Geography & Reference
World Elevation & Highest Point Lookup
The highest point and its elevation for every country — from Everest to a gentle Dutch hill — sorted so you can see the world's vertical extremes.
China
Asia
Highest point
Mount Everest
8,849 m
Pakistan
Asia
Highest point
K2
8,611 m
India
Asia
Highest point
Kangchenjunga
8,586 m
Argentina
South America
Highest point
Aconcagua
6,961 m
Chile
South America
Highest point
Ojos del Salado
6,893 m
Peru
South America
Highest point
Huascarán
6,768 m
United States
North America
Highest point
Denali
6,190 m
Canada
North America
Highest point
Mount Logan
5,959 m
Colombia
South America
Highest point
Pico Cristóbal Colón
5,775 m
Russia
Europe
Highest point
Mount Elbrus
5,642 m
Mexico
North America
Highest point
Pico de Orizaba
5,636 m
Kenya
Africa
Highest point
Mount Kenya
5,199 m
Turkey
Asia
Highest point
Mount Ararat
5,137 m
Indonesia
Asia
Highest point
Puncak Jaya
4,884 m
Italy
Europe
Highest point
Monte Bianco
4,810 m
France
Europe
Highest point
Mont Blanc
4,809 m
Switzerland
Europe
Highest point
Dufourspitze
4,634 m
Morocco
Africa
Highest point
Toubkal
4,167 m
Malaysia
Asia
Highest point
Mount Kinabalu
4,095 m
Austria
Europe
Highest point
Grossglockner
3,798 m
Japan
Asia
Highest point
Mount Fuji
3,776 m
New Zealand
Oceania
Highest point
Aoraki / Mount Cook
3,724 m
Spain
Europe
Highest point
Teide
3,718 m
South Africa
Africa
Highest point
Mafadi
3,450 m
Vietnam
Asia
Highest point
Fansipan
3,143 m
Saudi Arabia
Asia
Highest point
Jabal Sawda
3,000 m
Brazil
South America
Highest point
Pico da Neblina
2,995 m
Germany
Europe
Highest point
Zugspitze
2,962 m
Philippines
Asia
Highest point
Mount Apo
2,954 m
Greece
Europe
Highest point
Mount Olympus
2,918 m
Egypt
Africa
Highest point
Mount Catherine
2,629 m
Thailand
Asia
Highest point
Doi Inthanon
2,565 m
Poland
Europe
Highest point
Rysy
2,499 m
Norway
Europe
Highest point
Galdhøpiggen
2,469 m
Nigeria
Africa
Highest point
Chappal Waddi
2,419 m
Portugal
Europe
Highest point
Mount Pico
2,351 m
Australia
Oceania
Highest point
Mount Kosciuszko
2,228 m
Sweden
Europe
Highest point
Kebnekaise
2,104 m
South Korea
Asia
Highest point
Hallasan
1,950 m
UAE
Asia
Highest point
Jebel Jais
1,934 m
Czechia
Europe
Highest point
Sněžka
1,603 m
United Kingdom
Europe
Highest point
Ben Nevis
1,345 m
Finland
Europe
Highest point
Halti
1,324 m
Israel
Asia
Highest point
Mount Meron
1,208 m
Bangladesh
Asia
Highest point
Saka Haphong
1,052 m
Ireland
Europe
Highest point
Carrauntoohil
1,041 m
Hong Kong
Asia
Highest point
Tai Mo Shan
957 m
Belgium
Europe
Highest point
Signal de Botrange
694 m
Netherlands
Europe
Highest point
Vaalserberg
322 m
Denmark
Europe
Highest point
Møllehøj
170 m
Singapore
Asia
Highest point
Bukit Timah
164 m
The world's vertical extremes
Elevation is the dimension of geography we feel most directly — the thinning air, the cold, the strain of a long climb. A country's highest point is the simplest summary of its vertical character: whether it is dominated by high mountains or lies low and flat. This lookup lists the highest point and its elevation for each country, sorted from tallest to lowest so the extremes are visible at a glance.
