Kilimanjaro (or Kilima Njaro, which means "shining mountain" in Swahili), formerly Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze, is a mountain in northeastern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain rise in the world, rising 4600 meters (15,000 ft) from the base, and is the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 meters (19,340 ft). It gives a dramatic view from the surrounding plains. Almost 85% of the ice cover on Kilimanjaro disappeared from October 1912 to June 2011.