Highest Mountain Peaks in the World (& Locations)

Table of contents
Updated July 31, 2023 | Infoplease Staff

Snowy mountaintop on white background

Photo Source: iStock

Mountains have long been a source of awe and inspiration— the taller the better. In ancient times they were deemed to be the homes of gods. In recent years, they inspired the creation of national parks. And today, climbers cross the globe and seek out a base camp from which to surmount the highest points on Earth. 

What Is the Tallest Mountain in the World?

Most of the world's highest mountains are located in the Himalayan mountain range, near the autonomous region of Tibet. Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, is located in this range. Mt. Everest is also known by its Tibetan name, “Chomolungma”, or its Nepalese name, “Sagarmatha”. The first people to successfully summit Mt. Everest was Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953.

The world's second-highest mountain, K2, is a singular exception, located in the nearby Karakoram mountain range. These two mountain ranges in Asia encompass all of the eight-thousanders, the selective group of mountains whose highest summits are more than 8,000 meters above sea level.

Nearby is the Gilgit-Baltistan area, which contains several other tallest mountain peaks, including Broad Peak and Laila Peak. Other famous mountains include Shishapangma in China, Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Facts About Mountain Peaks

Do you know what actually classifies a mountain? Scientists have pinpointed a mountain as any landmark rising 1,000 feet or more from the area around it, often marked by steep sides and a summit at the top.

Mountains can be measured by elevation, altitude, base-to-peak, and even distance from the Earth’s core, which is what gives us a definitive list of the tallest mountains on Earth.

Strictly speaking, Mount Everest is the highest mountain based on its altitude above mean sea level. But this giant is not the furthest point from the Earth’s core— that distinction belongs to Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, which is over 1.28 miles farther from the center of the Earth than Everest’s tallest peak, due to unevenness on the crust.

And if you wanted to visit the mountain that measures the highest from base to peak, it’s time to pack your bags and visit Hawaii— because Mauna Kea actually has its roots on the sea floor and rises up past the Big Island, towering more than 33,500 feet in total.

Check out our Named Summits in the U.S. Over 14,000 Feet Above Sea Level for mountains across the United States, or try your hand at naming Famous Mountain Peaks, if you want a challenge!

You might also be interested in Climbing the World's 14 8,000-meter Peaks, The Seven Summits, Mortals on Mount Olympus: A History of Climbing Everest, and the Everest Almanac.

Where Are the Highest Mountain Peaks in the World?

