African Glaciers Have Lost Over 90% of Their Ice Since the 1800s
Glaciers on Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori range have shrunk by more than nine-tenths since the late 19th century, reflecting rapid warming across Africa.
The continent’s only remaining ice caps—on Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori Mountains bordering Uganda and the DRC—have contracted by over 90% since the 1800s. A United Nations climate assessment notes that Africa is heating faster than the global average, with Mount Kenya’s ice losing more than half its area in the past decade. Although these glaciers are too small to serve as major water stores, scientists say they preserve valuable records of historic temperature and rainfall patterns.
Why it matters
The loss of Africa's glaciers erases vital climate history and signals accelerating regional warming.
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