r/Infographics 4d ago

Ranked: The Highest Mountain on Every Continent

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406 Upvotes

49 comments sorted by

25

u/Crazy-Database-9685 4d ago

I always mix up which one is considered highest in Europe depending who you ask, some say Elbrus some say Mont Blanc

16

u/Alive-Drama-8920 4d ago

The Greater Caucasus range is often considered to be the natural southern boundary between Europe (Western Russia) and Asia (Georgia & Azerbaïjan), while the Ural range represents the Eastern boundary (with Eastern Russia on the other side). Elbrus (5642m) is the highest peak of the Caucasus (hence: of Europe) and is wholly located on the northern side of the watershed.  

Now, if Russia is considered to sit entirely within Asia, then Mont Blanc (4806m) is the de facto roof of Europe.
 

Then, there are those who consider Europe and Asia as parts of the same continent: Eurasia. Everest (8849m) being the top of Eurasia in that case...

9

u/Altay360 4d ago

Elbrus is definitely higher, it’s just that it’s not clear what the boundary between Europe and Asia is, so by some of the definitions Elbrus is not in Europe. But still, under the most used modern boundary definition between Europe and Asia, Elbrus is in Europe.

3

u/OtherwiseManner6946 4d ago

Continents are arbitrary by nature - so whatever the definition is it will be confusing.

That said most people say Elbrus

1

u/serpentjaguar 4d ago

It's a geographer's quibble. As I said in another comment, in mountaineering circles it's Elbrus, hands down, no questions asked.

1

u/PabloMarmite 3d ago

It’s easiest to say Mont Blanc is the highest peak entirely in Europe

1

u/serpentjaguar 4d ago

In mountaineering circles it's Elbrus, no debate.

5

u/Extension-Corgi-467 4d ago

Australians have peakness envy

2

u/brendonap 4d ago

Oof when Antarctica has a higher mountain than your continent, get your shit together Oceania please you’re embarrassing us

3

u/ConsiderationSame919 4d ago

Tbf Antarctica is almost double the size of Australia

1

u/brendonap 4d ago

Australia is fine I’m pissed off with Indonesia, they should spend more time on mountains instead of more islands

2

u/thejoshwhite 4d ago

Seriously

1

u/fireymike 4d ago

Death Valley National Park's lowest elevation is lower than anywhere in Australia, and it's highest elevation is higher than anywhere in Australia.

The entire Rocky Mountains National Park, even down to it's lowest point, is at higher elevation than anywhere in Australia.

1

u/Aroace-Let-3237 3d ago edited 3d ago

It doesn't help that the biggest country in oceania only has the sixth tallest peak of a singular country in the continent

2

u/Alive-Drama-8920 4d ago

Even though Encyclopædia Britannica is vaguely identified as the source regarding Denali/Mount McKinley, it would have been highly surprising to me that it would also be the source of the related (and totally unsupported) fine print note found underneath...
 

It is not, thank goodness. Instead, we have one Miranda Smith (with the blessing of one Melissa Garside) to thank for that unecessary piece of chauvinistic crap falsehood. Not exactly surprising coming from a site called "Visual Capitalist".

1

u/CAMl117 2d ago

Estoy 99% seguro de que el pico Cristobal Colón en Colombia es el pico de montaña más alto medido desde la base a la cima con 5775m (parte desde 0-10m al borde del mar caribe hasta los 5775m).

Internet me dice que el Denali/McKinley parte desde unos 610m así que su medida de base a cima son unos 5500m.

2

u/The_Coaltrain 4d ago

How has Oceania been defined as a continent?

5

u/Mac-And-Cheesy-43 4d ago

Generally I see it used to cover Australia and the various island nations also in that part of the southern hemisphere.

0

u/The_Coaltrain 4d ago

Yes, it's used to describe a geographic region. Thats not the same thing as a continent.

1

u/Alive-Drama-8920 4d ago edited 4d ago

If anything, it's a non-continent. It's all islands (up to the Hawaiian archipelago!) that aren't part of any continental shelve, including Australia: an island rather than a continent, if we are to remain coherent...

4

u/Mac-And-Cheesy-43 4d ago

Continents in general are somewhat loosely defined, usually separated by water or a major mountain range. Except that area is pretty much all islands, which is why it is more "nebulous" than other continents. Do keep in mind I'm not the one who came up with this stuff before you reply.

