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Mount Everest Facts & Worksheets

Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.

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Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. In Sanskrit and Nepali, it’s called “Sagarmatha”. In Tibetan, it’s called “Chomolungma”, and in Chinese, “Zhumulangma Feng” or “Chu-mu-lang-ma Feng”, also spelled “Qomolangma Feng.”

See the fact file below for more information on Mt. Everest or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Mt. Everest worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Facts & Information

  • The Himalayas formed 25 to 30 million years ago as the result of tectonic action. 
  • Mount Everest and the surrounding peaks took their present form during the Pleistocene Epoch. This is a geological time period that includes the last ice age when glaciers covered huge parts of the globe. 
  • Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level.
  • The climate and weather of Mount Everest are of great extremes. Temperatures at the summit are never above freezing, and during January, temperatures can drop as low as -76° F (-60° C).
  • The summit of Everest is only about the size of an ordinary dining room table.
  • Back in 1802, the British began the Great Trigonometric Survey of India to record the heights, locations, and names of the world’s highest mountains. 
  • The survey teams started in southern India and slowly moved northward. In 1830 they reached the Himalayan foothills, but Nepal did not allow the British to enter the country due to suspicions of their intentions. 
  • In 1849 observations were made from Jirol, 120 miles (190 km) away and raw data provided an average height of 30,200 ft (9,200 m).
  • In 1852, an Indian mathematician and surveyor named Radhanath Sikdar from Bengal were the first to identify Everest as the world’s highest peak. An official announcement declaring Peak XV was the highest was delayed for several years while the calculations were repeatedly verified. 
  • Finally, in March 1856, Sikdar sent a letter to his deputy in Calcutta announcing his findings. Peak XV was given the height of 29,002 ft (8,840 m), and Kangchenjunga was declared to be 28,156 ft (8,582 m).
  • It was concluded that Peak XV was “most probably the highest in the world”. Peak XV was measured in feet and was calculated to be exactly 29,000 ft (8,839.2 m) high but was actually declared to be 29,002 ft (8,839.8 m). This was done to avoid the impression that the exact height was nothing more than a rounded estimate
  • Its elevation (snow height) of 29,031.7 ft (8,848.86 m) was established in 2020 by the Chinese and Nepali authorities.

Location and Features

  • The location of Everest is the Mahalangur range of the Great Himalayas. 
  • It stands exactly on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, at 27°59′N 86°56′ E.
  • The Nepal-China border runs across its summit point. 
  • Shaped like a three-sided pyramid, Everest has three flat planes constituting the sides called ‘faces’. 
  • The line where two faces join is known as a ridge.
    • The North Face rises above Tibet and is the most famous route taken by climbers. Key features of this side include the Great and Hornbein couloirs and the North Col.
    • The Southwest Face (Lhotse Face) rises above Nepal. It is the second most famous route to the summit but is quite notorious because of the Khumbu Icefall, a jumble of large blocks of ice that challenge climbers.
    • The East Face, or Kangshung (Kangxung) Face, also rises above Tibet. It is considered to be a dangerous route of ascent and is the most remote face of the mountain, with a longer approach.

Structure

  • The rocks comprising Mount Everest have been subdivided by geologists into three units called formations. 
  • Each formation is separated by low-angle faults, called detachments, which have been thrust southward over each other. 
  • From the summit to its base, Mount Everest’s rock units are the Qomolangma Formation, the North Col Formation, and the Rongbuk Formations. 
  • Mount Everest consists of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. 
  • Current interpretations argue that the Qomolangma and North Col formations consist of marine sediments. 
  • The Rongbuk Formation consists of high-grade metamorphic and granitic rocks derived from the alteration of high-grade metasedimentary rocks. 
  • During the collision of Asia and India, these rocks were thrust downward and northward and overridden by other strata. They heated, metamorphosed, and partially melted at depths of over 10 miles (16 kilometers) below sea level and were then forced upward to the surface between two major detachments.
  • The Himalayas are currently rising by about 5 mm per year.

Flora and Fauna

  • There is very little native fauna or flora on Everest. 
  • A moss, which may be the highest altitude plant species, grows at 21,260 ft (6,480 meters) on Mount Everest.
  • According to a study based on satellite data from 1993 to 2018, vegetation is expanding in the Everest region, and researchers have found plants in areas that were previously deemed bare.
  • A minute black jumping spider, found at elevations of 22,000 ft (6,700 meters), is possibly the highest confirmed non-microscopic permanent resident on Earth. 
  • This spider also lurks in crevices at the base camp of Everest, where it probably feeds on frozen insects blown there by the wind. 
  • Birds have been seen flying at high altitudes of the mountain, some spotted as high as 25,980 ft (7,920 meters).
  • Bar-headed geese migrate over the Himalayas.
  • A short-horned wild goat, the Himalayan tahr, sometimes eaten by the snow leopard, is amongst other animals found in the region.
  • The Himalayan black bear, which can weigh up to 440 lbs (200kg), can be found up to about 14,000 ft (4,300 meters).
  • The small red panda, weighing in at about 11 lb (5 kg), is also found in the region.
  • Another species, the pika, is a small mammal resembling a rabbit.
  • There are also many species of ants.
  • Yaks, which survive well in the region, are used to haul gear for Mount Everest climbers. They have thick fur, large lungs, and can haul 220 pounds (100 kg).
  • The high altitudes around Mt. Everest cannot support vegetation.
  • Birch, juniper, blue pines, firs, bamboo, and rhododendron grow in the lower areas.
  • There are no plants above 18,690 feet (5,750 meters).
  • In summer, livestock grazes as high as 16,000 feet (4,880 meters), while winter refuge is taken at lower elevations on sheltered ledges and along riverbanks.

