Mount Meru (Tanzania)
| Mount Meru | |
|---|---|
Mount Meru with snow | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,562.13 m (14,967.6 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 3,170 m (10,400 ft)[1] Ranked 72nd |
| Listing | Ultra Mountains of Africa 8th |
| Coordinates | 3°14′48″S 36°44′54″E / 3.24667°S 36.74833°E[1] |
| Geography | |
Location in Tanzania Mount Meru (Tanzania) (Africa) Mount Meru (Tanzania) (Earth) | |
| Location | Arusha Region, Tanzania |
| Geology | |
| Formed by | Volcanism along the Gregory Rift |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | October to December 1910[2] |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1904 by Fritz Jäger[3] |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano located 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Kilimanjaro in southeast Arusha Region, Tanzania. At a height of 4,562.13 metres (14,968 ft),[1][4] it is visible from Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day,[5] and is the eighth-highest mountain of Africa[a].
Mount Meru is located just north of the city of Arusha, in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. It is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania, after Mount Kilimanjaro, and the highest mountain in Arusha Region. The Momella route – which starts at Momella gate, on the eastern side of the mountain – is the most common route for climbers to reach the peak.[6] The peak is called "Socialist Peak".[7]
Mount Meru's lavas are alkaline in character and include nephelinite.[8] Much of the mountain's height was lost about 7,800 years ago due to a summit collapse.[9] 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 caldera is 2.2 miles (3.5 km) wide.[10]
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, as well as monkeys and leopards.[11]
The movie Hatari! was filmed at the foot of Mountain Meru.[12]
On September 20, 2015, satellite imagery showed a plume rising on north flank of Mount Meru. This was first thought to have been an eruption, however later evidence showed the plume was created by a wildfire, not an eruption. [13]
See also
Notes
- ^ Using 500 meters of Topographic prominence as the cutoff for an independent mountain
References
- ^ a b c d Africa Ultra-Prominences Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
- ^ a b "Meru". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
- ^ Mount Meru at SummitPost.org
- ^ "Mount Meru, Tanzania". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2014-08-27.
- ^ "A view of Mount Meru from Mount Kilimanjaro". Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ Tanzania travel guide (6 ed.). Lonely Planet. June 2015. p. 168. ISBN 978-1742207797.
- ^ "Arusha Meru Geopark: Tanzania National Parks". tanzaniaparks.go.tz. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ Wilkinson, P; Mitchell, JG; Cattermole, PJ; Downie, C. (1986). "Volcanic chronology of the Meru-Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania". Journal of the Geological Society. 143. London: 601–605.
- ^ "Glocal Volcanism Program - Meru". Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ "Meru, Tanzania". Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ^ "Arusha National Park". Arusha National Park. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Hawks, Howard (1962-06-19), Hatari! (Action, Adventure, Comedy), John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli, Hardy Krüger, Malabar, retrieved 2024-12-09
- ^ Schmaltz, Jeff (2015-09-20), Plume from Mount Meru, Tanzania (Science), Kathryn Hasen, NASA, retrieved 2025-09-21
External links
- "Mount Meru". Peakware.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- Mount Meru Climb Information
- Satellite pictures of Mount Meru