Mount Kilimanjaro
Why in News: A group of climbers from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) in Darjeeling recently reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
About Mount Kilimanjaro:
- Tallest Mountain in Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the largest free-standing mountain in the world, meaning it is not part of any mountain range.
- Location: It is situated in northeastern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya.
- Geographical Extent: The mountain spans approximately 50 miles (80 km) from east to west.
- Stratovolcano Structure: Kilimanjaro is a stratovolcano composed of three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.
- Volcanic Status: Kibo is the highest of the three cones and is a dormant volcano, while Mawenzi and Shira are extinct.
- Uhuru Peak: The highest point on Kilimanjaro, known as Uhuru Peak, is located on the Kibo cone and is the highest free-standing peak in Africa.
- Snow-Capped Peak: Kilimanjaro is famous for its snow-covered peak.
- Vegetation Zones: The mountain features five main vegetation zones, ranging from the lower slopes to the summit: lower slopes, montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert, and summit.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site: Kilimanjaro National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
Yamuna River
Why in News: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has requested explanations from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and several other agencies concerning construction activities on the Yamuna floodplain.
About Yamuna River:
- Major Tributary: The Yamuna River, also known as Jumna, is the primary tributary of the Ganges River.
- Origin: The river originates in the high Himalayas from the Yamunotri Glacier at an elevation of 4,421 meters.
Course:
- Length and Flow: The Yamuna spans 1,376 km, flowing entirely within India and passing through the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
- Initial Flow: It flows southward swiftly through the Himalayan foothills and, after exiting Uttarakhand, enters the Indo-Gangetic Plain, marking the boundary between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
- Canals: The Eastern and Western Yamuna canals are fed by the river at this point.
- Passage Through Delhi: The Yamuna then flows through Delhi, where it supplies water to the Agra Canal.
- Confluence: Near Prayagraj (Allahabad), after covering about 855 miles (1,376 km), the Yamuna merges with the Ganges River. The confluence is a highly sacred site for Hindus and hosts annual festivals as well as the Kumbh Mela every 12 years.
Tributaries:
- Tons River: Near Dehradun, the Yamuna is joined by its largest tributary, the Tons River.
- Chambal River: The Chambal River is the largest right-bank tributary of the Yamuna.
- Other Tributaries: Additional important tributaries include the Hindon, Sarda, and Giri rivers on the right, and the Betwa and Sindh rivers on the left.
Great Barrier Reef
Why in News: A recent study reveals that water temperatures in and around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have reached their highest levels in 400 years over the past decade.
About the Great Barrier Reef:
- Coral Reef Complex: The Great Barrier Reef is a vast and intricate system of coral reefs, shoals, and islets located in the Pacific Ocean.
- Location: It is situated off the northeastern coast of Australia in the Coral Sea.
- World’s Longest Reef Complex: The Great Barrier Reef is the longest and largest reef complex in the world, and it is also the largest living structure on Earth.
Size and Extent:
- The reef extends in a northwest-southeast direction for more than 2,300 km.
- It is positioned at an offshore distance ranging from 16 to 160 km, with a width varying from 60 to 250 km.
- The total area of the reef is approximately 350,000 square km.
- Visible from Space: The Great Barrier Reef, consisting of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and over 900 islands, is large enough to be seen from space.
- World Heritage Site: UNESCO designated the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
- Marine Protected Area: Much of the reef is under protection as a marine area, managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority of Australia.
Biodiversity:
- The reef is home to approximately 2,000 species of fish and around 600 different species of coral.
- It also hosts 4,000 species of mollusks and over 250 species of shrimp.
- The reef is a habitat for six of the seven known species of sea turtles, more than a dozen sea snakes, and nearly two dozen species of birds.
Ceropegia Shivrayiana
Why in News: A newly discovered flowering plant species from the Ceropegia genus has been found within the Vishalgad area in Maharashtra and has been named Ceropegia Shivrayiana.
About Ceropegia Shivrayiana:
- Naming: The flowering plant species Ceropegia Shivrayiana is named in honor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
- Discovery Location: It was discovered on Vishalgad Fort, a site associated with Shivaji Maharaj.
- Flower Characteristics: The plant features unique, tubular flowers that are adapted to attract moths for pollination.
- Habitat: Ceropegia Shivrayiana thrives in rocky terrains and can grow in nutrient-poor or less fertile soils.
- Family: It belongs to the Asclepiadaceae family, known for its medicinal plants and significant ecological roles.
- Conservation Status: The plant faces threats from habitat loss, making its conservation crucial.
Key Facts About Vishalgad Fort:
- Location: Vishalgad Fort is an ancient fort situated in Vishalgad village in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.
- Alternative Names: Locally, it is also known as Khelna or Khilna.
- Historical Significance: The fort, an important stronghold of the Maratha Empire, was built in 1058 by Shilahara king Marsinh and was originally called Khilgil.
- Historical Rulers: It has been under the control of various rulers including the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri, Allauddin Khilji, the Vijayanagar Empire, and the Adil Shahi before being captured by Shivaji Maharaj in 1659, who renamed it Vishalgad.
Famous Structures:
- Dargah: The Dargah of Hazrat Sayed Malik Rehan Meera Saheb, a popular site visited by many tourists.
- Temples: Includes Amruteshwar Temple, Shri Nrusinha Temple, and Sati’s Vrindavan.
Nankai Trough
Why in News: Japan’s meteorological agency recently reported that the probability of significant seismic activity and large tsunamis is higher than usual along the Nankai Trough.
About Nankai Trough:
- Subduction Zone: The Nankai Trough is a subduction zone located between two tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean, where significant earthquakes have occurred historically.
- Characteristics: This underwater subduction zone stretches nearly 900 km long, where the Eurasian Plate collides with the Philippine Sea Plate, causing the latter to subduct beneath the former and into the Earth’s mantle.
- Location: It extends from Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, to the southern tip of Kyushu Island.
- Seismic Activity: The Nankai Trough has experienced destructive earthquakes of magnitude eight or nine approximately every century or two.
- Tsunami Risk: These “megathrust earthquakes,” which often occur in pairs, can generate hazardous tsunamis along Japan’s southern coast.
What is a Subduction Zone?
- Definition: A subduction zone is a region where two tectonic plates collide, and one plate dives or subducts beneath the other.
- Tectonic Plates: These are segments of the Earth’s rigid outer shell that move slowly across the planet’s surface over millions of years, as part of the plate tectonics theory.
- Ring of Fire: Subduction zones form a horseshoe-shaped region around the Pacific Ocean, affecting countries like the USA, Canada, Russia, Japan, and Indonesia, extending to New Zealand and the southern tip of South America. This area is known as the “Ring of Fire.”
- Seismic and Volcanic Activity: These subduction zones are the most seismically and volcanically active areas in the world, responsible for over 80% of the largest earthquakes and most of the world’s active volcanoes.