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{{Short description|Geographic area containing several geologically related mountains}}
{{For|financial options|Exotic option{{!}}Mountain range (options)}}

[[File:Apollo 9 image of the Namcha Barwa Himal range, AS09-23-3511.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|The [[Namcha Barwa Himal]], east part of the [[Himalayas]] as seen from space by [[Apollo 9]]]]

A '''mountain range''' or '''hill range''' is a series of [[mountain]]s or [[hill]]s arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A '''mountain system''' or '''mountain belt''' is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arisen from the same cause, usually an [[orogeny]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.mindat.org/glossary/mountain_system |title = Definition of mountain system |website = Mindat.org |publisher=Hudson Institute of Mineralogy |access-date = 26 August 2017 }}</ref> Mountain ranges are formed by a variety of geological processes, but most of the significant ones on Earth are the result of [[plate tectonics]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hammond |first=Allen L. |date=1971-07-09 |title=Plate Tectonics (II): Mountain Building and Continental Geology |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.173.3992.133 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=173 |issue=3992 |pages=133–134 |doi=10.1126/science.173.3992.133 |issn=0036-8075|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Mountain ranges are also found on many planetary mass objects in the [[Solar System]] and are likely a feature of most [[terrestrial planet]]s.

Mountain ranges are usually segmented by [[highland]]s or [[mountain pass]]es and [[valley]]s. Individual mountains within the same mountain range do not necessarily have the same [[Structural geology|geologic structure]] or [[petrology]]. They may be a mix of different orogenic expressions and [[terrane]]s, for example [[Thrust fault|thrust sheets]], [[Fault-block mountain|uplifted blocks]], [[Fold (geology)|fold]] mountains, and [[volcanic]] landforms resulting in a variety of [[lithology|rock types]].

== Major ranges ==
[[File: World Distribution of Mid-Oceanic Ridges.gif|thumb|upright=1.35|The [[Mid-ocean ridge#Global system|Ocean Ridge]], the world's longest mountain range (chain)]]

Most geologically young mountain ranges on the Earth's land surface are associated with either the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]] or the [[Alpide belt]]. The Pacific Ring of Fire includes the [[Andes]] of South America, extends through the [[North American Cordillera]], the [[Aleutian Range]], on through [[Kamchatka|Kamchatka Peninsula]], [[Japan]], [[China]], the [[Philippines]], [[Papua New Guinea]], to [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/ring-of-fire-1433460 |first=Matt|last=Rosenberg|publisher=ThoughtCo.|title= Ring of Fire|date =22 December 2018}}</ref> The Andes is {{convert|7000|km|mi|0}} long and is often considered the world's longest mountain system.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pearson General Knowledge Manual|year=2012|page=A-36|first=Edgar|last=Thorpe|publisher= Pearson Education India}}</ref>

The Alpide belt stretches 15,000 km across southern [[Eurasia]], from [[Java]] in Maritime [[Southeast Asia]] to the [[Iberian Peninsula]] in [[Western Europe]], including the ranges of the [[Himalayas]], [[Karakoram]], [[Hindu Kush]], [[Alborz]], [[Caucasus_Mountains|Caucasus]], and the [[Alps]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Furnace of Creation, Cradle of Destruction|url=https://archive.org/details/furnaceofcreatio00ches|url-access=registration|first=Roy|last=Chester|page=[https://archive.org/details/furnaceofcreatio00ches/page/77 77]|year=2008|publisher=AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn|isbn=9780814409206}}</ref> The Himalayas contain the highest mountains in the world, including [[Mount Everest]], which is {{convert|8848|m|ft}} high.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8608913.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Nepal and China agree on Mount Everest's height|date=8 April 2010}}</ref>

