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Aletsch Glacier

Aletsch Glacier
(Grosser) Aletschgletscher
Aletsch Glacier in June 2011
Map showing the location of Aletsch Glacier
Map showing the location of Aletsch Glacier
Aletsch Glacier
Location in Switzerland
Map showing the location of Aletsch Glacier
Map showing the location of Aletsch Glacier
Aletsch Glacier
Aletsch Glacier (Alps)
TypeValley glacier
LocationValais, Switzerland
Coordinates46°26′32″N 8°4′38″E / 46.44222°N 8.07722°E / 46.44222; 8.07722
Area81.7 km2 (31.5 square miles) (2011)[1]
Length22.6 km (14.0 miles) (2014)[2]
Thickness940 m (Konkordiaplatz)
Highest elevation4160 m
Lowest elevation1650 m
TerminusMassa
StatusRetreating
Map

The Aletsch Glacier (German: Aletschgletscher, German pronunciation: [ˈalɛtʃˌɡlɛtʃɐ]) or Great Aletsch Glacier (Grosser Aletschgletscher) is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about 23 km (14 mi) (2014),[2] a volume of 15.4 km3 (3.7 cu mi) (2011), and covers about 81.7 km2 (31.5 square miles) (2011) in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais.[1] The Aletsch Glacier is composed of four smaller glaciers converging at Konkordiaplatz, where its thickness was measured by the ETH to be still near 1 km (3,300 ft).[citation needed] It then continues towards the Rhône valley before giving birth to the Massa. The Aletsch Glacier is – like most glaciers in the world today – a retreating glacier. As of 2016, since 1980 it lost 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) of its length, since 1870 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi), and lost also more than 300 metres (980 ft) of its thickness.[2]

The whole area, including other glaciers is part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b c Andres Betschart, ed. (2011). "World of glaciers" (PDF) (in German and English) (1 ed.). Naters, Switzerland: Stiftung UNESCO Welterbe Schweizer Alpen Jungfrau-Aletsch, Managementzentrum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference ETHZGLAMOS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference UNWHC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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