Search Results - Karakoram
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Karakoram is a mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, China, and India, located in the regions of Gilgit, Ladakh, and Baltistan. It is one of the Greater Ranges of Asia, often considered together with the Himalaya, but not technically part of that range. Karakoram means "black gravel" in Turkic, as many of its glaciers are covered in rubble. The Karakoram is home to more than sixty peaks above 7,000m (22,960 ft), including K2, the second highest peak of the world (8,611 m, 28,244 ft). Most of these peaks are in the Hunza of Pakistan. The range is about 500 km (300 mi) in length, and is the most heavily glaciated part of the world outside of the polar regions. The Siachen Glacier at 70 km and the Biafo Glacier at 63 km rank as the world's second and third longest glaciers outside the polar regions.[1] The Karakoram is bounded on the northeast by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and on the north by the Wakhan Corridor and the Pamir Mountains. Just to the west of the northwest end of the Karakoram lies the Hindu Raj range, beyond which is the Hindu Kush range. The southern boundary of the Karakoram is formed by the Gilgit, Indus, and Shyok Rivers, which separate the range from the northwestern end of the Himalaya range proper. Due to its altitude and ruggedness, the Karakoram is much less inhabited than parts of the Himalayas further east. European explorers first visited early in the 19th century, followed by British surveyors starting in 1856.
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Showing 1 to 4 of 4 Articles matching 'Karakoram' in related articles. |
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1. Nubra valley in ladakh
October 25, 2007
The Nubra Valley has a historical romance, for the much famed Silk Route meandered along the banks of Nubra. From Xinjiang provinces of China via the mighty Karakoram Pass and Daulat Beg Oldi, travelers, traders, romantics, camels and horses traveled up and down in this valley reaching Leh before starting another long journey to Central Asia via Skardu and Gilgit. The graves of Yarkandi merchants of yore that one could see even today in Hunder, a village on the banks of Nubra, is a living testimony of this past journey.
Undoubtedly, they provide a reminder, both poignant and piquant, of... (read more)
Author: juliemeena julie
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2. The magic of Hunza is hard to depict
September 05, 2006
The early history of Hunza is recorded only in legends. Alexander the Great is reported to explore the mighty mountains of the Karakoram and reach Hunza in 325 B.C. Some proofs of ancient history of Hunza are visible on a huge rock near Ganesh village. It is richly carved and inscribed in Kharoshthi, Brahmi, Gupta, Sogdian and Tibetan scripts. There is a portrait of Gondophares, the Kushan king of Gandhara in the first century A.D. The portrait is labeled with his name and the date. Another inscription reads, 'Chandra Vikramaditya conquers, 419 AD.' Then, there are Tibetan inscriptions depicti... (read more)
Author: Umema Quettawala
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3. Himalaya or Snow Abode
January 06, 2006
The himalaya is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of the massive mountain system, which includes the Himalaya proper, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and a host of minor ranges extending from the Pamir Knot. Together, the Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest and home to all fourteen of the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest. To comprehend the enormous scale of Himalayan peaks, consider that Aconcagua, in the Andes, is the highest peak outside the Himalaya at 22,... (read more)
Author: Barry Hooper
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4. Himalaya or Snow Abode
January 06, 2006
The himalaya is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of the massive mountain system, which includes the Himalaya proper, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and a host of minor ranges extending from the Pamir Knot. Together, the Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest and home to all fourteen of the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest. To comprehend the enormous scale of Himalayan peaks, consider that Aconcagua, in the Andes, is the highest peak outside the Himalaya at 22,... (read more)
Author: Barry Hooper
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