The Danakil Depression is the northern part of the Afar Triangle or Afar Depression in Ethiopia,[1][2] a geological depression that has resulted from the divergence of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa.

Geology

The Danakil Depression lies at the triple junction of three tectonic plates and has a complex geological history. It has developed as a result of Africa and Asia moving apart, causing rifting and volcanic activity. Erosion, inundation by the sea, the rising and falling of the ground have all played their part in the formation of this depression. Sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone are unconformably overlain by basalt which resulted from extensive lava flows.

Location

The Danakil Depression is a vast plain, some 200 by 50 km (124 by 31 mi), lying in the north of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, near the border with Eritrea. It is about 125 m (410 ft) below sea level and is bordered to the west by the Ethiopian Plateau and to the east by the Danakil Alps, beyond which is the Red Sea.

The area is often referred to as the cradle of humanity; in 1974 Donald Johanson and his colleagues found the famous Australopithecus fossil Lucy, which has been dated 3.2 million years old  and many other fossils of ancient hominins have been uncovered here, prompting many paleontologists to propose that this area is where the human species first evolved.

Positioned on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea is the Danakil Depression. It’s officially one of driest and hottest places on Earth.

With temperatures that often reach 50+ degrees, it’s easy to see why.  This is a surreal piece of real estate that’s strewn with active volcanoes, salted basins, hot springs, and a lava lake – all of which combine to create a very lunar-like landscape.

Sitting below sea level, it’s the lowest point in Africa and second in the world (after the Dead Sea).

Do a bit of planning before you go as the climate can be harsh if you aren’t prepared.  But the beauty and mystery of this place make any preparation well worth it.

Features

The Danakil Depression is the hottest place on Earth in terms of year-round average temperatures. It is also one of the lowest places on the planet (100 m below sea level[6]), and without rain for most of the year. Here, the Awash River dries up in a chain of salt lakes such as Lake Afrera, never reaching the Indian Ocean.

Mount Ayalu is the westernmost and older of the two volcanoes at the southern end of the Danakil Depression. The other active volcano, Erta Ale, is one of several crater lakes of lava bubbling from the Earth’s mantle. Additionally, the area contains the Dallol sulfur springs, or hot springs. These wet environments at the Danakil Depression are being investigated to help understand how life might arise on other planets and moons. Many microorganisms living here are extremophilic microbes of a major interest to astrobiologists. Nonetheless, in October 2019, scientists reported that terrestrial lifeforms, including extreme forms of archaea microorganisms, were not found to exist in the very hot, acidic and salty conditions present in some parts of the Danakil Depression.