Due to its altitude and ruggedness, the Karakoram is much less inhabited than parts of the Himilayas further east. European explorers first visited early in the 19th century, followed by British surveyors starting in 1856. The Muztagh pass was crossed in 1887 by the expedition of Colonel Francis Younghusband and the valleys above the Hunza River were explored by George Cockerill in 1892. Explorations in the 1910s and 1920s established most of the geography of the region.
The Karakoram's highest peaks include, among others:
Highest peaks
See also: Karakorum highway, Geography of China