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==Etymology==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], from Anglo-French muntaine, from Vulgar Latin montanea, from [[feminine]] of montaneus of a mountain, alteration of [[Latin]] montanus, from mont-, mons
*Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Century 13th century]
==Definitions==
*1 a : a [[land]] mass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill
:b : an elongated ridge
*2 a : a great mass
:b : a vast [[number]] or [[quantity]]
==Description==
A '''mountain''' is a large landform that stretches above the [[surrounding]] [[land]] in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them. The [[study]] of mountains is called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orography Orography].
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exogeology Exogeology] deals with [[planetary]] mountains, which in that branch of [[science]] are usually called ''montes'' (singular—''mons''). The highest mountain on [[earth]] is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest Mount Everest] 8,848 m (29,029 ft).. The highest known mountain in the [[Solar System]] is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_Mons Olympus Mons] on the [[planet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars Mars] at 21,171 m (69,459 ft).
There is no [[universally]] accepted definition of a ''mountain''. Elevation, volume, relief, steepness, spacing and continuity has been used as criteria for defining a mountain. In the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] a mountain is defined as "a [[natural]] elevation of the [[earth]] [[surface]] rising more or less abruptly from the [[surrounding]] level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable."
Whether a landform is called a mountain may depend on usage among the local people. The highest point in San Francisco, California, is called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Davidson Mount Davidson], notwithstanding its height of 990 feet, which makes it ten feet short of the minimum for a mountain in American appellation. Similarly, Mount Scott outside Lawton, Oklahoma is only 824 feet from its base to its highest point.
Definitions of "mountain" include:
* Height over base of at least 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
* Height over base of 1,500 m (4,921 ft).–2,500 m (8,202 ft). with a slope greater than 2 degrees
* Height over base of 1,000 m (3,281 ft).–1,500 m (4,921 ft). with a slope greater than 5 degrees
* Local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation greater than 300 m (984 ft)., or 300 m (984 ft)–1,000 m (3,281 ft). if local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation is greater than 300 m (984 ft).
By this definition, mountains cover 64% of Asia, 25% of Europe, 22% of South America, 17% of Australia, and 3% of Africa. As a whole, 24% of the [[Earth]]'s [[land]] mass is mountainous and 10% of people live in mountainous regions. Most of the world's [[rivers]] are fed from mountain sources, and more than half of [[humanity]] depends on mountains for [[water]].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain]
[[Category: Earth Science]]
==Etymology==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], from Anglo-French muntaine, from Vulgar Latin montanea, from [[feminine]] of montaneus of a mountain, alteration of [[Latin]] montanus, from mont-, mons
*Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Century 13th century]
==Definitions==
*1 a : a [[land]] mass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill
:b : an elongated ridge
*2 a : a great mass
:b : a vast [[number]] or [[quantity]]
==Description==
A '''mountain''' is a large landform that stretches above the [[surrounding]] [[land]] in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them. The [[study]] of mountains is called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orography Orography].
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exogeology Exogeology] deals with [[planetary]] mountains, which in that branch of [[science]] are usually called ''montes'' (singular—''mons''). The highest mountain on [[earth]] is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest Mount Everest] 8,848 m (29,029 ft).. The highest known mountain in the [[Solar System]] is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_Mons Olympus Mons] on the [[planet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars Mars] at 21,171 m (69,459 ft).
There is no [[universally]] accepted definition of a ''mountain''. Elevation, volume, relief, steepness, spacing and continuity has been used as criteria for defining a mountain. In the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] a mountain is defined as "a [[natural]] elevation of the [[earth]] [[surface]] rising more or less abruptly from the [[surrounding]] level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable."
Whether a landform is called a mountain may depend on usage among the local people. The highest point in San Francisco, California, is called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Davidson Mount Davidson], notwithstanding its height of 990 feet, which makes it ten feet short of the minimum for a mountain in American appellation. Similarly, Mount Scott outside Lawton, Oklahoma is only 824 feet from its base to its highest point.
Definitions of "mountain" include:
* Height over base of at least 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
* Height over base of 1,500 m (4,921 ft).–2,500 m (8,202 ft). with a slope greater than 2 degrees
* Height over base of 1,000 m (3,281 ft).–1,500 m (4,921 ft). with a slope greater than 5 degrees
* Local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation greater than 300 m (984 ft)., or 300 m (984 ft)–1,000 m (3,281 ft). if local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation is greater than 300 m (984 ft).
By this definition, mountains cover 64% of Asia, 25% of Europe, 22% of South America, 17% of Australia, and 3% of Africa. As a whole, 24% of the [[Earth]]'s [[land]] mass is mountainous and 10% of people live in mountainous regions. Most of the world's [[rivers]] are fed from mountain sources, and more than half of [[humanity]] depends on mountains for [[water]].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain]
[[Category: Earth Science]]