<P> This list does not include submarine mountain ranges . If submarine mountains are included, the longest is the global mid-ocean ridge system which extends for about 65,000 km (40,000 mi). </P> <P> Mountain chains are typically formed by the process of plate tectonics . Tectonic plates slide very slowly over the Earth's mantle, a lower place of rock that is heated from the Earth's interior . Several huge sections of the earth's crust are impelled by heat currents in the mantle, producing tremendous forces that can buckle the material at the edges of the plates to form mountains . Usually one plate is forced underneath the other, and the lower plate is slowly absorbed by the mantle . Where the two plates pass one another, heated rock from the mantle can burst through the crust to form volcanoes . The movement of the plates against one another can also cause earthquakes . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Range </Th> <Th> Continent </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Approx. length </Th> <Th> Approx . width </Th> <Th> Max . elevation </Th> <Th> Highest point </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Andes </Td> <Td> South America </Td> <Td> Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia Ecuador Peru Venezuela </Td> <Td> 32 ° S 70 ° W ﻿ / ﻿ 32 ° S 70 ° W ﻿ / - 32; - 70 </Td> <Td> 7,000 km (4,350 mi) </Td> <Td> 500 km (300 mi) </Td> <Td> 6,962 m (22,841 ft) </Td> <Td> Mount Aconcagua </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Southern Great Escarpment </Td> <Td> Africa </Td> <Td> Zimbabwe South Africa Swaziland Lesotho Namibia Angola </Td> <Td> 29 ° S 29 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 29 ° S 29 ° E ﻿ / - 29; 29 </Td> <Td> 5,000 km (3,100 mi) </Td> <Td> 300 km (200 mi) </Td> <Td> 3,482 m (11,424 ft) </Td> <Td> Thabana Ntlenyana </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rocky Mountains </Td> <Td> North America </Td> <Td> Canada United States </Td> <Td> 39 ° N 106 ° W ﻿ / ﻿ 39 ° N 106 ° W ﻿ / 39; - 106 </Td> <Td> 4,800 km (3,000 mi) </Td> <Td> 300 km (200 mi) </Td> <Td> 4,401 m (14,440 ft) </Td> <Td> Mount Elbert </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Transantarctic Mountains </Td> <Td> Antarctica </Td> <Td> Antarctica </Td> <Td> 84 ° S 166 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 84 ° S 166 ° E ﻿ / - 84; 166 </Td> <Td> 3,542 km (2,200 mi) </Td> <Td> 400 km (250 mi) </Td> <Td> 4,528 m (14,856 ft) </Td> <Td> Mount Kirkpatrick </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Great Dividing Range </Td> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td> 36 ° S 148 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 36 ° S 148 ° E ﻿ / - 36; 148 </Td> <Td> 3,059 km (1,900 mi) </Td> <Td> 650 km (400 mi) </Td> <Td> 2,228 m (7,310 ft) </Td> <Td> Mount Kosciuszko </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Himalayas </Td> <Td> Asia </Td> <Td> Bhutan India Nepal Pakistan Afghanistan China Myanmar </Td> <Td> 27 ° N 86 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 27 ° N 86 ° E ﻿ / 27; 86 </Td> <Td> 2,576 km (1,600 mi) </Td> <Td> 350 km (220 mi) </Td> <Td> 8,848 m (29,029 ft) </Td> <Td> Mount Everest </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Range </Th> <Th> Continent </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Approx. length </Th> <Th> Approx . width </Th> <Th> Max . elevation </Th> <Th> Highest point </Th> </Tr>

Where are the tallest and longest mountain chains on earth how were they formed