The ten longest above-water mountain ranges on Earth, ranked by approximate end-to-end length as given in Wikipedia's list of longest mountain chains: the Andes lead at about 7,000 km, with two pairs of ranges tied.
The Andes are the longest above-water mountain range in the world, at about 7,000 km along western South America. The Southern Great Escarpment in Africa is second at about 5,000 km and the Rocky Mountains third at about 4,800 km. The ranking uses approximate end-to-end length from Wikipedia's list of longest mountain chains on Earth, accessed 18 October 2026.
Mountain ranges form mostly through plate tectonics, and the longest of them run for thousands of kilometers. The Andes run the length of western South America, while the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians run through western and eastern North America. This list ranks the ten longest above-water mountain ranges by approximate length in kilometers, using a single compilation: Wikipedia's list of longest mountain chains on Earth. Submarine ranges are excluded; if they were counted, the global mid-ocean ridge system, at about 65,000 km, would be the longest.
The longest above-water mountain range in the world, running 7,000 km along the western edge of South America through seven countries. Its highest peak, Aconcagua at 6,962 m, is also the tallest mountain outside Asia.
A massive highland feature that rings the edge of southern Africa, extending roughly 5,000 km from Angola through Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. Its highest point is Mafadi at 3,482 m on the border of South Africa and Lesotho.
The major mountain range of western North America, stretching about 4,800 km from British Columbia in Canada to New Mexico in the United States. Its highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at 4,401 m.
A major mountain range in Antarctica that divides the continent into East and West Antarctica, about 3,500 km long and tied in length with Australia's Great Dividing Range. Its highest peak is Mount Kirkpatrick at 4,528 m.
Australia's most substantial mountain system, running about 3,500 km along the eastern side of the continent and tied in length with the Transantarctic Mountains. Its highest point is Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228 m, the tallest peak on the Australian mainland.
One of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth, the Appalachians run about 3,200 km through eastern North America, from Newfoundland in Canada to Alabama in the United States. Long eroded, their highest peak is Mount Mitchell in North Carolina at 2,037 m.
A coastal mountain range running parallel to the Andes along the Pacific coast of Chile for 3,100 km. Its highest point is Cerro Vicuña Mackenna at 3,114 m.
The highest mountain range in the world, home to Mount Everest at 8,848 m and most of the world's 8,000-metre peaks (the rest, including K2, are in the neighbouring Karakoram). The source lists the Himalayas at about 2,600 km long; they were formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
The traditional boundary between Europe and Asia, the Urals run about 2,500 km north to south through Russia and Kazakhstan, tied in length with the Atlas Mountains. Their highest peak is Mount Narodnaya at 1,895 m.
A mountain range across northwestern Africa, running about 2,500 km through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and tied in length with the Ural Mountains. Its highest peak is Toubkal in Morocco at 4,167 m.
| # | Name | continent | countries | highestPeak | width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andes | South America | Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela | Aconcagua (6,962 m) | 500 km |
| 2 | Southern Great Escarpment | Africa | Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe | Mafadi (3,482 m) | 300 km |
| 3 | Rocky Mountains | North America | Canada, United States | Mount Elbert (4,401 m) | 300 km |
| 4 | Transantarctic Mountains | Antarctica | Antarctica | Mount Kirkpatrick (4,528 m) | 400 km |
| 5 | Great Dividing Range | Australia | Australia | Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m) | 300 km |
| 6 | Appalachian Mountains | North America | Canada, United States | Mount Mitchell (2,037 m) | 70 km |
| 7 | Chilean Coast Range | South America | Chile | Cerro Vicuña Mackenna (3,114 m) | 70 km |
| 8 | Himalayas | Asia | India, Pakistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Myanmar | Mount Everest (8,848 m) | 350 km |
| 9 | Ural Mountains | Europe / Asia | Russia, Kazakhstan | Mount Narodnaya (1,895 m) | 150 km |
| 10 | Atlas Mountains | Africa | Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia | Toubkal (4,167 m) | 113 km |
Ranges are ranked by the approximate length given in one source, the Wikipedia article 'List of longest mountain chains on Earth' (accessed 18 October 2026); widths, highest points and elevations come from the same table. Rank 1 is the longest. Two pairs of ranges are tied in that source: the Transantarctic Mountains and the Great Dividing Range (3,500 km each), and the Ural and Atlas Mountains (2,500 km each). Tied ranges are listed in the source's table order and their ranks do not imply one is longer. Lengths are rounded approximations and depend on where a chain is judged to begin and end, so other references give different figures for the same range (Wikipedia's own Andes article gives about 8,900 km and its Himalayas article about 2,400 km); we use the list's figures throughout so every range is measured on the same basis. Submarine ranges, including the mid-ocean ridge system, are excluded.
The longest above-water mountain range is the Andes, at approximately 7,000 km in Wikipedia's list of longest mountain chains. If underwater ranges are included, the global mid-ocean ridge system is the longest at about 65,000 km.
No. The Himalayas are the highest mountain range, home to Mount Everest, but at about 2,600 km they rank 8th by length in this list. The Andes, Southern Great Escarpment, Rocky Mountains and four other ranges are longer.
Length depends on where a continuous chain is judged to start and end, and whether connected subranges are counted. Even within Wikipedia, the Andes article gives about 8,900 km while the list of longest chains gives about 7,000 km. This list uses one compilation for every range so they are compared on the same basis.
In the source table the Transantarctic Mountains and the Great Dividing Range are both about 3,500 km, and the Ural and Atlas Mountains are both about 2,500 km. Their order here follows the source's table, not a difference in length.
The Rocky Mountains, at about 4,800 km from British Columbia to New Mexico. The Appalachian Mountains, at about 3,200 km, are the second-longest North American range on this list.
More like this: all Geography & Earth rankings · browse every topic