What kind of mountains are the Himalayas?

The Himalayas are young fold mountains. They formed when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate, compressing and folding layers of rock rather than producing a single volcanic chain.

The collision began roughly 50 million years ago and is still continuing. India continues to move northward, so the Himalayas remain tectonically active: the range is still rising in places and experiences frequent earthquakes. Mount Everest, at 8,848.86 metres, is the highest point in the range.

“Fold mountains” describes their structure, while “young” refers to their relatively recent geological formation. The Himalayas are not volcanic mountains, although their rocks have been intensely metamorphosed and uplifted. They also contain several distinct belts, including the Sub-Himalaya, Lesser Himalaya, Greater Himalaya and Tethyan Himalaya.