Why does Eastern Africa have some of Africa’s highest elevations?

Eastern Africa features some of the continent’s highest elevations primarily due to tectonic processes that caused significant surface uplift and extensive volcanic activity.12

The region's high relief is largely attributed to the heating of the underlying lithosphere, which caused thermal expansion and a subsequent rise of the surface. This uplift is closely associated with the East African Rift System, a massive tectonic feature that has been forming for approximately 30 million years.23

This rifting process has been accompanied by widespread volcanism, which is responsible for many of the region's most prominent high peaks, including Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. While the Ethiopian Plateau stands high due to the heating of the underlying lithosphere, it is also significantly covered by Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Consequently, these combined geological forces have created a landscape of high plateaus and towering volcanic massifs that contrast sharply with the lower elevations found in other parts of the continent.1324