Kenya, Mount

Mount Kenya, or Mount Kirinyaga, extinct volcano, central Kenya, just south of the equator. Its highest peak, Batian, reaches 17,058 ft (5,199 m), making Mt. Kenya the highest mountain in Africa after Kilimanjaro. In the heart of Kikuyu country, Mt. Kenya was a focal point during the Mau Mau disturbances (1952–56). The Kikuyu, Meru, and Embu people cultivate Mt. Kenya's fertile lower slopes. From 5,000 to 15,000 ft (1,524–4,572 m) are dense woodlands inhabited by elephants, buffalo, and leopards. Snowcapped Mt. Kenya has several glaciers in its uppermost regions. The national park is located there and Mt. Kenya attracts many mountain climbers from around the world.

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Publication information: Article title: Kenya, Mount. Encyclopedia title: The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. © 2012 The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. Used with the permission of Columbia University Press. All Rights Reserved. Publisher: The Columbia University Press. Place of publication: Not available. Publication year: 2013.

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