Introduction
Mountains, naturally elevated parts of the earth caused by tectonic plates colliding and pushing each other up, make up about 24% of the surface of the earth. This includes tourist destinations such as the Alps, the Andes, and Himalayas. Mountains provide terrain and scenes ideal for hiking, skiing, and climbing.
There are three ways to find the most mountainous countries. First would be the countries with the highest mountains; for example, Mount Everest (the highest mountain in the world) has an elevation of 29,032 feet (or 8,849 meters). Next is those with the longest mountain ranges, such as the Andes Mountains which are about 5,500 miles long (8,900 kilometers). Finally, countries with the greatest percentage of surface area taken up by mountains.
| # | Country | Area Covered in Mountains |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhutan | 98.8% |
| 2 | Tajikistan | 91.9% |
| 3 | Kyrgyzstan | 90.7% |
| 4 | Lesotho | 90.5% |
| 5 | Montenegro | 89.3% |
| 6 | Armenia | 85.9% |
| 7 | Republic of Macedonia | 85.5% |
| 8 | Switzerland | 83.6% |
| 9 | Lebanon | 81.1% |
| 10 | Nepal | 80.7% |
Countries with Most Mountains
The most mountainous countries are largely those that are within central and south east Asia with a few exceptions. Bhutan, for example, a nation that is next to Nepal, Tibet, and India, is the most mountainous country, which makes sense as the nation situated on the Himalayan mountain range, thus 98.8% of its land is mountainous. Other countries with the most mountains are,Tajikistan, a central Asian country, with 91.9% of its land mass being mountainous. Next is Kyrgyzstan, also a central Asian nation that borders Tajikistan, land mass is 90.7% mountainous. Lesotho, a small African nation that is located inside South Africa, has a very mountainous landscape covering some 90.5% of the nation’s territory. Montenegro, a small European nation that borders Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia, is notorious for its rugged landscape seeing mountains consume around 89.3% of the country. These are some of the countries with the most mountains in the world.
7 Highest Mountains in the world
Mountains are elevated portions of the earth’s crust and are formed by tectonic forces, erosion or volcanism. The world has various gloriously large mountains but some are so huge in size that they dwarf many things that us humans consider great feats of engineering and height, like the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, being completely dwarfed in size by Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world located in Nepal and China, that is 8,849 m compared to 828 m of the Burj Khalifa. The second highest mountain in the world is K2 which sits at 8,611 m above sea level and is found in Pakistan’s administered Kashmir. The third highest mountain in the world is Kangchenjunga, part of the Himalayan mountain range sitting 8,586 m above sea level. The fourth highest mountain in the world is Lhotse at 8,516 m and can be found at the border between Tibet and Nepal. The fifth highest mountain in the world is Makalu sitting at 8,481 m above sea level and is also a part of the Himalayan mountain range. The sixth highest mountain in the world is Cho Oyu with a height of 8,188 m above sea level and is also located in the Himalayan mountain range. The seventh highest mountain in the world is Manaslu at 8,163 m and is, once again, found in the Himalayan mountain range.
Longest Mountain Range in the World
Mountain ranges come in all shapes and sizes, some incredibly small like the Sutter Buttes in California, United States, that only encompasses some 625 m and yet has a height of 647 m, this range is often referred to as the smallest in the world. The longest mountain range in the world however is the mid-ocean ridge, which is below sea level, and stretches around the globe spanning 40,389 miles. The longest mountain range in the world, above sea level, is the Andes with a range of 5,530 miles long and found in South America, more specifically, extending through seven nations: Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
Learn for yourself about the most mountainous countries by looking at the map and charts.
Area Covered in Mountains by Country
Armenia
Area Covered in Mountains
85.9%
Ranked in the World
#6
Bhutan
Area Covered in Mountains
98.8%
Ranked in the World
#1
Kyrgyzstan
Area Covered in Mountains
90.7%
Ranked in the World
#3
Lebanon
Area Covered in Mountains
81.1%
Ranked in the World
#9
Lesotho
Area Covered in Mountains
90.5%
Ranked in the World
#4
Montenegro
Area Covered in Mountains
89.3%
Ranked in the World
#5
Nepal
Area Covered in Mountains
80.7%
Ranked in the World
#10
Republic of Macedonia
Area Covered in Mountains
85.5%
Ranked in the World
#7
Switzerland
Area Covered in Mountains
83.6%
Ranked in the World
#8
Tajikistan
Area Covered in Mountains
91.9%
Ranked in the World
#2
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