No, we have not forgotten about Everest, but what we were all told at school is not completely true. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the highest mountain in the world is not Chomolungma, but Mauna Kea. It is also the highest point in Hawaii. It is an inactive shield volcano located on the island of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands archipelago.
Mauna Kea rises above the water to a height of 4,205 meters, but its biggest secret is kept under the water. What opens up to our eyes is only a small part of this majestic mountain. Its height, calculated from the ocean floor, is neither more nor less than 10 203 meters.
Since daytime, Mauna Kea has been especially important for local residents, the mountain appears in local mythology as the most sacred of all peaks, only tribal leaders and no one else could climb here at one time. In Hawaiian language "Mauna Kea" means "white mountain", it is called so because in winter its peaks are always covered with a dense layer of snow.
At the top of the volcano, at an altitude of 3730 - 4190 meters above sea level, there is one of the most interesting observatories in the world - the Mauna Kea Observatory. Due to its location at a sufficient height and isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is recognized as one of the best places world for astronomical observations.
According to scientists, the age of Mauna Kea is about a million years, but the period of high activity of the volcano passed hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to 2003 data, the last eruption of Mauna Kea occurred from 6 to 4 thousand years ago. The volcano currently has a minimum rating according to the US Geological Survey.
In recent years, experts have been greatly concerned about the ecological situation in Mauna Kea. Since the Europeans settled here in the 18th century and began to raise livestock, the true flora and fauna of the volcano began to be seriously damaged, many species are now on the verge of extinction. In an attempt to save Mauna Kea, the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources even decided to eradicate the introduced plant and animal species in order to return the volcano to its true appearance and preserve the unique representatives of flora and fauna. In particular, Mauna Kea is home to the forests of Golden Sophora, a legume tree that only remains in Hawaii. Their area today is only 10% of the former. Complete extinction threatens 8 species of birds and 12 species of plants in the lower zone of Mauka Kea within a 2 kilometer belt.
Today Mauna Kea is the most popular tourist attraction in Hawaii, annually about 100,000 tourists from all over the world come here. They climb the slopes of the volcano, can reach the summit in an SUV along the road paved to it, visit the observatory, and go skiing in the winter months.
The most convenient way to get to the island of Hawaii is by plane, in the western part of the island there is Kona International Airport (KOA). The most popular transport to get around the island is a car you rent with or without a driver. Mauna Kea offers organized tours that can be purchased from numerous travel agencies.
Even from school, it is known that the highest mountain on Earth is Everest (Chomolungma). This is true if the height of the mountain is measured only above sea level. In this regard, the question arises, which is the highest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea or Everest?
Not everyone knows that there are mountains on Earth that grow from the “bottom of the sea”. Mount Mauna Kea, located in the Hawaiian Islands, is one of them. It rises from the ocean, leaving almost 6,000 meters under water. Only a small part of it rises above the surface of the water - only 4205 meters. This fact contributed to the classification of Mauna Kea as a low mountain. The real height of the dormant volcano is over 10,200 meters. If you measure the distance from the base of the mountain to its top, it turns out that Chomolungma is not the highest mountain. The victory will go to Mauna Kea - a sleeping volcano. 
Local tribes call it "White Mountain" because of the abundance of snow on the slopes, which skiers love. Among the local tribes, Mauna Kea is considered a sacred mountain. It is almost a million years old. Only the leaders of the tribe can climb to the top of a sleeping volcano to communicate with spirits.
For many centuries, the mountain fed and clothed the native tribes, gave them material for construction. But lately everything has changed. The once dense and impenetrable forests have significantly thinned out, rare representatives of flora and fauna have disappeared or are on the verge of extinction. This happened due to the violation of the eco - system due to the active reproduction of animals brought from the "mainland" and the deforestation of Europeans.
Every year, "White Mountain" is visited by tourists from all over the world to admire the beautiful views and go skiing. The main attraction of Mauna Kea is a large observatory with 13 powerful telescopes, which is not at the top. The favorable climate on its slopes, as well as convenient humidity indicators, make observations here as comfortable as possible for scientists, allowing them to make unexpected discoveries.
