I’ve always had a fascination with mountains and elevation, and so I wanted to know what country has the highest average elevation. A countries highest average elevation number is achieved by averaging at all the land in one single country and arriving at one single number. And below, I found the top 10 highest! They span all across the globe representing Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. I also want to note that Antarctica would be on this list, but it’s not a country. The average elevation for Antarctica is a staggering 7,546 feet.

First up, there is the country of Armenia, a landlocked country sandwiched between four other nations that include Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Armenia adds to its elevation with mountains dominating most of the country. There is only a small part in the southwest part of the country that doesn’t have mountains. It’s a beautiful country that is not on most people’s list to travel. Highlights include Mount Aragats in the central part of Armenia as well as Lake Sevan.

Some may be surprised that China made this list, but there is a good reason. Tibet is very high in elevation, and it’s massive, covering something like one-third of China. So yes, there is a lot of lands that are low in the east, but the west of China is massive and very high. And then China meets up with the highest point of them all, Mount Everest in the Himalayas. China is an enormous country, but unfortunately, Tibet can be out of reach for many tourists due to the Chinese known policy of shutting down the border.

Chile is a long mountainous country that basically spines a large portion of the Andes Mountains. So it should be no surprise that Chile in the top ten with the highest average elevation. It’s an odd country with varying weather and climates throughout its length, but there are always mountains in the east part of the country along its whole length. End to end, Chile would cover from the top of Europe to Africa. Travel to Chile is easy, but it’s best to fly throughout the country.

Another landlocked country in central Asia, Afghanistan, is famously mountainous, especially in the eastern part of the country. From the south, the land starts at around 2,000 feet in a dry arid landscape. In the central part of Afghanistan, mountains begin to take root, slowly rising higher and higher in the east. Mountains in Afghanistan are some of the steepest and tallest in the Himalayas with the highest peak, Noshaq rising near 25,000 feet.

Now we move over to Europe in the Pyrennes mountain range between France and Spain to the country of Andorra. One of the smallest countries the average land is mountains, and only the valleys below are flat enough for cities. Although the country doesn’t have super tall mountains like in the Himalayas, they are tall enough that the average elevation is at around 6,550 feet. Andorra isn’t well traveled but because it’s close to Spain and France it’s relatively easy to travel.

A list of high elevation needs if you’re looking to plan or hike on your next trip.

A more obscure African country that got its roots in the high mountains enclosed around South Africa. Lesotho today is entirely landlocked and only compromises of mountains; therefore, the average elevation is around 7,090 feet. The lowest point in all of Lesotho is just below 5,000 feet. Lesotho is not easy to travel because of the lack of great roads and steep terrain. However, the landscape is gorgeous and certainly worth a visit.

Kyrgyzstan is an odd-shaped country being very skinny and straddling several mountain ranges.  Another landlocked country with a high average elevation thanks to very tall mountains that make up most of the country. It is stunningly beautiful but can be somewhat hard to travel thanks to steep passes, so most people come in the summer when only high elevation snow exists. Mountains and nomadic life are the main attractions!

Kyrgyzstan neighbor to the south is Tajikistan and also enveloped mostly in the mountains. Tajikistan probably has steeper and more rugged mountains. The country is cut in the middle with high elevation but flatter landscape in the north and high mountains in the central part of the country. Mountain climbing and hiking are popular here, and in a particular part of the country, mountains reach elevations as high as nearly 25,000 feet. Tajikistan is a relatively hard country to travel.

Probably the most famous mountain country Nepal unsurprisingly, has high elevation. Most of the southern part of the country bordering with India is relatively low in elevation, but mountains pop up in the central and north part and get very steep. Of course, Nepal has the highest mountain in the world and a couple of other mountains in the top 10 highest mountains in the world. Nepal is a beautiful country to travel to, and of course, mountain climbing and hiking is the most popular activity to do.

Nepal’s Asian neighbor is the country with the highest average elevation at 10,760 feet. Like Nepal, Bhutan sits entirely in the Himalayan Mountains, with nearly all of the country mountainous. Bhutan has long been a country shrouded with mystery and where old Buddhist tradition has remained intact. Bhutan doesn’t have a climbing culture and restricts visitors from climbing their sacred mountains. Gangkhar Puensum, the countries tallest mountain, has never been climbed. Bhutan is safe, although an expensive country to travel.

Take some time to explore other posts like the time I wrote about the “Best Gay Beaches in the World” or “The Top Tropical Island Paradises in the World.”

Or below find some related posts!