7 Highest Mountains in the World, One From Each Continent

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The world's highest mountains are often measured as a single global ranking, with Mount Everest towering above every other peak. But each continent has its own highest summit, from Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro to Indonesia's Puncak Jaya in Oceania.

These continental high points are also central to the Seven Summits, a mountaineering challenge to climb the highest peak on each continent. However, there is some debate over which mountains belong on the list, particularly because of different definitions of Europe and Oceania.

The Highest Mountains on Each Continent

Using the Oceania classification, as reported by Britannica and Visual Capitalist, here are the highest mountains on each continent, ranked by elevation above sea level.

1. Asia: Mount Everest

Elevation: 29,032 feet (8,849 meters)

Location: Nepal-China border

Mount Everest is not only Asia's highest mountain but also the highest point on Earth above sea level. The peak sits along the border between Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region in the Himalayas.

Known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibetan, Everest was first confirmed as the world's highest mountain in the 19th century. Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first confirmed climbers to reach its summit in 1953.

The mountain continues to rise as the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates push against each other.

2. South America: Mount Aconcagua

Elevation: 22,831 feet (6,959 meters)

Location: Argentina

Mount Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America and the tallest peak in both the Western and Southern hemispheres.

Located in Argentina's Andes near the Chilean border, Aconcagua is also the highest mountain outside Asia. Its exact elevation has been debated, but 22,831 feet remains the generally accepted figure.

The mountain has two main summits connected by a ridge. Swiss climber Matthias Zurbriggen made the first recorded ascent of the higher northern summit in 1897.

3. North America: Denali

Elevation: 20,310 feet (6,190 meters)

Location: United States

Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, is the highest peak in North America. It rises dramatically from the Alaska Range in south-central Alaska and is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.

The mountain's official elevation was revised from 20,320 feet to 20,310 feet in 2015 following a new US Geological Survey measurement.

Denali is particularly notable for its enormous vertical rise from the surrounding landscape, making it one of the world's most imposing mountains despite being lower than Everest in elevation above sea level.

4. Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro

Elevation: 19,340 feet (5,895 meters)

Location: Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain and one of the world's most recognizable volcanic peaks.

Located in northeastern Tanzania near the Kenyan border, Kilimanjaro is a volcanic massif made up of three cones. Kibo, the highest and youngest, reaches 19,340 feet above sea level.

German geographer Hans Meyer and Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller made the first recorded ascent of Kibo in 1889. Today, Kilimanjaro is a major destination for climbers and trekkers from around the world.

5. Europe: Mount Elbrus

Elevation: 18,510 feet (5,642 meters)

Location: Russia

Mount Elbrus, an extinct volcano in Russia's Caucasus Mountains, is generally recognized as Europe's highest peak under the conventional geographic boundary that places the Caucasus in Europe.

The mountain has two summits, with the western peak reaching 18,510 feet. Elbrus is covered by numerous glaciers that feed rivers in the surrounding region.

Its place on the Seven Summits has occasionally been debated because the Caucasus straddles the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia. Under classifications that place Elbrus in Europe, however, it is the continent's highest point.

6. Antarctica: Vinson Massif

Elevation: 16,050 feet (4,892 meters)

Location: Antarctica

Vinson Massif is the highest mountain in Antarctica, rising from the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains.

The peak was first identified in 1957 and named after US Congressman Carl Vinson, a major supporter of Antarctic exploration. An American expedition reached the summit for the first time in 1966.

Despite its lower elevation compared with the other continental high points, climbing Vinson presents formidable challenges because of Antarctica's extreme cold, isolation and weather conditions.

7. Oceania: Puncak Jaya

Elevation: 16,024 feet (4,884 meters)

Location: Indonesia

Puncak Jaya, also known as Mount Carstensz or Jaya Peak, is the highest mountain in Oceania under the continental classification that includes New Guinea.

Located in Indonesia's Papua region, the peak rises from the Sudirman Range. At 16,024 feet, it is also the world's highest mountain on an island.

Dutch explorer Hendrik A. Lorentz reached the mountain's snowfield in 1909, while the summit was first climbed in 1962 by an expedition led by Austrian explorer Heinrich Harrer.

Puncak Jaya's inclusion in the Seven Summits reflects a broader definition of the Australian continent that encompasses Oceania.

Why Are There Sometimes Eight Seven Summits?

The Seven Summits are not universally defined because geography itself can be complicated.

The biggest disagreement concerns Australia and Oceania. American mountaineer Dick Bass's version uses Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak on the mainland, while Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner's version uses Puncak Jaya, which represents Oceania more broadly.

Mount Kosciuszko rises to just 7,310 feet (2,228 meters), making it dramatically lower than Puncak Jaya. Climbers following Messner's version therefore face a much more technically demanding peak.

There is also a longstanding debate over whether Mount Elbrus or Mont Blanc should represent Europe, depending on where the boundary between Europe and Asia is drawn.

As a result, what is commonly called the Seven Summits can sometimes become eight peaks on paper, depending on the geographical definition used.

Still, the challenge remains one of mountaineering's most prestigious achievements: reaching the highest point of every continent.