World geography · Updated September 2026
Highest mountains in the world
Highest mountains: Mount Everest is 8,848.86 m. K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu follow. Why “tallest from base” is a different question (Mauna Kea, Chimborazo).
Mount Everest (Nepal/China) is the highest mountain above sea level: 8,848.86 metres after the 2020 Nepal–China joint figure. That is the number to write in 2026 quizzes.
The next eight-thousanders are also in the Himalaya–Karakoram: K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu. All 14 peaks above 8,000 m sit in Asia.
“Tallest” can mean something else. Mauna Kea in Hawaii is taller if you measure from the ocean floor. Chimborazo in Ecuador is farthest from Earth’s centre because the planet bulges at the equator.
Highest mountains in the world — key facts (2026)
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Highest above sea level | Everest — 8,848.86 m |
| Second | K2 — 8,611 m |
| Highest in Africa | Kilimanjaro (free-standing volcano) |
| Highest in Europe (conventional) | Mont Blanc; Elbrus if the Caucasus counts as Europe |
| Highest in North America | Denali |
| Highest in South America | Aconcagua |
| Farthest from Earth’s centre | Chimborazo |
| From ocean floor | Mauna Kea is a common “tallest” answer |
Figures are the usual classroom and news-desk numbers for 2026. Border disputes and membership votes can change a count by one or two.
People also ask
How tall is Mount Everest in 2026?
8,848.86 metres (29,031.7 feet) — the Nepal–China agreed height.
Is K2 harder than Everest?
Climbers usually say yes: steeper, colder, and a higher fatality rate. Everest has more commercial traffic.
What is the highest mountain in the US?
Denali in Alaska.