What are the volcanoes in Africa. Interesting facts about the volcanoes of Africa
It would never occur to anyone to argue that there are no mountains in Africa. Most of them are located on the territory of the Afro-Asian belt, which is the youngest mountain belt on our planet. It was formed approximately 39 million years ago. In northern Africa, this belt runs through Sudan and Ethiopia, stretches along the eastern part of the African continent and ends in its southern part in front of South Africa. It is also interesting to know that these mountains arose in the center of the lithospheric plate, and not on its sides. So far, this plate is intact, but a fault has already been noticed on it up to 6000 km long, 80 to 120 km wide and up to 900 m deep. If you look at the map, the fault can be identified thanks to the chain large lakes in the eastern part of the continent. The Great African Rift, which is also called the Great Rift Valley, includes not only lakes, but also highlands, plateaus, plains, and mountains.
Due to the seismic processes of the region, according to the employees of the geological center, due to the increase in the crack (fault) after some thousandth of millennia East End The African continent may become a separate island.
Volcanoes of Northeast Africa
Volcano Dallol
This is one of the oldest, amazing, intriguing and mysterious volcanoes not only on the African continent, but on the whole earth. He is 900 million years old. Dallol - volcanic, which is located in the Danakil depression, in Ethiopia. He is the most that neither is, a low volcano. The diameter of the crater is 1.5 km, and the height is 48 m below sea level. And, despite its prescription, it remains active. The last eruption was in 1926.
Its "cosmic" appearance, which can not be compared with any place on the planet, is the deposited salts of various minerals, which are saturated with water in hot springs. Only from the depths in the crater is not healing water, but thermal springs containing salt crystals, sulfur, hydrochloric acid and andesite. Thanks to this, the plains surrounding the Dallol crater are covered with layers of fantastic colors. On this alienated territory there are the largest deposits of potash salt.
Volcanoes of East Central Africa
Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest volcano in Africa
Kilimanjaro is an inactive, but the highest volcano in Africa, which is located in Tanzania on the Masai. It consists of three cones - extinct volcanoes, each of which has its own name. The central cone of the famous stratovolcano is called Kibo. Its height is 5897 m. At the top is a caldera with a diameter of 3 km and a depth of 800 m. To date, only gas emissions have been observed. But volcanologists in 2003 found that boiling lava is located under the crater of Kibo peak only 400 m away, which can be fraught with the slightest earthquakes. The other two cones are called Mawenzi and Shira. Their height is respectively equal to 5149 and 3962 m above sea level. In the local dialect, Kilimanjaro is called the "white mountain". And all due to the fact that this volcano is a masterpiece of nature, since the path to its top covers all climatic zones. At the foot - equatorial, and at the top - arctic. The summit of Kilimanjaro has been covered with eternal snow for many centuries and it is very cold on it. And this is despite the fact that the volcano itself is located near the equator.
But according to the observations of scientists, the ice cover of Kilimanjaro is melting at a high speed and it is not a fact that in a couple of years it will disappear completely.
Volcano Kenya
This is the most in Kenya. Volcano Kenya is an extinct stratovolcano, whose height is 5199 m. Its crater with an area of \u200b\u200bup to 0.7 km 2 is also covered with a glacier, but it is located even closer to the equator than Kilimanjaro. But even here there is a rapid melting of the snow cover, as a result of which the population of Kenya may be left without a natural source of drinking water.
Volcanoes of East Africa
Volcano Meru
It is considered the third highest (4585 m) among African volcanoes. Meru is located in the northern part of Tanzania, not far from the famous Kilimanjaro. They are separated by only 40 km. It is possible that Mount Meru was much higher and had an attractive tourist attraction. appearance. The first known strongest eruption of this volcano was recorded 250 thousand years ago. After that, there were still active phases on it, expressed by very strong emissions. This led to the fact that the mountain changed greatly (it was especially affected on the eastern side).
In 1910, his last activity was observed. Now he fell asleep, but scientists do not give guarantees that he will not wake up soon.
