Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya (Kikuyu: Kĩrĩnyaga, Kamba, Ki Nyaa, Embu, Kirenyaa) is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the second-highest peak in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 metres (17,057 feet)), Nelion (5,188 m (17,021 ft)) and Point Lenana (4,985 m (16,355 ft)). Mount Kenya is located in the former Eastern and Central provinces of Kenya; its peak is now the intersection of Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi counties, about 16.5 kilometres (10.3 miles) south of the equator, around 150 km (90 mi) north-northeast of the capital Nairobi. Mount Kenya is the source of the name of the Republic of Kenya.
| Mount Kenya | |
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,199 m (17,057 ft) |
| Prominence | 3,825 m (12,549 ft) Ranked 32nd |
| Isolation | 323 km (201 mi) |
| Listing | Seven Second Summits Country high point Ultra |
| Coordinates | 0°9′03″S 37°18′27″E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
Mount Kenya | |
| Topo map | Mount Kenya by Wielochowski and Savage |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano (extinct) |
| Last eruption | 2.6–3.1 MYA |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 13 September 1899 by Mackinder, Ollier, and Brocherel, although the peoples of Kenya believed God (Ngai in Gikuyu) resided on this mountain and regularly ascended the peaks to perform spiritual rites. |
| Easiest route | Rock climb |
Mount Kenya is a volcano created approximately 3 million years after the opening of the East African Rift. Before glaciation, it was 7,000 m (23,000 ft) high. It was covered by an ice cap for thousands of years. This has resulted in very eroded slopes and numerous valleys radiating from the peak. There are currently 11 small glaciers, which are shrinking rapidly, and may disappear by 2050. The forested slopes are an important source of water for much of Kenya.
There are several vegetation bands from the base to the peak. The lower slopes are covered by different types of forest. Many alpine species are endemic to Mount Kenya, such as the giant lobelias and senecios and a local subspecies of rock hyrax. An area of 715 km2 (276 sq mi) around the centre of the mountain was designated a National Park and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The park receives over 16,000 visitors per year.