Introduction and Road Map for Impact of Global Changes on High-Mountains - Impact of Global Changes on Mountains: Responses and Adaptation - page 16

Box 1. Some defi nitions of Mountains and High Mountains
Axel Borsdorf
Mountains: We follow the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP, see Blyth et
al. 2002: 74) defi nition. At least one of the following criteria must be relevant:
￿ Elevation of at least 2,500 m (8,200 ft);
￿ Elevation of at least 1,500 m (4,900 ft), with a slope greater than 2 degrees;
￿ Elevation of at least 1,000 m (3,300 ft), with a slope greater than 5 degrees;
￿ Elevation of at least 300 m (980 ft), with a 300 m (980 ft) elevation range
within 7 km (4.3 mi).
According to this defi nition 24 percent of the global land area (35.8 million km²)
can be classifi ed as mountainous, that is 33% of Eurasia, 24% of North America,
19% of South America, and 14% of Africa. It can be estimated that in this area 12
percent of the global population are living, 25 percent live within or very close
to mountain areas (see also Price et al. 2014: 5).
High mountains rise upon the Pleistocene snow line, formed by forces of
glaciers, frost and solifl uction. They extend above the natural timberline.
Source: UNEP 2002.
Color image of this figure appears in the color plate section at the end of the topic.
Box 1. contd....