Volcano Ol Donyo Lengai
At 160 km from Kilimanjaro, in the northern part of Tanzania, there is the youngest, currently active, very mysterious stratovolcano Ol Donyo Lengai (2962 m.). The first mention of its eruption dates back to 1883. Then it became more active from 1904 to 1910, from 1913 to 1915. Especially noteworthy are 1917, 1926, 1940 - the years of the strongest eruptions, when volcanic ash flew from 48 km to 100 km from the crater of the volcano. In the subsequent 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1966, even quieter eruptions were observed.
This volcano is considered the only one unique because of the natrocarbonate lava. There is no such unusual lava anywhere. It is black and the coldest - 500-600 ° C. It is also surprising that, looking at the color of such lava, geologists and volcanologists can accurately tell how old it is. This lava has some other interesting properties. She is liquid like water. As soon as a small crack or hole appears, it immediately penetrates into them and drips down, and at the same time fascinating stalactites are formed. And when interacting with rainwater, the lava is destroyed and, in fact, in a few days, it changes its color from black to light gray (almost white).
From time to time, the crater is either empty or full to the brim with lava, in which ejected particles are layered and form ornitos (small cones) from the vents of which lava is also ejected. Ornithos sometimes grow up to 20 meters, but are very quickly destroyed by wind and hot air.
During the eruption in 1960, the top of the volcano collapsed, and a deep (100 m) crater formed, in which, under a layer of rock, there is small sizes a lava lake with a depth of 6 m. Volcanologists have found that this bubbling lava emits 3 times more carbon dioxide into the air compared to other volcanoes.
Volcanoes of West Central Africa
Volcano Cameroon (Fako)
Due to the heterogeneity of the geological structure, relief and underground processes, in Central Africa active volcanoes are observed to this day. In OR Cameroon, near Atlantic Ocean, Cameroon (Fako) volcano rises. Its height is 4070 m. It is very active. It is known that in the twentieth century, there were more than 5 eruptions, and their strength was very strong. People living near him had to leave their habitable places and look for other types of residence. Characteristic of this volcano is that from its western and southwestern sides the largest amount of precipitation falls throughout the year throughout the African continent.
Volcanoes Emi-Kushi, Tuside, Tarso Vun, Tarso Yega and Tarso Tun
A significant part of the area occupied by the Republic of Chad is the flat desert plain of the Sahara. In the northern part of this desert is the Tibesti Highlands, whose slopes are divided by peak-shaped volcanic elevations, crevices and short-term water flows. And in the center are five shield calderas-volcanoes: Emi-Kusi, Tuside, Tarso Vun, Tarso Yega and Tarso Tun.
The highest point of the highlands is the shield volcano Emi-Kushi. Its height is 3415 m. It is a dormant volcano. Its crater, a double caldera, one of which reaches 13 km in diameter and has a depth of up to 700 m, and the other has a diameter of up to 11 km and a depth of 350 m. The bottom of the crater is a dried-up lake with hot fumarole gases and water. He was active for the last time in the 70s of the last century.
A couple of volcanoes in the western part of the highlands are active. The highest is Tuside. It stretched to a height of 3265 m and is still active as a solfatara.
The Tarso Vun volcano has the shape of a shield, the length of which is 60 km, the width is 40 km, and the height is 2900 m. A caldera is formed on its top, the diameter of which reaches 18 km and the depth is 1000 m.
Volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamlagira
In the south of the west-central part of the African continent, in the Virunga mountains, 20 km from Lake. Kivu and 18 km from the city of Goma in the DR Congo, near the border with Rwanda, are the volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamlagira. The fact is that it is in this territory, called the Albertina Rift, that a deep crack was recorded under a thin strip of the earth's crust. In this regard, underground volcanic-tectonic processes are still ongoing in this area, as a result of which the existence of active, not harmless volcanoes here is explained.
Nyiragongo has the shape of an impeccable cone, on top of which there is a crater with a radius of 1000 m and a depth of up to 250 m. lake of fire. Torn off lava bulbs jump up to 30 m. It is considered the most dangerous volcano on Earth. Scientists believe that for last years Lava eruptions from this volcano occur more and more often, and it is quite possible that with the next eruptions, lava can reach the city of Goma and wipe it off the face of the earth. So, for example, in 2002, despite the warnings received in advance about the beginning of the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano, 14 thousand buildings were destroyed by lava and up to 150 human lives were claimed.