Mountain ranges outside these two systems include the [[Arctic Cordillera]], [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]], [[Great Dividing Range]], [[East Siberian Mountains|East Siberians]], [[Altai Mountains|Altais]], [[Scandinavian Mountains|Scandinavians]], [[Qinling]], [[Western Ghats]], [[Vindhya Range|Vindhyas]], [[Byrranga Mountains|Byrrangas]], and the [[Annamite Range]]. If the definition of a mountain range is stretched to include underwater mountains, then the [[Ocean Ridge]] forms the longest continuous mountain system on Earth, with a length of {{Convert|65000|km|mi|-2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/midoceanridge.html|title=The mid-ocean ridge is the longest mountain range on Earth|date=11 Jan 2013|publisher=US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Service}}</ref>

==Climate==
[[File:Andes 70.30345W 42.99203S.jpg|thumb|The [[Andes]], the longest mountain range on the surface of the Earth, have a dramatic impact on the climate of South America]]

The position of mountain ranges influences climate, such as rain or snow.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Beniston |first=Martin |date=2006-06-01 |title=Mountain Weather and Climate: A General Overview and a Focus on Climatic Change in the Alps |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1802-0 |journal=Hydrobiologia |language=en |volume=562 |issue=1 |pages=3–16 |doi=10.1007/s10750-005-1802-0 |issn=1573-5117|url-access=subscription }}</ref> When air masses move up and over mountains, the air cools, producing [[Orography|orographic]] precipitation (rain or snow). As the air descends on the leeward side, it warms again (following the [[adiabatic lapse rate]]) and is drier, having been stripped of much of its moisture. Often, a [[rain shadow]] will affect the leeward side of a range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Orographic precipitation |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/orographic-precipitation |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> As a consequence, large mountain ranges, such as the Andes, compartmentalize continents into distinct [[climate regions]].

==Erosion==
Mountain ranges are constantly subjected to [[erosion]]al forces which work to tear them down.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hilton |first=Robert G. |last2=West |first2=A. Joshua |date=June 2020 |title=Mountains, erosion and the carbon cycle |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0058-6 |journal=Nature Reviews Earth & Environment |language=en |volume=1 |issue=6 |pages=284–299 |doi=10.1038/s43017-020-0058-6 |issn=2662-138X}}</ref> The [[Sedimentary basin|basins]] adjacent to an eroding mountain range are then filled with sediments that are buried and turned into [[sedimentary rock]]. Erosion is at work while the mountains are being uplifted until the mountains are reduced to low hills and plains.

The early [[Cenozoic]] uplift of the [[Rocky Mountains]] of Colorado provides an example. As the uplift was occurring some {{convert|10000|ft|m}} of mostly [[Mesozoic]] sedimentary [[stratum|strata]] were removed by erosion over the core of the mountain range and spread as sand and clays across the [[Great Plains]] to the east.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/romo5/wegemann/sec6.htm|publisher=USGS|title=A Guide to the Geology of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024065844/http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/romo5/wegemann/sec6.htm |archive-date=2012-10-24 }}</ref> This mass of rock was removed as the range was actively undergoing uplift. The removal of such a mass from the core of the range most likely caused further uplift as the region adjusted [[isostasy|isostatically]] in response to the removed weight.

Rivers are traditionally believed to be the principal cause of mountain range erosion, by cutting into bedrock and transporting sediment. Computer simulation has shown that as mountain belts change from tectonically active to inactive, the rate of erosion drops because there are fewer abrasive particles in the water and fewer landslides.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Egholm|first1=David L.|last2=Knudsen|first2=Mads F.|last3=Sandiford|first3=Mike|title=Lifespan of mountain ranges scaled by feedbacks between landslide and erosion by rivers|journal=Nature|volume=498|issue=7455|pages=475–478|doi=10.1038/nature12218|pmid=23803847|year=2013|bibcode=2013Natur.498..475E|s2cid=4304803}}</ref>

==Extraterrestrial "Montes"==
{{Further|List of tallest mountains in the Solar System}}

[[File:Montes_Apenninus_AS15-M-1423.jpg|thumb|[[Montes Apenninus]] on the [[Moon]] was formed by an impact event.]]

