Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH )

This area is commonly known as the "Third Pole" due to its vast stores of ice and snow, second only to the polar regions. It serves as a crucial water source for the rivers that traverse the Asian continent.

The HKH range is renowned for its challenging landscape and majestic peaks, hosting some of the planet's tallest mountains, notably Mount Everest and K2.

Encompassing about 4.2 million square kilometres, this region offers a varied array of ecosystems, ranging from subtropical forests in lower elevations to alpine meadows and perennial ice and snow at its highest points.

This region serves as the origin for ten major Asian river systems, including the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo), Irrawaddy, Salween (Nu), Mekong (Lancang), Yangtse (Jinsha), Yellow River (Huanghe), and Tarim (Dayan).