Ice and fire, Kilimanjaro on the equator is a snowy mountain and also a volcano!

Review expert: Researcher Xu Jiandong, Director of the Volcano Research Center of the China Earthquake Administration

When we talk about the equator, the scorching sun comes to our mind. The equator is the place where the earth is closest to the sun. The sun here hangs high in the sky all year round, shining directly on the earth, so it is also one of the hottest places in the world.

If I tell you that there are snow-capped mountains on the equator, would you believe it? How are they formed?

Equatorial Snow Mountain - Mount Kilimanjaro

In Hemingway's novel The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the protagonist dies in a dream: "What he saw was as vast as the whole world, huge and towering, shining with an incredible white light in the sun. It was the square top of Kilimanjaro."

Mount Kilimanjaro (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Mount Kilimanjaro is located between the equator and 3 degrees south latitude, northeast of Tanzania and 160 kilometers south of the East African Rift Valley. It is the highest mountain in Africa, with the highest peak, "Freedom Peak", reaching an altitude of 5,895 meters. Mount Kilimanjaro is known as the "Roof of Africa", and many geographers call it the "King of Africa". Surprisingly, the top of this high mountain on the equator is covered with ice and snow all year round, making it the only snow-capped mountain on the equator on Earth.

Mount Kilimanjaro location

The top of the mountain is covered with ice and snow, while the foot of the mountain is the typical tropical landscape of the equator. This snow-capped mountain on the equator truly interprets the "ice and fire" and it has to be said to be a miracle of nature.

Where does the “Roof of Africa” come from?

Mount Kilimanjaro is located near the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, and its formation is inseparable from plate tectonic activity.

The Great Rift Valley of East Africa is the largest and deepest rift valley on the earth's surface, extending nearly 6,000 kilometers from north to south. The Great Rift Valley of East Africa is formed by the internal cracking of the African plate. The plates on both sides of the rift valley are separated from each other. In the process of the plates separating from each other, the rock layers broke and sank, forming a great rift valley.

When the crust broke and formed the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, the crust rose sharply and a large amount of magma gushed out, forming a series of volcanoes on both sides of the Great Rift Valley, the highest of which is Mount Kilimanjaro. At present, Mount Kilimanjaro has stopped its magma activity and is a dormant volcano.

The highest volcano is a snowy mountain? And it's on the equator?

Is Mount Kilimanjaro just a snowy mountain? No, it is not only a snowy mountain, but also a volcano! Its central volcanic cone, Hulu Peak, is 5,892 meters above sea level, making it the highest volcano in the world.

It is so hot near the equator, and Kilimanjaro is a volcano, so why are there snow-capped mountains and even glaciers? This is related to the altitude of Kilimanjaro.

We know that the temperature depends on the amount of ground radiation. The farther from the ground, the lower the temperature. The temperature drops by about 6°C for every 1,000 meters of elevation. The air in the high altitude is thin, and there are few substances such as water vapor and dust that can absorb solar radiation. In addition, the scarcity of carbon dioxide, dust, and water vapor weakens their role in insulating the atmosphere, and ground radiation is easily lost. Therefore, the temperature in the mountains is generally lower.

The average temperature in the equatorial region is generally around 28°C. If the mountain is more than 5,000 meters high, the temperature at the top will drop below 0°C. Therefore, although the foothills are near the equator and extremely hot, the top of the mountain will still be covered with snow.

The highest peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, "Liberty Peak", has an altitude of 5,895 meters, which explains why it is a snowy mountain.

Beautiful snow-capped mountains

The scenery of Mount Kilimanjaro is very unique. The environment of the entire mountain range spans a wide range, from the equatorial climate to the polar climate. You can see several seasons on the mountain. The foot of the mountain below 200 meters is the dry and hot African savannah, 500 meters above is the vast and lush tropical rainforest, and above that is the tundra area where the temperature and humidity gradually decrease. Above 5,000 meters is the alpine glacier covered with ice and snow all year round with a temperature below zero degrees Celsius.

It is worth mentioning that Mount Kilimanjaro is known as the easiest peak to climb in the world and the only one of the seven summits in the world that can be climbed without professional training. But even so, you should pay attention to safety when climbing.