At the lower base, the Nyiragongo volcano merges with the no less formidable Nyamlagira volcano. He woke up in 1865 and since then there have been at least 35 eruptions. November 16, 2011 was observed last eruption. It turned out to be the largest in the last century. During this eruption, fiery lava was ejected to a height of more than 400 m.
When I read Chukovsky's "Doctor Aibolit" as a child, I did not even suspect that the good doctor had traveled to almost all the natural sights of Africa. He was on the largest island archipelago of Tanzania (Zanzibar, 75 islands), and on the "crocodile river" Limpopo, and on the highest African mountain Kilimanjaro. But at that time, I absolutely did not know that Kilimanjaro is also a potentially active volcano.
Where and why did African volcanoes form?
Mountain building in Africa did not occur as usual, along the edges of the continent, but almost along its center. Closer to the eastern part of the continent, a fault is observed, the length of which reaches almost 6,000 km, and the width varies from 75 to 125 km. This natural fissure received the toponym "Great African Rift" and arose at the junction of two lithospheric plates - Arabian and African.
This is what creates the threat of seismic activity for East African countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda. Just along the edges of the crack and there are all active volcanoes, because. the earth's crust has not yet calmed down and is in permanent motion. More recently, scientists have discovered that a large depression has formed in the Ethiopian Afar Desert. In 2005, a series of powerful earthquakes occurred here, as a result of which the surface dropped 100 m below sea level. Summing up the above, it can be argued that all active volcanoes are located in the eastern part of Africa, and their appearance is due to the convergence of two lithospheric plates.
The most dangerous volcanoes in Africa
For a volcano to be recognized as dangerous, it must be constantly active, its awakening could endanger people's lives, and its activity irreversibly affected the world(ash fall, surface fractures, etc.). Among the African volcanoes these will be:
- Dabbahu - in Ethiopia.
- Ol Doinyo Lengai, in the United Republic of Tanzania.
- Nyiragonga is in the Republic of the Congo.
Even the suspicion of any activity of these volcanoes leads to the immediate evacuation of thousands of residents.
The volcano is one of the most beautiful, but also the most dangerous and unpredictable phenomena of nature. Watching their eruption is interesting, but only at a safe distance, quite a large one. A volcano can cover an area of tens and hundreds of square kilometers with its volcanic bombs, ash and lava. Everything that is in the path of the lava and mudflow is swept off the face of the earth. The most famous example is the city of Pompeii in Italy, completely buried under a layer of lava and ash from a nearby volcano - Vesuvius.
What is a volcano? It's just a mountain, but with a special structure. It is born from a break in the earth's crust, which is obtained after an earthquake or other movements of the earth's crust - that is why volcanoes are mainly located at the junctions of tectonic plates. From the resulting fault, terrestrial magma splashes onto the surface and, cooling down, forms a small mountain. Gradually, this flow dries up, but a new earthquake or processes in the depths of the Earth can again cause an eruption. With each new eruption, the height of the volcanic mountain becomes greater. Some volcanoes erupt quite often - they are called active. Others have not shown signs of life for centuries and millennia - these are considered extinct. They are on every continent and an average of three new volcanoes appear in the world every year. The highest of the volcanoes are usually the oldest or those that have actively erupted a lot.
For example, in Africa, the highest volcano, and at the same time its highest point in general, is Mount Kilimanjaro. It is located just 300 kilometers south of the equator in Tanzania. One of its three peaks, Kibo, has a height of 5895 meters, this is Uhuru Peak, the highest point of the volcano. The estimated age of the volcano is over a million years. What is most surprising - although Kilimanjaro is located almost on the equator - there are many glaciers on its slopes.
This is very beautiful mountain. The rainforest on the slopes grows to a height of more than three kilometers, and above there are many mountain rivers, streams and waterfalls. This is completely unlike the surrounding semi-desert area, and all thanks to heavy rains, because the mountain delays the clouds. On the slopes of the mountain, locals grow mainly coffee, bananas and corn. For tourists, five tourist routes to any of the three peaks of the volcano. During the ascent, you can see it in detail unusual place. Routes are designed for people of various training.
