Hindu Kush Himalaya

Context

In the context of changing climate patterns affecting high mountain regions, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development has noted that the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region has seen a record 27% fall in snow persistence.

Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)

1. The HKH region spans about 3,500 kilometres and extends across eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
2. It holds one of the largest reserves of ice and snow outside the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
3. This region contains four of the globally recognized biodiversity hotspots, namely the Himalayan range, Indo-Burma area, the mountain systems of Southwest China, and the Central Asian mountain region.
4. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), also known as the “Third Pole” or “Water Tower of Asia,” spreads across 8 countries and covers a high-altitude area exceeding 55,000 square kilometres.
5.  It gives rise to around 10 major river systems in Asia.
6.  The region is home to more than 60,000 glaciers and contains about 6,000 cubic kilometres of ice, making it one of the largest stores of frozen water outside the polar regions.