Danakil Depression

The Danakil Depression, located in northeastern Ethiopia, formed through a combination of tectonic rifting and volcanic activity at the junction of the African, Arabian, and Somali tectonic plates.

As these plates pull apart, the land between them has subsided, creating a basin that lies as much as 125 meters (410 feet) below sea level.

Continuous rifting has fractured the crust, allowing magma to rise and fuel intense volcanic activity, while high evaporation rates in the extreme heat—often exceeding 50°C (122°F)—leave behind thick salt flats and colorful hydrothermal fields.

The depression’s geology is still active, making it one of the hottest, driest, and most geologically dynamic places on Earth.