Fun Fact 2 Mount Everest is the largest and the highest mountain in the world. It was naturally formed millions of years ago and continues to grow in height by approximately 4mm per year!
Fun Fact 3: Mount Everest is known by various names which include 'Qomolangma Peak' meaning Mother Goddess of the Earth and 'Mount Sagarmatha' meaning Goddess of the Sky.
Fun Fact 4: The peak of Mount Everest measures 8,848 meters above sea level. Many people have climbed to the peak, some people have even lost their lives trying to reach the summit.
Fun Fact 5: The age of Mount Everest is believed to be around 50 million years old. It was formed when extreme pressure from beneath the Earth's crust forced the surface above it to expand which created the Himalayan mountain range.
Fun Fact 6: Mount Everest holds different significance and meanings to different groups of people. It is a sacred place for Buddhists; which is why it is home to two momentous monasteries.
Fun Fact 7: The first known mountaineers to successfully reach the summit were Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay who reached the top on 29th May, 1953.
Fun Fact 8: Many attempts to reach the summit had been made by mountaineers before 1953 which had resulted in some people losing their lives. The mountain range can be very dangerous with freezing temperatures, dangerous conditions and extreme weather.
Fun Fact 9: Amongst those who have attempted the climb throughout history include a 13 year old boy and a 76 year old man. It is estimated that approximately 4000 people have climbed Mount Everest. It is believed that around 150 people have lost their lives attempting the difficult climb.
Fun Fact 10: The composition of Mount Everest is formed from different types of rock including limestone, shale and marble.
Fun Fact 11: The best time to climb Mount Everest usually falls within the 'summit window'. This period occurs during May time, around the middle of May. The winds are usually calmer and the temperatures are warm enough for people to attempt their climb to the summit.
Fun Fact 12: The summit is very high so the conditions can be dangerous. It is always covered in snow and ice.
Fun Fact 13: One of the main concerns and dangers of climbing Mount Everest is its jet stream which can be ferocious. The westerly wind can roar at more at high speed. The highest wind speed recorded at the summit was 175 miles/hour in February 2004.
Fun Fact 14: The name 'Mount Everest' derives from the British Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843, Colonel Sir George Everest.
Fun Fact 15: The height of Mount Everest was originally recorded as 9,200 meters but was later amended to 8,840 meters in 1856 when it was more accurately measured. |
