Located in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain at about 5,895 meters (19,340 feet). It is the largest free-standing mountain rise in the world, meaning it is not part of a mountain range.

Also called a stratovolcano (a term for a very large volcano made of ash, lava and rock), Kilimanjaro is made up of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. Kibo is the summit of the mountain and the tallest of the three volcanic formations. While Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, Kibo is considered dormant and could possibly erupt again. Scientists estimate that the last time it erupted was 360,000 years ago. The highest point on Kibo’s crater rim is called Uhuru, the Swahili word for “freedom.”

No one knows how Kilimanjaro got its name. It may come from the Swahili word Kilima (meaning “mountain”) and the KiChagga word Njaro (meaning “shining” or “whiteness”); the mountain is known for its snow-capped peak. Some local people living in the foothills of the mountain, including the Chagga and the Maasai, view it as the seat of God.

Unfortunately, the white snow that the mountain is named for may soon disappear. Over the last hundred years, all of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers have begun to retreat. Some have vanished altogether. Scientists have studied satellite images and learned that Kilimanjaro has lost more than 90 percent of its ice since 1900. Many experts are studying the causes of this catastrophic melt.

The people who live in the vicinity of Kilimanjaro are an important part of the mountain’s history. In 1889, local climber Yohani Kinyala Lauwo (also known as Mzee Lauwo) guided German geographer Hans Meyer and Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller to the Kilimanjaro summit. Lauwo then became the first Tanzanian to reach the peak at the age of 18. Purtscheller and Meyer were the first Europeans to summit. Lauwo was a member of the Chagga tribe. The Chagga have lived on Kilimanjaro’s slopes for centuries. Lauwo went on to guide climbers to Kilimanjaro’s summit for more than 50 years, dying at the age of 125.

Kilimanjaro continues to be a popular hiking spot. This is partly because the hiking routes do not require as much equipment or experience as mountains of similar heights. Tens of thousands of climbers ascend the mountain each year. The climb is still dangerous, however, because of the risk of altitude sickness. Climbers can experience altitude sickness if they ascend too quickly, and it can be deadly if not treated right away.

In 1973, the mountain and its six surrounding forest corridors were named Kilimanjaro National Park. The park was named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1987. These measures can help protect the area’s unique environment. A variety of animals live in the area surrounding the mountain, including the blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis).