The World's 14 Highest Mountain Peaks (Above 8,000 Meters)
Updated February 14, 2023 |
Infoplease Staff
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The highest mountain peaks in the world are in a few primary ranges, including the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges of Asia. These summits all tower above 8,000 meters or 26,000 feet, placing them firmly in the so-called “death zone” where the lack of oxygen is perilous to human beings.
From the first to be summited in 1950, Annapurna I in Nepal’s Gandaki Province, to Tibet's Shisha Pangma as the last in 1964, people continue to tackle the world’s highest mountains — particularly the 14 8,000m peaks discussed here.
So, read on for all you need to know about the high-altitude mountain peaks that include all eight-thousanders, who has climbed the 14 tallest mountains in the world, and where all these summits are located.
All 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks are located in the Himalaya or the Karakoram ranges in Asia, and only 39 climbers have reached the summits of all 14. Read on to discover both the names of these mountaineers, and the names of the highest peaks in the world!
What are the 14 Peaks Higher than 8,000 Meters?
Brave mountaineers and adventurers have tackled some of the most daunting treks around the world, including the highest peaks above 8,000 meters.
That includes Nepali climbers Mingma David, who is the youngest person to climb all 14 peaks, and Nirmal Purja, who is the fastest to summit them all in only 189 days, achieving a world record. The rest of the climbers are as follows, updated with the latest person to summit all 14 in 2021.
- Reinhold Messner (Italy).
- Jerzy Kukuczka (Poland).
- Ehardt Loretan (Switzerland).
- Carlos Carsolio (Mexico).
- Krzysztof Wielicki (Poland).
- Juanito Oiarzabal (Spain).
- Sergio Martini (Italy).
- Park Young-seok (Korea).
- Um Hong-gil (Korea).
- Alberto Iñurrategi (Spain).
- Han Wang-yong (Korea).
- Ed Viesturs (U.S.).
- Silvio Mondinelli (Italy).
- Ivan Vallejo (Ecuador).
- Denis Urubko (Kazakhstan).
- Ralf Dujmovits (Germany).
- Veikka Gustafsson (Finland).
- Andrew Lock (Australia).
- João Garcia (Portugal).
- Piotr Pustelnik (Poland).
- Edurne Pasaban (Spain).
- Abele Blanc (Italy).
- Mingma Sherpa (Nepal).
- Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner (Austria).
- Vassily Pivtsov (Kazakhstan).
- Maxut Zhumayev (Kazakhstan).
- Kim Jae-Soo (Korea).
- Mario Panzeri (Italy).
- Hirotaka Takeuchi (Japanese).
- Chhang Dawa Sherpa (Nepal).
- Kim Chang-Ho (Korea).
- Jorge Egocheaga (Spanish).
- Radek Jaroš (Czech Republic).
- Nives Meroi (Italy).
- Romano Benet (Italy/Slovenia).
- Peter Hámor (Slovakia).
- Azim Gheychisaz (Iran).
- Ferran Latorre (Spain).
- Òscar Cadiach (Spain).
- Kim Mi-gon (Korea).
- Sanu Sherpa (Nepal).
- Nirmal Purja (Nepal).
- Mingma Gyabu Sherpa (Nepal).
- Kim Hong-bin (Korea).
What are the 14 Peaks Higher than 8,000 Meters?
Now that we know about the climbers who have conquered the peaks, let’s take a look at where these summits are located in the world and their individual heights.
The following information not only answers the question of where are the 14 highest peaks located, but also addresses another common query: what are the 14 peaks in order? Read on to learn about these high-altitude mountain ranges!
| Mountain | Location | Height | First Person to Summit (& Nationality) | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meters | Feet | ||||
| 1. Everest1 | Nepal/Tibet | 8,850 | 29,035 | Edmund Hillary (New Zealander, UK), Tenzing Norgay (Nepalese) | May 29, 1953 |
| 2. K2 (Godwin Austen) | Pakistan/China | 8,611 | 28,250 | A. Compagnoni, L. Lacedelli (Italian) | July 31, 1954 |
| 3. Kangchenjunga | Nepal/India | 8,586 | 28,169 | G. Band, J. Brown, N. Hardie, S. Streather (UK) | May 25, 1955 |
| 4. Lhotse | Nepal/Tibet | 8,516 | 27,940 | F. Luchsinger, E. Reiss (Swiss) | May 18, 1956 |
| 5. Makalu | Nepal/Tibet | 8,463 | 27,766 | J. Couzy, L. Terray, J. Franco, G. Magnone-Gialtsen, J. Bouier, S. Coupé, P. Leroux, A. Vialatte (French) | May 15, 1955 |
| 6. Cho Oyu | Nepal/Tibet | 8,201 | 26,906 | H. Tichy, S. Jöchler (Austrian), Pasang Dawa Lama (Nepalese) | Oct. 19, 1954 |
| 7. Dhaulagiri | Nepal | 8,167 | 26,795 | A. Schelbert, E. Forrer, K. Diemberger, P. Diener (Swiss), Nyima Dorji, Nawang Dorji (Nepalese) | May 13, 1960 |
| 8. Manaslu | Nepal | 8,163 | 26,781 | T. Imamishi, K. Kato, M. Higeta, (Japanese) G. Norbu (Nepalese) | May 9, 1956 |
| 9. Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | 8,125 | 26,660 | Hermann Buhl (Austrian) | July 3, 1953 |
| 10. Annapurna I | Nepal | 8,091 | 26,545 | M. Herzog, L. Lachenal (French) | June 3, 1950 |
| 11. Gasherbrum I | Pakistan/China | 8,068 | 26,470 | P. K. Schoeing, A. J. Kauffman | July 4, 1958 |
| 12. Broad Peak | Pakistan/China | 8,047 | 26,400 | M. Schmuck, F. Wintersteller, K. Diemberger, H. Buhl (Austrian) | June 9, 1957 |
| 13. Gasherbrum II | Pakistan/China | 8,035 | 26,360 | F. Moravec, S. Larch, H. Willenpart (Austrian) | July 7, 1956 |
| 14. Shisha Pangma | Tibet | 8,013 | 26,289 | Hsu Ching and team of 9 (Chinese) | May 2, 1964 |
1. The 1955 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).
See Named Summits in the U.S. Over 14,000 Feet Above Sea Level for U.S. Peaks.
See also 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.
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