Despite the fact that plains predominate in Africa, there are also mountain systems here. Many of them are located in the Afro-Asian belt, the youngest mountain belt of our planet, which appeared about 40 million years ago and stretches from the south of the African continent to the Sea of Okhotsk.
How African volcanoes were formed
Mountains in Africa were formed not, as usual, on the sides of the lithospheric plate, but in the middle: in the east of the African continent there was a crack, the duration of which is about 6 thousand km, and the width ranges from 80 to 120 km.
This territory is quite vast. The Great African Rift runs along almost the entire eastern coast of the continent, starting with countries in the north of the continent such as Sudan and Ethiopia, and reaching the south - South Africa. At the moment, it is the largest fault on land, along which there are seismic zones, active, dormant and extinct volcanoes, as well as the African part of the mountain belt.
Relatively recently, geologists noticed that in Ethiopia, in the Afar Desert, a depression had formed, in which, after some time, there could well be an ocean: in 2005, several earthquakes occurred here in a row, as a result of which the land dropped one hundred meters below sea level.
The earth's crust has not calmed down and is in constant motion, as a result of which active tectonic processes are observed, including extremely strong activation of volcanoes in the area of Lake Victoria - in the west in the Virunga Mountains (southwest of Uganda) and in the east - in Northern Tanzania.
List of the largest volcanoes
In total, there are about 15 volcanoes in Africa. Many of them easily fall into the “best” category. For example, here is the Lengai volcano, the only fire-breathing mountain on the planet that spews black lava, and in Rwanda there is a world-famous national park where the largest number of dormant volcanoes on our planet are located.
Speaking about African volcanoes, one cannot fail to mention:
Kilimanjaro
The height of the Kilimanjaro volcano is 5899 meters, and its peak is the highest point on the African continent. It is located on the border between Kenya and Tanzania (mainly on the territory of the latter) and is located away from the nearby mountain range.
To climb this mountain, it is necessary to overcome absolutely all climatic zones of the Earth, from the equatorial (located at the foot of the mountain) to the Antarctic: at the top of the volcano it has been cold and snowy for thousands of years (and this is taking into account that its coordinates are only at three degrees south of the equator!).
Recently, the icy peak of Kilimanjaro has been melting at an alarming rate and, according to scientists, it is quite possible that in a few years the snow on it will disappear altogether.
It is on the African continent that the lowest volcano on our planet is recorded - Dallol, located 48 meters below sea level, and located within the famous Afar Triangle.
This volcano is very old - its age is about 900 million years. It is still quite active: despite the fact that it last erupted almost a hundred years ago, in 1929, it is currently awake - quite active processes are taking place in its depths, which we can observe thanks to the presence of thermal springs near it. sources filled with sulfuric and hydrochloric acid.
Thermal waters constantly bring salt crystals to the surface of the earth's crust, so about a thousand tons of salt appear annually near the volcano, which greatly affects the landscape - the crater of the volcano, the size of which is almost 1.5 thousand meters, is surrounded by plains of various shades and coloring books
Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and also the second highest mountain on the African continent with a height of 5199 meters. Currently, this mountain is an extinct stratovolcano, and therefore does not cause any concern to scientists.
Like Kilimanjaro, the top of the Kenya volcano is covered with glaciers, the area of which is 0.7 square meters. km - and this, despite the fact that it is located even closer to the equator than the highest mountain in Africa, and its geographical coordinates are:
- 0°09′00″ south latitude;
- 37°18′00″E longitude.
The snow cover here has been melting at an alarming rate lately and may soon disappear completely from the mountain. Until this happens, the melting snow of the volcano and precipitation falling on the mountain are an important source of drinking water for Kenya.
Meru
Mount Meru is the third highest volcano in Africa: its height is 4565 meters. The mountain is located in northern Tanzania, forty kilometers from Kilimanjaro (coordinates: 3°15′00″ south latitude, 36°45′00″ east longitude).
It is likely that in former times the Meru volcano was much higher, but 250 thousand years ago, during a powerful eruption, its peak was severely destroyed (its eastern part was especially hard hit). After this there were several more very strong emissions that significantly affected the appearance of the mountain.
The last time the Meru volcano erupted strongly was in 1910, since then it has calmed down somewhat and does not show much activity. Scientists do not give any guarantees that he will not wake up.
Cameroon
Volcano Cameroon is the highest point in Cameroon, with an altitude of 4070 meters and located near the Atlantic coast.
This volcano is quite active: in the last century alone it erupted more than five times, and the eruptions were so strong that people were often forced to look for new places of residence.
The western and southwestern sides of the volcano are the wettest place on the African continent, as almost 10 thousand mm of precipitation falls here per year.
In the Republic of the Congo, 20 km from the millionaire city of Goma, about 40% of all eruptions that occur on the African continent were recorded: two active volcanoes are located here - Nyiragongo and Nyamlagara.
The Nyiragongo volcano is especially dangerous: over the past 150 years it has erupted thirty-four times, and its volcanic activity often continued for several years after that. This volcano is dangerous primarily because of its extremely liquid lava, which during an eruption can move at a speed of 100 km/h.
This lava periodically comes to the surface in the crater of the Nyiragongo volcano, which is two kilometers wide, thus forming the largest hot lake on our planet with a constantly changing depth, the maximum values of which were recorded in 1977 and amounted to 600 meters. The walls of the crater could not withstand such a load, and the red-hot lava flows collapsed, which unexpectedly fell on the nearest villages, killing several hundred people.
Nowadays, given that the volcano has been erupting more frequently in recent years, scientists fear that lava is quite capable of reaching the city of Goma and destroying it, like Pompeii. Moreover, the first alarm bells have already sounded: in 2002, despite all the warnings about the danger, during the Nyiragongo eruption, lava reached the city, destroyed 14 thousand buildings and killed almost one hundred and fifty people.
There are many volcanoes on the African continent, especially in its eastern part. There are about fifty active dangerous mountains in Ethiopia alone. There are volcanoes in countries such as Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Cameroon, etc.
But how dangerous are these African mountains? Below are ten of the most terrifying ones.
Dabbahu (Ethiopia)
This active volcano is located in the East African Rift Valley. In 2005, its last eruption was so powerful that it created a 60 km long crack in the ground. The erupted ash spread over a radius of up to 40 km.
Three days after Dabbahu awakened, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 occurred. Ethiopian authorities were forced to evacuate more than 11 thousand local residents.
Marion Island (South Africa)
This small island is actually the tip of a huge underwater volcano rising 1,242 meters above the Indian Ocean. Over the past 40 years, the volcano has awakened twice: in 1980 and 2004.
Now only scientists living on this island are exploring a dangerous mountain. In case of danger, they will be able to evacuate by boat.
Ol Doinyo Lengai (Tanzania)
Translated from the language of the local Maasai tribe, Ol Doinyo Lengai means "Mountain of God". In 2007, a powerful eruption caused a series of earthquakes reaching 6 points on the Richter scale. The volcano is very active - over the past ten years it has awakened four times.
Manda Hararo (Ethiopia)
This name unites a whole group of volcanoes that first woke up in 2007. Powerful eruptions lasted three days, but, fortunately, local residents were evacuated. Two years later, the volcano exploded again, creating lava flows up to 5 kilometers long.
Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon is the most dangerous volcano in western Africa. In 2000, after two of its eruptions, lava flows came close to the city of Buea. In 2012, the volcano exploded again, throwing huge amounts of ash into the air.
Mount Cameroon poses a great danger to the 500 thousand people living in its immediate vicinity.
Nyamlaghira (Democratic Republic of Congo)
This volcano is considered the most active on the continent. For several decades he woke up every two years. After a major eruption in 2011, Nyamlaghira remained relatively quiet, but in recent years it has awakened, and a lava lake 500 meters deep has formed in its crater.
Although there are no populated areas near the volcano, it poses a great danger to neighboring Lake Kivu.