Answering the question which mountain is higher - White Mountain or Everest, it is safe to say that White Mountain is higher. Chomolungma rises 8,848 meters above sea level, which is less than the height of Mauna Kea by more than a kilometer.
Despite this, the most popular among the conquerors of the mountains is Everest. This is explained by its impressive height. Every year, thousands of people strive to visit the summit of Everest, despite all the dangers that may lie in wait for them while climbing. At the same time, many also dream of conquering the top of Mauna Kea. Despite the seemingly "easy" to overcome 4200 meters, it is not so easy to do this, as even experienced climbers are convinced of.
If you think that Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, then you are wrong. Everest is the highest point on the planet. Point, but not Mountain. The record holder for altitude is in Hawaii. This is Mauna Kea Mountain.
The fact is that there is a small incident here. What to take for height - an absolute indicator from base to top or height above sea level? It is logical to assume that the size of the mountain should be determined by the absolute height. Imagine that you went to the waist in the water of some amazing beach, well, for example, Hanauma Bay in Hawaii, has your height changed? Of course not. So, in the first place comes the Mauna Kea mountain on the island of Hawaii of the archipelago of the same name.
Mauna Kea on the map
- Geographic coordinates 19.822098, -155.467083
- Distance from the state capital, Honolulu, approximately 300 km
- The nearest Hilo International Airport is about 45 km away
The absolute height of the Mauna Kea mountain is 10,203 meters. Its peak is located at an altitude of 4,205 meters above the sea, but the rest is hidden in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Thus, its height exceeds that of Everest by 1355 meters, which makes it the tallest mountain in the world.
Although it is actually a volcano (one in five on the island), it is about 1 million years old. About 500 thousand years ago, he was powerful and very active. Volcanic activity gradually died down. The last eruption took place about 4500 years ago. At the moment, the volcano is considered extinct. Even the US Geological Survey has given the volcano the lowest activity rating.
Translated from the Hawaiian language, Mauna Kea means White Mountain. This is quite understandable, since in winter the top of the mountain is covered with a cap of snow. Tourists can even go skiing there. But not at the very top, where the wind speed exceeds 100 km / h, but slightly lower. A completely normal road is laid on the mountain, along which you can come almost to the very peak by SUVs.
According to Hawaiian legends, the peaks of the island are sacred, and the Mauna Kea volcano is the most sacred of them. Only the most senior leaders of local tribes have the right to go there. Climbing is prohibited for ordinary Hawaiians.
Apparently, this prohibition does not apply to tourists and scientists, since the former climb to the top of Mauna Kea by 100 thousand a year, and the latter set up as many as 13 observatories there. By the way, these astronomical centers belong to 11 countries.
No wonder astronomers liked the mountain, because this is one of the best places for observing space. The altitude, proximity to the equator, minimum cloud cover create ideal conditions for this. But there are still disagreements with the local population about the legality of building scientific centers in a sacred place. Plus to this, a large number of tourists, which can harm the ecology of the volcano. This is also controversial.
- This is the highest point in the Hawaiian Islands
- According to scientists, the volume of Mauna Kea is more than 3200 cubic kilometers.
- The volcano occupies 22.8% of the entire island
Mauna Kea photos
Even from school, many of us know and remember that the highest mountain on the planet is Everest. However, there are scientists trying to refute this thesis. The fact is that mountains are measured in different ways and, depending on the method chosen for the measurement, noteworthy results are obtained. Do you know the name of the highest mountain in the world under water? Many will not be able to answer this question, but there is a mountain on the planet called Mauna Kea and its height is 1300 meters higher than the well-known Everest.
An insidious volcano or a harmless mountain?
In fact, Mauna Kea is an inactive volcano classified as a shield volcano. In the photos available on the Internet, there are no clearly visible boundaries of the crater, most often you can just see a large cauldron. This type of volcano is associated with repeated eruptions of incandescent liquid molten rock. The surrounding area is covered by a stream of outflowing magma in such a way that slightly sloping slopes are formed.
The peak of activity of the volcano, which appeared a million years ago, ended 250 thousand years ago. According to researchers, the awakening of an extinct volcano is currently unlikely.
