Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the world's highest free-standing mountain at 19,340 ft. It lies 205 miles south of the equator and stands on Tanzania's northern border with Kenya. Kilimajaro is composed of 3 extinct volcanoes: Kibo (19,340 feet), Mawenzi (16,896 feet), and Shira (13,000 feet), supporting 5 major eco-zones: rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and glaciers

 

 After reaching a height thought to be 5900 meters during its last major eruption 360,000 years ago, Kibo has been eroded by glaciers, rivers and landslides to its present height. Recently scientists discovered that Kibo is losing glaciers due to global warming and could perhaps be completely gone in less than 20 years.