| Danakil Desert | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Area | 136,956 km2 (52,879 mi2) |
| Geography | |
| Country |  Ethiopia Eritrea Djibouti |
| Coordinates | 14°14′30″N40°18′00″E / 14.2417°N 40.3°E /14.2417; 40.3 |
TheDanakil Desert (orAfar Desert) is a desert in northeastEthiopia, southernEritrea, and northwesternDjibouti. Situated in theAfar Triangle, it stretches across 136,956 square kilometres (52,879 mi2)[citation needed] ofarid terrain. It is inhabited by a fewAfar, who engage insalt mining. The area is known for its volcanoes andextreme heat, with daytime temperatures surpassing 50 °C (122 °F).[1] Less than 25 mm (1 in) of rainfall occurs each year.[2] The Danakil Desert is one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth.
Dallol (92 metres below sea level), has the highest average temperature recorded on earth. Dallol features an extreme version of ahot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh) typical of the Danakil Desert. Dallol is the hottest place year-round on the planet and currently holds the record high average temperature for an inhabited location on Earth, where an average annual temperature of 34.6 °C (94.3 °F) was recorded between the years 1960 and 1966. The annual average high temperature is 41.2 °C (105.4 °F) and the hottest month has an average high of 46.7 °C (116.1 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded is 49 °C (121 °F). In addition to being extremely hot year-round, the climate of the lowlands of theDanakil Depression is also extremely dry and hyperarid in terms of annual average rainy days as only a few days record measurable precipitation. The hot desert climate of Dallol is particularly hot due to the extremely low elevation, it being inside thetropics and near the hotRed Sea during winters, the very low seasonality impact, the constants of the extreme heat and the lack of nighttime cooling.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 41.2 (106.2) | 44.8 (112.6) | 47.8 (118.0) | 49.9 (121.8) | 53.6 (128.5) | 57.3 (135.1) | 55.2 (131.4) | 54.8 (130.6) | 51.8 (125.2) | 49.4 (120.9) | 46.1 (115.0) | 42.2 (108.0) | 57.3 (135.1) |
| Climate data for Dallol & Danakil Desert (1940-2025) at 10 meters above ground level | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 39.2 (102.6) | 42.6 (108.7) | 44.8 (112.6) | 46.1 (115.0) | 47.6 (117.7) | 48.4 (119.1) | 48.4 (119.1) | 47.6 (117.7) | 46.8 (116.2) | 44.2 (111.6) | 41.6 (106.9) | 40.1 (104.2) | 48.4 (119.1) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 37.9 (100.2) | 40.2 (104.4) | 42.9 (109.2) | 44.7 (112.5) | 46.0 (114.8) | 46.9 (116.4) | 46.2 (115.2) | 45.5 (113.9) | 44.7 (112.5) | 42.3 (108.1) | 40.3 (104.5) | 38.1 (100.6) | 45.80 (114.44) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 36.1 (97.0) | 36.1 (97.0) | 38.9 (102.0) | 40.6 (105.1) | 44.4 (111.9) | 46.7 (116.1) | 45.6 (114.1) | 45.0 (113.0) | 42.8 (109.0) | 41.7 (107.1) | 39.4 (102.9) | 36.7 (98.1) | 41.2 (106.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.5 (86.9) | 32.5 (90.5) | 33.9 (93.0) | 36.4 (97.5) | 38.6 (101.5) | 38.7 (101.7) | 37.6 (99.7) | 37.3 (99.1) | 35.6 (96.1) | 33.2 (91.8) | 30.8 (87.4) | 34.6 (94.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.9 (75.0) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.1 (80.8) | 28.5 (83.3) | 30.4 (86.8) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31 (88) | 29.3 (84.7) | 29.6 (85.3) | 27.1 (80.8) | 25.7 (78.3) | 27.8 (82.1) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 20.7 (69.3) | 21.6 (70.9) | 22.4 (72.3) | 24.4 (75.9) | 26.1 (79.0) | 27.2 (81.0) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.8 (82.0) | 25.5 (77.9) | 23.8 (74.8) | 21.4 (70.5) | 19.65 (67.37) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.4 (63.3) | 16.0 (60.8) | 18.1 (64.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 24.5 (76.1) | 22.0 (71.6) | 23.0 (73.4) | 24.1 (75.4) | 22.5 (72.5) | 20.0 (68.0) | 17.6 (63.7) | 16.0 (60.