---
title: "K2 (Godwin-Austen): The 8,611 m Karakoram Peak"
description: "K2, or Godwin-Austen, is the world's second-highest mountain at 8,611 meters, crucial for geography studies and a key topic for UPSC candidates."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/k2-godwin-austen"
---

[New](https://modeldiplomat.com/)

#

Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- K2, also called Godwin-Austen, is the world's second-highest mountain at 8,611 metres, located in the Karakoram range on the China-Pakistan border.
- Why is the peak called K2 and what does the 'K' stand for?
- Is K2 in the Himalayas or the Karakoram?
- Where exactly is K2 located in terms of international boundaries?
- How does K2 differ from Kanchenjunga and Everest?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Go beyond the definition

## Research K2 (Godwin-Austen) like a delegate

Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students.

## Timeline

1. 31 July 1954

   The first successful ascent of K2 was achieved on by the Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, part of an expedition led by Ardito Desio,…

2. 16 January 2021

   K2 was not climbed in winter until , when a team of ten Nepali climbers led by Nirmal Purja and Mingma Gyalje Sherpa reached the summit, the last of the 8,00…

## Research it like a delegate

Research on modeldiplomat.com

## Ask a follow-up about K2 (Godwin-Austen)

Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers.

[Start research on K2 (Godwin-Austen)](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20K2%20\(Godwin-Austen\)%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources)

Example

In January 2021, a Nepali team led by Nirmal Purja and Mingma Gyalje Sherpa completed the first winter ascent of K2, the last 8,000-metre peak to be climbed in winter.

Keep learning

## Go deeper than the definition

[Explore all Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams lessons](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services)[Test yourself with a quiz](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/quiz/civil-services)

## Take K2 (Godwin-Austen) beyond the glossary

Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.