Inhabitants and Visitors

  • The valleys below the mountain are inhabited by Tibetan-speaking people.
  • Among these are the Sherpas, who live in villages at elevations up to about 14,000 feet (4,270 meters) in the Khumbu valley of Nepal.
  • Many Sherpas become guides as they know and understand the environment.
  • Dangers to climbers include winds over 200 mph (320 km/h), blizzards, and avalanches.
  • Sherpas are the main guides to reach the summit. 
  • They are highly regarded as elite mountaineers and experts in their local area.
  • They are valuable partners to climbers of the Himalayan region, serving as guides at the extreme altitudes of the peaks and passes in the region.
  • The local inhabitants treat the Himalayas as sacred. Buddhist monasteries have been built at the base, prayer flags placed on the slopes, and sanctuaries established for the wildlife of the valleys that included musk deer, monal pheasant, and Himalayan partridge.
  • The Sherpa’s great courtesy is that a visitor must not leave the house unfed or without a drink. Guests are offered Tibetan beer or tea. Visitors of high standing will also be served a snack or even a complete meal.
  • Their reputation as excellent guides and porters on mountain-climbing and trekking expeditions has brought them a source of income and, for many Sherpas, a comfortable living.
  • Mount Everest, as the highest mountain in the world, has attracted considerable attention and climbing attempts. 
  • Everest’s first known summiting occurred in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
  • Several different climbing routes have been established over decades of climbing expeditions to the mountain.
  • The number of team permits issued each year by Nepal is limited but increases each year. In 2008 it was 160, in 2010 it was up to 408
  • There had been 5,104 ascents to the summit by about 3,142 individuals by the end of the 2010 climbing season.
  • By then, 219 fatalities had been recorded on Mount Everest.
  • Only the most accomplished mountaineers can climb Everest without supplementary oxygen and are always at increased risk.
  •  Exhaustion, extreme cold, lack of oxygen, and climbing hazards all contribute to the death toll.
  • Below the summit, there is an area known as “rainbow valley”, filled with dead bodies still wearing brightly colored winter gear.
  • Waiting for good climbing weather can take up to 60 days. Maintaining health and motivation over that time period in a rustic base camp can be challenging.
  • Attempting summiting Everest with disabilities such as amputations has become popular in the 21st century. Sudarshan Gautam, a man with no arms, made it to the top in 2013.
  • Making it to Base camp has become a substitute for many. It carries many of the same thrills of a trip to the Himalayas and the beautiful rustic scenery.
  • Others with disabilities who have climbed Everest include amputee Mark Inglis (no legs), Arunima Sinha (only one leg), and Paul Hockey (only one arm).
  • In 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest while blind.
  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Nepal and China prohibited foreign climbing groups during the 2020 season, 2020 was the third year in this decade, after 2014 and 2015, which saw no summits from the Nepalese (South) side.

Mt. Everest Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Mt. Everest across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Mt. Everest worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Mt. Everest which is the tallest mountain in the world. In Sanskrit and Nepali, it’s called “Sagarmatha”, in Tibetan it’s called “Chomolungma”, and in Chinese “Zhumulangma Feng” or “Chu-mu-lang-ma Feng”, also spelled “Qomolangma Feng.”

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Achievers
  • Early Expeditions
  • The Conquerors
  • The Extreme World
  • Markers of Ascent
  • Achiever’s Views
  • The Dark Side of the Climb
  • Tallest Summits
  • Greater Heights
  • Keeping it Tidy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mount Everest in Nepal or China? 

Mount Everest lies on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

How cold is it on top of Mount Everest? 

Temperatures at the summit of Mount Everest are never above freezing. During January, temperatures can drop as low as -76° F (-60° C).

Is Mount Everest a volcano? 

Yes, Mount Everest is a volcano. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcano has erupted more than 50 times in the last few thousand years.

Who was the oldest person to climb Mount Everest?

Yuichiro Miura climbed Mount Everest when he was 70 and then again at 75. 

Who was the youngest person to climb Mount Everest? 

Jordan Romero, born July 12, 1996, is an American mountain climber who was 13 years old when he reached the summit of Mount Everest.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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