Danakil Desert

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Danakil Desert ecoregion map

The Danakil Desert lies in the Afar Triangle. It extends into the north-east of Ethiopia, the south of Eritrea, and north-west of Djibouti. It is the homeland of the Afar people who are known for their ability to withstand the extremes and survive as they have done for hundreds of years. It is known for its extreme heat and inhospitability. The deepest point in the desert lies up to 100 m below sea level in the Danakil Depression. The Danakil Desert's main industry is salt mining that is still cut by hand and loaded onto camels for transport and it is not uncommon to see caravans of camels making the slow journey through the desert. It is also home to wildlife, including African Wild Asses.

Many volcanoes exist in the region, including Erta Ale and the Dabbahu Volcano. It was named by National Geographic as the "Cruelest Place on Earth". The area was the subject of a BBC documentary by BBC correspondent Kate Humble.

See also

Reference

    Coordinates: 14°14′30″N 40°18′00″E / 14.2417°N 40.3°E / 14.2417; 40.3

    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.