The Karakoram mountain range contains K2, the world’s second-highest mountain above sea level.
K2 rises to 8,611 metres on the China–Pakistan border in the Karakoram. Only Mount Everest is higher. The mountain is also called Mount Godwin-Austen and has the survey designation Chhogori in some contexts. Its steep, technically difficult routes and severe weather have made it one of the most challenging major peaks for climbers.
The Karakoram stretches across parts of Pakistan, India, and China and contains several of the world’s highest mountains. It is distinct from the Himalayas, although the ranges meet in the broader high mountain region of Central and South Asia. The name K2 comes from the second peak recorded in the original survey of the Karakoram range; unlike many famous mountains, the survey label remained its common name.