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An Unusual Mountain A Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania story

Glaciers  / 
Mountains
  1. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
  2. An Unusual Mountain
Description

Many of the world’s highest peaks are the barely tallest points of high ranges, but Kilimanjaro stands alone, 15,000 feet above the surrounding plains. It actually has three peaks from three old volcanoes: Kibo (2), Mawenzi , and Shira.

In these Landsat images, concentric rings show the vegetation zones around this unusual peak. The bare summit is surrounded by low grass and shrubs. These transition to a band of forest, protected as a reserve, which appears bright green. Below this is a densely populated agricultural area, appearing as speckled light green in the Landsat images. And at its base, the mountain turns dry again, supporting fewer plants and people.

People have farmed the lower slopes for at least 2,000 years. In the last century, the mountain’s population has grown rapidly—about tenfold between 1910 and 2000. These people raised cattle, fruits and vegetables, and coffee. Prevented from migrating upslope by the forest/wildlife preserve, people have moved out into drier areas.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

Jan. 24, 1976, Landsat 2 (path/row 180/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Jan. 24, 1976, Landsat 2 (path/row 180/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Feb. 21, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Feb. 21, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Aug. 19, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Aug. 19, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Aug. 27, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Aug. 27, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

July 27, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

July 27, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Jan. 24, 1976, Landsat 2 (path/row 180/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Feb. 21, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Aug. 19, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Aug. 27, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
July 27, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 168/62) — Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Additional Imagery & Stories

Beyond the Ice
Beyond the Ice

Tourism is now a major part of the local economy. Ten thousand visitors climb the mountain every year, employing local people as porters and guides. T...

Read More
Snowfall, Sunshine, or Warm Air?
Snowfall, Sunshine, or Warm Air?

Why have these glaciers been shrinking? One factor is snowfall. We don’t have weather measurements from the peak until very recently, but scientists h...

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The Glaciers of Kilimanjaro
The Glaciers of Kilimanjaro

As the 2000 image was being taken, climatologist Lonnie Thompson was camped on the glacier ice, drilling out samples for analysis and preservation. Wh...

Read More
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