Where is the Danakil Depression?
Quick answer
The Danakil Depression is in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia, extending into Eritrea and near Djibouti. Parts of it lie more than 100 m below sea level, and the settlement of Dallol has one of the highest average temperatures of any inhabited place on Earth, about 35 °C (95 °F) year-round.
Key facts
- Country
- Ethiopia (Afar region), extending into Eritrea
- Lowest point
- About 125 m below sea level
- Famous sites
- Dallol hot springs, Erta Ale volcano, salt flats
Where three plates pull apart
The Danakil lies in the Afar Triangle, where three tectonic plates, the Nubian, Somali and Arabian plates, are slowly separating. The ground here is sinking and splitting, and scientists think it may one day flood to become a new ocean.
An alien landscape
| Feature | What it’s like |
|---|---|
| Dallol | Hot springs that create bright yellow, green and orange mineral terraces, colored by sulfur, iron and salt |
| Erta Ale | A shield volcano with one of the world’s few long-lasting lava lakes |
| Lake Assal (Djibouti) | Nearby; the lowest point in Africa, about 155 m below sea level |
| Salt flats | Vast white plains up to hundreds of meters thick |
Some acidic pools at Dallol are so extreme that scientists study them to understand where life can and can’t survive, including on other planets.
The salt caravans
For centuries, Afar workers have cut salt from the flats into rectangular blocks by hand. Camel caravans carry them to highland markets. These salt bars were once used as currency in Ethiopia; see was salt ever used as money.
Cradle of humankind
The wider Afar region is one of the richest places for human fossils. In 1974, scientists at Hadar found “Lucy,” a 3.2-million-year-old skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis, named after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which was playing at the camp.
Visiting
Tours run from the city of Mekele, usually with armed escorts and local guides, because of the extreme heat and regional security. The cooler months, roughly November to March, are the best time to go.
For Ethiopia’s famous rock churches, see where the churches of Lalibela are.
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