The oldest mountains in the world and their histories

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Magaliesberg​

Known simply as the Magaliesberg, this modest and beautiful range is located in the northernmost tip of South Africa and was once partially submerged, back in the days of Pangea.

 

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Magaliesberg​

The Magaliesberg are about 2.3 billion years old, and are a treasure to nature enthusiasts and conservationists around the world. Southward-facing quartzite cliffs and pristine waterfalls make the Magaliesberg a magnificent reminder of the earth's ancient past.

 

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Karijini Range​

The Karijini Range in Australia is more commonly referred to in modern times as the Hamersley Range, named after the wealthy Australian colonialist who funded the expedition that led to the European discovery of the mountain range.

 

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Karijini Range​

The Karijini Range is the second oldest range in the world, dating back 3.4 billion years ago. Located in Australia's North West, these mountains are rich in iron, and for a time produced about 90% of the iron for the entire country.

 

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Waterberg Mountains​

The Waterberg Mountains in northern South Africa stretch over 90 miles (150 km) from east to west, and are a mind-boggling 2.7 billion years old. The range is a UNESCO-protected biosphere.

 

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Waterberg Mountains​

Scattered throughout the Waterberg Mountains are remnants of the very beginnings of human history, including cave art that dates back to the Stone Age. Some experts also believe this was the birthplace of some of modern humans' earliest ancestors.

 

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Barberton Greenstone Belt​

The Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa, traditionally known as the Makhonjwa Mountains, take the cake as the oldest mountain range in the world. These fold mountains are thought to have slowly burst from the earth around 3.6 billion years.

 

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Barberton Greenstone Belt​

After billions of years of wind and rain erosion, the peaks of the Greenstone Belt no longer scratch the sky as they once did. Today, the highest point in the range reaches over 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) above sea level.

 

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Himalayas​

Now that we've had a look at the oldest mountain ranges in the world, what about the youngest? The youngest, and by far the tallest, mountain range in the world, is the awe-inspiring Himalayas of South Asia.

 

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Himalayas​

The Himalayas were formed around 40 million years ago by the dramatic and catastrophic collision of the Indian and Eurasian landmasses. These mountains are so young, in fact, that they are still growing taller, by a rate of nearly half an inch (2.5 cm) a year.