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 3 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) | 16 (0.6) | 18 (0.7) | 7 (0.3) | 1 (0.0) | 9 (0.4) | 16 (0.6) | 5 (0.2) | 4 (0.2) | 2 (0.1) | 1 (0.0) | 84 (3.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 1.7 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 7.0 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 8.4 | 12.5 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 49.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 54.5 | 55.2 | 52.2 | 48.5 | 47.1 | 42.5 | 44.2 | 46.2 | 51.5 | 43.9 | 42.0 | 50.4 | 48.2 |
| Averagedew point °C (°F) | 16.62 (61.92) | 16.99 (62.58) | 17.56 (63.61) | 18.56 (65.41) | 19.30 (66.74) | 18.62 (65.52) | 19.87 (67.77) | 20.71 (69.28) | 21.47 (70.65) | 17.46 (63.43) | 14.94 (58.89) | 16.03 (60.85) | 18.18 (64.72) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 266 | 250 | 273 | 268 | 309 | 257 | 192 | 188 | 230 | 276 | 294 | 307 | 3,110 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 75.3 | 73.7 | 73.4 | 72.6 | 79.1 | 66.9 | 48.4 | 48.5 | 63.4 | 75.4 | 85.2 | 87.7 | 70.8 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 10.5 | 12 | 14 | 14.5 | 13 | 11 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 11.6 |
| Source:[3][4] | |||||||||||||
| Mois | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Année |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 310 | 295 | 310 | 320 | 350 | 360 | 335 | 340 | 330 | 325 | 310 | 305 | 3 890 |
Local geology is characterized byvolcanic andtectonic activity, various climate cycles, and discontinuouserosion. The basic geological structure of this area was caused by the movement oftectonic plates as Africa moved away from Asia. Mountain chains formed and were eroded again during thePaleozoic. Inundations by the sea caused the formation of layers ofsandstone, andlimestone was deposited further offshore. As the land rose again, further sandstone formed above the limestone. Further tectonic shifts causedlava to pour out of cracks and cover the sedimentary deposits.[2]
The Danakil Desert has a number of lakes formed by lava flows that dammed up several valleys. Among these isLake Afrera, which has thicksaline crusts on its banks.[5] Other areas of the Danakil becamesinks, dryendorheic basins as precipitation evaporates faster than it can collect in permanent lakes. The area is flanked toward the east by theDanakil Alps, a tabular mountain system that has a fewvolcanic cones which peak in height inMount Ramlo (2,130 metres (6,990 ft)).
The land surrounding theDanakil Depression was once part of theRed Sea. The salt deposits were created when water from the Red Sea flooded the area and then evaporated. The most recent flood was roughly 30,000 years ago. While the water is gone,salt remains in extraordinarily large quantities, and has proven to be a valuable — and fatal — commodity for locals.[5]
A deposit of salt up to 800 metres (2,600 ft) thick can also be found in the Salt Plain flatlands. Other local lakes includeLake Asale (116 metres (381 ft) below sea level) and Lake Giuletti/Afrera 80 metres (260 ft) below sea level, both of which possesscryptodepressions in theDanakil Depression. The Afrera contains many active volcanoes, including the Maraho,Dabbahu,Afdera andErta Ale.[2][6]
In 1974, anthropologists discovered anAustralopithecus afarensis fossil atHadar, Ethiopia in theAwash Valley. The remains were found to be female and namedLucy.[5]
TheAfar people mine salt, loading each of their camels with up to thirty salt bricks weighing four kilograms each. It will then take two days to get to the nearest town, with guards watching the camels and guarding them from bandits.[7] There is a project to flood the depression by carrying out a channel from the ocean.[from whom?] In the past, salt was used as a form ofcurrency in the region, but now theminers use regular cash to conduct transactions.[5]
14°14′30″N40°18′00″E / 14.2417°N 40.3°E /14.2417; 40.3
