How Tall Does a Hill Have To Be To Be Considered a Mountain?

Most geologists agree that a hill is smaller than a mountain and is usually a gentle rise in the Earth’s surface.

A mountain is a natural elevation that rises more abruptly to a peak and is larger than a hill.

In an effort to be more exact, some experts claim height requirements for each.

Some say 1,000 feet is the dividing line between the two; some say 2,000 feet. Of course, both divisions are wrought with problems because there are always exceptions.

For instance, many of the Ozark Mountains don’t attain an elevation of 2,000 feet.

So most geographers say that if a rise occurs abruptly from the Earth’s surface, it constitutes a mountain and that a land formation that rises slowly from the earth is a hill.