The Mount Kilimanjaro is not only the largest mountain in Africa it is also the world’s tallest freestanding mountain reaching 19,340 feet above the sea level. The meaning of Kilimanjaro means the ‘Mountain of Greatness’. It is the most familiar snow-capped mountain throughout the Africa. Currently, it is a stratovolcano and the mount lies in northern Tanzania.
Facts
The Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak of Africa being covered in snow all year round.
There are three volcanic summits of Kilimanjaro and these are Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira.
The mountain has a large crater in its rim. The length of the crater is about one mile while the depth averages 1,000 feet (305 m).
It has inspired climbers for centuries. The mount is a real challenge not only for new adventurers but also for the expert climbers. Having said so, very few people have managed to ascend to the very top.
The indigenous people are thought to be first one to climb and so were the European adventurers who began climbing 300 years ago.
According to a rough estimate, every year about 30,000 aspiring climbers attempt to conquer it however only 50 – 60% could manage to do so.
Johannes Rebmann was the first European to have climbed the Kilimanjaro. He was a German-Swedish missionary.
Prominent among the local tribes are Wachagga and Chagga. These tribes live in the surroundings of Kilimanjaro. It is extremely hard for mountaineers to get to the summit Kibo without the local guide because these guides are pretty much familiar to all the terrains of the mountain.
According to the local people, Yohani Kinyala Lauwo is the first person to ascend the Mount Kilimanjaro. Locals tell the stories of Kinyala that the boy was so eager even in his childhood that he could spend his time exploring the mountain forest or sliding through the slopes. However authentic this may be the first person to ascend the Kilimanjaro Mountain is Hans Meyer. Hans ascent the mountain in October 1889.
The width of Kibo is about 15 miles (24 km).
Karl Egloff holds the current record of the fastest ascent and descent from the Mount Kilimanjaro. He took 6 hours and 43 minutes to complete the mission. He held the record since 13 August 2014.
The fastest climber in females is Anne-Marie Flammersfeld. She finished off in 8 hours and 32 minutes. The record occurred in July 2015.
Keats Boyd is the youngest climber to ascend the mountain. He was only 7 years of age when he summited in 2008.
Machu Picchu is a fortress and is one of the historical landmarks of South America. In Latin America, this site is one of those places that attract thousands of visitors every year from all over the world. It is also known as Machu Pikchu. The word Machu means ‘old’ and Pikchu means ‘Mountain’. So the word Machu Pikchu means ‘old peak’.
A Quick Guide To Machu Picchu Facts For Kids
Height above sea level: 2,430 meters
Location: Cusco region, Urubamba
Country: Peru
Name of Empire who built it: Inca Empire
Name of Inca Emperor: Pachacuti (1438–1472)
Basic Machu Picchu Facts For Kids
Introduction
It is the site of the Inca Empire that ruled in Peru from 13th century to 16th century.
The Incas made this fortress in 1450.
The height of Machu Picchu is 2,430 meters from sea level.
It is found in the Cusco region of Urubamba River.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located below this fortress.
It is believed that this peak was made for an Inca Emperor named Pachacuti.
Hiram Bingham
A US explorer named Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu on July 24, 1911.
Bingham found this fortress with the help of local people. A boy named Pablito Alvarez was just 11 years old when he showed the way to Bingham toward Machu Picchu.
Bingham described his personal experiences while exploring Machu Picchu fortress in various books which he had written.
The name of the most famous book of Bingham is ‘Lost City of the Incas’.
Construction
Machu Picchu was built during the times of two emperors of Inca Empire. The names of these emperors are Tupac Inca Yupanqui and Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui.
The mountain has been repaired for quite a number of times. Until 1976, almost 30 percent of the mountain was brought back to its original condition.
The names of 3 main structures of Machu Picchu are ‘Room of the Three Windows’, ‘Temple of the Sun’ and Inti Watana.
All of the three structures are found in the ‘Sacred District’ of this mountain. Sacred District is a special name given by archaeologists.
More Machu Picchu Facts For Kids
When the Spanish conquered Peru in 1572, they failed to notice Machu Picchu. The Spanish had destroyed most of the major sites except this citadel.
Today it is believed that majority of its residents were killed because of smallpox.
Cusco was the capital of Inca Empire and this fortress is situated at just 80 kilometers away.
The site of Machu Picchu was announced by Peru as a ‘Historical Sanctuary’ in 1981. The total size of this site is just about 326 square kilometers.
