At 20,310 feet (6.2km) above sea level, the highest point in the United States is Denali, Alaska (formerly known as Mount McKinley). The highest point in the contiguous United States is Mount Whitney, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California; followed by Mount Elbert, Colorado - the highest point in the Rocky Mountains. When looking at the highest point in each state, the 13 tallest peaks are all found in the western region of the country, while there is much more diversity across the other regions and territories.

Despite being approximately 6,500 feet lower than Denali, Hawaii's Mauna Kea is sometimes considered the tallest mountain (and volcano) on earth. This is because its base is well below sea level - the mountain has a total height of 33,474 feet, which is almost 4,500 feet higher than Mount Everest.

As of May 2023, the highest mountain in the world, by meters above mean sea level, was Mount Everest. Located in China and Nepal in Asia, Mount Everest's height of 8,848 meters was nearly 2,000 meters higher than Aconcagua in South America, which was the world's highest mountain outside of Asia.

The United States has an average elevation of roughly 2,500 feet (763m) above sea level, however there is a stark contrast in elevations across the country. Highest states Colorado is the highest state in the United States, with an average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074m) above sea level. The 10 states with the highest average elevation are all in the western region of the country, as this is, by far, the most mountainous region in the country. The largest mountain ranges in the contiguous western states are the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade Range, while the Appalachian Mountains is the longest range in the east - however, the highest point in the U.S. is Denali (Mount McKinley), found in Alaska. Lowest states At just 60 feet above sea level, Delaware is the state with the lowest elevation. Delaware is the second smallest state, behind Rhode Island, and is located on the east coast. Larger states with relatively low elevations are found in the southern region of the country - both Florida and Louisiana have an average elevation of just 100 feet (31m) above sea level, and large sections of these states are extremely vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels, as well as intermittent tropical storms.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. Located in Tanzania, it reaches the highest summit at 5,895 meters. This highest peak is the Kibo, one of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones, with Mawenzi and Shira. Mount Kenya is the second-highest mountain on the African continent, with a height of 5,199 meters. Mount Stanley, located between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ranks third and extends to 5,109 meters.

Mount Kilimanjaro’s tourist surge: rebounding from COVID-19 

Mount Kilimanjaro is a popular tourist attraction. In the 2022/23 season, approximately 47,200 tourists visited the national park hosting the famous mountain. This was a steep increase from the previous two seasons, which were negatively affected by COVID-19-related travel restrictions. Moreover, the fee for doing a technical climb of the mountain was 750 U.S. dollars per day. However, citizens of the East African Community benefited from their country’s membership in this community and could pay far less as a result.

Exploring Africa’s leading tourist gems 

Africa is home to some of the most revered natural attractions, particularly its safari parks. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania was the continent’s most popular and highest-rated park. The park is internationally renowned and listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. In Africa, South Africa had the highest number of UNESCO sites.

The few studies that have addressed past effects of climate change on species distributions have mostly focused on plants due to the rarity of historical faunal baselines. However, hyperdiverse groups like Arthropoda are vital to monitor in order to understand climate change impacts on biodiversity. This is the first investigation of ground-dwelling arthropod (GDA) assemblages along the full elevation gradient of a mountain range in the Madrean Sky Island Region, establishing a baseline for monitoring future changes in GDA biodiversity. To determine how GDA assemblages relate to elevation, season, abiotic variables, and corresponding biomes, GDA were collected for two weeks in both spring (May) and summer (September) 2011 in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, using pitfall traps at 66 sites in six distinct upland (non-riparian/non-wet canyon) biomes. Four arthropod taxa: (1) beetles (Coleoptera), (2) spiders (Araneae), (3) grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera), and (4) millipedes and centipedes (Myriapoda) were assessed together and separately to determine if there are similar patterns across taxonomic groups. We collected 335 species of GDA: 192/3793 (species/specimens) Coleoptera, 102/1329 Araneae, 25/523 Orthoptera, and 16/697 Myriapoda. GDA assemblages differed among all biomes and between seasons. Fifty-three percent (178 species) and 76% (254 species) of all GDA species were found in only one biome and during only one season, respectively. While composition of arthropod assemblages is tied to biome and season, individual groups do not show fully concordant patterns. Seventeen percent of the GDA species occurred only in the two highest-elevation biomes (Pine and Mixed Conifer Forests). Because these high elevation biomes are most threatened by climate change and they harbor a large percentage of unique arthropod species (11–25% depending on taxon), significant loss in arthropod diversity is likely in the Santa Catalina Mountains and other isolated mountain ranges in the Southwestern US.

