Mount Meru (Tanzania)

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Mount Meru

Mount Meru, October 2002
Elevation 4,565 m (14,977 ft)[1]
Prominence 3,170 m (10,400 ft)[1]
Ranked 72nd
Listing Ultra
Location
Mount Meru
Location in Tanzania
Location Arusha Region, Tanzania
Coordinates 3°14′48″S 36°44′54″E / 3.24667°S 36.74833°E / -3.24667; 36.74833Coordinates: 3°14′48″S 36°44′54″E / 3.24667°S 36.74833°E / -3.24667; 36.74833[1]
Geology
Type Stratovolcano
Last eruption 1910[2]
Climbing
First ascent 1904 by Fritz Jäger[3]
Easiest route Hike

Mount Meru is an active stratovolcano located 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Mount Kilimanjaro in the nation of Tanzania. At a height of 4,565 metres (14,977 ft), it is visible from Mt Kilimanjaro on a clear day,[4] and is the ninth or tenth highest mountain in Africa, dependent on definition. Much of its bulk was lost about 8,000[citation needed] years ago due to an eastward volcanic blast, similar to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the U.S. state of Washington. Mount Meru most recently had a minor eruption in 1910.[2] The several small cones and craters seen in the vicinity probably reflect numerous episodes of volcanic activity.

Mount Meru's ash cone that has formed in the old crater.

Mount Meru is the topographic centerpiece of Arusha National Park. Its fertile slopes rise above the surrounding savanna and support a forest that hosts diverse wildlife, including nearly 400 species of birds, and also monkeys and leopards.


As seen from Mount Kilimanjaro, 3D computer generated image

See also

References

External links

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