Shield types of volcanoes go through several stages:
- Boardroom begins with the emergence of a hot spot;
- At the shield stage, the volcano is most active;
- At the post-panel stage, the formation of the form is completed. At this time, it is impossible to predict the behavior of the volcano;
- The final stage is inaction.
Mauna Kea, which is part of the Hawaiian Islands, is today considered the highest mountain on the planet, moreover, most of it is located under water. The mountain is notable for tourists for its snow cap, which is absolutely not typical for a tropical climate. This is the reason for its name, meaning "White Mountain".
World observatory
Due to its close proximity to the equator, Hawaii is considered an ideal destination for astronomical observations. Therefore, no one is surprised by the fact that Mauna Kea is a real center for the study of astronomical objects that emit their own or reflected light. Since the mountain is far enough from the city, it is possible to achieve perfect clarity of atmospheres here.
Currently, thirteen telescopes from different countries are installed on the top of Mauna Kea. The most important are the Hawaiian Keck Observatory, the US National Space Administration's infrared space telescopes and Subaru's 8.2-meter optical telescope. You can watch the work of the observatories online: by connecting to a webcam.
In addition to the fact that Mauna Kea amazes scientists with its height, it is still in the lead in terms of the mark at which telescopes are assembled. The instruments are located at an altitude of over 40 percent of the atmospheric layer, thereby achieving relative dryness. The absence of clouds at this height allows year-round stargazing.
Flora and fauna
There are three reserves on the giant mountain. The flora of the summit is represented by perennial low-growing grasses that are not afraid of low temperature conditions and strong winds inherent in the alpine belt. In the Nature Reserve, located at the top of Mauna Kea, they watch the endangered roaming predator - the wolf spider, which lives at an altitude of 4 thousand meters. Between the stones warming up from the sun's rays, one can see the Forest Shawl butterflies hiding from the cold.
On the second layer, there is a 21,000 hectare nature reserve, protected by Sophora golden-leaved, an endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago. The Europeans who settled on the island in the 18th century caused a significant reduction in the population of legumes. Currently, only 10% of the trees remain.
At the bottom of the mountain there is a reserve with endangered species of plants and animals. The ecological system has suffered greatly after the importation of cattle and the clearing of land for planting sugar cane. In order to preserve the endangered flora, it was decided to eradicate large-horned animals from the island.
Recreation
More than 100,000 people from all over the world come to admire the beauty of Mauna Kea every year. You can get to the top of the mountain by powerful off-road vehicles. The main attraction of the giant mountain is the observatory.
In winter, tourists can go skiing, although the routes at the very top for such leisure activities are not suitable because of the high wind speed, which reaches 100 kilometers per hour.
Seamounts, unlike terrestrial ones, represent a separate uplift of the seabed and are characterized by pronounced peaks or peaks and steep slopes. According to scientists, the relative height of the mountains should be at least 500 - 1000 meters, and their tops are usually domed or cone-shaped. In cross-section, the seamount resembles an ellipse, and most of these geological formations are volcanoes that continue their activity. From those rock samples that the researchers managed to raise to the surface, it can be concluded that the vast majority of mountains are composed of basalt. Seamounts pose a significant danger, as during eruptions they can complicate navigation, and during the collapse of the mountain, large-scale tsunamis often occur. Some seamounts are archipelagos submerged under the water, there are also seamounts standing apart, which are not so many, and in addition, it is worth noting the seamounts towering above the ocean surface. Among them, the tallest mountain, as well as the tallest mountain in the world, counting from bottom to top, is Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii. Its relative height is 10203 m, which is more than 2 km higher than the height of Everest.
Few seamounts are mapped due to the fact that the depth and height of the hill can only be measured with a special echo sounder. It is customary for specialists to determine the length of the ridge, of which the seamount is part, and its height is calculated as the smallest depth above the ridge. Based on such data, a list of the highest and longest seamounts can be distinguished, completely hidden by the waters of the world's oceans.