A detailed airborne gravity gradiometry, magnetic, and radiometric survey of Mountain Pass, California was flown by CGG Canada Services Ltd. (CGG). The high-resolution helicopter survey was flown at a flight-line spacing of 100 and 200 m, a flight-line azimuth of 70 degrees, a nominal flight-line elevation above ground of 70 m, and consists of about 1,814 line-kilometers. Tie lines were spaced at a 1-km interval with a flight-line azimuth of 160 degrees. Data were collected using a HeliFALCON airborne gravity gradiometry system, Scintrex CS-3 cesium magnetometer, Radiation Solutions RS-500 spectrometer, and Riegl LMS-Q1401-80n laser scanner and processed by CGG. Gravity gradiometry data include corrections for residual aircraft motion, self gradient, terrain corrections, and tie-line and micro-levelling. Magnetic data were corrected by the contractor for diurnal variations of the Earth’s magnetic field, tie-line leveled, micro-leveled, and an International Geomagnetic Reference Field of the Earth was removed. Radiometric data include corrections for aircraft and cosmic background radiation, radon background, Compton scattering effects, and variations in altitude. Data are provided in ASCII (.csv) and Geosoft database (.gdb) format, database channels and descriptions are listed in the survey report, and grids of gravity and hillshade are in ASCII Grid eXchange Format (.gxf). Maps and grids of magnetic and radiometric data were released by Ponce and Denton (2018a-d). References: Ponce, D.A., and Denton, K.M., 2018a, Aeromagnetic map of Mountain Pass and vicinity, California and Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3412-B, 6 p., 1 pl., scale 1:62,500, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3412B. Ponce, D.A., and Denton, K.M., 2018b, High-resolution aeromagnetic survey of Mountain Pass, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/doi:10.5066/P92XVOOF. Ponce, D.A., and Denton, K.M., 2018c, Airborne radiometric maps of Mountain Pass, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3412-C, 6 p., 1 pl., scale 1:62,500, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3412C. Ponce, D.A., and Denton, K.M., 2018d, High-resolution airborne radiometric survey of Mountain Pass, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9ENLS6D.

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Mountain Warfare Market 2024-2028

The mountain warfare market size is forecast to increase by USD 2.25 billion, at a CAGR of 8.92% between 2023 and 2028. The growth rate of the market depends on several factors, such as the rise in cross-border terrorist activities, the surge in military investments, and the electronic warfare systems gaining traction.

The report offers extensive research analysis on the Mountain Warfare Market, with a categorization based on Vehicle Type, including infantry fighting vehicles, armored personal carriers, armoured cars, and utility vehicles. It further segments the market by Type, encompassing small weapons, grenade/rocket/anti-tank missile systems, and mortars. Additionally, the report provides Region segmentation, covering APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America. Market size, historical data (2018-2022), and future projections are presented in terms of value (in USD billion) for all the mentioned segments.

Mountain Warfare Market Forecasting

Mountain Warfare Market Forecast 2024-2028

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Mountain Warfare Market Dynamics

Our researchers studied the data for years, with 2023 as the base year and 2023 as the estimated year, and presented the key drivers, trends, and challenges for the market. Although there has been a disruption in the mountain warfare market growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, a holistic analysis of drivers, trends, and challenges will help companies refine marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.

Driver - Surge in military investments

The global mountain warfare market is experiencing a significant surge in investments and is emerging as a major market driver that is revolutionizing the landscape of global defense procurement and technological development. In addition, with geopolitical tensions persisting in many countries and regions with difficult mountain terrain, countries are increasingly realizing the strategic value of improving their mountain warfare capabilities.

Moreover, this increased awareness is leading to significant investments in the development and acquisition of defense equipment and technologies specifically designed for mountain environments. For instance, India and China have been investing heavily in modernizing and expanding their mountain warfare capacities due to the complexity and ruggedness of their border regions. Hence, such factors are positively impacting the market which in turn drives the market growth during the forecast period.

