How Many People Have Climbed Mount Everest? 2025 Update

Last Updated: January 31, 2025

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Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, standing at a height of 8,848 meters. It has always been a dream for every climber around the world to complete the summit once. You can be the one to conquer this challenge, but first, you need to know about the statistics of Everest, such as how many people have climbed Mount Everest, what is the success rate, and more.

Recently, in December 2024, the Himalayan Database released a report detailing all data related to the Everest summit from 1992 to 2024. According to the report, more than 7,120 people had climbed Everest as of December 2024, with 69% ascending from the Nepal side and the remaining 31% from the China side.

This data is only the beginning. There are still many more interesting facts and data that will surprise you. I have gone through that extensive report and listed some amazing everest stats for you.

Historical Timeline of Everest Ascents

Even though the first successful ascent of Everest was in 1953, many climbers tried before that but were unsuccessful. After 1953, many significant events related to Everest ascents occurred. Some of the notable moments in the historical timeline of Everest ascents are below:

1. The first attempt to climb Mount Everest was made in 1921 by a British expedition group with the aim of becoming the first team to summit Everest, but they failed.
2. In 1953, at 11:30 a.m., Sir Edmund Hillary (New Zealand) and Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) climbed Mount Everest, becoming the first known individuals to reach the summit and survive.
3. In 1960, the first successful ascent of the North Ridge side of Everest from Tibet was achieved by three Chinese climbers: Wang Fuzhou, Gonpo, and Qu Yinhua.
4. Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountaineer, became the first woman to climb Mount Everest on May 16, 1975.
5. On May 8, 1978, Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner and Austrian climber Peter Habeler became the first people to summit Mount Everest without oxygen.
6. In 1990, 1000 people made it to the top of Everest.
7. 1996 is considered the deadliest year in Everest history, with a total of 15 deaths among 98 summits.
8. 2019 has become a record-breaking year with a total of 891 successful summits to Everest.

Annual Summit Statistics

Since 1953, there have been many years when the highest summits were achieved, while a few years were unpredictable, with almost no summits accomplished for various reasons. I have listed the statistics of total summits based on the years below:

Between 1953 and 1980

1953 was the first year Everest was climbed, and since then, only a few summits have been made each year.

1. From 1953 to 1969, only 52 summits occurred during this period, averaging between 2 and 5 summits each year.
2. From 1970 to 1989, a total of 198 summits were made in the 1970s, averaging 20 summits per year.
3. In 1979-1980, around 1,015 summits were made during this decade, with a record-breaking average of around 100 summits per year.

From 1990 to 2000

In the 1990s, the commercialization of Mt. Everest Climbs began, and the number of climbs started increasing. But on 11 May 1996, the biggest Everest disaster happened, and 8 people died, including Green Boots (Tsewang Paljor) and Dorje Marup. From then on, climbing rates declined for decades.

1. 1993: A total of 129 summits were recorded this year.
2. 1996: Climbers made 98 summits despite the biggest Everest disaster occurring that year.
3. 1999: After a long pause, 116 summits were recorded this year.

Stats between 2000 to 2010

Many modern pieces of equipment were introduced after the 2000s, leading to an increase in climbing rates and record-breaking climbs during this decade.

1. 2001: 182 Summits
2. 2006: 493 Summits
3. 2010: 543 Summits

2011-2024 Data and Records

From 2011 to 2024, many records and controversies have emerged. In the 2020s, the COVID-19 restrictions slightly decreased the summit rate; however, the comeback after COVID is incredible.

1. 2019 has the highest Everest climbing record, with 891 summits in a single year. However, this year has also recorded 11 climber deaths during summit attempts.
2. In 2020, only 25 summits were reached, and no recorded deaths occurred, as the Nepali government restricted climbing on Everest due to COVID-19.
3. A total of 534 people climbed Everest in 2021 following the post-pandemic period, and four people lost their lives on Mount Everest.
4. In 2023, 667 summits were reached on Everest, with record-breaking deaths of 18 people.
5. In 2024, 861 Summits were held, and 8 people died, which is 29% more summits and 56% fewer deaths than the previous year.