Fogo (Cape Verde)
On November 23, 2014, seismic activity near Mount Fogo first increased, and then the volcano exploded. Due to strong tremors, local residents were completely evacuated. The eruption lasted almost 80 days, during which time two villages were destroyed. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The entire island of Fogo is part of a huge volcano with a diameter of 25 km. If a major eruption occurs, it will put tens of thousands of residents in an extremely difficult situation.
Kartala (Comoros)
Mount Kartala, located on the island of Ngazidja, is an active volcano rising 2361 m above sea level. It has erupted more than twenty times over the past 120 years and is therefore considered very dangerous.
In 2005, the volcano's activity reached its highest limit. The violent eruption of Kartala, accompanied by large lava flows and deadly volcanic gases, forced the evacuation of more than 30 thousand people.
In subsequent years, it flared up three more times, but much weaker. More than 300 thousand inhabitants of the island constantly live on a “powder keg”, because the next strong eruption could lead to a big catastrophe.
Nabro (Ethiopia)
In June 2011, there was a powerful eruption of the Ethiopian volcano Nabro. It was accompanied by powerful eruptions of lava and ash, as well as a series of earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 5.7. The ash that flew out of the crater rose to a height of 15 kilometers and scattered over a huge distance, complicating air travel for the entire region.
The main impact of the eruption fell on the Afar region of Ethiopia. More than thirty people died, thousands were evacuated. This eruption was the first for Nabro. Until this time, it was considered dormant, so no research was carried out.
Nyiragonga (Democratic Republic of Congo)
This Congolese volcano, shown in the main photo, is considered the most dangerous on the continent. Over the past 135 years, it has exploded at least 34 times.
Nyiragonga is deadly because of its lava. It is very liquid, so it can cover significant distances at high speed. In 1977, a lava flow moving at speeds of more than 60 km/h burned several villages and killed at least 70 people. 25 years later, after another strong eruption, a crack formed from the crater to the neighboring town of Goma, along which hot lava flowed. Almost 150 people died, about 400 thousand were evacuated.
The biggest danger coming from Nyiragonga comes from neighboring Lake Kivu. If lava gets into it, it could release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as happened in 1986 near Lake Nyos, where 1,700 people died from suffocation. Considering that more than two million people live near Kivu, the scale of the tragedy is difficult to even imagine.
The top of the dormant volcano is covered with a snow-white cap of snow, which sparkles impressively in the rays of the bright African sun. Perhaps that is why the local population gave it such a name - Kilimanjaro, which translated from Swahili means “sparkling mountain”. In ancient times, the tribes inhabiting this area, who had never seen snow in their lives, were sure that it was covered with silver. But for a long time they did not dare to check their assumptions, since many frightening legends were associated with the volcano, telling about evil spirits that lived on the top of Kilimanjaro and guarded its treasures. And yet, after some time, the local leader sent a small detachment of the bravest warriors to conquer the mysterious peak. Upon arrival, they immediately began to examine the “silver” lying everywhere, but, to everyone’s surprise, it instantly melted in their hands. On the “sparkling mountain” there was nothing but eternal cold snow. Then the aborigines, feeling the cold of the silvery ice cap, gave the giant volcano another name - “The Abode of the God of Cold.”
Many legends associated with Kilimanjaro have survived to this day. Local residents believe that the top of the volcano is inhabited by gods, and the caves and ravines of the mountain are inhabited by pygmy gnomes who hunt and gather. Weather conditions, according to local beliefs, are associated with the mood of the evil spirits living on the mountain.
The beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen for many kilometers around the surrounding Tanzanian and Kenyan savannas. Its outline is sloping slopes rising to an elongated, flat peak, which is in reality a giant 2-kilometer caldera - a vast basin at the peak of the volcano.
On very hot days, you can contemplate a fantastic picture: from a distance, the bluish base of the mountain becomes almost indistinguishable against the background of the savannah, and it seems that the snow-covered peak is floating in the air. And the clouds floating around, often flying below the snow cap, enhance this effect.
