The Indian region is incredibly rich in birdlife. Over 1200 of the world's 8650 species of birds are found in the region. This number rises to over 2000 with sub species included, which makes the Indian check-list twice the size of those of Europe and North America. This abundance is due to the variety of habitats and climate. Altitude ranges from sea level to the peaks of the Himalaya, the world's highest mountain range; rainfall from its lowest in the Rajasthan desert to its highest in the north-eastern town of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, one of the wettest places in the world.