Himalaya, or the Himalayas, is the mountain range in Asia. It is a well-accepted word among climbers, adventures, and people who love mountains. If you are not one of them, you will learn what does Himalaya mean here.
As said earlier, the Himalayas is the mountain range in Asia that separates the Tibetan Plateau from the Indian Subcontinent. Stretching across five beautiful Asian countries, the Himalayas is the most beautiful and highest mountain range in the world. India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, and Pakistan are the countries.
Himalaya is a Sanskrit word made of “Hima” and “laya.” Hima means snow, and Alaya means dwelling abode. Collectively, Himalaya means home or land of snow or mountains. We guess now you know what does Himalaya mean. It is the abode of the mountains.
When we talk about the Himalayas, we talk about the tallest mountains here, including Mt Everest, K2, and Kanchenjunga. The Himalayas is home to 10 out of 14 eight-thousanders, 50 seven-thousanders, and more. It is the greatest place for any mountain lover. That is why millions of people come to Asia to experience the Himalayas.
Moreover, the Himalayan range is one of the earliest mountain ranges. It is composed of metamorphic and sedimentary rock. As per the theory of plate tectonics, the Himalayas is an outcome of a continental collision between the Eurasian and Indo-Australian plates.
The Himalayas runs east-southeast to west-northwest in a distance of around 2,400km(1,500mi). It consists of the Tibetan Himalayas on the North, the Shivalik Hills on the south, the lower Himalayan range, and The Great Himalayas in the central. The latter is the highest range, which homes MT Everest in Nepal.
The most notable peaks of the range are Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Nanga Parbat, Machhapucchre, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Shivling, and Nanda Devi. The peaks of the Himalayas are also religiously important. Kailash, Nanda Devi, Machapuchare, and Gangkhar Puensum are some of them. These peaks are not allowed to climb for their sacred importance.
Similarly, the Himalayas is rich in hydrology. Likes of the Ganges, the Indus, and the Tsangpo Brahmaputra rise and ramble through the Himalayas. And the rivers fuel about 600 million people, which is a great feat. A great number of people are connected to the Himalayas.
Also, the Himalayas is the abode of the world’s third-largest deposit of ice and snow. Around 15000 glaciers, which store around 12,000 km of fresh water, lie in the mountains. Some popular glaciers are Gangotri, Khumbu, Langtang, Zemu, and Yamunotri. Likewise, the region is scattered with hundreds of beautiful lakes. Pangong Tso, Rara Lake, Tilicho Lake, Shey Phoksundo Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, and Gokyo Lakes are some famous names.
Regarding ecology in the Himalayas, flora & fauna is rich and diverse. It may vary with the soils, altitude, and climate. The Himalayas range from tropical to permanent snow and ice at the highest altitudes. Around the vicinity, Snow Leopard, The Himalayan Musk Deer, Himalayan Goral, Himalayan Tahr. Red Panda and Kashmir Gray Langur are star animals. And the woods of rhododendron, box myrtle, and apple are commonly found. The Juniperus Tibetica is the highest tree species in the Himalayas.