Trends - Emergence of lightweight utility vehicles

One of the main factors fuelling lightweight utility vehicles in mountain warfare is mobility. In addition, mountain roads are often narrow and uneven, making it essential for military units to have vehicles that can maneuver such difficult terrain. Furthermore, light-duty vehicles, on the other hand, are known for their agility and maneuverability, making them ideal for mountain warfare.

Moreover, many countries have adopted light-weight vehicle procurement strategies. For example, the US military has invested in the design and procurement of light tactical assault vehicles (LTVs) that are specifically designed for mountain warfare. LTVs provide protection along with maneuverability, enabling quick deployment and reaction in mountainous environments. Hence, such factors are positively impacting the market which in turn drives the market growth during the forecast period.

Challenge - High cost of high-altitude battle tanks

The design and development of high-altitude battle tanks need sufficient time, money, and technical know-how. In addition, the high-altitude battle tank is equipped with a propulsion system that allows it to move toward its target. These tanks are used by the infantry for fire support. Furthermore, the high-altitude battle tank's unique capabilities, including high lethality, increased mobility, and sharp maneuverability at high altitudes, in turn, increase its cost.

Moreover, the high costs associated with developing advanced high-altitude battle tank technology pose a significant challenge to the growth of the armored vehicle market, especially for emerging countries such as India and China. In addition, the average cost of a high-altitude battle tank unit is around USD6 million. Furthermore, this cost increases with the advanced specifications of the weapons installed on these tanks. Hence, such factors will hinder the growth of the global mountain warfare market during the forecast period.

Mountain Warfare Market Segmentation by Vehicle Type, Type, and Geography

Vehicle Type Segment Analysis:

The infantry fighting vehicles segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) segment is fuelled by the increased demand for IFVs due to their tactical advantage of providing direc

The highest city in the world with a population of more than one million is La Paz. The Capital of Bolivia sits 3,869 meters above sea level, and is more than 1,000 meters higher than the second ranked city - Quito. La Paz is also higher than Mt. Fuji in Japan, which has a height of 3,776 meters. Many of the world's highest cities are located in South America. The only city in North America that makes the top 20 list is Denver, Colorado, which has an altitude of 1,673 meters.

At 282 feet below sea level, Death Valley in the Mojave Desert, California is the lowest point of elevation in the United States (and North America). Coincidentally, Death Valley is less than 85 miles from Mount Whitney, the highest point of elevation in the mainland United States. Death Valley is one of the hottest places on earth, and in 1913 it was the location of the highest naturally occurring temperature ever recorded on Earth (although some meteorologists doubt its legitimacy). New Orleans Louisiana is the only other state where the lowest point of elevation was below sea level. This is in the city of New Orleans, on the Mississippi River Delta. Over half of the city (up to two-thirds) is located below sea level, and recent studies suggest that the city is sinking further - man-made efforts to prevent water damage or flooding are cited as one reason for the city's continued subsidence, as they prevent new sediment from naturally reinforcing the ground upon which the city is built. These factors were one reason why New Orleans was so severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 - the hurricane itself was one of the deadliest in history, and it destroyed many of the levee systems in place to prevent flooding, and the elevation exacerbated the damage caused. Highest low points The lowest point in five states is over 1,000 feet above sea level. Colorado's lowest point, at 3,315 feet, is still higher than the highest point in 22 states or territories. For all states whose lowest points are found above sea level, these points are located in rivers, streams, or bodies of water.

Mount Everest in Nepal was the most expensive mountain to climb worldwide as of November 2022. An expedition up the Himalayan peak has an estimated cost of 84,123 U.S. dollars. The second highest-priced ascent that year was Mount Vinson in Antarctica, with a price of 46,618 U.S. dollars.

The region in the United States that had the highest National Park Service visitation was the Southeast, with approximately 73.7 million visitors in 2023. This region includes the famous Great Smoky Mountains. The second-most visited region was the Pacific West, home to Yosemite National Park.

Tennessee Valley Authority was the leading U.S. utility company based on summer peak electricity demand in 2022, with 31.6 gigawatts. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC and Florida Power & Light Co ranked second and third, with approximately 29.2 and 26.2 gigawatts, respectively.