From Mount Everest on the Nepal–China border (8849 m) down to the Netherlands' Vaalserberg (322 m), the range of national high points tells a story of plate tectonics, glaciation and the slow shaping of continents.
How mountains form and why countries differ
The highest mountains form where tectonic plates collide. The Himalayas — and thus Nepal's, China's, India's, Pakistan's and Bhutan's highest points — rose where the Indian plate rammed into Asia. The Andes, giving Chile, Argentina and Peru their highest points, rose where the Nazca plate dives under South America. Where plates pull apart or sit mid-plate, the land stays lower and flatter.
This is why the highest national points cluster in Asia and along the American cordilleras, while countries on old, stable continental interiors — much of Australia, Africa, central Europe — have far lower high points. Elevation is a direct readout of a country's tectonic setting.
Shared summits and border mountains
Several of the world's highest peaks sit on international borders, so two countries share the same mountain as their highest point. Everest belongs to both Nepal and China; K2 to Pakistan and China; Kangchenjunga to India and Nepal. Each country counts the peak from its side, and the listed elevation is the summit height, shared.
This means a 'highest point per country' list has some repeats that are not obvious from the names. For mountaineering, the side you climb from matters as much as the summit; for geography, the summit is the fact.
Measuring elevation accurately
Elevation above sea level seems simple, but sea level itself is a defined reference (the geoid) rather than a physical surface, and measuring a summit's height to the metre is hard. Everest's official height has been revised several times as surveying improved; Nepal and China jointly announced 8848.86 m in 2020 after a fresh campaign. Smaller peaks are measured less precisely and figures vary between sources by a few metres.
For reference, the rounded figures here are accurate to within a few metres of widely accepted values. For survey-grade work, consult the national mapping agency, which holds the definitive measurement for its territory.
What elevation tells you about a country
A country's highest point is a proxy for its topography, which in turn shapes climate, agriculture and settlement. A high maximum means mountains — cold, hard-to-farm slopes, isolated valleys, hydroelectric potential and tourism. A low maximum, like the Netherlands or Denmark, means flat, fertile, densely settled land with few natural barriers.
Elevation also affects the human body. Above about 2500 m, altitude sickness becomes a risk; above 4000 m, long-term settlement is hard. Countries whose highest points exceed these levels have populations adapted to thin air — a striking example of environment shaping physiology.
From highest to lowest: the full range
This tool is sorted by highest point descending, so you can read the world's vertical order at a glance: the Himalayan and Andean countries at the top, then the Alpine and Central Asian ranges, down through the rest of Asia, Africa and the Americas, to the low-lying European and island nations at the bottom. The contrast between Nepal's 8849 m and the Netherlands' 322 m spans the full range of national topography.
For travellers and climbers, the list is also a tick-list of ambition — from gentle Dutch hills to the world's highest peaks. For students of geography, it is a compact summary of where the world's land is pushed highest and where it lies low.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a country's highest point?
It is the summit of the highest mountain or hill within the country's territory, measured in metres above sea level. For landlocked countries it is a peak; for low-lying countries it may be a modest hill.
Why are some highest points shared?
Several of the world's tallest mountains sit on borders. Mount Everest is shared by Nepal and China; K2 by Pakistan and China. Both countries list the same peak as their highest point, measured from their respective sides.
Are the elevations exact?
They are widely reported rounded figures. The exact height of Everest itself is debated and was re-measured by Nepal and China in 2020; minor differences between sources reflect measurement campaigns and rounding.
What about the lowest point?
Some countries' lowest points are below sea level (the Dead Sea shores for Israel and Jordan; the Caspian for some). This tool focuses on the highest point; lowest-point data varies more in source and definition.
Why does elevation matter?
Elevation drives climate, agriculture, infrastructure and even human physiology. A country's highest point is a quick indicator of its topography — flat and low, or mountainous and high — which shapes everything from weather to settlement.
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