If you are living in a coastal area and are looking for an alternative home in case global warming causes sea levels to rise, you should consider these 11 countries with highest average elevation. Even if both polar caps melt, people living in these areas will stay safe.
Aside from providing breathtaking landscape, living in countries with the highest elevation in the world has its more practical advantages. Currently, lowest average elevation country is Maldives, with an average elevation of just 6 feet. If the sea rises just 3 feet (1 meter), 80% of Maldives will be submerged in the Indian Ocean. People living in countries on our list don’t have to fear that scenario.
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When compiling the list of countries with highest average elevation, we ran into some interesting tidbits. For instance, if the Tibet was independent, it would easily be number one on our list, with the average elevation of 16,000 feet (4900 m). On that altitude, air contains just 56% of oxygen compared to sea level. That means you need to breathe almost twice as much to inhale the same amount of oxygen. It also means that, due to changes in air pressure, it takes more than twice as long to boil an egg.
Greenland is another region we left out, due to not being an independent country. Its average altitude of 1,792 m (5,879 feet) would assure it a place on the list. Antarctica would also be placed high, if it were a country, with the average elevation of 2,300 m (7,546 feet).
Contrary to popular belief that living on higher altitudes improves one health, neither of the countries on the list is among the world’s 15 healthiest countries. If you take a look at the elevation maps of the world, geographical locations of countries with highest average altitude are easily guessed. Out of 11 countries, 7 are located in Asia, 2 in Africa and 1 each in Europe and South America. All of them are high above the world average elevation of 840 m (2,756 feet). Let’s see which countries are high enough to earn a spot on among countries with highest average elevation.
11. Rwanda
Average elevation: 1,598 m (5,243 feet)
Located in Africa Great Lakes region Rwanda is a mountainous country with the lowest point 950 meters (3,117 feet) above the sea level.
10. Armenia
Average elevation: 1,792 m (5,879 feet)
Armenia is located in South Caucasus, on a border dividing Europe and Asia. Its highest elevation is 4,090 meters (13,419 feet) high Mount Aragats.
9. China
Average elevation: 1,840 m (6,037 feet)
On the first glance, it would seem that Tibet is largely responsible for China’s spot on the list. But when you compare the sizes, Tibet is just a fraction of China. In truth, China is pretty mountainous country. Although it does add to China’s average altitude of 6,037 feet, even if Tibet was disregarded, it would still be on the list.
8. Chile
Average elevation: 1,871 m (6,138 feet)
When a country is largely located on the slopes of Andes, it is pretty certain it will be on this list. Among other high places, Chile is a home of Ojos del Salado, world’s highest active volcano.
7. Afghanistan
Average elevation: 1,884 m (6,181 feet)
Legendary Hindu Kush mountain range, stretching 500 miles across Afghanistan and Pakistan, defines the country and significantly adds to its 6,181 feet average elevation.
6. Andorra
Average elevation: 1,996 m (6,549 feet)
Small European country located on the border between France and Spain, Andorra owes its placement on the list mainly to its size. After all, it is to be expected that country will be among those with the highest average altitude if it is entirely located on Pyrenees mountain range.
5. Lesotho
Average elevation: 2,161 m (7,090 feet)
Entire Kingdom of Lesotho is located above 1,000 meters of elevation, which makes it number 5 on our list of 11 countries with highest average elevation. In fact, its lowest point of 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) is the highest lowest point in the world. Yes, that sentence needs to be read twice in order to make sense out of it.
4. Bhutan
Average elevation: 2,220 m (7,283 feet)
Kingdom of Bhutan is located on the eastern slopes of Himalayas. Its highest peak, Gangkhar Puensum, is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.
3. Nepal
Average elevation: 2,565 m (8,415 feet)
Another Himalayan country, Nepal is the home of 8 out of 10 highest mountain peaks in the world, including Mont Everest. Somehow, we expected it to be placed higher on the list.
2. Kyrgyzstan
Average elevation: 2,988 m (9,803 feet)
The downside of Kyrgyzstan 9,803 feet average altitude is that just 8% of its territory is used in agriculture. The Tian Shan, large mountain range, covers 80% of the country.
1. Tajikistan
Average elevation: 3,186 m (10,453 feet)
Kyrgyzstan’s southern neighbor Tajikistan is the country with highest average elevation in the world. Tajikistan is located on Pamir mountain range that connects The Himalayas with the Hindu Kush and the Tian Shan, forming what John Wood, a 19th century British explorer, called Roof of the World, translating local expression Bam-i-Duniah.
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