What is the tallest mountain in the world?

Biggest, Tallest, Fastest

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by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author

There are several ways to consider what is the tallest mountain in the world. – Depending on which way you measure, the answer is different!

When measuring from sea level, the tallest mountain in the world is Mount Everest, part of the Himalayan Mountain Range in Asia. Measuring up from sea level, the highest point on Mount Everest (also known as its “altitude”) is 29,028 feet up in the air!

However, if you measure the full height of a mountain from where it originates (such as below the sea) instead of how high it juts into the air from ground level, the answer is different! – When measuring from the base under the sea, the tallest mountain in the world is Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which measures about 32,800 feet from the ocean floor to its top peak. But because a lot of Mauna Kea rests below the water, its height from sea level (where we can see it or could begin to climb it) is less than Mount Everest: Only 13,796 feet.

That means that Mount Everest has the highest altitude and is the tallest to climb, but Mauna Kea has the greatest overall height!

With over 29,000 feet of altitude, Mount Everest rises into the air higher than than 80 American football fields stacked up along their tallest length!

Have you ever been to visit any of these really tall mountains, or any other tall mountains? It can sometimes be hard to understand just how big these giant numbers are when you aren’t there to experience them! Draw a picture of how big you think you would look standing at the base of Mount Everest!

Posted by IdaraGP on 2011-03-14 20:58:00

Thanks for nice comparison on football fields and mt everst! *_*