Siachen Glacier

Siachen Glacier
Satellite imagery of the Siachen Glacier
Siachen Glacier Location of the Siachen Glacier within the greater Karakoram region Show map of Karakoram Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (Ladakh) Show map of Ladakh Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (India) Show map of India Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (Gilgit Baltistan) Show map of Gilgit Baltistan Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (Southern Xinjiang) Show map of Southern Xinjiang Siachen Glacier Siachen Glacier (China) Show map of China
Type	Mountain glacier
Location	Karakoram, Ladakh (controlled by India, claimed by Pakistan)
Coordinates	35°11′55.00″N 77°12′5.00″E / 35.1986111°N 77.2013889°E / 35.1986111; 77.2013889
Area	2,500 km2 (970 sq mi)[1]
Length	76 km (47 mi) using the longest route as is done when determining river lengths or 70 km (43 mi) if measuring from Indira Col[2]

The Siachen Glacier is a glacier located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas at about 35°25′16″N 77°06′34″E / 35.421226°N 77.109540°E / 35.421226; 77.109540, just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.^[3][4] At 76 km (47 mi) long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas.^[5] It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m (18,875 ft) above sea level at its head at Indira Col on the India–China border down to 3,620 m (11,875 ft) at its terminus. The entire Siachen Glacier, with all major passes, has been under the administration of India as part of the union territory of Ladakh, located in the Kashmir region since 1984.^[6][7][8][9] Pakistan maintains a territorial claim over the Siachen Glacier^[10] and controls the region west of Saltoro Ridge, lying west of the glacier,^[11] with Pakistani posts located 1 km below more than 100 Indian posts on the ridge.^[12][13]

The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the "Third Pole". The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram range to the east. The Saltoro Ridge originates in the north from the Sia Kangri peak on the China border in the Karakoram range. The crest of the Saltoro Ridge's altitudes range from 5,450 to 7,720 m (17,880 to 25,330 feet). The major passes on this ridge are, from north to south, Sia La at 5,589 m (18,336 ft), Bilafond La at 5,450 m (17,880 ft), and Gyong La at 5,689 m (18,665 ft). The average winter snowfall is more than 1000 cm (35 ft) and temperatures can dip to −50 °C (−58 °F). Including all tributary glaciers, the Siachen Glacier system covers about 700 km² (270 sq mi).