The Himalayas (2011)

The highest mountain range in the world the Himalayan range is far reaching spanning thousands of miles and holds within it an exceptionally diverse ecology Coniferous and subtropical forests wetlands and montane grasslands are as much a part of this world as the inhospitable frozen mountaintops that tower above The word Himalaya is Sanskrit for abode of snow fitting for a stretch of land that houses the worlds largest non polar ice masses Extensive glacial networks feed Asias major rivers including the Ganges Indus and Brahmaputra More than a billion people rely on these glacierfed water sources for drinking water and agriculture The Himalayas are not only a remarkable expanse of natural beauty Theyre also crucial for our survival