Top 10 longest seamounts
- North Atlantic Ridge (8.2 thousand km)
- East Pacific Rise (7.6 thousand km)
- South Atlantic Ridge (6.5 thousand km)
- Australian-Antarctic uplift (5.9 thousand km)
- Markus-Necker (5.8 thousand km)
- East Indian Ridge (5 thousand km)
- Hawaiian Ridge (5 thousand km)
- South Pacific Rise (4.1 thousand km)
- Arabian-Indian ridge (3.7 thousand km)
- West Indian Ridge (3.6 thousand km)
The highest mountains in the world under water
1. Northwest ridge (6000 m)
It stretches for more than 2.3 thousand km, has a width of about 350 km, and the shallowest depth above the ridge is a little more than 10 meters. The first studies of the ridge were carried out in the period from 1872 to 1897 on the ships "Challenger" and "Albatross".
2. Hawaiian ridge (5500 m)
The Hawaiian Ridge is an underwater volcanic formation located in Pacific, the ridge limits the North Pacific Basin from the southwest. The highest peaks, characteristic of the southern part, form the Hawaiian Islands, which include some of the largest active volcanoes. The soils of the ridge are silt or sand, and the greatest depth above the ridge is 15 m.
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3. The Shatsky Upland (5500 m)
The Underwater Hill is an elevation located in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Land of the Rising Sun. The name comes from the surname of a Russian geologist. The base of the Shatskiy Upland lies at a depth of 5500 - 6000 meters, and the summit at a depth of 2500 to 3100 m. The geological system includes three massifs - Tamu, Ori and Shirshov. The width of the hill is 500 km, the length is about 1700 km. The exploration of the local depths was carried out in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century by scientists from the USSR on special ships. According to 2013 data, the Tamu massif is considered the largest volcanic formation on planet Earth.
4. North Atlantic Ridge (5500 m)
It is located between two faults - Cheyne (near equatorial) and Reykjanes. The ridge has the highest extent and maximum width of 1,500 km. The peculiarity of the geological formation is that it is crossed by many faults, individual peaks are above the water and form a number of atolls, such as the Azores.
5. South Antilles ridge (5500 m)
The underwater ridge is a ridge located in the south of the Atlantic and, according to the study, is a 3500 km continuation under water of the main mountain range South America - Andes. The ridge is located from Tierra del Fuego through the Sandwich Islands (South) and to the mainland of Antarctica. Rising to the surface, the South Antilles ridge forms such southern islands as Orkney, Sandwich, Shetland and Georgia.
6. Mozambique Range (5000 m)
The Mozambique Ridge is located in the Indian Ocean, south of the African country of the same name, southeast of the Black Continent. Near the geological formation there are two basins: in the east, Mozambique, in the southwest, Agulhas. The length of the ridge is more than 1000 km, the width is about 300 m, according to one version, the ridge may be a continuation of Africa. The underwater world of the ridge is exceptionally rich - more than 130 species of fish are found here; studies of the sole were carried out by the Danes in 1951 on the Galatea.
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7. Markus-Necker (5000 m)
The second name is the Central Pacific Mountains. The geological uplift is located in the west of the Pacific Ocean, represented by numerous mountains, peaks and mountain ranges, some of which rise above the water. The ridge formed islands such as Horaise, Wake, Marcus and Cape Johnson.
8. Line Mountains (5000 m)
They are an underwater mountain range located in the Pacific Ocean. The ridge stretches from Johnston Island to the Tuamotu Atolls. The mountains stretch for 3.4 thousand km and are up to 200 km wide.
9. West Indian ridge (5000 m)
Located in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, the geological formation is considered to be mid-oceanic. The ridge is about 4 thousand km long, up to 300 km wide, and the depth above the ridge ranges from 2 to 3 thousand meters. The ridge connects in the southwest with the African-Antarctic, and with the Arabian-Indian in the northeast. The surface of the ridge is heavily indented and rather discontinuous; this hill is characterized by the presence of outcrops of volcanic rocks, therefore seismic activity is especially increased here, which is regularly recorded by scientists studying underwater earthquakes.
10. East Indian ridge (500 m)
It is a seamount located in the Indian Ocean. The length of the ridge is 5000 km, the rise above the ocean floor varies within 1000 - 2000 meters, the shallowest depth above the ridge is 2000 meters, silt prevails on the slopes.