The first mentions of huge snow-capped mountains come from the 2nd century AD. e. They were plotted on Ptolemy's geographical map. However, the official date of the discovery of the “sparkling mountain” is considered to be May 11, 1848, when it first appeared before the eyes of the German pastor Johannes Rebmann. Since 1861, attempts to conquer the peak began: in the same year a height of 2500 meters was conquered, in 1862 - 4200 meters, and in 1883-1884 and 1887 a point located at an altitude of 5270 meters was reached. All these numerous ascents were made by the Hungarian Count Samuel Teleki. Already in October 1889, the German traveler Hans Meyer, in company with the Australian climber Ludwig Purtscheller, managed to reach the top of Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro is a dormant, nearly conical volcano composed of multiple layers of tephra, solidified lava, and volcanic ash. According to scientists, it was formed as a result of several volcanic movements more than a million years ago.
It includes three main peaks, which are also extinct volcanoes: Shira (3962 m) located in the west, Mawenzi (5149 m) in the east, and in the central part there is the youngest and highest volcano - Kibo (5895 m), on which contains multiple cascades of ice terraces. Uhuru Peak, located on the rim of the Kibo Crater, is the highest point on Kilimanjaro and all of Africa.
Volcano Kibo:
Kilimanjaro has had no documented eruptions, but according to local legends, the last major volcanic activity occurred approximately 150,000–200,000 years ago. As a result of research carried out in 2003, scientists discovered the presence of lava just 400 meters below the crater of Kilimanjaro's highest peak, Kibo. Although no negative predictions regarding volcanic activity have been made yet, gas emissions regularly occur at the top of the volcano, which can lead to its collapse, which in turn will cause a major eruption. Kibo has experienced several landslides and landslides in the past, creating an area known as the “western gap.”
Today there is a lot of talk about global warming, which is contributing to the fact that the famous Kilimanjar glaciers are rapidly melting.
Scientists explain this phenomenon not by global warming, but by the falling level of daily precipitation, which is necessary to restore the glacial mass. Some researchers believe that the volcano is awakening, resulting in its heating and, as a result, the melting of the ice cap. The concern is that over the past 100 years, the amount of ice and snow covering Kilimanjaro has decreased by more than 80%. In 2005, for the first time in 11 thousand years, their almost complete melting occurred. At the current rate, the disappearance of Kilimanjaro's snow is expected to occur between 2022 and 2033.
Glacier on Kilimanjaro in 2007:
Kilimanjaro in 2012. View from above:
The area occupied by the volcano is 64 km wide and 97 km long. Such enormous size allows Kilimanjaro to form its own climate. At an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level, you can find numerous small streams and rivers born in glaciers, which carry life-giving moisture to pastures and fields.
The world of flora and fauna in the Kilimanjaro region is extremely rich and diverse. In the lower part of the mountain, at an altitude of up to 1000 meters, there are savannas inhabited by monkeys, leopards, servals and honey badgers. Interestingly, on the lower slopes of the mountain there are coffee plantations and banana groves, and there are corn crops. At an altitude of 1800 meters, the domain of humid equatorial forests begins.
The territory, located at an altitude of 2800-4000 meters, is covered by mountain swamps and meadows strewn with colorful flowers.
Starting at 4400 meters, closer to the top, the kingdom of the mountain desert begins, where only alpine lichens and mosses survive.
Above is a world of cold snow, in which you can only see cold stone and ice.
Kilimanjaro Glacier at an altitude of 5800 meters:
On the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro live the Chaga mountaineers, who, like their ancient ancestors, are engaged in agriculture. They are the ones who grow coffee and banana plantations in the local warm and moderately humid climate.
The territory of Kilimanjaro has the status of a National Park, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro has been particularly popular among outdoor enthusiasts for many years. Today there are several tourist routes. The most popular among them is Marangu or the “Coca-Cola Route,” which tourists cover in 5-6 days. The presence of mountain shelters, which eliminate the need to pitch tents, greatly simplifies the task. The "Whisky Route" or Machame is the most beautiful route, the duration of which is slightly longer than the previous one - 6-7 days. The northern slope of the mountain has only one trail - Rongai. On average, it takes tourists 5-6 days to overcome it. The longest western route lies through the Shira plateau (5-6 days). The Umbwe route is one of the most difficult - it runs through dense jungle, which requires some physical preparation. When conquering Kilimanjaro, many tourists need adaptation to get used to the mountain climate and avoid altitude sickness.