Mountain peak Range Location Height
ft. m
Everest1 Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 29,035 8,850
K2 (Godwin Austen) Karakoram Pakistan/China 28,250 8,611
Kanchenjunga Himalayas India/Nepal 28,169 8,586
Lhotse I Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 27,940 8,516
Makalu I Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 27,766 8,463
Cho Oyu Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 26,906 8,201
Dhaulagiri I Himalayas Nepal 26,795 8,167
Manaslu I Himalayas Nepal 26,781 8,163
Nanga Parbat Himalayas Pakistan 26,660 8,125
Annapurna I Himalayas Nepal 26,545 8,091
Gasherbrum I Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,470 8,068
Broad Peak Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,400 8,047
Gasherbrum II Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,360 8,035
Shishma Pangma (Gosainthan) Himalayas Tibet 26,289 8,013
Annapurna II Himalayas Nepal 26,041 7,937
Gyachung Kang Himalayas Nepal 25,910 7,897
Disteghil Sar Karakoram Pakistan 25,858 7,882
Himalchuli Himalayas Nepal 25,801 7,864
Nuptse Himalayas Nepal 25,726 7,841
Nanda Devi Himalayas India 25,663 7,824
Masherbrum Karakoram Kashmir2 25,660 7,821
Rakaposhi Karakoram Pakistan 25,551 7,788
Kanjut Sar Karakoram Pakistan 25,461 7,761
Kamet Himalayas India/Tibet 25,446 7,756
Namcha Barwa Himalayas Tibet 25,445 7,756
Gurla Mandhata Himalayas Tibet 25,355 7,728
Ulugh Muztagh Kunlun Tibet 25,340 7,723
Kungur Muztagh Ata China 25,325 7,719
Tirich Mir Hindu Kush Pakistan 25,230 7,690
Saser Kangri Karakoram India 25,172 7,672
Makalu II Himalayas Nepal 25,120 7,657
Minya Konka (Gongga Shan) Daxue Shan China 24,900 7,590
Kula Kangri Himalayas Bhutan 24,783 7,554
Chang-tzu Himalayas Tibet 24,780 7,553
Muztagh Ata Muztagh Ata China 24,757 7,546
Skyang
Kangri
Himalayas Kashmir 24,750 7,544
Ismail Samani Peak (formerly Communism Peak) Pamirs Tajikistan 24,590 7,495
Jongsong Peak Himalayas Nepal 24,472 7,459
Pobeda Peak Tien Shan Kyrgyzstan 24,406 7,439
Sia Kangri Himalayas Kashmir 24,350 7,422
Haramosh Peak Karakoram Pakistan 24,270 7,397
Istoro Nal Hindu Kush Pakistan 24,240 7,388
Tent Peak Himalayas Nepal 24,165 7,365
Chomo Lhari Himalayas Tibet/Bhutan 24,040 7,327
Chamlang Himalayas Nepal 24,012 7,319
Kabru Himalayas Nepal 24,002 7,316
Alung Gangri Himalayas Tibet 24,000 7,315
Baltoro Kangri Himalayas Kashmir 23,990 7,312
Muztagh Ata (K-5) Kunlun China 23,890 7,282
Mana Himalayas India 23,860 7,273
Baruntse Himalayas Nepal 23,688 7,220
Nepal Peak Himalayas Nepal 23,500 7,163
Amne Machin Kunlun China 23,490 7,160
Gauri Sankar Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 23,440 7,145
Badrinath Himalayas India 23,420 7,138
Nunkun Himalayas Kashmir 23,410 7,135
Lenin Peak Pamirs Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan 23,405 7,134
Pyramid Himalayas Nepal 23,400 7,132
Api Himalayas Nepal 23,399 7,132
Pauhunri Himalayas India/China 23,385 7,128
Trisul Himalayas India 23,360 7,120
Korzhenevski Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 23,310 7,105
Kangto Himalayas Tibet 23,260 7,090
Nyainqentanglha Nyainqentanglha Shan China 23,255 7,088
Trisuli Himalayas India 23,210 7,074
Dunagiri Himalayas India 23,184 7,066
Revolution Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 22,880 6,974
Aconcagua Andes Argentina 22,834 6,960
Ojos del Salado Andes Argentina/Chile 22,664 6,908
Bonete Andes Argentina/Chile 22,546 6,872
Ama Dablam Himalayas Nepal 22,494 6,856
Tupungato Andes Argentina/Chile 22,310 6,800
Moscow Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 22,260 6,785
Pissis Andes Argentina 22,241 6,779
Mercedario Andes Argentina/Chile 22,211 6,770
Huascarán Andes Peru 22,205 6,768
Llullaillaco Andes Argentina/Chile 22,057 6,723
El Libertador Andes Argentina 22,047 6,720
Cachi Andes Argentina 22,047 6,720
Kailas Himalayas Tibet 22,027 6,714
Incahuasi Andes Argentina/Chile 21,720 6,620
Yerupaja Andes Peru 21,709 6,617
Kurumda Pamirs Tajikistan 21,686 6,610
Galan Andes Argentina 21,654 6,600
El Muerto Andes Argentina/Chile 21,463 6,542
Sajama Andes Bolivia 21,391 6,520
Nacimiento Andes Argentina 21,302 6,493
Illampu Andes Bolivia 21,276 6,485
Illimani Andes Bolivia 21,201 6,462
Coropuna Andes Peru 21,083 6,426
Laudo Andes Argentina 20,997 6,400
Ancohuma Andes Bolivia 20,958 6,388
Cuzco Andes Peru 20,945 6,384
(Ausangate) Andes Peru 20,945 6,384
Toro Andes Argentina/Chile 20,932 6,380
Tres Cruces Andes Argentina/Chile 20,853 6,356
Huandoy Andes Peru 20,852 6,356
Parinacota Andes Bolivia/Chile 20,768 6,330
Tortolas Andes Argentina/Chile 20,745 6,323
Chimborazo Andes Ecuador 20,702 6,310
Ampato Andes Peru 20,702 6,310
El Condor Andes Argentina 20,669 6,300
Salcantay Andes Peru 20,574 6,271
Huancarhuas Andes Peru 20,531 6,258
Famatina Andes Argentina 20,505 6,250
Pumasillo Andes Peru 20,492 6,246
Solo Andes Argentina 20,492 6,246
Polleras Andes Argentina 20,456 6,235
Pular Andes Chile 20,423 6,225
Chañi Andes Argentina 20,341 6,200
McKinley (Denali) Alaska Alaska 20,320 6,194
Aucanquilcha Andes Chile 20,295 6,186
Juncal Andes Argentina/Chile 20,276 6,180
Negro Andes Argentina 20,184 6,152
Quela Andes Argentina 20,128 6,135
Condoriri Andes Bolivia 20,095 6,125
Palermo Andes Argentina 20,079 6,120
Solimana Andes Peru 20,068 6,117
San Juan Andes Argentina/Chile 20,049 6,111
Sierra Nevada Andes Argentina 20,023 6,103
Antofalla Andes Argentina 20,013 6,100
Marmolejo Andes Argentina/Chile 20,013 6,100
1. The 1954 elevation of Everest, 29,028 ft. (8,848 m) was revised on Nov. 11, 1999, and now stands at 29,035 ft. (8,850 m).
2. Kashmir is divided between India, Pakistan, and China, and the three countries dispute the boundaries.
Source: National Geographic Society.

 

The World's 14 Highest Mountain Peaks (above 8,000 meters) World Geography Climbing the Seven Summits
World Geography
Sources +