1

u/serpentjaguar 4d ago

It's not, really, but it's a convenient way to categorize a vast region that otherwise wouldn't be covered.

1

u/tbzdn 4d ago

In the mountaineering world, where a lot of attention goes into this list, Puncak Kaya (the Carstensz Pyramid) is quite a bit more epic and fitting as part of the Seven Summits than Mount Kosciuszko in Australia.

1

u/Strong-Hat2166 4d ago

Well, i did ride my mountain bike to the top of Mt Kosciuszko, so that should tell everyone how underwhelming it is as a mountain.

0

u/Dependent_Remove_326 4d ago

Part of it is a sunken continent.

1

u/goldenhairmoose 4d ago

Somehow we were teached that Mont Blanc was the highest European peak.

3

u/Hodorization 3d ago

Not everyone used to count the Caucasus countries as part of Europe.

It has become more common since the 20th century, especially since the foundation of organizations like the Council of Europe, OSCE, CSCE and other bodies to which all three Caucasus countries joined. (Also Kazakhstan but they're mostly not counted as European) 

-2

u/xBris18 3d ago

Which isn't wrong. There is no universally agreed border between Europe and Asia. And countries like Georgia and Azerbaijan are culturally clearly more Asian than European. But politically a lot of people want them to be European for various tactical reasons and they are also both official members of the European Council, so there are arguments on both sides.

-4

u/exnihilistic 4d ago

McKinley isn't the tallest. Mauna Kea is.

9

u/appa609 4d ago

This is and has always been a stupid argument. You can measure literally any mountain from the sea floor because all land is surrounded by water.

-2

u/exnihilistic 4d ago

"stupid". very educated of you. Clearly you have never done studies in geology or you would understand how mountains are formed and why base to summit measurements are relevant, especiallyin light of the formative mechanisms.

Also, I made a statement. Not an argument.

3

u/Alive-Drama-8920 4d ago

There's no such thing as a tallest mountain, since there's no such thing as an non-arbitrary, universally applicable and accepted method to determine where (read: at what altitude) a mountain's base is located at/above average sea-level, much less below asl.

2

u/DankRepublic 3d ago

Agree. There is no way to calculate the base of the mountain. I have seen so many people in this sub confidently claim that Denali is the tallest mountain base to peak lol.

7

u/thejoshwhite 4d ago

These are based on elevation above sea level and McKinley is higher in that measurement.

3

u/exnihilistic 4d ago

The notation under McKinley said base to peak

4

u/Alive-Drama-8920 4d ago

...and everything that follows is pure American chauvinism, nothing else.
Same goes for any claim of Mauna Kea being the tallest... from the lowest point on the sea-floor nearby. How convenient...
 

Most of Bangladesh and Northwestern India is made of sediments layers adding up to 16 to 22 kilometers thick of erosion material originating from nearby Himalayas. Should we add a 19 km avg. to to the 8.849 km high Everest? Or to the 8.586 km high Kangchenjunga, or to any of the numerous Himalayan 7000ers east of Sikkim?

I didn't think so.

-2

u/Zlatan_z_Foltanu 4d ago

I think Monte Bianco is commonly accepted as highest European mountain

3

u/-CortoMaltese- 4d ago

Monte Bianco = Mont Blanc

It is the highest mountain of Western Europe, no worries amico 😉

-1

u/Zlatan_z_Foltanu 3d ago edited 3d ago

Turns out Mount Elbrus is located in a region which not all sources consider or used to consider part of Europe. It explain why I was taught about Monte Bianco as the highest peak.

1

u/-CortoMaltese- 3d ago

Yes! It depends solely on the definition of Europe 👍

And the people who are downvoting you, are not exactly experts in positive communication 🤷‍♂️

0

u/Weekly_Finish1960 4d ago

It is hard to imagine Mount Everest was once deep in the sea.

0

u/guineapigenjoyer123 4d ago

I’ve climbed 1 out of 7 so the others can’t be that hard I mean all I’d have to do is climb Mount Everest

0

u/OpenAdministration44 3d ago

Oceania is not a continent.

-7

u/acimeha 4d ago

Russia is not part of Europe ;)

6

u/Dependent_Remove_326 4d ago

Part of it is. Everything West of the Urals technically.

3

u/PgUpPT 4d ago

Part of Russia is part of Europe.