Mapped: The world's highest countries

Do you like lofty views and rarefied air? Then you could do far worse than take a trip to Bhutan, the country with the highest average elevation on the planet. While the Drangme Chhu valley drops to 97 metres below sea level, and the summit of Gangkhar Puensum is 7,570m above it, Bhutan's average elevation is 3,280m. To put that into perspective, Ben Nevis - the UK's highest mountain - tops out at 1,345m.

Bhutan, which celebrates 110 years of independence today, isn't the most accessible country. Getting there is expensive (a hefty daily tourist tax is imposed on all visitors by the government), arduous (only five countries have direct flights) and a little scary (Paro is one of the world's most challenging airports for pilots - just a handful are currently certified to land here), which is perhaps why just 3,000 Britons visit each year. Those who do make it are rewarded with stunning mountain scenery, fortress monasteries – and a lifestyle almost unchanged in centuries.

“Yes, mobile phones, western vehicles and Manchester United may have pervaded the capital, Thimpu, but in the Paro and Punaka valleys the landscape is one of verdant hills, crystal-clear rivers, towering mountains and a patchwork of fields where crops are still tended by plough, oxen and scythe,” said Charles Starmer-Smith, writing for Telegraph Travel.   

The map above shows other destinations according to their average elevation. Want to hike above the clouds? Then consider Nepal, Tajikistan ("The best trekking destination you've never heard of", according to our reporter), Kyrgyzstan and Lesotho, the only countries on Earth that lie, on average, above 2,000m. Antarctica is the highest continent, at 2,300m. Andorra is Europe's highest country, at 1,996m. 

The world's 15 highest countries

1. Bhutan - average elevation: 3,280m

2. Nepal - 3,265m

3. Tajikistan - 3,186m

4. Kyrgyzstan - 2,988m

5. Lesotho - 2,161m

6. Andorra - 1,996m

7. Chile - 1,871m

8. China - 1,840m

9. Armenia - 1,792m

10. Greenland - 1,792m

11. Rwanda - 1,598m

12. Peru - 1,555m

13. Mongolia - 1,528m

14. Burundi - 1,504m

15. Georgia - 1,432m

At the other end of the scale is the Maldives, with an average elevation of just 1.8 metres. Such is the archipelago's lowly geography there are fears climate change could see it disappear under the sea by the end of the century. 

Cyclists in search of soaring cols should also steer clear of Qatar, The Netherlands, The Gambia, Denmark and Estonia. 

The world's 15 lowest countries

1. Maldives - average elevation: 2m

2. Qatar - 28m

3. Netherlands - 30m

4. The Gambia - 34m

5. Denmark - 34m

6. Estonia - 61m

7. Senegal - 69m

8. Guinea-Bissau - 70m

9. Trinidad and Tobago - 83m

10. Bangladesh - 85m

11. Latvia - 87m

12. Cyprus - 91m

13. Kuwait - 108m

14. Cuba - 108m

15. Uruguay - 109m

Note that estimates for different destinations vary. Sources for Afghanistan, for example, suggest an average elevation as high 1,884m. Data for our map comes from Portland State University. The average elevation across the whole planet's landmass, meanwhile, is 840m above sea level.