Among the conquerors of Mount Kilimanjaro there are their own record holders. In 2001, an Italian named Bruno Brunod completed the Marangu route in just five and a half hours. In 2004, Simon Mtui, a native of Tanzania, climbed the difficult Umbwe Trail and descended to the Mweka Pass in just 8 hours and 27 minutes. The Tanzanian did not stop there and two years later walked the Umbwe trail there and back in 9 hours 19 minutes. The first women's record belongs to the Englishwoman Rebekah Rees-Evans, her result of climbing the Kilimanjaro peak is 13 hours 16 minutes. The youngest conqueror of the huge volcano is the American Keats Boyd, who reached the summit at the age of seven.
The majestic volcano Kilimanjaro has been a muse for many creative individuals - books have been written about it, films have been made, songs have been dedicated to it. Some of the most famous literary works that mention the African giant include Ernest Hemingway's story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1936), Ray Bradbury's story "The Car to Kilimanjaro" (1965), and Olga Larionova's novel "The Leopard" from the top of Kilimanjaro" (1965).
Based on the book "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" in 1952, Henry King made a film of the same name. The famous volcano can be seen in the science fiction film “Independence Day” (1996) and in the film “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life” (2003).
To get to Mount Kilimanjaro, you first need to get to the largest city in Tanzania - Dar es Salaam. The next goal is the city of Moshi, located at the very foot of the volcano. The distance from Dar es Salaam to Moshi is 560-600 km, which is best covered by a bus leaving early in the morning to reach the final destination before nightfall. The town has many cozy hotels that convey all the local flavor. You can get to the mountain only with a special permit, which can be obtained by any of the travel agencies that exist in abundance in Moshi. There they also help tourists organize their ascent by finding a suitable route, choosing a guide and time. Moshi can also be reached from the capital of Kenya - Nairobi, the distance from which is 290 km.
Africa is not only the scorching sun and endless desert. This continent is also famous for its mountains and volcanoes, both dormant and active. In total, there are about 15 volcanoes in Africa. All of them are located in the fault region, which in turn divides the continent into two unequal territories. In this article we will talk about the largest volcanoes in Africa and their features.
Kilimanjaro
The highest volcano in Africa, Kilimanjaro, is located on the Masai plateau in Tanzania. It consists of three peaks - Kibo (5897 m), Mawenzi (5149 m) and Shira (3962 m). It is the first peak that is the highest point of the continent. Today the volcano is considered dormant; scientists periodically observe the release of gas.
Mount Kilimanjaro is unique: located just 3 degrees from the equator, its peak is covered with glaciers all year round. On the territory of the mountain, different climatic zones collide, from the equatorial at the foot of the mountain to the arctic at the top.
Scientists, observing and studying the mountain, found that the volcano could soon wake up. Volcanologists have determined that boiling lava is located only 400 meters from the crater, and a small earthquake will be enough for an eruption to begin.
At the top of Kibo there is a caldera, its depth is 800 meters and its diameter is about 3 km
Kenya
In Kenya there is a volcano of the same name, its height is 5199 m above sea level, and today it is considered extinct and does not pose any threat. The mountain peak is located even closer to the equator than Kilimanjaro, but just like it, it is covered with glaciers. According to research by volcanologists, the mountain was formed more than 3 million years ago.
In recent years, scientists have recorded a sharp warming in this area, and glaciers have begun to actively melt. In Kenya, meltwater flowing from the top of the mountain is the main source. Scientists predict that if the glaciers continue to melt at the same rate, they will completely disappear within a few years, which could lead to dire consequences for the entire population of Kenya.
