The Danakil Depression is the northern part of the Afar Triangle or Afar Depression, a geological depression that has resulted from the presence of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa. The Danakil Depression is located in the Afar region near the Eritrean and Djibouti borders. The Afar region is referred to as the cradle of hominids after archeologists found the famous Lucy fossils dated 3.2 million years back in 1974. The Danakil Depression is most famous for being the hottest place on earth in terms of year round average temperatures. It is also one of the lowest places on the planet and there is no rain for most of the year. Here, the Awash River dries up in a chain of salt lakes never reaching the Indian Ocean. The Afari people living in the region are pastoralists and engaged in salt mining. In addition to the Dallol sulfur springs, tourists come to see the active volcano Erta Ale, one of several magma crater lakes bubbling from the earth’s core. The Danakil Depression has the highest average temperature of 34 degrees celsius, day and night.
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 06:30:54 +0000
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