Kilimanjaro

The Kilimanjaro, also called the roof of Africa is the highest mountain of the african continent some 5895m high. The summit is called Uhuru Peak (Liberty peak in Swahili). What makes Kilimanjaro so outstanding is its unique position in the middle of Tanzanian plains as if someone dropped it here. There's no surprise to find that Kilimanjaro is the symbol of liberty for tanzanian people, it is the country c'est emblem. For the record the first thing that has been done after the independance in 1961 was to light a torch on top which would illuminate beyond borders et would bring dignity where humiliation stood until then.

The Kilimanjaro is a volcano or more accurately three volcanoes Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira.
750 000 years ago, lava burst from the fractured surface of great rift valley. Due to extraordianry pressure, the earth crust was pushed very high creating three cone-shaped tops forming the three volcanoes of Kilimanjaro.
Shira collapsed creating a caldera then Mawenzi extincted, only Kibo remained active, throwing lava and pushing the summit higher and higher until it reaches 5895 metres. Kibo is now extinct but not dead. The last eruption dates back to around 100 000 years ago which on volcanoes scale is not long ago.

In may 1848 a swiss missionary Johannes Rebmann, walks through chagga land to get close to Kilimanjaro. He notices the white summit but initially thinks that clouds got stuck on top before its guide suggests something cold. After a close look he comes to a conclusion that it is snow. But what he discovered was rapidly contested in London. Yet, in 1861, an expedition led by german Klaus von der Decken and english botanist Richard Thornton, enables to certify it is really snow. Then a series of expedition began in order to reach the top: in 1883, Joseph Thomson then Teleki attempt to make their way to the top but don't go higher than 5300 m. After two attempts, Hans Meyer, on octobre 6th 1889 succeeds in reaching the roof of Africa with his friend Ludwig Purtscheller and his chagga guide Yohana Lauwo.

Kibo glacier on top of Kilimanjaro only cover 2km² while they spread on 12km² in 1900. According to experts, at this pace, the glaciers should be disappearing in 2020.
Many reasons might explain the melting but it is maybe a combination of them all which is the cause. he main two reasons are the global warming and the potential resumption of volcanic activity.