In 1983, it was declared the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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Mountains are formed when tectonic plates collide with each other and the planet’s crust is subjected to great forces. Unlike few that can stand independently in summit, most mountains are part of the ranges. Mountains are generally eaten away by rivers, weather conditions, and glaciers even though the erosion takes place very gradually.
Mountain Facts For Kids
What is the Highest Unclimbed Mountain?
Gangkhar Puensum is the highest unclimbed mountain with the elevation measuring at 7570 m (24,836 feet). The mountain is in Bhutan at the border with China.
Tallest Mountain in the Solar System
The Olympus Mons on Mars is the tallest mountain in the solar system in comparison to the Mount Everest and Mauna Kea on Earth. The height of Olympus Mons is 21.9 km and it was discovered in 1971.
How many Mountains are there with the height over 7,000 meters?
There are more than 100 mountains with the height over 7,200 m above sea level. These mountains stand in the central and southern Asia.
The highest climbed Mountain on Earth
Mount Everest is the highest climbed mountain with the height measuring at 29,029 ft.
What is the other name of K2?
Godwin Austen is the other name of K2.
The Smallest Mountain on Earth
Mount Wycheproof is the smallest mountain with the height of only 47 m. It stands in Victoria, Australia.
How much area do Mountains cover?
Mountain facts for kids
Mountains cover almost one-fifth of the world’s surface and they exist in every continent except on oceans.
People living in Mountains
Around 12 percent of world’s population lives in mountains.
The most Dangerous Mountain
Eiger is the most dangerous mountain with the height of 3,970 m in the Swiss Alps. No one successfully ascent the mountain and since 1935, 64 climbers had attempted but none survived. It has earned a nickname of “Murder Wall”.
The Longest Mountain Range
The Ocean Ridge is the world’s largest mountain range with the length measuring at 65,000 km (40,400 mi)
Smallest Mountain Range
The Californian Sutter Buttes is the world’s smallest mountain range covering only 75 square miles.
Highest Mountain in Africa
Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa with the height of 5,895 m (19,340 ft). It is located in Tanzania.
The Function of Mountains
These mountains provide a major force to prevent the earth from unnecessary shocks. Had there been no mountains there would hardly be any balance on earth. It serves the same purpose as a nail that holds down a tent so that the tent never flies off.
Why is life tougher on Mountains?
Life is quite tough on mountains precisely due to the less oxygen and less carbon dioxide. One could hardly find any animals or plants surviving at the peak of mountains.
The Tallest Mountain Underwater
Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain underwater with the height of 13,803 feet. It is located in Hawaii.
Barberton Greenstone Belt
Barberton greenstone belt are the oldest mountains on earth with the age of 3.6 billion years ago. These ranges are situated in South Africa.
The Vesuvius is probably the most active volcano in the entire Europe which is believed to have caused as much damage as any other volcanic eruption. The volcano has long been admired for its silent yet deadly nature to the inhabitants of Europe and to the residents of Southern Italy in particular.
Mount Vesuvius Facts For Kids
The Vesuvius is a distinctive cone-shaped mountain the height of which is measured around 4000 feet on the north-eastern side of the Bay of Naples.
While Mount Vesuvius is commonly seen as a regular cone-shaped mountain, it nevertheless consists of two peaks that are almost equal in elevation. One of these peaks is called Monte Somma while the other that seems properly applicable is known as Vesuvius. Both these peaks stand on the great mountain called Mount Vesuvius.
The Mount Vesuvius measures around 30 miles in circumference and is almost entirely circular in shape.
The mountain seems to have a circular base that indeed supports the two small mountains—one is cone-shaped and is comparatively taller whereas the other one is semicircular ridge little less in elevation.
The Vesuvius was formed when two tectonic plates collided with each other. These two plates were Eurasian and African.
Although the Mountain has undergone many different eruptions in the last 17,000 years, the worst ever was 79 A.D. eruption that took the entire city of Pompeii and killed everyone on its way. The eruption led to the demise of 16,000 people who indeed turned into Ash, mud, and rocks. This is believed to be the worst ever disaster in the history of the world. The recent scientific studies suggest that the height of the primary eruption of ash measured in between 49,000 – 98,000 ft.
According to the Roman poet, Pliny the Younger, who was the only eyewitness of the disaster, there was a cloud of ash and fumes all around with the height reached 20 miles above the ground. The speed of molten rocks was 1.5 million tons per second. The intensity of the disaster was so much so that it released a thermal energy that was hundred thousand times than that discharged by Hiroshima bombing.
The 79 A.D. eruption underwent two different phases: Plinian Phase and Pelean Phase. In the Plinian phase, all the ashes and fumes were expelled in the upward direction then immediately falling on earth like a rain. In Pelean phase which was possibly the most destructive phase, these ashes move as fast as possible down the sides of the volcanoes. They had run like an avalanche of smoke and dust leaving little time to react.
