The Mountains Uncovered Series: Intercomparable Maps and Statistics for 100 Selected Global Mountain Ranges

Introduction

The Mountains Uncovered series (v1.0) was developed by GEO Mountains, an Initiative of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and a Flagship Activity of the Mountain Research Initiative. It seeks to provide an easily understandable overview of the key characteristics of 100 selected mountain ranges around the world.

An example report can be downloaded from the right-hand column. Explore the rest of the Mountains Uncovered series online!

Methodology

The series was developed by collating and visualising a variety of current global scale, open data products. The series maintains a consistent approach, facilitating comparisons between mountain ranges. This first version is limited to 100 ranges only. We prioritised those mountain ranges in the focal regions of the Adaptation at Altitude Programme (i.e.: the Andes, Caucasus, Central Asia, East Africa, and Hindu Kush Himalaya). The remaining ranges were selected based on a combination of their extent and perceived relevance in various respects.

Key messages

The GEO Mountains community aim for the series to serve as a useful resource for researchers, policy-makers, environmental managers, educators, and others seeking to better understand the Earth’s major mountain regions, including in relation to climate change adaptation. We also hope that, over time, it will inspire the generation of additional datasets, analyses, and products. 

Further resources

Suggested Citation: GEO Mountains (2023). The Mountains Uncovered Series: Intercomparable Maps and Statistics for 100 Selected Global Mountain Ranges (v1.0). doi: 10.5281/zenodo.8010166