Kilimanjaro is not an active volcano - its last eruption occurred more than 200 years ago. However, scientists believe that the lava is located at a depth of only 400 meters from the vent of the peak of Kibo. The volcano sometimes shows signs of instability - collapses, sulfur and steam emissions occur, so there is reason to expect an eruption to begin at any moment.
On the African continent there is another pretty big volcano It's called Cameroon. It is located in the Republic of Cameroon. Its highest peak, Faco, is over four kilometers high. Although it is somewhat lower than Kilimanjaro, there is a difference. Cameroon is the highest active volcano in Africa. Kilimanjaro is generally the highest African volcano, but it is not active. With such activity that Cameroon is showing, it has good chances to quickly increase its height.
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 means "sparkling mountain" in Swahili. 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 they did not dare to check their assumptions for a long time, since many frightening legends were associated with the volcano, telling about evil spirits who lived on the top of Kilimanjaro and guarded its treasures. And yet, after some time, the local leader sent a small detachment of the most courageous warriors to conquer the mysterious peak. Upon arrival, they immediately undertook to explore 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 natives, feeling the cold of the silvery ice cap, gave the giant volcano another name - "The Abode of the God of Cold".
Many legends connected with Kilimanjaro have survived to this day. locals they believe that the top of the volcano is inhabited by the gods, and the caves and ravines of the mountain are inhabited by pygmy gnomes who are engaged in hunting and gathering. Weather, according to local beliefs, are associated with the mood of evil spirits that live on the mountain.
The beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen for many kilometers around the surrounding Tanzanian and Kenyan savannahs. Its outlines are sloping slopes rising to an elongated, flat top, which in reality is 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 afar, 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 clouds hovering around, often flying below the snow cap, enhance this effect.
The first mention of huge snow-capped mountains comes from the 2nd century AD. e. They were applied to geographical map Ptolemy. However, the official opening date of the "sparkling mountain" is May 11, 1848, when it first appeared before the eyes of the German pastor Johannes Rebman. Since 1861, attempts to conquer the summit began to be made: 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 Purtsheller, managed to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro is an almost conical dormant volcano composed of multiple layers of tephra, hardened 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 is the youngest and high volcano- Kibo (5895 m), on which lie multiple cascades of ice terraces. Uhuru Peak, located on the edge of Kibo Crater, is the most high point Kilimanjaro and all of Africa.
Volcano Kibo:
There were no documented eruptions near Kilimanjaro, but, according to local legends, the last major volcanic activity was observed approximately 150,000–200,000 years ago. As a result of research conducted in 2003, scientists discovered the presence of lava just 400 meters under the crater of the highest peak of Kilimanjaro - Kibo. Although no negative forecasts regarding volcanic activity have yet been made, gas emissions regularly occur at the top of the volcano, which can lead to its collapse, which, in turn, will cause a major eruption. In the past, Kibo has experienced several rockfalls and landslides, resulting in an area known as the "western gap".
Today there is a lot of talk about global warming, which contributes to the fact that the famous Kilimanjar glaciers are rapidly melting.
Scientists explain this phenomenon by no means 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 waking up, resulting in its heating and, as a result, the melting of the ice cap. The fear 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, they almost completely melted. At current rates, Kilimanjaro's snowfall 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 huge sizes allow Kilimanjaro to form its own climate. At an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level, numerous small streams and rivers born in glaciers can be found, 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, coffee plantations and banana groves grow on the lower slopes of the mountain, as well as corn crops. At an altitude of 1800 meters, the possessions of moist equatorial forests begin.
The territory, located at an altitude of 2800-4000 meters, is covered by mountain swamps and meadows strewn with colorful flowers.
Starting from the mark of 4400 meters, closer to the top, the kingdom of the mountain desert begins, where only high-mountain lichens and mosses survive.
Above - the world of cold snows, in which you can see only 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. It is they who grow coffee and banana plantations in the local warm and moderately humid climate.
The territory of Kilimanjaro has the status national park, which was listed in 1987 world heritage UNESCO.
