Sustainable mountain development in East Africa in a changing climate

Overview of East Africa’s mountain areas and Rwanda. Mount Elgon, Africa’s oldest volcano is divided between Uganda and Kenya, while the Eastern Arc Mountains extend 600 kilometres from the south of Kenya to the southern part of Tanzania (UNEP, 2014).

Mountains cover 20 per cent of Africa’s surface area, and over half of the 54 countries in Africa have mountain peaks that rise 2,000 metres above sea level. East Africa is one of the most mountainous areas of Africa with several peaks above 4,500 metres, and is home to the three highest mountains on the continent: Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Mount Kenya (5,119 m) and the Rwenzori Mountains (5,109) (Alweny and Gatarabirwa, 2014; UNEP, 2014). Several mountains and mountain ranges in East Africa stretch across borders. The Ethiopian Highlands cross into Djibouti and Eritrea; the Rwenzori Mountains, known as the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ are shared between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); while the Virunga Mountains extend across Uganda, DRC

along the Albertine Rift at the northern end of the Western Rift. The Ethiopian Highlands, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Aberdare Mountains, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon are located along the Eastern Rift (UNEP, 2014). Volcanic mountains are the most common mountain type along the East African Rift System, where the majority of volcanic mountains in Africa are located (UNEP, 2014). Formed during different time periods, volcanic mountains are all made up of accumulated lava and ash that erupted from below the earth’s crust. Volcanoes are organized into three groups depending on their activity status: active, dormant and extinct. An active volcano has either historically or recently erupted or shown signs of unrest (USGS, 2009). Examples of active volcanoes in East Africa include Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira – two of the eight volcanic mountains in the Virunga Mountains (UNEP, 2014). Mount Nyamuragira is Africa’s most active volcano with more than 40 eruptions since 1865 (SIGVP, 2015). Dormant volcanoes have not been active for a long time, but may show signs of unrest or may erupt again. Mount Kilimanjaro and the other six volcanoes that make up the Virunga Mountains are examples of dormant volcanoes. Volcanoes that scientists consider unlikely to erupt again are known as extinct volcanoes, such as Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon (USGS, 2009; UNEP, 2014). Other important mountain types in East Africa include massifs and highlands. Massifs form when parts of the central block of the earth’s crust cracks and opposing forces push the block upward. Examples include the Rwenzori Mountains and the Eastern Arc Mountains. Volcanic mountains can also be massifs, such as Kilimanjaro, which is the largest

The majority of East Africa’s mountains are situated along the East African Rift System, stretching 3,000 kilometres from Djibouti in the north to Malawi in the south. The rift began to develop 22-25 million years ago when the Somali plate broke away from the African plate, also known as the Nubian. Today, it is the largest active rift in the world. The rift is divided into two parts: the Eastern Rift Valley (Ethiopia and Tanzania) and the Western Rift Valley (Uganda and Malawi). Two large mountain ranges, the Rwenzori Mountains and Virunga Mountains, are situated

Agriculture and livestock, Kinigi, Rwanda

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