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2. Science rationale
2.1 Distribution of high elevation areas over the continents
The world distribution of mountain areas is well represented by the global digital elevation model
(DEM) GTOPO30 (http://edc.usgs.gov/products/elevation/gtopo30/gtopo30.html). The classification
of high altitude areas (http://www.unep-wcmc.org/habitats/mountains/region.html) are shown in
Figure 1 derived from the EROS Data Center of the U.S. Geological Survey National Mapping
Division.
Fig. 1 – Distribution map of elevations in the world.
Mountains occupy 24% of the global land surface, covering all latitudinal belts and encompassing
within them all the Earth’s climatic zones (Meybeck et al., 2001). Their ecosystems are differently
distributed in every continent. Excluding the Antarctica region, main mountain ranges are located
in East-Asia (5% of the land surface), followed by North America and the Russian Federation (3%
each), South America, Africa and Central Asia (2% each), and Europe (1,5%).
Kapos et al. (2000) published a global map of mountains based on a combination of elevation and
slope at a very fine resolution, with the aim of establishing a typology of mountain forests and their
distribution. Meybeck et al. (2001) developed a similar classification, although at a courser
resolution, from which distribution of the water balance and population was also derived.
50
50
% of mountainous terrain
40
30
20
10
High Elevations
>2500 m a.s.l.
40
30
20
10
0
300-1000m &
local elevation
range >300
1000- 1500m &
slope >=5° or
local elevation
range >300
1500- 2500m &
slope>=2°
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2500- 3500m
3500- 4500m
>= 4500m
Elevation ranges
Fig. 2 – Percentage distribution of mountainous terrain per different range of elevation.
Figure 2 illustrates the world’s percentage distribution of mountain terrains, divided into different
ranges of altitude. “High elevation” terrains, with height more than 2,500 m above sea level,
0