Climbing the summit of Kilimanjaro has been a favorite among amateurs for many years. active rest. Today there are several tourist routes. The most popular among them is Marangu or the “Coca-Cola Route”, which tourists overcome in 5-6 days. The presence of mountain shelters greatly simplifies the task, removing the need to pitch tents. "Whiskey Route" or Machame - 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 is overcome by tourists in 5-6 days. 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. During the conquest of Kilimanjaro, many tourists need adaptation to get used to the mountain climate and avoid mountain sickness.
Among the conquerors of the summit of Kilimanjaro there are 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, took only 8 hours and 27 minutes to climb the difficult Umbwe trail and descend to the Mweka pass. The Tanzanian did not stop there and two years later he walked the Umbwe trail back and forth in 9 hours and 19 minutes. The first women's record belongs to the Englishwoman Rebecca Rhys-Evans, her result of climbing the peak of Kilimanjaro is 13 hours and 16 minutes. The youngest conqueror of a huge volcano is the American Keats Boyd, who conquered the summit at the age of seven.
The majestic volcano Kilimanjaro was a muse for many creative personalities - books were written about him, films were made, songs were dedicated to him. Among the most famous literary works that mention the African giant are Ernest Hemingway's story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1936), Ray Bradbury's story called "The Car to Kilimanjaro" (1965), as well as Olga Larionova's novel "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. 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 most Big City 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 overcome by bus leaving early in the morning to reach the final destination before nightfall. There are many cozy hotels in the town that convey the whole local flavor. You can get to the mountain only with a special permit, which will help to issue any of the travel agencies that exist in abundance in Moshi. In the same place, tourists are helped to organize the 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.
A volcano is a very beautiful, but at the same time dangerous and unpredictable phenomenon of nature. To see it erupt is to receive unforgettable experience However, at this time you need to be at a great distance from the center of events, because it covers huge areas with ash, lava and volcanic bombs. Such natural phenomena exist on all continents. And today we will talk about what is the most in Africa, what it is.
The highest, but not for a long time active volcano here is Kilimanjaro. Its height is approximately 5895 meters. In Swahili, the name means " white mountain". The largest volcano in Africa is located in Tanzania, just 300 km south of the equator. Kilimanjaro consists of 3 separate cones, the most high peak- this is Kibo (5895 meters). The second peak is Mawenzi (5149 m), the third is Shira (3962 m). At the top of Kibo there is a crater with a diameter of about 3 km and a depth of 800 m.
The highest volcano in Africa, whose name you already know, began to form several million years ago, when the lava went beyond the fault zone. Mawenzi and Shira are already extinct peaks, but Kibo can leave the state of rest at any moment and flare up with renewed vigor. The last significant eruption was 360,000 years ago, and data on the activity of the volcano were recorded in the 19th century.
Kilimanjaro was discovered by Johannes Rebman. This happened in 1848, although, of course, mention of this volcano was many years before the official discovery date. Austrian Ludwig Purcheller and German Hans Meyer were the first to climb the highest peak of Kilimanjaro on October 6, 1889.
The largest volcano in Africa has a lot of snow on its top, which appeared there many years ago after the ice age, and now its amount is gradually decreasing. Scientists believe that soon the snow will disappear there altogether.
Kilimanjaro is a beautiful mountain, climbing which is very popular with tourists, because it allows you to feel 3 At the very beginning (the first 3 km) there is a tropical forest, mountain rivers, streams and waterfalls. Residents in this area successfully grow bananas, coffee, and corn. In the middle of the ascent there is a desert, and at the very top there is snow. Features of Kilimanjaro are the absence of a bamboo zone and a large biodiversity with a rather low endemicity of some species.
The largest volcano in Africa - perfect place for tourists. There are even specially created routes here, some of them are designed exclusively for ascent, others for descent. However, this is not as easy as it might seem. Before climbing, people must be prepared, because at a considerable height it is easy to experience a lack of oxygen, headache and hypothermia. Pulmonary or cerebral edema may occur. According to some reports, more people died on Kilimanjaro than on Everest.
There are also Africa, and one of the largest of those is Cameroon, whose height is more than 4 km. He is quite active, so he has a good chance to quickly build up a large height.