KARAKORAM, a range of mountains in central Asia in the northwestern end of the Himalayas. It is also known under the name of Mustagh Mountains. This range of mountains skirts the right bank of the Indus through the north of the Indian province of Kashmir, terminating in the Hindu Kush range at Pamir. The Karakoram Moun tains, while not so excessively high when judged from the surrounding country, reach a very great altitude from the fact that their base is a vast upland series plateau the lowest parts of which are from 11,000 to 15,000 feet above sea level. Some of the peaks rising from 10,000 to 15,000 feet above this, reach a really high alti tude which places them among the highest mountain elevations in the world. Of those the highest is Godwin-Austen (28,265 feet). A score or mores are over 20,000 feet and at least five Naturally, at such a high elevation with respect to uplands, valleys and mountain peaks, the range contains numer ous mountain passes, at very high altitudes. Of these one of the most famous is named after the range itself which lies at an altitude of 18,550 feet above sea-level. Practically these upper regions of the Karakoram range are bleak and forbidding and very rarely blessed with vegetation of any kind, and this only in the lower regions of the foothills.
Bibliography.—Conway, Sir W. M., 'Climb ing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Hima layas> (London 1892) ; Eskenstein, Oscar, 'The Karakorams and Kashmir) (London 1896) ; Filippi, Filip s • de, 'Karakoram and Western Himalaya) (1'1' ) ; 'The Expedition of his Royal Highness Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, Duke of the Abruzzi) (London 1912) ; Gazetteer of (Oxford 1909) ; Workman, F. B., 'In the Ice World of (London 1901).
KARAKORtTM, krra-kor'ilm (Mongol, kara, black, kuren, camp), the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire. It is on the Orkhon river near Urga. It remained the capital of the Mongol rulers from 1234 to 1409. The ruins of this ancient camp and capital of Ghengis Khan, which was visited and described by Marco Polo, lay long unknown to Europeans. In 1889 it was visited by Yadrintsev, the Russian explorer, and in 1902 by W. C. Camp bell, both of whom have left descriptions of them showing that they covered a very con siderable space and to have been at one time connected by a system of canals with the Jirmanta River, an evidence that Karakorum must, in the days of its prosperity, have carried on an extensive trade and been a place of con siderable importance.