falling off the cliff, avalanche and frostbite. On 23 July 2013, Aidin Bozorgi (Iran) disappeared from the face of the mountain. Also in July 2015, Qamber Ali Jangjupa (Pakistan) died; he was killed by an avalanche.

Others killed on broad peak include Dana Heide (Germany), Tomasz Kowalski (Poland), Muhammad Baqir (Pakistan), Cristina Castagna (Italy), Seung-Kwon Hur (South Korea), Eric Escoffier (France), Fukuzo Yokotagawa (Japan), Hyun-jae Park (South Korea), Alexej Himer (Czech Republic), Kurt Lyncke-Krüger (Germany), Peter Thexton (United Kingdom), Liam Scott Elliott (United Kingdom) and Marek Kęsicki (Poland).

13. Gasherbrum II | 8035 m (26361.55 ft)

Gasherbrum II (K4) Height
Public Domain, Link

Gasherbrum II (K4) is the 13th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8035 m (26361.55 feet). The name of the mountain means beautiful mountain. In 1956, S. Larch, H. Willenpart (Austria) and F. Moravec (Austrian mountaineer), climbed to the top of K4; they became the first people to summit the mountain.

14. Shishapangma | 8027 m (26335.3 ft)

Shishapangma (Gosainthān) Height
By Hiroki Ogawa, CC BY 3.0Link

Shishapangma also is known as Gosainthān is the 14th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 8028 m (26335.3 feet). It is the last eight-thousander on this list. Located entirely in Tibet – Shishapangma was first climbed on 2 May 1964, by Xǔ Jìng and his team.

15. Gyachung Kang | 7952 m (26089.24 ft)

Gyachung Kang is the 15th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7952 m (26089.24 feet). It is the highest mountain in the world that is not an eight-thousander. On April 10, 1964, Pasang Phutar, Y. Kato and K. Sakaizawa climbed to the peak of the mountain – they became the first people to do so. The easiest route up Gyachung Kang is the glacier/snow/ice climb.

Gyachung Kang is located between Nepal and China.

16. Annapurna II | 7937 m (26040.03 ft)

Annapurna II Height

Annapurna II is the 16th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7937 m (26040.03 feet). Located in Nepal; it is also the 10th highest mountain in Nepal. On May 17, 1960, J. O. M. Roberts (British mountaineering legend) and his team, became the first to reach the summit. On Feb 2, 2007, Lhakpa Thinduk, Temba Nuru, Lhakpa Wangel and Philipp Kunz reached the summit in winter; it was the first time the summit was reached in winter.

17. Gasherbrum IV | 7932 m (26023.62 ft)

Gasherbrum IV (K3) Height
By Sallahuddin shah – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0Link

Gasherbrum IV (K3) is the 17th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7932 m (26023.62 feet). It belongs to the Baltoro Karakoram mountain range and is located in Pakistan; Its coordinates are 35°45′38″N76°36′58″E. Its parent mountain is Gasherbrum III (K3a).

18. Himalchuli | 7893 m (25895.67 ft)

Himalchuli Height
By Manish.karki911 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0Link

Himalchuli, also called Himal Chuli is the 18th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7893 m (25895.67 feet). Located in Nepal, it belongs to the sub-Himalayas mountain range called Mansiri Himal. On May 24, 1960, the summit of Himalchuli was reached by Masahiro Harada and Hisashi Tanabe.

19. Distaghil Sar | 7884 m (25866.14 ft)

Distaghil Sar Height
By ESC_large_ISS014_ISS014-E-6851.JPG: Nasa, ISSderivative work: Rupert Pupkin (talk) – ESC_large_ISS014_ISS014-E-6851.JPG, Public Domain, Link

Distaghil Sar is the 19th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7884 m (25866.14 feet). Distaghil Sar has three summits that run for about 3 kilometers (km). On 9 June 1960, Diether Marchart and Günther Stärker, climbed to the summit for the first time.

20. Ngadi Chuli | 7871 m (25823.49 ft)

Ngadi Chuli Height
By Eken7 – From Bhujikot Tower in Shuklagandaki Municipality, CC BY-SA 3.0Link

Ngadi Chuli is the 20th highest mountain on earth; with a height of 7871 m (25823.49 feet). It is located in Nepal, and its coordinates are 28°30′12″N84°34′00″E. On 19 October 1970, Lhakpa Tsering and Hiroshi Watanabe, reached the summit of the mountain.

Therefore, these are the 20 highest mountains in the world:

  1. Mount Everest | 8848 m (29028.87 ft)
  2. K2 | 8611 m (28251.31 ft)
  3. Kanchenjunga | 8586 m (28169.29 ft)
  4. Lhotse | 8516 m (27939.63 ft)
  5. Makalu | 8485 m (27837.93 ft)
  6. Cho Oyu | 8188 m (26863.52 ft)
  7. Dhaulagiri I | 8167 m (26794.62 ft)
  8. Manaslu | 8163 m (26781.5 ft)
  9. Nanga Parbat | 8126 m (26660.1 ft)
  10. Annapurna I | 8091 m (26545.28 ft)
  11. Gasherbrum I | 8080 m (26509.19 ft)
  12. Broad Peak | 8051 m (26414.04 ft)
  13. Gasherbrum II | 8035 m (26361.55 ft)
  14. Shishapangma | 8027 m (26335.3 ft)
  15. Gyachung Kang | 7952 m (26089.24 ft)
  16. Annapurna II | 7937 m (26040.03 ft)
  17. Gasherbrum IV | 7932 m (26023.62 ft)
  18. Himalchuli | 7893 m (25895.67 ft)
  19. Distaghil Sar | 7884 m (25866.14 ft)
  20. Ngadi Chuli | 7871 m (25823.49 ft)