Whether Chimborazo is taller than Mount Everest depends entirely on the reference point used for measurement. Mount Everest holds the record under the traditional method, but Chimborazo claims the title using a different, scientifically sound system. This difference arises because the Earth is not a perfect sphere, leading to variations in how a mountain’s height is calculated. Understanding the planet’s actual shape is key to resolving this apparent contradiction.
Defining the Standard: Height Above Sea Level
The universally recognized standard for measuring a mountain’s height is its elevation above mean sea level (ASL). This method uses the average ocean surface as a consistent, zero-point baseline for all land elevations, allowing for reliable comparisons. By this measure, Mount Everest is indisputably the highest mountain on Earth. Its summit reaches 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) ASL, making it the supreme peak under the conventional definition. Chimborazo, located in Ecuador, stands at approximately 6,263 meters (20,548 feet) ASL, nearly 2,600 meters lower than Everest, and does not rank among the world’s hundred highest peaks.
The Earth’s Oblate Spheroid Shape
The difference in measurement outcomes stems from the planet’s geometry. Earth is not a true sphere but an “oblate spheroid,” a shape slightly flattened at the poles and bulging around the equator. This equatorial bulge results from the centrifugal force generated by the Earth’s constant rotation. This rotational force pushes mass outward, making the equatorial diameter about 43 kilometers (27 miles) greater than the polar diameter.
The Equatorial Advantage
This geometrical reality means that any point at sea level along the equator is approximately 21 kilometers farther from the Earth’s center than a point at the poles. Mountains situated closer to the equator automatically start from a higher platform relative to the planet’s core. Geodesists use a theoretical model called the geoid, which represents the Earth’s mean sea level surface, to account for this irregular shape. This underlying bulge is why a mountain much lower in height above sea level can still be farther from the planet’s center.
Distance from the Center: Chimborazo’s True Record
When measuring distance from the center of the Earth, Chimborazo leverages the equatorial bulge to claim a unique planetary record. The stratovolcano is situated just over one degree south of the equator, placing it near the planet’s widest point. Mount Everest, conversely, is located nearly 28 degrees north of the equator, far from the maximum bulge. Chimborazo’s peak is measured to be approximately 6,384.4 kilometers (3,967.1 miles) from the center, while Everest’s summit is about 6,382.3 kilometers (3,965.8 miles) from the center. This difference of 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) makes Chimborazo the farthest point on the Earth’s surface from the core, effectively crowning it as the closest point on Earth to space.