Located 70km west of Mount Kilimanjaro, just north of the city of Arusha, Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano, which constitutes the topographic centerpiece of Arusha National Park. At a height of 4,562.13m, it is visible from Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day, and is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania, and the fifth in Africa. Its fertile slopes rise above the surrounding savanna and support a forest that hosts diverse wildlife, including nearly 400 species of birds, and also monkeys and leopards.
Much of its bulk was lost about 8,000 years ago due to an eastward volcanic blast, similar to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the U.S. state of Washington. Mount Meru most recently had a minor eruption in 1910. The several small cones and craters seen in the vicinity probably reflect numerous episodes of volcanic activity. The Momella route - which starts at Momella gate, on the eastern side of the mountain - is used to climb the mountain.
About the stamp
The stamp is part of the series Tourist Attractions, about which I wrote here.
References
Mount Meru (Tanzania) - Wikipedia
Sender: Ahmed Abbas Maswood (direct swap)
Sent from Dar es Salaam (Dar es Salaam / Tanzania), on 27.04.2017
Photo: S. Chomoco
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