The 79 A.D. eruption had continued for at least 48 hours.
Beginning in 1631, Vesuvius had seen an array of volcanic activities and the late 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s, saw several volcanic eruptions. These eruptions could at times kill people while sometimes it destroyed the whole town.
The volcanic eruption of 1906 killed 100 people.
The most recent and last eruption took place in the World War II in 1944 when the volcanic ashes and mud took away with it all the Allied forces in Italy. It devastated all fighter planes.
Since 1944, the Mount Vesuvius had been quiet and silent. However, the region had experienced quite a number of minor earthquakes since 1944.
The mountain is deemed to have formed some 25,000 years before.
The world has just celebrated 60th anniversary since the time when Mount Everest was first climbed. Mount Everest is called the ‘roof of the earth’ as it is situated in the highest mountainous ranges of the earth. The Himalayas range runs along 1,500 miles (2,400 km) and it adds in many world’s tallest peaks in the world…If you’re curious enough to know some other mount everest facts for kids then stick to the end.
The official measurements suggest that Mount Everest is 29,029 feet (8,848 m) above the sea level and it stands in between Nepal and Tibet. This is the highest peak in the Himalayas range, and in the world. The peak is given high respect by both Nepal and Tibet (China) and they regard it as the holy place full of mystery and power.
Mount Everest Facts For Kids
There are 14 highest peaks in the world, 10 of which are found in the Himalayas alone. All these peaks are at a height of 26,250 feet (8,000 m) high above the sea level. Three Asian countries, apart from China, share the range of Himalayas; Nepal, Pakistan, and Bhutan.
The Himalayas is the youngest range on mother earth since it formed just only 60 million years ago. All throughout the year, the peak is lost in snow and thick clouds.
While conquering the highest peak in the world gives you the sense of achievement it also offers the world’s most inhospitable environments to its climbers. There is only one-third of the oxygen at Mount Everest which means that climbers must fight against the strong hurricane-force winds and suffocation at the same time.
The temperature at the summit can be as low as -76o F (-60o C). This is observed in January but the ideal time to climb the summit is at the start of May before monsoon season when the temperature is around about -2o F. Since 1969, every year brings one human death on Mount Everest except 1977.
The winds at the Everest peak blow at the rate of 200 miles per hour.
The year of 1993 is believed to be the safest year so far as the Everest climbing is concerned. Out of 129 climbers, only eight lost their lives. 1996 is however the worst year in that it brings 15 casualties.
According to an estimate, there are around 120 dead bodies buried in the Everest Mountain.
Junko Tabei of Japan was the first woman ever to climb Mount Everest. She achieved the impossible in 1975.
There are 18 different routes to the Everest.
If you’re planning to climb the highest peak, then you must bring a lot of money with you. The Nepalese government charge $ 26,500 for the permit.
Namesake | Why is it called Mount Everest?
The peak is named in the honor of Sir George Everest, a British general and a surveyor who had never seen Mount Everest. The Nepalese however call this peak ‘Sagarmatha’ which means ‘mother Goddess of the World’. Isn’t it strange that the peak is named after a British mapping surveyor who never experienced the most inhospitable environments of Mount Everest? It so happened that in 1820s some British surveyors set out an expedition to map the biggest mountainous ranges in the world, Himalayas. But Nepal and Tibet in which Himalayas are situated never allowed them so they started measuring from as much as one hundred miles away from Himalayas. Remarkably enough, those surveyors were able to take precise measurements of Mount Everest even at a fairly great distance. The peak was then named as peak 15.
Himalayas Range is Constantly Moving | Mount Everest Facts For Kids
All continents of the earth experience a very slight movement every year. This movement might be in inches. Around one hundred million years ago, an ocean was parted from the rest of Asia. We now know this ocean by the name of India. Forty million years ago India tilled into Asia which gave rise to a collision. This collision is still observable. India is inching towards north precisely at 2.5 inches drifting each year. As a result it pushes Himalayan range as it goes on. Apart from its horizontal movement, the Mount Everest also rises 3 – 6 mm each year.
When the First Time Mount Everest was climbed?
The Mount Everest was first surmounted in the year 1953. Even though many climbers made successful attempts to ascend the summit after the first climb, many could not make it and died in vain. The reports suggest that almost 5 % of the international climbers ended in calamity.
Who were the First Father-and-Son to Climb Mount Everest?
