Mauna Kea

Only about 4,205 m of Mauna Kea in Hawaii sits above sea level. Measured from its base on the ocean floor, it stands roughly 10,200 m tall, which is taller than Everest from foot to peak.

Everest is still the highest above sea level. The total depends on where the base is drawn.

Context

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. Its summit stands about 4,205 m above sea level, but the weight of the volcano has pushed down the ocean crust beneath it, and the base lies deep on the seafloor. Counting from that base to the summit gives a total of roughly 10,000 m or a little more, which would exceed Everest's height from sea level.

The figure is an estimate because the base is not a sharp line. Researchers disagree on where to place the bottom, and some figures include the depressed crust while others measure only to the surrounding ocean floor. For this reason, published totals range around 10,000 m, and the label on this entry hedges the number accordingly.

The name Mauna Kea is Hawaiian for white mountain, and its summit can be snow-capped in winter. Because of its height, dry air and low light pollution, the summit hosts some of the world's major astronomical observatories. Everest still holds the title for highest elevation above sea level, which is the usual definition people use.