Sapitwa

Sapitwa or Mount Mulanje, mountain located in southeastern Malawi, 64 km (40 mi) southeast of Blantyre, near the Mozambique border. At 3,002 m (9,849 ft) above sea level, it is the highest point in central Africa. Sapitwa was formed in the late Jurassic Period (195 million to 136 million years ago) as an intrusive igneous pluton (a mass of magma forced into cracks between rocks beneath the surface of the earth), which was later exposed when the surrounding bedrock was eroded away. Annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 mm (40 to 120 in), with the most rain falling on the southeastern slope. A distinctive vegetation grows in the cool, moist climate of Sapitwa's upper slopes and is protected within a forest preserve. Tea is grown on the lower southern slopes, while tobacco, cotton, and rice are produced in the densely-populated lowlands nearby. Substantial undeveloped reserves of bauxite occur on the mountain.