Top 10 Largest Glaciers in the World 2024

Glaciers are the Earth’s largest freshwater reserves in a frozen state. They are formed by breaking the larger ice sheets of the Arctic and Antarctic (polar regions) into smaller ones. Some of them are also found in the alpine regions of the mountains and are rich sources of freshwater for perennial rivers.

In this article, we will look into the list of the top 10 largest glaciers in the world.

List of Top 10 Largest Glaciers in the World

The list of the top 10 largest glaciers are:

Ranking	Glacier Name	Length(in sq km)
1	Seller Glacier	7,018
2	Thurstone Glacier	5,261
3	Alexander Island Glacier No.1	4766
4	Alexander Island Glacier No.2	3980
5	Mercator Ice Piedmont	3499
6	Malaspina-Seward Glacier	3363
7	Wykeham Glacier South	3176
8	Bering Glacier	3025
9	Hubbard Glacier	2834
10	Barnes Ice Cap South Dome North Slope Glacier	2771

10. Barnes Ice Cap South Dome North Slope Glacier

This glacier is located on Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada, within the Barnes Ice Cap.

• Research on the Barnes Ice Cap and its glaciers provides insights into past climate conditions and helps assess current climate change impacts in the Arctic.
• The glacier is the size of a dome.
• It is composed of several glaciers.
• Monitoring changes in the Barnes Ice Cap South Dome North Slope Glacier contributes to understanding ice dynamics in the Canadian Arctic and their implications for sea level rise.

9. Hubbard Glacier

Hubbard Glacier is a large glacier and is an important freshwater source for the ecosystems surrounding it.

• Hubbard Glacier is located in Kluane National Park and Reserve in the territory of Yukon, Canada, and St Elias National Park and Reserve in eastern Alaska
• The glacier is named after Gardiner Hubbard. He was the first president of the National Geographic Society.
• It is a tidewater glacier, which means that it flows from its source in the mountains to the sea, calving the icebergs into the ocean.
• It spans over 122 km.
• Hubbard Glacier is known for its active calving. Calving is a process wherein the ice breaks from the face of the glacier, forming numerous icebergs each year.
• Russell Lake was created by Hubbard Glacier by blocking the outlet of Russell Fjord.

8. Bering Glacier

The Bering Glacier is one of the largest and longest glaciers in North America,

• It is located in Alaska, USA, and British Columbia, Canada.
• It flows from the Saint Elias Mountains for 190km.
• It ends in the Vitus Lake.
• The glacier is of great scientific interest due to its sensitivity to climate change.

7. Wykeham Glacier South

Wykeham Glacier South is situated on Alexander Island, part of the Antarctic Peninsula region.

• It has a steep ice slope.
• It flows from Alexander Island towards the coast.
• It feeds into the surrounding sea ice.
• Research on this glacier contributes to our understanding of Antarctic ice dynamics and the impact of climate change on polar environments.

6. Malaspina-Seward Glacier

The Malaspina-Seward Glacier is one of the largest glaciers in Alaska, USA.

• The Malaspina-Seward Glacier is a tidewater glacier.
• A tidewater glacier is a type of glacier that flows directly into the ocean. Tidewater glaciers often calve, that is large chunks of ice break off from the glacier and fall into the water, forming icebergs characterized by the endpoint where the ice meets the water.
• Scientific research on this glacier helps us understand glacial dynamics.
• Malaspina-Seward Glacier consists of large ice streams and tributaries.

5. Mercator Ice Piedmont

The area covered by the glacier is 3499 kilometers square.

• The glacier derived its name from Gerardus Mercator, a Flemish mathematician and geographer.
• An ice piedmont is a type of glacier that forms when one or more glaciers spill out of a mountain valley and spread into a broad lobe-like shape at the base of the mountains. It is characterized by its gently sloping surface that extends from the land onto the surrounding sea ice.
• The Mercator Ice Piedmont is a prominent ice feature located on Alexander Island in Antarctica.
• The Mercator Ice Piedmont ranks as the fifth-largest glacier globally and the second-largest glacier in mainland Antarctica.
• The Mercator Ice Piedmont is influenced by regional climate conditions.

4. Alexander Island Glacier No. 2

Alexander Island Glacier No. 2 is around 3,980 square kilometers in total area, making it number four on the list of the world’s biggest glaciers.

• The glacier is part of the larger ice network of the Antarctic Peninsula and is influenced by regional climate patterns and oceanic conditions.
• Glacier No. 1 is one of the significant ice features of the region.
• Glacier No. 1 serves as a site for scientific exploration and observation, to understand polar environments.
• Alexander Island Glacier No. 1 is important in understanding ice dynamics and climate change impacts.
• It is an important site for scientists to understand Antarctica’s response to global warming.

3. Alexander Island Glacier No. 1

Alexander Island is one of the largest islands in Antarctica, located near the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

• It hosts two of the largest glaciers in the world. The names of the glaciers are named by numbering them.
• Alexander Island Glacier No.1 is the third-largest glacier on Earth.
• The size of the glacier is 4,766 km².
• It is located on Alexander Island.
• It was discovered during a Russian expedition.
• The glaciers from the island feed into the Bach and Wilkins Ice Shelves, eventually reaching the Bellingshausen Sea.

2. Thurston Glacier No. 1

It is located in Antarctica, specifically on Thurston Island, which is part of the Ellsworth Mountains.

• It was named after W. Harris Thurston, a New York-based textile manufacturer who contributed to its discovery.
• It is the third-largest glacier in Antarctica and the second-largest glacier on Earth.
• It is one of several glaciers in the area and is significant due to its size and contribution to the overall ice flow in the region.
• Thurston Glacier No. 1 is part of the broader Antarctic ice sheet
• It also plays an important role in regulating sea level rise.

1. Seller Glacier

Seller Glacier is located on Thurston Island and covers up to an area of 7,018 km²

• It is part of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Body glacier complex.
• The glacier is named after John Seller, an English hydrographer and compass maker from the late 17th century.
• It is one of the many glaciers contributing to the ice mass of the Antarctic continent.

Conclusion

Glaciers form an important part of the Earth’s landforms. They are huge freshwater reserves and among the purest forms of water available on Earth. In recent times, the retreating of glaciers has been a major area of concern. Melting of glaciers can lead to threats such as a rise in sea level and, a changing course of rivers, which poses an overall risk to life on Earth.

FAQs on Top 10 Largest Glaciers in the World

Where is Earth’s largest glacier?

Earth’s largest glacier is the Lambert Glacier, located in Antarctica.

Which is the largest glacier in India?

Siachen Glacier is the largest glacier in India. It is located in the Karakoram range of the Himalayas.

Where are the top 10 largest glaciers located?

Most of the glaciers are located along the polar regions. Some are also located in alpine regions across all continents.

Which glacier is known as the highest battlefield in the world?

Siachen Glacier is known as the highest battlefield in the world. It is located along the India-Pakistan border.

Which continent does not have any glaciers?

Australia is the only continent that does not have any glaciers.