Altitude

Altitude is commonly expressed as a number defining the distance in layers above the base of the game environment, which is Layer zero (0). Sea level is recognized as Layer 63, and the top of the game environment is Layer 127. Specifically, the bottom face of the bottommost bedrock block is at Y coordinate 0, and the top face of the highest block that can be placed is at Y coordinate 127. The player can press F3 to see what Y coordinate the player's eye is currently at, with the player's eye located 1.6 blocks above the layer the player is standing on. For example, a player standing on a shore of an ocean will see their Y coordinate as approximately 64.6.

In Minecraft 1.0 the new height limit is 512. See the new heigh limit in action!!!; picture posted by Notch on twitter: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/File:Hunger.png

Natural resources and altitude
Landscape in The Overworld features are found at different altitudes, as shown in this graph:



Beware the logarithmic scale: a slight difference in the y coordinate means a large change in relative frequency of this block type.

See the following table for a textual description of resources by altitude and tools needed to gather them.

Other naturally occurring features appear at different altitudes such as grass, wood, flowers, mushrooms, clay, cobble, sugar cane and Obsidian, but all of these features are random and must appear in conjunction with another block and the proper environment to appear.

History
As of Beta 1.6, solid blocks cannot be placed on layer 127. However, beds can be placed on layer 127, making it possible to place beds at the highest possible altitude. This has also been proven to work with signs, torches and other transparent blocks. In 1.7, climbing to the top layer and jumping while carrying a block in your hand will result in the block turning black for a split second. Before the Beta 1.8 Pre-release 1, the maximum height a player could reach through the use of blocks is at layer 130 (stand on a block at layer 127, jump), you could still make a TNT cannon blasting the player upwards to go many layers past the sky level. Similarly, falling into the Void will have the player go many blocks under the lowest layer in the map. In 1.8 and after (Creative mode), one can simply fly above layer 128 to a high limit. They can also descend below bedrock, and if flying, they could be flying just below layer 0 (In the nether, this can also be achieved, as well as above layer 127). If the player's height is below -64, they start to get hurt and die. As of the 1.8 Pre-Release, the player's view distance decreases in lower altitudes.

Trivia

 * The Beta 1.6 update made it impossible for players to place blocks on the upppermost layer of the map (Y-Coord 127).
 * At extreme depths, black fog closes in, and a torch can no longer be seen from 11 blocks away.
 * Climbing up to the 127th layer and jumping with a block in your hand will cause the block to momentarily turn black.
 * Although the highest possible altitude the player can climb at normally is 131 (door glitch + jumping), a TNT cannon can blast the player many layers past the sky limit.
 * Going under Y -64 in the Void will cause the player to receive damage very quickly, killing him. Also, this is the only known way to die in Creative mode.
 * Beds, along with other transparent blocks (Signs, Torches) can be placed on the 127th layer. Also, if a door is placed 1 layer below the top of the map, its upper frame will pass the 127th mark.
 * By placing a water source block on layer 128 using a Water Bucket on a solid block on layer 127, then placing a lava source block on the water using a Lava Bucket, both Cobblestone and Obsidian can be created on layer 128. The opposite (placing water on lava) works as well.
 * When at the highest level of a map in Beta, the edges of the screen will fade to black, simulating thinning air.
 * Similarly, mods that allow the player to fly will allow you to go above the normal limit. When the player goes too high, the world fades from view quite rapidly, leaving them surrounded by a deeper blue, similar to the Void. If they fly downwards, or turn off the flying ability, they will fall back to the normal world (certainly dying from fall damage unless protected).
 * Usual Minecraft map has limited altitude (128 blocks). As of Beta 1.8, by using a modification, you can choose your world altitude. So you will be able to build higher constuction by setting your max altitude level as 512 or 1024.
 * If the player flys (through the use of mods) to a very high altitude, their skin will be reset to the default skin until they die, and then they will begin to use the custom skin once again.

Höhe Altitude Wysokości pt-br:Altitude Абсолютная высота