Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro stands in northeastern Tanzania near the border with Kenya, isolated above the surrounding plains. It is a volcanic massif with three principal cones: Kibo in the centre, Mawenzi to the east and Shira to the west. Kibo rises to 5,895 metres (19,340 feet), making it Africa’s highest point. Kibo is the youngest and highest of the three formations; its crater and summit ice distinguish it from the older, more eroded features of Mawenzi and Shira.

The mountain’s steep rise creates a sequence of environmental zones. UNESCO describes five main vegetation zones, from lower slopes and montane forest through heath and moorland and alpine desert to the summit. The forest belt and wider park support many species of mammals, including endangered species. Kilimanjaro’s elevation, isolated position and snow-capped summit combine to make it a striking natural landmark.

The landscape around Kilimanjaro is also a lived-in and cultivated region. The Chagga, Pare, Kahe and Mbugu are among the peoples of the surrounding area, and farming is important on the mountain’s lower slopes. Nearby Moshi serves as a regional trading centre and a base for travel to the mountain. Local communities and land use are part of the wider context in which the national park is managed.

Kilimanjaro National Park was established in 1973 to protect the mountain above the tree line and forest corridors on its slopes. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987; its boundaries were extended in 2005 to include montane forest. UNESCO identifies climate change, fire, invasive species, pollution and pressures associated with adjacent land use and tourism among issues requiring management. The summit glaciers have retreated: NASA documented substantial reductions in the ice cap during the twentieth century, and UNESCO identifies the glaciers as vulnerable to further retreat.