Mountains on other planets and [[natural satellite]]s of the Solar System, including the [[Moon]], are often isolated and formed mainly by processes such as impacts, though there are examples of mountain ranges (or "Montes") somewhat similar to those on Earth. [[Saturn]]'s moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]]<ref name="MitriBland2010">{{cite journal|last1=Mitri|first1=Giuseppe|last2=Bland|first2=Michael T.|last3=Showman|first3=Adam P.|last4=Radebaugh|first4=Jani|last5=Stiles|first5=Bryan|last6=Lopes|first6=Rosaly M. C.|author6-link=Rosaly Lopes |last7=Lunine|first7=Jonathan I.|last8=Pappalardo|first8=Robert T.|title=Mountains on Titan: Modeling and observations|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|volume=115|issue=E10|pages=E10002|year=2010|issn=0148-0227|doi=10.1029/2010JE003592|bibcode=2010JGRE..11510002M|s2cid=12655950|doi-access=free}}</ref> and [[Pluto (dwarf planet)|Pluto]],<ref name="NASA-20150724-lg">{{cite web |last=Gipson |first=Lillian |title=New Horizons Discovers Flowing Ices on Pluto |url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-discovers-flowing-ices-on-pluto |date=24 July 2015 |work=[[NASA]] |access-date=25 July 2015 |archive-date=17 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317050557/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-discovers-flowing-ices-on-pluto/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> in particular, exhibit large mountain ranges in chains composed mainly of ices rather than rock. Examples include the [[Mithrim Montes]] and [[Doom Mons]] on Titan, and [[Tenzing Montes]] and [[Hillary Montes]] on Pluto. Some terrestrial planets other than Earth also exhibit rocky mountain ranges, such as [[Maxwell Montes]] on [[Venus]] taller than any on Earth<ref name="KeepHansen1994">{{cite journal|last1=Keep|first1=Myra|last2=Hansen|first2=Vicki L.|title=Structural history of Maxwell Montes, Venus: Implications for Venusian mountain belt formation|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|volume=99|issue=E12|year=1994|pages=26015|issn=0148-0227|doi=10.1029/94JE02636|bibcode=1994JGR....9926015K|s2cid=53311663}}</ref> and [[Tartarus Montes]] on [[Mars]].<ref name="Plescia2003">{{cite journal|last1=Plescia|first1=J.B.|title=Cerberus Fossae, Elysium, Mars: a source for lava and water|journal=Icarus|volume=164|issue=1|year=2003|pages=79–95|issn=0019-1035|doi=10.1016/S0019-1035(03)00139-8|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1259599|bibcode=2003Icar..164...79P}}</ref> Jupiter's moon [[Io (moon)|Io]] has mountain ranges formed from tectonic processes including the [[Boösaule Montes|Boösaule]], Dorian, Hi'iaka and [[Euboea Montes]].<ref name="Jaeger2003">{{cite journal|last1=Jaeger|first1=W. L.|title=Orogenic tectonism on Io|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|volume=108|issue=E8|year=2003|pages=12–1–12–18|issn=0148-0227|doi=10.1029/2002JE001946|bibcode=2003JGRE..108.5093J|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Earth sciences|Environment}}

{{div col|colwidth=27.5em}}
*[[Cordillera]]
*[[Drainage divide]]
*[[List of mountain ranges]]
*[[:Category:Lists of mountain ranges]]
*[[List of mountain types]]
*[[Lists of mountains]]
*[[Massif]]
*[[Mountain chain]]
*[[Mountain formation]]
*[[Ridge]] – an elongated mountain or hill, or chain of them
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.peakbagger.com/rangindx.aspx Peakbagger Ranges Home Page]
*[http://bivouac.com/PgxPg.asp?PgxId=276 Bivouac.com]

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[[Category:Mountains]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges| ]]