Mount Everest

At 29,035 feet, Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth, located in the Himalayan Mountain range on the borders of Nepal and Tibet. Called "Sagarmatha," which means "forehead of the sky" by the Nepalese people and "Chomolungma," meaning "Goddess Mother of the World" in Tibetan, it was officially named after Sir George Everest in 1956.Official Site: Mount Everest Team Everest: Mount Everest

Mount Everest is believed to have been formed thirty to fifty million years ago when continental plates collided. It is covered with glaciers, which were responsible for shaping its pyramid-shaped peak, three faces and three distinct ridges.MSN: Mount Everest

Due to its high altitude, the climate of Mount Everest is extremely cold, characterized by heavy snowfall and strong winds.

Due to their belief that the mountain was home to gods, local people didn't attempt to climb Everest before the 1900s. Although many had attempted previously, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach the summit in 1953.Scholastic.com: Mount Everest Facts

Climbing Mount Everest presents many challenges to adventurers: The mountain experiences hurricane force winds, numerous avalanches and extremely cold temperatures which can cause hypothermia.

1. Equivalent to the size of almost 20 Empire State BuildingsScholastic.com: Mount Everest Facts
2. Over 4,000 people have tried to reach the summitScholastic.com: Mount Everest Facts
3. Over 600 people have successfully reached the summitScholastic.com: Mount Everest Facts
4. 142 people have died trying to reach the summitScholastic.com: Mount Everest Facts