Mountains occupy about 20% of the world''''s land area and are home to about 10% of the world''''s population. The world''''s greatest land mountain range is the Himalayas, which contains 96 of the world''''s 109 peaks of over 7,312 meters high.
Although many visualize mountains as
monolithic rocks,
unchanging and impregnable,
people are now beginning to realize that mountains present
magnificent ecosystems and offer various services. They are as
fragile as any other ecosystem of the world.
Mountains supply more than half of the world''''s freshwater requirements. In humid areas, mountains provide 30 to 60% of freshwater downstream. The world''''s major rivers rely on mountains for water. For example, it has been estimated that the lowland flow of the Indus River originates in the mountains of Karakoram and western Himalayas. Likewise, the Ganges, Bramhaputra and Yamuna have their origin in the Himalayas.
Mountains are considered the treasure house of endemic species and repositories of genetic diversity. They act as critical corridors for migrating birds and animals. They are home to diverse flora and fauna. Most species of flora and fauna are lost in the valleys and plains, being unable to bear the pressure from development activities. However, they can be preserved in the Mountains for a long time to come.
Millions of highland and lowland people all over the world depend on mountain forest for their survival. Forests on mountains slopes help reduce soil erosion and prevent landslides, avalanche and flood. Since mountain forests have adopted themselves to wide range of altitudes and microclimates, they are rich in plant and animal species, many of which are untapped and have unknown commercial potential.
Today, mountain tourism has become a flourishing industry in many countries, because of the breathtaking scene and for pleasurable activities like skiing and climbing. It is estimated to represent 15-20% of world tourism industry with an annual turnover of $70-90 billion. It helps create employment opportunities. Hence, many mountain communities are realizing opportunities for economic growth by preserving their forest to attract tourists.
The World''''s poorest people inhabit mountains. Among 1.2 billion extremely poor people about 800 million reside in mountains. Therefore, mountain development helps to raise these people''''s standard of living.
During the Earth Summit held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, emphasis was placed on sustainable mountain development. In 1994 the FAO and the United Nations initiated a Mountain Forum. Realizing the importance of the mountain ecosystem, in 1998, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the proposal put forward by the Republic of Kyrgyz Stan to solemnize the year 2002 as the International Year of Mountain (IYM). Other UN bodies such as UNEP, UNDP, UNESCO, non-government organizations and other government agencies launched different programmes around the world both at national and international levels.
Despite some efforts in the IYM, no substantial achievement has been made for mountain development. However, it is essential to develop mountains for expediting world''''s economic development as soon as possible.
More abstracts about the Mountain For Economic Development