<P> The Himalayas are home to a diversity of medicinal resources . Plants from the forests have been used for millennia to treat conditions ranging from simple coughs to snake bites . Different parts of the plants--root, flower, stem, leaves, and bark--are used as remedies for different ailments . For example, a bark extract from an abies pindrow tree is used to treat coughs and bronchitis . Leaf and stem paste from an arachne cordifolia is used for wounds and as an antidote for snake bites . The bark of a callicarpa arborea is used for skin ailments . Nearly a fifth of the gymnosperms, angiosperms, and pteridophytes in the Himalayas are found to have medicinal properties, and more are likely to be discovered . </P> <P> Most of the population in some Asian and African countries depend on medicinal plants rather than prescriptions and such (Gupta and Sharma, vii). Since so many people use medicinal plants as their only source of healing in the Himalayas, the plants are an important source of income . This contributes to economic and modern industrial development both inside and outside the region (Gupta and Sharma, 5). The only problem is that locals are rapidly clearing the forests on the Himalayas for wood, often illegally (Earth Island Journal, 2). This means that the number of medicinal plants is declining and that some of them might become rarer or, in some cases, go extinct . </P> <P> Although locals are clearing out portions of the forests in the Himalayas, there is still a large amount of greenery ranging from the tropical forests to the Alpine forests . These forests provide wood for fuel and other raw materials for use by industries . There are also many pastures for animals to graze upon (Mohita, sec . Forest and Wealth). The many varieties of animals that live in these mountains do so based on the elevation . For example, elephants and rhinoceros live in the lower elevations of the Himalayas, also called the Terai region . Also, found in these mountains are the Kashmiri stag, black bears, musk deer, langur, and snow leopards . The Tibetan yak are also found on these mountains and are often used by the people for transportation . However, the populations of many of these animals and still others are declining and are on the verge of going extinct (Admin, sec . Flora and Fauna). </P> <P> The Himalayas are also a source of many minerals and precious stones . Amongst the tertiary rocks, are vast potentials of mineral oil . There is coal located in Kashmir, and precious stones located in the Himalayas . There is also gold, silver, copper, zinc, and many other such minerals and metals located in at least 100 different places in these mountains (Mohita, sec . Minerals). </P>

Where are the himalayas located in our country