No one would even think of arguing 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 of our planet. It was formed approximately 39 million years ago. In northern Africa, this belt runs through Sudan and Ethiopia, stretches across the eastern part of the African continent and in its southern part ends 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 up to 6000 km long, 80 to 120 km wide and up to 900 m deep has already been noticed on it. If you look at the map, the fault can be identified due to a chain of large lakes in the eastern part of the continent. To the Great African Rift, which is also called the Great Rift Rift Valley, include not only lakes, but also highlands, plateaus, plains, and mountains.
Thanks to the seismic processes of the region, according to the staff of the geological center, due to the increase in the crack (fault), after some thousandth of a millennium, the eastern part of the African continent may become a separate island.
Volcanoes of Northeast Africa
Volcano Dallol
This is one of the oldest, most amazing, intriguing and mysterious volcanoes not only of the African continent, but of the entire earth. It is 900 million years old. Dallol is a volcanic rock located in the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. It is the lowest volcano. The diameter of the crater is 1.5 km, and the height is 48 m below sea level. And, despite its age, it remains active. The last eruption was in 1926.
Its “cosmic” appearance, which no other place on the planet can compare with, is the deposited salts of various minerals that saturate the water in hot springs. Only from the depths of the crater does not flow 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. The largest deposits of potassium salt are located in this alienated territory.
Volcanoes of Central-East Africa
Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest volcano in Africa
Kilimanjaro is an inactive, but the highest volcano in Africa, 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 there is a caldera, the diameter of which is 3 km and the depth is 800 m. To date, only gas emissions have been observed. But in 2003, volcanologists found that boiling lava is located under the crater of the Kibo peak, only 400 m away, which can be fraught with the slightest earthquakes. The other two cones are called Mawenzi and Shira. Their heights are respectively 5149 and 3962 m above sea level. In the local dialect, Kilimanjaro is called the “white mountain”. And all because this volcano is a masterpiece of nature, since the path to its top covers all climatic zones. At the foot it is equatorial, and at the top it is arctic. The summit of Kilimanjaro has been covered with eternal snow for many centuries and is very cold there. And this despite the fact that the volcano itself is located near the equator.
But according to the observations of scientists, the Kilimanjaro ice cover 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, the height of which is 5199 m. Its crater with an area of up to 0.7 km 2 is also covered with a glacier, and yet it is located even closer to the equator than Kilimanjaro. But even here, the snow cover is rapidly melting, 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 northern Tanzania, close to 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 strong eruption of this volcano was recorded 250 thousand years ago. After that, there were still active phases on it, expressed in very strong emissions. This led to the fact that the mountain changed greatly (it was especially damaged on the eastern side).
Its last activity was observed in 1910. Now he has fallen asleep, but scientists do not give guarantees that he will not wake up soon.
Volcano Ol Donyo Lengai
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 noted are 1917, 1926, 1940 - the years of the strongest eruptions, when volcanic ash flew from 48 km to 100 km from the volcano crater. In the subsequent years 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1966, calmer eruptions were observed.
This volcano is considered unique because of its natrocarbonate lava. There is no such unusual lava anywhere. It is black and the coldest - 500-600°C. What is also surprising is that, looking at the color of such lava, geologists and volcanologists can accurately tell how old it is. This lava has several more interesting properties. She is liquid like water. As soon as a small crack or hole appears, it immediately penetrates 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).
Periodically, the crater is either empty or filled to the brim with lava, in which the ejected particles layer and form ornithos (small cones) from the crater of which lava is also ejected. Ornithos sometimes grow up to 20 meters, but are quickly destroyed by wind and hot air.
During the eruption in 1960, the top of the volcano collapsed, and a deep (100 m) crater was formed, in which there is a small crater under a layer of rock. lava lake 6 m deep. Volcanologists have found that this seething lava emits 3 times more carbon dioxide into the air compared to other volcanoes.
Volcanoes of West Central Africa
Volcano Cameroon (Faco)
Due to heterogeneity geological structure, relief and underground processes, active volcanoes are observed in Central Africa to this day. In OR Cameroon, near Atlantic Ocean, the Cameroon (Faco) volcano stands tall. 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 force was very strong. People living near it had to leave their homes and look for other residence permits. A characteristic feature of this volcano is that on its western and southwestern sides the largest amount of precipitation falls throughout the year throughout the African continent.
Volcanoes Emi-Kusi, 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 Sahari. In the northern part of this desert is the Tibesti Highlands, the slopes of which are divided by peak-shaped volcanic hills, crevices and short-term water streams. And in the center there are five shield caldera volcanoes: Emi-Kusi, Tuside, Tarso Vun, Tarso Yega and Tarso Tun.
The highest point of the highland is the shield volcano Emi-Kusi. Its height is 3415 m. It is a dormant volcano. Its crater is 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 dry lake with fumarolic hot emissions of gases and water. It was last active 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 solfatically active to this day.
The Tarso Vun volcano has the shape of a shield, the length of which is 60 km, width - 40 km, and height - 2900 m. At its top there is a caldera, the diameter of which reaches 18 km, and the depth - 1000 m.
Volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamlaghira
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 Democratic Republic of Congo, near the border with Rwanda, are the volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamlaghira. The fact is that it is in this territory, called the Albertina rift, that a deep crack under a thin strip earth's crust. In this regard, underground volcano-tectonic processes are still ongoing in this area, which explains the existence of active, harmless volcanoes here.
