Editing Mountain (section)

==Definition==
[[File:Volcán Chimborazo, "El Taita Chimborazo" (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Chimborazo]], Ecuador, whose summit is the point farthest away from the Earth's center<ref name="Krulwich2007">{{Cite web |date=7 April 2007 |title=The 'Highest' Spot on Earth |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9428163 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130164111/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9428163 |archive-date=30 January 2013 |access-date=31 July 2012 |publisher=Npr.org}}</ref>]]
[[File:Monte Bianco DSF1243-m.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Mont Blanc]] on the border between [[Aosta Valley]], Italy, and [[Haute-Savoie]], France, the highest point in the [[European Union]]]]
There is no universally accepted definition of a mountain. Elevation, volume, relief, steepness, spacing and continuity have been used as criteria for defining a mountain.<ref name="Gerrard1990" /> In the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' a mountain is defined as "a natural elevation of the earth surface rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable."<ref name=Gerrard1990/>

Whether a landform is called a mountain may depend on local usage. John Whittow's ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''<ref name="whittow">{{Cite book |last=Whittow |first=John |title=Dictionary of Physical Geography |publisher=Penguin |year=1984 |isbn=0-14-051094-X |location=London |page=352}}</ref> states "Some authorities regard eminences above {{convert|600|m|ft|0}} as mountains, those below being referred to as hills."

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a mountain is usually defined as any summit at least {{convert|2000|ft|m|0}} high,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nuttall |first=John & Anne |title=England |publisher=Cicerone |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-85284-037-2 |edition=3rd |series=The Mountains of England & Wales |volume=2 |location=Milnthorpe, Cumbria}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Survey turns hill into a mountain |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/7623904.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002232825/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/7623904.stm |archive-date=2 October 2013 |access-date=3 February 2013 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Mountain is a Mountain – isn't it? |url=http://www.go4awalk.com/uk-mountains-and-hills/a-mountain-is-a-mountain.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208122551/http://www.go4awalk.com/uk-mountains-and-hills/a-mountain-is-a-mountain.php |archive-date=8 February 2013 |access-date=3 February 2013 |website=www.go4awalk.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=mountain |encyclopedia=Dictionary.reference.com |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mountain |access-date=3 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205033435/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Mountain |archive-date=5 February 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wilson |first=Peter |year=2001 |title=Listing the Irish hills and mountains |url=http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/pdf/34-1/hills.pdf |journal=Irish Geography |location=Coleraine |publisher=University of Ulster |volume=34 |issue=1 |page=89 |doi=10.1080/00750770109555778 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510145742/http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/pdf/34-1/hills.pdf |archive-date=10 May 2013}}</ref> which accords with the official UK government's definition that a mountain, for the purposes of access, is a summit of {{convert|2000|ft|m|0}} or higher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is a "Mountain"? Mynydd Graig Goch and all that... |url=http://metricviews.org.uk/2008/09/what-is-a-mountain-mynydd-graig-goch-and-all-that/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330062754/https://metricviews.org.uk/2008/09/what-is-a-mountain-mynydd-graig-goch-and-all-that/ |archive-date=30 March 2013 |access-date=3 February 2013 |website=Metric Views}}</ref> In addition, some definitions also include a [[topographical prominence]] requirement, such as that the mountain rises {{convert|300|m|ft|0}} above the surrounding terrain.<ref name="agi-1997" /> At one time, the [[United States Board on Geographic Names]] defined a mountain as being {{convert|1000|ft|m|0}} or taller,<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is the difference between "mountain", "hill", and "peak"; "lake" and "pond"; or "river" and "creek?" |url=https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-difference-between-mountain-hill-and-peak-lake-and-pond-or-river-and-creek |website=US Geological Survey}}</ref> but has abandoned the definition since the 1970s. Any similar landform lower than this height was considered a hill. However, today, the [[United States Geological Survey]] concludes that these terms do not have technical definitions in the US.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is the difference between lake and pond; mountain and hill; or river and creek? |url=http://gallery.usgs.gov/audios/127 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509082833/http://gallery.usgs.gov/audios/127 |archive-date=9 May 2013 |access-date=11 February 2013 |publisher=USGS}}</ref>

The [[UN Environmental Programme]]'s definition of "mountainous environment" includes any of the following:<ref name=Blyth2002/>{{rp|74}}
* Class 1: Elevation greater than {{cvt|4500|m|ft|0}}.
* Class 2: Elevation between {{cvt|3500|and|4500|m|ft|0}}.
* Class 3: Elevation between {{cvt|2500|and|3500|m|ft|0}}.
* Class 4: Elevation between {{cvt|1500|and|2500|m|ft|0}}, with a slope greater than 2 degrees.
* Class 5: Elevation between {{cvt|1000|and|1500|m|ft|0}}, with a slope greater than 5 degrees or {{cvt|300|m|ft|0}} elevation range within {{cvt|7|km|mi}}.
* Class 6: Elevation between {{cvt|300|and|1000|m|ft|0}}, with a {{cvt|300|m|ft|0|adj=on}} elevation range within {{cvt|7|km|mi}}.
* Class 7: Isolated inner basins and plateaus less than {{cvt|25|km2|mi2}} in area that are completely surrounded by Class 1 to 6 mountains, but do not themselves meet criteria for Class 1 to 6 mountains.
Using these definitions, mountains cover 33% of Eurasia, 19% of South America, 24% of North America, and 14% of Africa.<ref name=Blyth2002/>{{rp|14}} As a whole, 24% of the Earth's land mass is mountainous.<ref name="panos">{{Cite web |last=Panos |year=2002 |title=High Stakes |url=http://panos.org.uk/wp-content/files/2011/03/high_stakeshVwvcI.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603173156/http://panos.org.uk/wp-content/files/2011/03/high_stakeshVwvcI.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2012 |access-date=17 February 2009}}</ref>