The Karakoram Range
Karakoram (or Karakorum)Range, ' rŭm, a mountain range in central Asia. With the Himalayas, the Kunlun Shan, and other ranges, it is part of the great mountain system extending from the Pamirs to Indochina. The Karakoram Range lies north of the western Himalayas and stretches for 300 miles (480 km) along or near the China-Kashmir border. Some of the world's highest peaks are here; K2 reaches 28,250 feet (8,611 m) and is second only to Mount Everest in height. Karakoram Pass, at 18,290 feet (5,575 m), was long part of an important trade route between central and southern Asia.