why himalayas are called young fold mountains?

Answer 1

The Himalayan mountains began forming in the late Cretaceous-Tertiary Period (70my) and continue to increase in elevation even today. That makes them among the youngest of mountain chains on the earth. They are fold mountains because of the compressive forces involved in the collision of the two continental plates involved, the Asian and the Indian/Australian.

Compare the Himalayan mountains with the Appalachian mountains (300my). The Appalachian are "old fold mountains" having been formed hundreds of millions of years ago. And, although they reached a height taller than Mt. Everest in the Himalayan mountains, the Appalachian mountains have eroded so that they are less than 10,000 feet tall today.

Answer 2

Himalayas Fold Mountains

Answer 3

They are young because they are being formed from the collision between India and Asia, a collision which began only about 30 million years ago and is still going on. They are folded mountains because they are formed by folding of the rocks along the edges of both continents from the force, pressure, and heat of the collision. We'll also find low-angle thrust faults at depth in abundance, but they qualify as folded mountains, like the Appalachians or the Alps.

Answer 4

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RE:
why himalayas are called young fold mountains?

Answer 5

Because they are caused by the Indian sub-continent pushing upwards into Central Asia and causing the upper strata to 'fold' like an accordian. And, in Geological terms, they are quite young. Only a few millions of years old, IIRC.

Doug

Answer 6

elik422 couldnt have said it better. *crys*