The Himalayas, geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretch over the northern borders of India.

These mountain ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra.

The Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world.

They form an arc, which covers a distance of about 2,400 Km.

Their width varies from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh.

A number of valleys lie between these ranges.

The northern most range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the ‘Himadri’.

It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres.

 

The outer most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks.

 

They extend over a width of 10-50 Km and have an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 metres.