12 °c
London
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
No Result
View All Result
Home Environment

Ethiopia Danakil depression – the hottest place on earth

See Africa Today by See Africa Today
January 22, 2022
in Africa, Environment, Ethiopia, Weekend
Reading Time: 3 mins read
883 9
0
Share via QRWhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterLinkedInPinteresteMail

At 100 meters below sea level, Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression is one of the world’s hottest and lowest spots. It is a hub for research on the climate and the survival of extremophile microbes.
The depressions came about after the evaporation of an inland water body and is located near the northern end of the Great Rift Valley. It is isolated from the Red Sea by active volcanoes.

The Danakil Depression is part of the African Rift, which stretches from Lake Tanganyika and Malawi up to the Red Sea and into the Dead Sea of Jordan and Israel.

All the water that enters Danakil evaporates, and there are no streams flowing out of this severe environment. More than ten million tons of salt have been spread over it – that’s what compounds the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia.

Danakil Depression.

Does Anyone Live in the Danakil Depression?

The Danakil Depression is an area plagued by separatist violence. Despite this, people continue to live here despite its extreme conditions, somehow managing to survive. The Afar people live here.

In order to make a livelihood, the Afar people who reside here rely on the few flora that thrives. They also hugely rely on camel farming which provides transportation services for the few visitors who visit the Danakil Depression.

Camels are essential to the survival of the region. The fact that they can survive in this environment makes them one of the few mammals on the planet.

Also read: Electric cars in Ethiopia to lead out elite races

It should come as no surprise that you will observe them walking around on the depression’s floor as well.

Besides the depression, there is also Erta Ale volcano – there is an Afar settlement. The Erta Ale volcano is one of the most impressive natural features in the area. With just six open lava lakes in the world, it is also the oldest, having first shown itself in 1906.

It is also one of the most beautiful. The hike to Erta Ale is nine miles long and must be completed at night in order to avoid the heat of the daytime sun.

Why is Danakil Depression so Hot?

Throughout Danakil, lava lakes bubble out from within the volcanic calderas of the Dallol area. Hot springs and hydrothermal pools fill the air with the unique rotten-egg smell of sulfur from nearby hot springs and hydrothermal pools.

The youngest volcano on the planet, Dallol, is only a few thousand years old. It originally erupted on the scene in 1926. The entire location lies more than 100 meters below sea level, making it one of the world’s lowest points on the surface of the earth.

This geographical marvel makes Danakil the hottest place on earth.

To the amazement of many, despite its toxic climate and lack of rainfall, it is home to a variety of life forms, including microorganisms.

Extremophiles are creatures that thrive in hostile conditions, such as the Danakil Depression. Toxic volcanic gases in the air elevated soil metal concentrations, and high saline and acid content in the ground and air can’t harm these extremophiles.

Prokaryotic bacteria are the most common form of extremophile found in the Danakil Depression. They are among the planet’s oldest living organisms.

Danakil Depression.

How Deep is the Danakil Depression?

Danakil Depression is around 410 feet below sea level (50 Celsius). It is one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on Earth – an average temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.5 Celsius).

Why Danakil Depression is Important?

Salt mining is one of the few enterprises that exist in the Danakil Depression. An ancient sea once covered the entire region, leaving behind an immense salt plain. Men toil in the hot heat all day long, chipping away at the salt.

Also read: Ethiopia invites diaspora to invest in Gorgora Ecolodge

Danakil Depression salt mining is carried out entirely by hand. The process is entirely manual. Metal tools and wooden sticks are used exclusively in the mining process.

Pack animals carry the salt, which has been chopped into squares about the size of a floor tile. It takes two days to get to the salt processing plant, where the price of a square foot of salt is about $0.50.

Though hot, Danakil Depression adds to the scenic and historical beauty of Ethiopia.

Related

Source: See Africa Today
Tags: African Riftbeauty of Ethiopiacamel farmingDallol areaDanakil depressionDanakil DesertDead Sea of IsraelDead Sea of JordanenvironmentErta Ale volcanoEthiopiaEthiopia Danakil DepressionEthiopia Danakil depression - the hottest place on earthextremophile microbesExtremophilesFeatureGreat Rift Valleyhottest place on earthhydrothermal poolslack of rainfallLake Tanganyikalava lakesMalawiProkaryotic bacteriaRed SeaSalt miningtoxic climatetransportation servicesTravelvolcanic calderasvolcanoesWeekendэфиопияأثيوبياエチオピア埃塞俄比亚
ScanSendShare357Tweet223Share62Pin80Send
See Africa Today

See Africa Today

See Africa Today is the only travel-oriented website giving you content focused on the beauty of Africa. One of the worlds unique pleasures is the ability to travel to Africa, and many travelers have the opportunity to do so, but for the rest of the world, Africa is still a very far off continent. We aim to dispel the myth that Africa is a dangerous continent and use storytelling to showcase the unique land mass that has so much to offer the world.

Related Posts

Finance

Nigeria issues crypto asset rules in move seen boosting trade

by FurtherAfrica
May 18, 2022
New Ethiopian coffee directive sets strict minimum price
Trade

Ethiopia coffee export breaks US$1B+ record

by FurtherAfrica
May 18, 2022
Mining

Angola biggest mines by production

by Energy Capital & Power
May 18, 2022
South African stocks hit near 7-month highs
Finance

JSE to market with trading analytics platform

by Africa Global Funds
May 18, 2022
Eswatini Echelon Global appoints Sarko Partners to its advisory board
Business

Eswatini Echelon Global appoints Sarko Partners to its advisory board

by Rafael Carvalho
May 18, 2022
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
 
AFSIC 2022
 
MozParks

Translate this page

Read the Latest

Finance

Nigeria issues crypto asset rules in move seen boosting trade

by FurtherAfrica
May 18, 2022
0

Nigeria released new rules for digital assets, offering more clarity on trading in cryptocurrencies in Africa’s most populous nation. The...

Read more
New Ethiopian coffee directive sets strict minimum price

Ethiopia coffee export breaks US$1B+ record

May 18, 2022

Angola biggest mines by production

May 18, 2022
South African stocks hit near 7-month highs

JSE to market with trading analytics platform

May 18, 2022
Eswatini Echelon Global appoints Sarko Partners to its advisory board

Eswatini Echelon Global appoints Sarko Partners to its advisory board

May 18, 2022

FurtherAfrica Partners

The Exchange Club of Mozambique Taarifa Rwanda
TechGist Africa Africa Oil & Power Farmers Review Africa
Tanzania Invest Zambia Invest See Africa Today
Africa Global Funds Novafrica CrudeMix Africa
Harambee Africa Botswana unplugged Financial Insights Zambia
Digilogic Africa

Subscribe to FurtherAfrica

Enter your email address to receive new articles on your email.

Join 73,051 other subscribers.

FurtherAfrica

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

FurtherAfrica is a FurtherMarkets Limited platform

  • Countries
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?