Which is the Oldest Mountain Range in the World?

What are Mountains?

Mountains are amazing formations of nature are important for us, as they give us fresh water and a place for plants, animals and humans alike to live. Mountains appear when two parts of Earth’s crust called plates crash together. As National Geographic states, when the two plates meet, they buckle up like the hood of a car in a head-on collision.

Mountains are so gigantic they can actually influence weather patterns, and provide natural boundaries for countries. Here is a look at some of the oldest mountain ranges right now on Earth, and what is special about them.

The Barbertown Greenstone Belt (3.6 Billion Years)

Country and Origin: South Africa and Swaziland

Highest Peak: 5,900 feet

Average Elevation: 2,000-5,900 feet

Approximate Area: 120 by 60 km

Generally speaking, South Africa and the Americas are home to some of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. The Barbertown Greenstone Belt, or Makhonjwa Mountains is the very oldest mountain range in the world. These mountains are full of ancient fossils, volcanic rock and, you got it, gold. The gold found in the Makhonjwa Mountains forms some of the oldest recognized orogenic gold deposits in the world.