In which African country is Mount Kilimanjaro located?

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania. The dormant volcanic massif rises in northeastern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border, and its highest summit, Uhuru Peak, reaches 5,895 metres above sea level.

Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It consists of three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Kibo is the highest and remains dormant, while Mawenzi and Shira are extinct. The mountain formed through volcanic activity associated with the East African Rift.

A common mix-up comes from photographs taken from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, where Kilimanjaro is dramatically visible across the border. However, the mountain itself, including its summit and national park, lies in Tanzania. Kilimanjaro National Park was established in 1973 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

The first recorded ascent to the summit was made in 1889 by Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller, and their Tanzanian guide Yohanas Kinyala Lauwo. The summit is now called Uhuru Peak, meaning “Freedom Peak” in Swahili.