Nyiragongo has the shape of a perfect cone, on top of which there is a crater with a radius of 1000 m and a depth of up to 250 m. Lava breathes at the bottom of the crater lake of fire. The broken lava bulbs jump up to 30 m. It is considered the most dangerous volcano on Earth. Scientists believe that in recent years lava eruptions from this volcano are occurring more and more often, and it is quite possible that during the next eruptions the lava could reach the city of Goma and wipe it off the face of the earth. For example, in 2002, despite advance warnings about the beginning of the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano, lava destroyed 14 thousand buildings and claimed up to 150 human lives.
At the lower base, the Nyiragongo volcano merges with the no less formidable Nyamlagira volcano. It woke up in 1865 and since then there have been at least 35 eruptions. The last eruption was observed on November 16, 2011. It turned out to be the largest in the last century. During this eruption, fiery lava was thrown to a height of more than 400 m.
And here, nearby, is the most gigantic mountain - the Kilimanjaro volcano (Tanzania). West Africa stands apart standing volcanoes countries of Congo and Cameroon. This is a long-extinct and heavily destroyed volcano. Mount Kenya is the most high mountain Kenya and the second highest mountain in Africa (after Kilimanjaro).
The most famous of them are Fako (Cameroon) - height 4050 meters and Nyiragongo (Congo) - height 3470 meters. And Rwanda is famous for its national volcanoes park, where there are a large number of dormant volcanoes, the highest of which is Karisimbi. An active volcano is a volcano that has erupted in historical times or exhibits fumarolic or sulphatic activity.
The Aberdare Range (English: Lord Aberdare Range) is a mountain range in Africa, located in the center of Kenya, north of its capital, Nairobi. Cape Mountains, mountains in southern Africa, in South Africa, between Port Elizabeth in the east and the mouth of the river. Olifants to the west. Length about 800 km. Consist of several parallel ridges.
It is called the highest mountain standing alone because there are no others adjacent to it. mountain ranges, which could distract attention from the main peak. The lowest of them, Shira, arose, according to scientists, after the initial volcanic eruption. Dry months when climbing conditions are most favorable include December–February and August–September.
From a technical point of view, this is the most complex object of the Seven Summits of Africa. The picturesque landscapes that surround you as you climb, and the abundance of wild animals and birds that live here, make the climb one of the most amazing adventures in Africa. Journey to a fantasy world mountain range Rwenzori in the least explored part of central Africa.
Ras Dashen is the highest peak of the Abyssinian Highlands and the country of Ethiopia. When, after the straits and Palestine, it would include an Orthodox state in Africa.
Kilimanjaro - This term has other meanings, see Kilimanjaro (meanings). From Port Elizabeth to Worcester they stretch for 600 km from east to west and frame from the north (Svartberg ridge) and south (Langeberg ridge, Outenikvaberge) a longitudinal valley - the Little Karoo (see Karoo).
The highest volcanoes in the world
On the windward slopes in the west there are mainly secondary thickets of evergreen shrubs (fynbos), and in the east there are mixed coniferous-deciduous forests on brown and mountain-forest brown soils. This is partly due to the fact that not so long ago our friend, one might say famous traveler Nikolai Nosov the problem of climbing to seven highest peaks"Dark Continent" was successfully completed.
The most dangerous active volcanoes in the world
The iconic mountain is where all collecting usually begins. Climbing Kilimanjaro is a test of physical and mental endurance and an introduction to African specifics.
Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania, near the Kenyan border. This is a huge isolated volcanic massif with a base 100 km long and 75 km wide. Occupies an area of 756 square meters. km, includes the highland zone, the Shira plateau, the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. However, on the other hand, the significant altitude above sea level determines the altitudinal zonation and above 5500 meters the climate can be called arctic.
Jebel Toubkal or Toubkal (French Toubkal/Jbel Toubkal) is the highest mountain of the Atlas Mountains and Morocco, located in northwest Africa. This is the most popular mountain in the world from the list of the seven peaks of the continents. The extinct volcano Kilimanjaro (5963 m), the highest point of the continent, and other highest mountains are located on the fault-broken East African Plateau.
When I read “Doctor Aibolit” by Chukovsky as a child, I had no idea that the good doctor had traveled to almost all the natural attractions 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 had absolutely no idea that Kilimanjaro was also a potentially active volcano.
Where and why were African volcanoes formed?
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 there is a fault, the length of which reaches almost 6,000 km, and the width varies from 75 to 125 km. This natural crack received the toponym “Great African Rift” and arose at the junction of two lithospheric plates - the Arabian and African.
This is what poses a threat of seismic activity to East African countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda. All active volcanoes are located right along the edges of the crack, because... The earth's crust has not yet calmed down and is in permanent motion. Relatively recently, scientists 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. Summarizing 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 considered dangerous, it must be constantly active, its awakening could pose a threat to human life, and its activity must irreversibly affect the world(ash fall, surface cracks, etc.). Among 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 suspicion of any activity of these volcanoes leads to the immediate evacuation of thousands of residents.
Despite the fact that Africa is dominated by plains, mountain systems are also available 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 east coast continent, starting from countries in the north of the continent such as Sudan and Ethiopia, and reaching the south - South Africa. IN this 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 the 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 it is its peak that is the most high point 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 the last time it 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 near it thermal springs 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 near the volcano every year, 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
Volcano Kenya is the most high mountain Kenya, as well as the second highest mountain on the African continent: its height is 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 Congo, 20 km from the millionaire city of Goma, about 40% of all eruptions that occur on the African continent are recorded: two active ones are located here active volcano– 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.
