India

From Sri Lanka to the Himalayas. Image acquired by Proba-V on 14 March 2014.

Image credit: ESA/VITO

Yarlung Zangpo Grand Canyon, Tibet

The Yarlung Zangpo Grand Canyon (or Tsangpo Gorge) in Tibet is the deepest canyon in the world, and longer than the Grand Canyon. As the river passes between the peaks of Namcha Barwa (7,782 m) and Gyala Peri (7,234 m) it reaches a maximum depth of 6,009 m. In 2002, seven kayakers were the first westerners to navigate the entire gorge. The image was acquired February 25, 2004, and is located near 29.7 degrees north latitude, 95 degrees east longitude.

Photo credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

The Tibetan Plateau

Frozen lakes dotting the Tibetan Plateau in Central Asia are pictured in this image, acquired on 30 January 2012 by ESA’s Envisat satellite.

To its south Tibet is boarded by the Himalayan mountain range – part of which is visible in the lower-left corner of the image. To the northwest, we can see part of the Kunlun mountains, separating the plateau from the Tarim Basin. Both salt- and freshwater lakes are visible across the steppe – many of which freeze for many months of the year.

Photo credit: ESA