|
Uhuru Peak
Africa's Highest Mountain
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is an inactive volcano in north-eastern Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres (Uhuru Peak). Mount Kilimanjaro is considered to be the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, rising some 4,600 metres from its base.
The exact meaning and origin of the name Kilimanjaro is unknown. It is thought to be a combination of the Swahili word Kilima (meaning "mountain") and the Kichagga word Njaro, loosely translated as "whiteness", giving the name White Mountain. The name Kibo in Kichagga means "spotted" and refers to rocks seen on snowfields. The Swahili word Uhuru translates as "freedom", a name given to commemorate Tanzanian independence from Great Britain in 1961.
Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo's crater rim.
|