The crater of Mount Kenya is 0.7 km in diameter
Meru
The third largest volcano in Africa is Meru. It is located just 40 km from the famous Kilimanjaro. The height of this peak is 4565 m above sea level. According to volcanologists, in the relatively recent past (by the standards of the age of volcanoes and the planet as a whole), Meru was higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, but about 250 thousand years ago there was a strong eruption that radically changed the topography of the mountain peak and even destroyed a significant part of it, thereby making only the third highest on the mainland. Meru's last eruption occurred in 1910. After it, the volcano calmed down and shows virtually no activity, but it is difficult to call it dormant.
Scientists suggest that at any moment Meru could wake up and start spewing boiling lava
Cameroon
Not far from the Atlantic coast is Mount Cameroon. Its height is 4070 m above sea level. The mountain peak is the highest point in Cameroon and the 4th highest in all of Africa. This volcano is active and its eruptions are quite frequent, for example, Cameroon erupted 5 times in the last century. Each time this happened on a catastrophic scale, and people had to flee, leaving all their property. The fiery lava burned everything in its path, and the residents of Cameroon had no choice but to look for a new place to live.
An interesting fact is that the western and southwestern sides of the mountain peak receive the highest amount of precipitation per year on the entire continent - about 10 thousand mm of precipitation.
Among the active volcanoes in Africa, Cameroon is the highest
Nyiragongo
The Republic of Congo is home to the largest active volcano in Africa. Its height is about 3000 meters, and a hot lake with a diameter of 600 meters is always “seething” in the crater. Bulbs of lava break off and bounce up to a height of 30 meters. Nyiragongo is considered the most dangerous volcano not only in Africa, but on the entire planet. Over the course of 150 years, it erupted 34 times, and recently scientists have recorded an increase in its activity.
Magma in a hot lake periodically rises and falls.
Volcanologists suggest that if the crater (diameter 2000 meters) of Nyiragongo is filled to the brim, then its walls will not withstand such a load and, cracking in its most vulnerable part, will release a lava flow onto the city of Goma.
From the very top of the mountain there is a chute through which hot magma will reach a populated area within an hour.
In 2002, a similar eruption already occurred, and about 14,000 buildings were destroyed and 150 people died, despite the fact that the authorities quickly got their bearings and notified the population about the disaster and began immediate evacuation.
In 1977, hot lava flowing from the top reached a speed of 70 km per hour
Ol Donyo Lengai
In the north of Tanzania there is a fairly young volcano called Ol Donyo Lengai. Its first eruption was recorded in 1883. After that, for 21 years it did not show any activity, but after the eruption in 1904, its activity has not decreased to this day. Every 2-5 years, Ol Donyo Lengai releases streams of red-hot lava that burn everything in its path.
A special feature of this volcano is its natrocarbonate lava. It is black in color, and the temperature of the magma is much lower compared to other volcanoes - only 500-600°C. Another feature of this lava is its consistency. It is liquid, like water, and can seep into a small crack. As it cools, the magma hardens and within a few days changes its color, becoming light gray, almost white. Thanks to this property, scientists can accurately determine how many days she is. Fossilized magma is destroyed by rainwater.
The height of Ol Donyo Lengai is 2962 meters
Dallol
Talking about the largest volcanoes in Africa, I would like to mention the smallest - Dallol. Its location is unique and interesting; it is located 48 meters below sea level. Dallol is the lowest not only on its continent, but on the entire planet.
Scientists have determined the approximate age of this mountain peak – about 900 million years, despite this it is considered active. The last eruption occurred in 1929, but even now scientists are observing its active processes. This became possible thanks to the thermal springs located near it, filled with sulfuric and hydrochloric acid. In the area where Dallol is located, the landscapes are quite colorful thanks to the salts that come to the surface from thermal springs.
About 1,000 tons of salt reach the surface of Dallol every year.
Despite the fact that the territory of Africa is huge, the bulk of all volcanoes are concentrated in the area of the Great African Rift. Due to the instability of tectonic plates and their movement in this place, there are quite dangerous mountain peaks that periodically erupt hot lava onto the surface of the earth, but most of them are dormant or relatively calm and are of interest to volcanologists and tourists.
