Editing Paektu Mountain (section)

== Current geography and geology ==
[[File:Mount Paektu Relief Map, SRTM-1.jpg|thumb|Relief map]]
Mount Baekdu is {{convert|2744|m|0|abbr=on}} tall, making it the highest mountain in North Korea and Northeast China and the highest mountain of the [[Baekdu-daegan]] and [[Changbai Mountains|Changbai]] mountain ranges.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ehlers |first1=Jürgen |title=Quaternary Glaciations: South America, Asia, Africa, Australasia, Antarctica |last2=Gibbard |first2=Philip |publisher=Elsevier |year=2004 |quote=The Changbai Mountain is the highest (2570&nbsp;m a.s.l.) in north-eastern China (42°N, 128°E) on the border between China and Korea.}}</ref>

Mount Baekdu is a [[stratovolcano]] whose cone is truncated by a significant [[caldera]]. The central section of the mountain rises about {{convert|3|mm|abbr=on}} per year due to rising levels of [[magma]] below the central part of the mountain. Sixteen peaks exceeding {{convert|2500|m|abbr=on}} line the caldera rim surrounding Heaven Lake. The highest peak, called Janggun Peak, is covered in snow about eight months of the year. The slope is relatively gentle until about {{convert|1800|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}. The caldera is about {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|850|m|ft|sp=us}} deep, and is partially filled by the waters of [[Heaven Lake]].<ref name="GVP" />

Heaven Lake has a circumference of {{convert|12|to|14|km|mi|sp=us}}, with an average depth of {{convert|213|m|ft|sp=us}} and maximum depth of {{convert|384|m|ft|sp=us}}. From mid-October to mid-June, the lake is typically covered with ice. Water flows north out of the lake, and near the outlet there is a {{convert|70|m|ft|adj=on|sp=us}} waterfall. The mountain is the source of the Songhua, Tumen and Yalu rivers. The Tumen and the Yalu form the northern border between North Korea and Russia and China.

=== Climate ===
The weather on the mountain can be very erratic, sometimes severe. The annual average temperature at the peak is {{convert|-4.9|C}}. During summer, temperatures of about {{convert|18|C}} or higher can be reached, and during winter temperatures can drop to {{convert|-48|C}}. The lowest record temperature was {{convert|-51|C}} on 2 January 1997. The average temperature is about {{convert|-24|C}} in January, and {{convert|10|C}} in July, remaining below freezing for eight months of the year. The average wind speed is {{convert|42|km/h|abbr=on}}, peaking at {{convert|63|km/h|abbr=on}}. The [[relative humidity]] averages 74%.{{Citation needed|date=June 2015}}