Mount Everest height controversy between China and Nepal has ended as both the countries agree to the new survey reports and issue a joint statement in this regard.
A long-running conflict over Mount Everest’s height between Nepal and China has led to an expedition of surveyors to the summit to calculate Everest’s precise height above sea level.
The new measurements put the Mount Everest height to 8,848.86 metres as compared to its previous height of 8,844.43 metres.
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Previous Mount Everest Height History
In 1847, a group of British surveyors in India declared the height of Peak XV to be 8,778 metres.
In 1954, Survey of India has measured the Mount Everest height and put it to 8,848 metres which were accepted by both Nepal and China at that time.
In 1999, a US Survey team sponsored by the National Geographic Society put the elevation at nearly 8,850 m (29,035 feet).
In 2005, China’s measurement of 8,844.43 metres had put the mountain about 3.57 metres lower than Survey of India’s measurement of 8,848 metres height.
Mount Everest Height controversy between China and Nepal
A spokesperson of Nepal’s Department of Survey, Damodar Dhakal said
their surveyors had used the Global Navigation Satellite System to get “the precise height” of the peak
Nepal’s chief survey officer, head of the measurement project, Susheel Dangol said
It was a huge responsibility on our part. It is a moment of great pride for us.
Meanwhile, Gyawali declared
Everest is an eternal symbol of friendship between Nepal and China,
Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Nepal’s Gyawali in a video call has announced the latest calculations. Tuesday’s announcement has put an end to long-standing differences over the Mount Everest height between Kathmandu and Beijing.
This is the first time Nepal conducted its own measurement.
In 2012, Nepal was under the pressure from China to accept the height (previously measured and declared by Survey of India height). But Nepal has its own objections and went for a re-calculation of the height of the mount Everest.
Some of the experts say that the variation in the Height of the Mount Everest may be due to the devastating earthquake in 2015.