Ethiopia is home to the lowest place on the African continent, the Danakil Depression.
The depression is at the junction of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa, and sits at approximately 125 meters below sea level.
At 200 kilometres long by 50 metres wide, this relatively small desert is also home to roughly 25% of Africa’s volcanoes!
• Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression is the hottest place on Earth.
The average year-round temperature is 34.4 degrees Celsius making it the hottest place on Earth. On top of that, it is also extremely dry, receiving between just 100 and 200mm of rain per year. Despite these extreme conditions, it’s often referred to as the cradle of
humanity, with many ancient hominin fossils having been found here over the years.
