Mount Kilimanjaro : New Study
A new study has revealed that land-use change was the main driver behind the loss of nearly 75 per cent of natural plant species on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
- It is located in northeastern Tanzania, near the Kenya border.
- It is Africa’s tallest mountain (5,895 m) and the world’s largest free-standing mountain (which means not part of a mountain range).
- It extends approximately east-west for 50 miles (80 km).
- Also called a stratovolcano(a term for a very large volcano made of ash, lava and rock), Kilimanjaro is made up of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira.
- Among these cones Kibois, the tallest of the three volcanic formations, is also a dormant volcano, while the other two are extinct volcanoes.
- Uhuru Peak, the highest free-standing peak in Africa, is located on the volcanic cone Kibo.
- Kilimanjaro is also known for its snow-capped peak.
- The mountain has five main vegetation zones, from the lowest to the highest point: Lower slopes, montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert, and summit.
- The Kilimanjaro National Park was named a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1987.
