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Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth! Its peak reaches an incredible 29,032 feet into the sky. It is located right on the border between two countries: Nepal and China. Scientists believe this giant mountain is about 60 million years old.

Everest wasn't made by a plane crash,it was actually made by the Earth moving! Millions of years ago, two giant pieces of the Earth's crust (called tectonic plates) crashed into each other. They pushed against each other so hard that the land crumpled and shot straight up into the clouds, creating the Himalayan mountains.

People have different names for Everest depending on where they live:

In Nepal: People call it Sagarmatha, which means "Goddess of the Sky."

In Tibet (China): People call it Chomolungma, which means "Holy Mother."

Facing the Extreme

Climbing Mount Everest is one of the toughest challenges a human can face. The weather up there is brutal:

Freezing Cold: Temperatures can drop down to -60°C (-76°F). That is way colder than your freezer at home!

Super Winds: The wind can blow up to 200 miles per hour—that is faster than a hurricane!

Thin Air: As you go higher, the air gets very thin. This means there is less oxygen to breathe, making it hard to catch your breath.

Even though it is dangerous, people still love the adventure. The first two people to ever reach the very top together as a team were Sir Edmund Hillary (from New Zealand) and Tenzing Norgay (a famous Sherpa climber from Nepal). They made history on May 29, 1953, around 11:30 AM.

Fun and Shocking Facts!

It is Growing: Everest grows about 4 millimeters taller every single year because the Earth is still pushing it upward!

The Everest Spider: A tiny black insect called the Himalayan Jumping Spider lives high up on the mountain. It is one of the highest-living creatures on the planet!

Ocean Fossils on the Peak: Incredibly, the rock at the very top of Everest has ancient sea fossils in it. This proves that the top of the world was once at the bottom of the ocean!

The Death Zone: The area near the top (above 8,000 meters) is called the "Death Zone." There is so little oxygen there that the human body cannot survive for long without oxygen tanks.

Cool Animals: The beautiful park surrounding the mountain is home to rare Snow Leopards up high, and cute Red Pandas in the lower forests.

High-Altitude Wi-Fi: Guess what? There is actually internet and 3G phone data at the base camps! Climbers can use it to call and text their families back home.

Three Sides: Everest is shaped like a three-sided pyramid, but it isn't a perfect triangle. It has three main sides: the South Face (in Nepal), the North Face (in Tibet), and the East Face.

Summary

Mount Everest is Earth's highest mountain. It sits on the border of Nepal and China. Because it has freezing weather and very low oxygen, it is a very dangerous place to climb—but it is still one of the most famous and amazing places on Earth!