Several types of geological processes affect the Earth’s crust, including collisions, faulting, weathering, and volcanic activity.
Over time, these processes operating across vast regions create extensive systems of highlands or mountain ranges (in the case of tectonic activity), which valleys, passes, and river channels can separate.
This article will share insights into 10 of the world's longest mountain ranges on land.
Here are the 10 longest mountain ranges on land:
World map showing the 10 longest mountain ranges on land
| Rank | Mountain Range | Length | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andes Mountains Range | 4,700 miles / 7,600 km | Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia |
| 2 | Southern African Great Escarpment | 3,106 miles / 5,000 km | South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola |
| 3 | Rocky Mountains | 3,000 miles / 4,800 km | Canada, US |
| 4 | Great Dividing Range | 2,299 miles / 3,700 km | Australia |
| 5 | Transantarctic Mountains | > 2,000 miles / 3,200 km | Antarctica |
| 6 | Appalachian Mountains | 2,000 miles / 3,200 km | Canada, US |
| 7 | Chilean Coast Range | 1864 miles / 3,000 km | Chile |
| 8 | Himalayas | 1,810 miles / 2,900 km | Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan |
| 9 | Ural Mountains | 1,550 miles / 2,500 km | Russia, Kazakhstan |
| 10 | Atlas Mountains | 1,200 miles / 2,000 km | Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia |
1. Andes Mountain Range
With a total length of around 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers), the top spot for the longest mountain range on land goes to the Andes mountain range in the Western Hemisphere. The Andes stretch along the edges of South America. The continental mountain range covers seven countries: Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
- Length: 5,500 miles (7,600 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina (22,831 feet or 6,959 meters)
- Width: 125 - 200 miles (200-300 kilometers)
2. Southern African Great Escarpment
Situated in the southern part of the African continent, the Southern Great Escarpment comes second in the order of the longest mountain range on land. It runs 3,106 miles (5,000 kilometers) from southwest to east, covering seven countries - the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and Angola.
- Length: 3,107 miles (5,000 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Thabana Ntlenyana, Lesotho (11,424 feet or 3,482 meters)
- Width: 50-150 miles (80-240 kilometers)
3. Rocky Mountains
The world’s third-longest mountain range on land, the Rocky Mountains, comprises four geological subdivisions: the Canadian and Northern Rockies, the Middle Rockies, the Southern Rockies, and the Colorado Plateau. This 3,000-mile-long (4,800 kilometers) range falls in British Columbia, Canada, and the US.
- Length: 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mt.Elbert, US (14,435 feet or 4,400 meters)
- Width: 62-373 miles (100-600 kilometers)
4. Great Dividing Range
The 4th-longest mountain range on land is entirely within the Australian continent. The Great Dividing Range covers a distance of over 2,299 miles (3,700 kilometers), starting from Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria.
- Length: 2,299 miles (3,700 kilometers )
- Highest peak: Mount Kosciuszko, New South Wales (7310 feet or 2,228 meters)
- Width: 99-186 miles (160-300 kilometers)
5. Transantarctic Mountains
The world’s fifth-largest continent is also home to the fifth-longest mountain range on land, the Transantarctic Mountains. The mountain range divides the east and west parts of this icy continent by stretching more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from Victoria Land to the shores of the Weddell Sea.
- Length: >2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mount Kirkpatrick, Queen Maud Mountains (14,856 feet or 4,528 meters)
- Width: 62-186 miles (100-300 kilometers)
6. Appalachian Mountains
The North American continent also features another of the world's longest mountain chains above water. With an approximate total length of 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers), the Appalachian Mountains are the sixth-longest mountain range. One of the oldest mountain ranges in the world starts from the Canadian province of Newfoundland to the U.S. state of Alabama.
- Length: 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mount Mitchell, North Carolina (US) (6,684 feet or 2,037 meters)
- Width: 15.5-77.7 miles (25-125 kilometers)
7. Chilean Coast Range
Running abreast of the Andes, the Chilean Coast Range is the seventh-longest mountain range on land. Also known as the Cordillera de la Costa, the estimated 1,864-mile-long (3,000-km) chain lies entirely along Chile's coast.
- Length: 1864 miles (3,000 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Cerro Vicuña Mackenna (10,217 feet or 3,114 meters)
- Width: 9-31 miles (15-50 kilometers)
8. The Himalayas
The Himalayas are the eighth-longest above-water mountain range. Featuring some of the tallest mountains in the world, its 1,810-mile (2,900 kilometers) expanse is shared by many South Asian countries, including Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
- Length: 1,810 miles (2,900 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mount Everest, Nepal and Tibet (29,032 feet or 8,849 meters)
- Width: 124 to 249 miles (200-400 kilometers)
9. Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains are the ninth-longest mountain range on land. Its span of 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers) creates a natural continental border between Europe and Asia. The mountain range lies mainly within Russia, from the bend of the Ural River to the Pay-Khoy Ridge. It also extends southwards towards northwestern Kazakhstan.
- Length: 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mount Narodnaya (6,217 feet or 1,895 meters)
- Width: 20 to 90 miles (32-145 kilometers)
10. Atlas Mountains
The tenth in sequence is another intra-continental mountain range. Located on the boundary of the African-Eurasian plate, the Atlas Mountains run along the Maghreb region; a more than 1,200-mile (2,000-kilometer) stretch divides the Sahara Desert and spans Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
- Length: 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers)
- Highest peak: Mount Toubkal, Morocco (13,665 feet or 4,165 meters)
- Width: 31 to 62 miles (50-100 km)
