As of 2026, all of the world's top 10 highest peaks (known as the 'eight-thousanders') are located in the Himalayas and Karakoram ranges in Asia, with all exceeding 8,000 meters. Mount Everest remains the undisputed king at 8,848.86 meters, standing approximately 758 meters taller than the 10th-ranked Annapurna (8,091 meters)—a vertical difference equivalent to stacking two and a half Eiffel Towers on top of the summit. Interestingly, while their heights are comparable, the challenge varies significantly due to terrain and climate; Everest has become highly commercialized, whereas K2, despite being shorter, is revered by mountaineers as the 'Savage Mountain' due to its significantly higher fatality rate and technical difficulty.