A mountain is a form of land that rises high in a limited area. It is higher and steeper than a hill. Mountains must be higher than 600 metres. They consist of rocks and earth. They usually have steep, sloping sides. They also have sharp or slightly rounded peaks. Some mountains may have trees which grow on their sides. Very high mountains may have snow on their peaks. Long chains or groups of mountains are mountain ranges. They can be short or very long. A group of these makes a mountain system.

Mountains exist on every continent of our planet and even beneath the ocean. In fact, some of the highest mountains are at the bottom of the sea. For example, Hawaii is at the top of a volcanic mountain in the Pacific Ocean. More than half the mountain is below water. 75% of the world’s countries have mountains.