Mount Kilimanjaro Height report
Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania, about 160 kilometers south of the Great Rift Valley, between the equator and 3° south latitude. It is the watershed between Tanzania and Kenya and the highest mountain in Africa.
Kilimanjaro is the "Roof of Africa," and many geographers call it the "King of Africa." The main body of Mount Kilimanjaro slopes to the plain below with a typical volcanic curve. The height of the plain is about 900 meters above sea level. The top of the mountain is covered with snow and ice all year round, but the phenomenon of glacier melting is very serious.
The Kilimanjaro area was turned into a national park in 1968, and there are wild plants in the hot, mild, and cold zones and numerous wild animals in the kingdom, some of which are endangered species. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization included it in the "World Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection List" in 1981. This post will share more facts about Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mount Kilimanjaro Description
Snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. It is also the highest walking mountain in the world. To reach the summit, climbers must travel through five distinct climate zones, from rainforest to alpine desert and the glacial arctic. Although climbers can climb Mount Kilimanjaro without any specific mountaineering training or equipment, reaching the top of the "Roof of Africa" is no easy task.
Kilimanjaro is located on Kenya and Tanzania's border, but climbers usually need to start from Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro. There are seven climbing routes in Kilimanjaro, namely: Marangu, Machame, Rongai, Lemosho, Shira, Umbwe, and Northern Circuit. Of these, only the starting point of the Rongai Line is located in Kenya.
Geological Formation
The East African Rift Valley still has crustal movement today, and Kilimanjaro results from nearby volcanic activity. Its formation began about 750,000 years ago, and it originally consisted of three large extinct volcanoes: Shira, Kibo, and Mawenzi, covering an area of 756 square kilometers. Kilimanjaro is a volcano and a snow mountain at the same time. The main body of the mountain extends for nearly 80 kilometers in the east-west direction.
The youngest and highest, Kibo retains the form of a typical volcanic cone and crater and is linked by a 7 miles (11 km) saddle at about 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) with Mawensi, which is the older core of a former summit. The breathtaking snow-clad dome of Kibo contains a caldera on its southern side that is 1.2 miles (2 km) across and some 980 feet (300 meters) deep, with an inner cone that displays residual volcanic activity. Shira ridge is a remnant of an earlier crater. Mawensi's cone is eroded, jagged, and steep and cleft east and west by gorges. Mawensi has semipermanent ice patches and substantial seasonal snow.
Height of Mount Kilimanjaro
The entire Kilimanjaro mountain range stretches for more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) from east to west and is mainly composed of Mawensi (5,149 meters, east), Shira (3,962 meters, west). Its central cone, Kibo, rises to 5,895 meters (19,340 feet), the highest point in Africa.
Climate And Natural Environment
Mount Kilimanjaro has plenty of rain because it blocks the humid monsoons over the Indian Ocean. Under the action of water flow and temperature, Mount Kilimanjaro has formed several distinct vertical vegetation belts from top to bottom. Above 4,000 meters are the alpine cold desert belt and the snow-covered glacier belt. About every 1,000 meters below are the alpine meadow belt, temperate forest belt, subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, and equatorial rainforest belt.
According to the vertical distribution law of climate, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tropical rain forest climate to the ice sheet climate from the bottom to the top. The landscape includes essential vegetation from the equator to the poles.
- Below 1000 meters above sea level is the tropical rainforest belt.
- 1000-2000 meters is the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest belt.
- 2000-3000 meters is the temperate forest belt.
- 3000-4000 meters is the alpine meadow belt.
- 4000-5200 meters is the alpine cold zone Desert belt.
- Above 5200 meters is the snow glacier belt.
Final Words
Due to global warming, the ice and snow of Mount Kilimanjaro have melted, and the glaciers have disappeared very seriously. In the past 80 years, the glaciers have shrunk by more than 80%. Some environmental experts pointed out that the snow top of Kilimanjaro may completely melt and disappear within ten years. At that time, the unique "equatorial snow mountain" spectacle of Mount Kilimanjaro will bid farewell to human beings.