Summit By Country Wise

Nepal has become the most climbed country in the world with a successful 1998 summit, followed by the United States with 831 summits. The detailed report of countries that achieved 100+ summits by December 2024 is as follows:

Countries	Total Summits	Countries	Total Summits
Nepal	1998	Russia	209
USA	831	Canada	156
China	630	France	144
India	561	Australia	133
UK	445	South Korea	121
Japan	219	Spain	100

Summits By Gender Wise

Among 7,120 total climbers of Everest, 6,158 (86.49%) are men and 962 (13.51%) are women who have climbed Mount Everest. They have created many memorable records.

Male Climbers Records

1. A Nepalese guide, Kami Rita Sherpa, has completed 28 summits annually since 1994 and has become the person who has climbed Mount Everest the most times.
2. Jordan Romero, a US climber, became the youngest person to climb Mount Everest in 2013 at the age of 13. He was just one month younger than Malavath Poorna, the youngest female climber when both of them reached the summit.
3. A Japanese climber, Yuichiro Miura, is the oldest person to summit Everest, achieving this feat at the age of 80 in 2013.
4. Indian man Nawang Gombu climbed Everest twice, in 1963 and 1965, becoming the first man to do so.
5. In 2003, a Nepalese climber, Lakpa Gely Sherpa, reached the summit in just 10 hours and 56 minutes, marking the fastest time ever to climb Everest.

Female Climbers Records

1. As of December 2024, Lhakpa Sherpa from Nepal holds the record for the most Everest summits by a woman, with a total of 10 summits.
2. Norway's Kristin Harila became the fastest woman to climb Everest in 2023, completing the feat in just 14 hours.
3. Chuhurim Sherpa was the first woman to complete two summits of Everest in a single climbing season on 12th and 19th May 2012 simultaneously.
4. Indian mountaineer Malavath Poorna holds the record for being the youngest female to summit Everest at the age of just 13 in 2014.
5. A Japanese climber, Tamae Watanabe, ascended Everest at the age of 73 in 2012 AD, becoming the oldest woman ever to complete the Mount Everest summit.

Success and Risk of Climbing Everest

Climbing Mount Everest requires as much luck as skill. If you take the South Route (Nepal Side), you have a higher chance of reaching the summit, whereas from the North Ridge (Tibet Side), your chances become lower compared to the South. The detailed Everest statistics are below:

1. The success rate of summits from the Nepalese side is 68%, while from the Chinese side, it is 52%.
2. Among the total climbers, 65% have reached the summit, while around 330 have lost their lives to date.
3. The year 2015 is considered the deadliest, with a total of 19 deaths, followed by 2014 with 17 deaths and 2023 with 12 deaths.
4. The common reasons for death while climbing Everest are Avalanches with 27% death, Falls with 23% death, Altitude Sickness with 18% death and Exhaustion with 12% death.

Conclusion

We learned about how many people have climbed Everest, including reports based on gender and country. Reaching the summit of Mount Everest symbolizes human achievement, and many want to conquer it. However, climbers need to know the statistical reports to make informed decisions.

The primary source for much of this information mentioned in this blog is the Himalayan Database, while additional data is also taken from Wikipedia pages.

FAQs

Q1. How many people climb Everest each year?

Every year, 800 to 1,200 climbers try to climb Everest, and 520 to 780 of them successfully complete it to the top each year.

Q2. What percentage of climbers die on Everest?

On average, 1.2% of total summiteers die on Everest, and this figure rises to 3-4% for those who reach above 8,000m.

Q3. How many permits does Nepal issue?

Nepal issues 400 to 500 permits annually for climbing Everest. For example, in 2024, 421 permits were issued for climbing Everest.

Q4. Is Everest getting harder to climb?

While climate change and overcrowding make climbing Everest increasingly difficult, new technology and equipment have made it easier than ever to ascend.