How High Is Everest And Who Measured It?

Everest, the world's highest peak, stands at a height of 8,848 meters or 29,028 feet. Since it was first discovered, many attempts have been made to decipher the exact height of the mountain. It was first measured by an Indian mathematician named Radhakant Sikdar from Bengal in 1852 with the help of theodolite and trigonometric equations. Its height was reaffirmed in 1955 and 56 again with the use of theodolite and confirmed by another effort from China in 1975.

However, all the above efforts took into consideration the highest point on the peak i.e. the snow capped top. In 1999 an American expedition team member for the first time measured the height of the rock head instead of the snow capped top. As the May of 2005, China also made its way to Mt.Everest to reassess the calculations and after a period of about 5 months announced it new height as being 8,843.43 meters and 29,017 feet. The measurements that have been taken in the recent times are based on the platform that the height of the mountain should be the highest point of the rock and not that of the snow and ice that has gathered on it.