East Africa is a huge territory located in the east of the mainland. It includes the Ethiopian highlands, the Afar depression, the plateau and the lowlands of Somalia. It also includes the East African Plateau.
Geographic location
In the southeast of the African continent is the Ethiopian Highlands (where the highest point of Ras Dashen and other volcanoes are located). In the western part, the area is in contact with the White Nile depression.
In the north- and south-east it descends to the coast of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. To the south, the region borders Lake Rudolph and the Indian Ocean.
Relief of Ethiopia
Mountains of Ethiopia (Ethiopian Highlands) is a sharply limited massif, a massif-bastion. It ends with hard-to-reach, steep slopes. Erosion-tectonic, very deep valleys cut it in many directions. They highlight mountain ranges with volcanoes. Some ofvolcanoes have manifested themselves in the historical period of time.
The highest massif - Ras Dashen (4.6 km) - is located in the northern part. Lake Tana is located in one of the depressions.
The southeastern part of the highlands is bounded by a fault valley separating the Harar plateau from it. Harar descends in steps to the Somali Peninsula. The Somali plateau slopes gently towards the Indian Ocean. The lowest area is the Afar depression, adjacent to the Red Sea.
Geological structure
In this part of the mainland is the East African Rift. This is a meridionally oriented system of faults in the earth's crust. The rift was formed during the last two eras - in the Cenozoic and Mesozoic. The Ethiopian rift branch passes through this area. The Ethiopian highlands and the Afar depression are just crossed by this eastern branch. Then it goes south and passes through the East African Plateau.
Climate
The climatic conditions of the region are peculiar and contrasting. The Indian monsoon brings precipitation and moisture to the Ethiopian highlands and the Somali plateau, but most of them are intercepted by the slopes of the highlands. Here the annual rainfall exceeds 1000 mm. In the valleys and on the peninsula of Somalia, the precipitation rate is four times lower - 250 mm / year.
The least amount of precipitation falls in areas of the region such as the Afar basin, the area between the highlands and the Harar plateau, as well as on the coasts of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. So, for example, about 125 mm of precipitation per year falls on the coasts, which practically creates the conditions for a realdesert.
In general, the Ethiopian highlands and the Somali plateau are characterized by high temperatures. The average monthly temperatures for the region are at least 20 0С, and the maximum in summer reaches 50 0С.
At the same time, as altitude increases, temperature conditions change. Above one and a half kilometers, the average monthly temperatures are 15-20 0С, and in winter at night the temperature sometimes drops to -5 0С. Above the mark of 2.5 km - even cooler. The average monthly temperatures here no longer exceed 16 0С, and in winter there are long and rather severe frosts.
Rivers
The Ethiopian highlands give rise to numerous turbulent, high-water rivers with deep river valleys. For example, in the northern part it is the Blue Nile, in the southern part it is Omo.
The Blue Nile, also called Abbay, is a right tributary of the Nile. Its length is 1.6 thousand km. The source of the river begins in Lake Tana at an altitude of 1.83 km. Near the mouth there is a hydroelectric power station. In Ethiopia, it is believed that the Blue Nile is a sacred river that originates in paradise, so the local population brings gifts to it.
The Omo River flows from the center of the Ethiopian highlands, flowing mainly to the south. In the mountains, the channel is narrow, in the lower reaches its width increases. The riverbed is sloping, with numerous rapids. The maximum level of the river is in summer, during heavy rains. The Ethiopian government plans to build a hydroelectric power plant on the reservoir, which will provide Addis Ababa with electricity.
The Juba River is also interesting,flowing down from the Harar plateau. It flows throughout the Somali Peninsula, flowing into the Indian Ocean. Length 1.6 thousand km. Despite the fact that the river flows through arid territories, its supply at its source is so plentiful that it remains full-flowing throughout.
Vegetation
The Ethiopian highlands have a pronounced altitudinal zonality. The lower part of the slopes here is occupied by tropical forests with such typical representatives as wild bananas, palm trees, rubber vines, and others. In dry areas - gallery forests, and on watersheds - colla (shrubs, xerophytic forests).
Above 1.7 km the Ethiopian highlands are covered with forest. Where is the area, we have already found out. The local population calls it "war-degas". The long-stemmed cedars that used to grow here are mostly cut down.
Tree-like euphorbia, juniper, umbrella acacia are better preserved. In some places, forests are replaced by savannahs. This highland belt is home to the coffee tree. The largest part of the population of the region lives here.
Above 2.4 km, the vegetation of the highlands is represented mainly by grasses, pastures and barley crops are located here.
The interior of the peninsula is covered with savannahs, while the Afar Basin and the coast are deserts and semi-deserts.
Animal world
The Ethiopian highlands have a very diverse fauna. In the lower belt of the highlands live elephants (one of the few African habitats outside reserves and national parks), rhinos and hippos,warthogs. African two-horned rhinos are represented by two species - white and black. The white African rhinoceros reaches four meters in length, it is the largest species of rhino, it exists only in protected areas.
Behemoths and wild pigs are actively exterminated because of their meat and skin. Destroyed because of the ivory and the African elephant. Despite the fact that hunting for them is prohibited, this does not stop numerous poachers.
The Ethiopian highlands are inhabited including large cats, lions and (in much larger numbers) leopards live here. There are many ungulates in the region: antelopes, buffaloes, gazelles, oryxes. Among the antelopes, of which there are more than forty species, wildebeest, kudu, pygmy antelopes can be distinguished.
Many monkeys live in the temperate forests - gelada, guerets, hamadryas, etc. The Ethiopian highlands have a diverse species composition of birds. There are many parrots, turacos, storks, cranes, falcons, eagles. Ostriches, zebras, giraffes live in savannahs, semi-deserts and deserts.