Sir Edmund Hillary’s son Peter Hillary conquered the mountain in 1990, setting the world record of being the first son and father to ascend the summit.
Sir Edmund Hillary (Extreme Left) is the first climber of M.E. Credit: www.itv.com
Who was the First to Climb Mount Everest?
(Mount Everest Facts For Kids)
Sir Edmund Hillary was the first person to climb Mount Everest in 1953. It was an expedition of New Zealand explorers who aimed to achieve the impossible by reaching the highest peak. Hillary was accompanied by another explorer Tenzing Norgay. They both were the members of Royal Geographic Society (RGS). Before 1953, a good many number of explorers made an attempt to reach the peak but none succeeded. Some returned unsuccessfully while others lost their lives in the process.
Although Hillary and Tenzing were the only two to reach the top, they were nevertheless convoyed by hundreds of other members including 35 Sherpa guides, almost 20 tons of food, 350 porters and above all, 12 climbers. Had there been no Nepalese men (Sherpa) in the team, it would have been well-nigh impossible to reach the peak. These Sherpa were used to live in the shadow of the Mount Everest and therefore their help was more than a mere assistance.
Who is the Youngest Person to Climb Mount Everest?
Jordon Romero of United States is the youngest individual to climb Mount Everest. He was only 13 years 10 months and 8 days old when he ascended the summit. Jordon made this successful attempt in May 22, 2010.
Which Year saw the most number of attempts at Mount Everest?
The year 2007 holds the world record of maximum number of attempts to climb the highest peak. There were 633 attempts made in this year to conquer Mount Everest.
Who is the Youngest Girl to Climb Mount Everest?
(Mount Everest Facts For Kids)
Ming Kepa, the Sherpa girl of Nepal holds the world record as the world’s youngest person to climb Mount Everest before Jordon made an attempt. She was only 15 when she reached the top. The record was retained from 2003 to 2010; however, she still holds the title of being the youngest girl ever to reach the roof of the world. Ming made an attempt from the Chinese side because the Nepalese law does not allow climbers under the age of 16 to ascend.
What was the Fastest ascent from the Everest Base Camp and Who did this?
Pem Dorjee of Nepal holds the title of being the only person who ascent the summit from the base camp in the shortest possible time. He did this in just 8 hours and 10 minutes. The record was made in May 21, 2004. Dorjee has climbed Mount Everest twice in his lifetime.
What was the First Couple to be married on top of the Mount Everest?
(Mount Everest Facts For Kids)
The first couple ever to hold the title of getting married at the summit was Pam Dorjee and his wife Moni Mulepati. They both went to the top without telling even to their parents.
Who holds the title of the Longest Stay on the Summit?
Babu Chiri Shirpa holds the record for staying on the summit the longest. Chiri spent 21 hours on the summit. Previously he holds two Everest records; one is the longest stay and the other one is the fastest ascent from the base camp in 16 hours and 56 minutes. The latter was broken by Pam Dorjee. However, Babu is the only person to have reached the summit ten times in his lifetimes. He was a legendary guide.
Who is the Oldest Person to climb Mount Everest?
Yuichiro Miura of Japan is the oldest person to climb Mount Everest. He was 80 years and 224 days old when he got the peak. Miura broke the record in May 23, 2013. Miura stayed in summit for half an hour, after taking some photos he returned back with other climbers.
Who is the First Paraglider to have descent from Mount Everest?
Jean-Marc Boivin of Franceis the first paraglider to have descent from the Everest summit. The French mountaineer and extreme skier also hold many other records for gliding but the best of his was dangerous gliding from the summit. Unfortunately, he lost his life while paragliding from the highest waterfalls in the world, Angel Falls.
Which is the only animal in the Mount Everest?
The jumping spider is the only animal that lives in the Mount Everest. It is found at a height of 22,000 feet above the sea level.
Who are the First Twins ever to Reach the Summit?
Last year two Indian sisters became the inspiration for many school kids when they scaled the highest peak in the world—Mount Everest. Nungshi Malik and her sister Malik created a history on May 2013 when they conquered Mount Everest. Besides, they have also ascent many other peaks including Mount McKinley, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Mount Elbrus. At present these two sisters are delivering gender-related lectures to the parents who are reluctant to send their children (especially daughters) to a new expedition.
Karl Egloff holds the current record of the fastest ascent and descent from the Mount Kilimanjaro. He took 6 hours and 43 minutes to complete the mission. He held the record since 13 August 2014.
Hiram Bingham
The Vesuvius was formed when two tectonic plates collided with each other. These two plates were Eurasian and African.
Namesake | Why is it called Mount Everest?