Kilimanjaro | |
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Kibo summit of Kilimanjaro
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 5,895 m (19,341 ft) |
Prominence | 5,885 m (19,308 ft) Ranked 4th |
Isolation | 5,510 kilometres (3,420 mi) |
Listing | |
Coordinates | 03°04′33″S 37°21′12″E / 3.07583°S 37.35333°ECoordinates: 03°04′33″S 37°21′12″E / 3.07583°S 37.35333°E |
Geography | |
Location | Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania |
Parent range | Eastern Rift mountains |
Topo map | Kilimanjaro map and guide by Wielochowski |
Geology | |
Age of rock | 3 million years |
Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
Last eruption | Between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 6 October 1889 by Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller |
Easiest route | Hiking |
Mount Kilimanjaro (pronunciation: /ˌkɪlɪmənˈdʒɑːroʊ/), with its three volcanic cones, "Kibo", "Mawenzi", and "Shira", is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa, and rises approximately 4,900 m (16,000 ft) from its base to 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level. The first recorded ascent to the summit of the mountain was by Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller in 1889. The mountain is part of the Kilimanjaro National Park and is a major climbing destination. The mountain has been the subject of many scientific studies because of its shrinking glaciers.
Kilimanjaro rises approximately 4,900 m (16,000 ft) from its southern base in the plains near the municipality of Moshi to its summit height of 5,895 metres (19,341 ft). Kilimanjaro is the highest volcano outside South America.
Kilimanjaro is a large stratovolcano and is composed of three distinct volcanic cones: Kibo, the highest; Mawenzi at 5,149 metres (16,893 ft); and Shira, the shortest at 4,005 metres (13,140 ft). Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, while Kibo is dormant and could erupt again.
Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo's crater rim. The Tanzania National Parks Authority, a Tanzanian governmental agency, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization list the height of Uhuru Peak as 5,895 m (19,341 ft). That height is based on a British Ordnance Survey in 1952. Since then, the height has been measured as 5,892 metres (19,331 ft) in 1999, 5,891 metres (19,327 ft) in 2008, and 5,888 metres (19,318 ft) in 2014.