Introduction

The world is filled with outstanding natural beauty, many of which are renowned staples throughout the world. One of the most famous is Mount Kilimanjaro. This 5,895-metre volcano in the United Republic of Tanzania is an icon for the African people. (National Geographic Society, 2023) Most photos are taken to depict the vast open wilderness with little to no infrastructure that Western countries believe all of Africa to be like.

Formation

Mount Kilimanjaro is in the East African Rift Valley, which is a long, tectonically active zone stretching around 4,000 Miles from Jordan south through around eight countries to the southern tip of Zimbabwe. This whole section of Africa is splitting in two at a rate of 6 to 7mm per year. As a result of this large amounts of fresh magma are moving up through the earth’s crust to fill the gaps, some 70 active volcanoes are dotted along the rift, some of which are the most active on Earth. (Albino, 2021) Other examples of mountains and volcanoes in the East African Rift Valley are Mount Kenya (5,199m), Mount Stanley (5,109 m), and Mount Nyiragongo (3,470m).

Mount Kilimanjaro is a stratovolcano, meaning it is made up of a mixture of ash, lava, and rock. However, Mount Kilimanjaro does not have one volcanic vent, far from it, the mountain boasts three separate cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Kibo is the tallest of the three cones and the main point climbers try to reach when climbing. (National Geographic Society, 2023)

The volcano last erupted 360,000 years ago, having started to form about 750,000 years ago. (National Geographic Society, 2023)

Climate/vegetation

Due to Mount Kilimanjaro’s immense height, when climbing to the top, you will traverse your way through many different climates. As every 1000-metre increase in elevation reduces the temperature by around 7 degrees. The climate zones are as follows:

• The Cultivation Zone (792 to 1,800m)
• The Rainforest Zone (1,800 to 2,800m)
• The Heather and Moorland Zone (2,800 to 3,350m)
• The Highland Alpine Desert Zone (4,020 to 5,030m)
• The Artic Summit Zone (5,030 to 5,895m)

These conditions mean the temperature can vary from 30 degrees Celsius In the “Cultivation Zone” to -8 in the “Artic Summit Zone” during the day to 10 to -16 at night. Due to this, you can see a large variety of both plants and animals as you work your way up to the summit. (Climbing Kilimanjaro, 2022).

Climate change

One of the most famous and notable features of Mount Kilimanjaro is its large glaciers, which can be seen covering a large portion of the summit. However, due to climate change, these glaciers have been retreating at a rapid rate. Unlike glaciers in other regions of the earth, such as the Alps, the ones on Mount Kilimanjaro do not produce meltwater streams that cascade down during the summer. Instead, the ice evaporates straight off the glaciers, causing no streams. This is a result of temperatures being high enough to do so. The UN claims that Mount Kilimanjaro will lose all its glaciers by the year 2050, if not sooner. This mountain will lose one of its most notable attractions.

According to reports, Mount Kilimanjaro has had glaciers on its summit for the last 11,700 years. No one knows how this will affect the future of the mountain tourism industry. The increase in media coverage that is bound to happen may cause a sudden increase in visitors, as they want to get a final look at the mountain’s famous features before they are gone.

Tourism/Economy

Being an icon for Africa and Tanzania, the mountain naturally attracts many tourists from the standard family who wants to see some of Africa’s most beloved animals in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro. To the experienced mountaineers who are looking to summit one of the planet’s great peaks. As a result, tourism is one of the most successful components of the region’s and country’s economies. With anywhere between 50 and 30,000 people attempting to reach the summit each year. According to the World Bank, these climbers alone contribute $50 million to the local economy, of which $13 million is directly from wages for local staff and helpers. Furthermore, according to the World Bank, “The revenue from the park supports approximately 400 guides, 10,000 porters. 500 cooks and contributes 13% of the country’s overall gross domestic product according to reports“. (World Bank, 2013)

No matter how much ice goes, mountaineers from across the globe will flock to their base as they try to complete the “Seven Summits” challenge and the “Explorer’s Grand Slam”. Both of these events include scaling Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak.

Conclusion

Whichever aspect you look at Kilimanjaro from, it will always be a staple for the African people with its sheer size and beauty. In the coming decades, we will see how the effects of Climate change will change the mountains and region from both a visual and economic point of view. One thing is certain: the people who live and work around the mountain will always treasure and protect the mountain.

Bibliography

Albino, F., 2021. Magmatic Processes in the East African Rift System: Insights From a 2015–2020 Sentinel-1 InSAR Survey, s.l.: Advancing Earth and Space Science .

Climbing Kilimanjaro, 2022. Climate Zones of Mount Kilimanjaro. [Online]
Available at: https://www.climbing-kilimanjaro.com/mount-kilimanjaro-climate-zones/
[Accessed 16 June 2023].

National Geographic Society, 2023. Kilimanjaro. [Online]
Available at: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kilimanjaro/
[Accessed 16 June 2023].

World Bank, 2013. The World Bank. [Online]
Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/10/03/mount-kilimanjaro-tourism-africa-tanzania#:~:text=The%20revenue%20from%20the%20park,product%2C%20according%20to%20the%20report.
[Accessed 21 June 2023].