East Africa is a vast territory located in the east of the mainland. It includes the Ethiopian Highlands, the Depression of Afar, the plateau and lowland of Somalia. It also includes the East African Plateau.
Geographical position
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 depression of the White Nile.
In the north- and southeast it goes down to the coast of the Red Sea, the
Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. In the south, the region borders
Lake Rudolph and the Indian Ocean.
Relief of ethiopia
The mountains of Ethiopia (Ethiopian Highlands) are 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 distinguish mountain ranges with volcanoes. Some of the volcanoes have manifested themselves in the historical period of time.
The highest massif - Ras Dashen (4.6 km) - is located in the northern part. In one of the hollows is located Lake Tana.
The southeastern part of the highland is bounded by a fault valley separating the Harar plateau from it. Harar descends the steps to the Somali Peninsula. The plateau of Somalia gently slides to the Indian Ocean. The lowest region is the Afar Basin, adjacent to the Red Sea.
Geological structure
In this part of the mainland is the East African Rift. This is a meridionally oriented fault system in the earth's crust. A rift was formed during the last two eras - in the Cenozoic and Mesozoic. An Ethiopian rift branch passes through this territory. The Ethiopian Highlands and Afar Basin just cross 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 Somali peninsula, the rainfall is four times lower - 250 mm / year.
The least rainfall occurs in areas of the region such as the Afar Basin, the area between the highlands and the Harar plateau, as well as on the shores of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. So, for example, about 125 mm of precipitation falls annually on the coasts, which practically creates the conditions of a real desert.
In general, the Ethiopian Highlands and the Somali Plateau are characterized by high temperatures. Monthly average temperatures for the region are not less than 20 0 , and maximum temperatures in summer reach 50 0 .
At the same time, with increasing height, the temperature conditions change. Above one and a half kilometers, average monthly temperatures are 15–20 0 , and in winter at night the temperature sometimes drops to -5 0 . Above 2,5 km, it is even cooler. Monthly average temperatures here do not exceed 16 0 , and in winter there are long and quite severe frosts.
Rivers
The Ethiopian Highlands give rise to numerous stormy, high-water rivers with deep river valleys. For example, in the northern part it is the Blue Nile, in the southern - 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. Not far from the mouth is a hydroelectric station. In Ethiopia, it is believed that the Blue Nile is a sacred river, originating in paradise, so the local population brings it gifts.
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 river bed is located on a slope, with numerous rapids. The maximum river level is in summer, during heavy rains. The Ethiopian government plans to build a hydroelectric power station in the reservoir, which will provide Addis Ababa with electricity.
Also interesting is the Juba River, flowing down from the Harar plateau. It flows throughout the Somali Peninsula, flowing into the Indian Ocean. The length of 1.6 thousand km. Despite the fact that the river flows through arid territories, its source is so abundant that it maintains full flow throughout.
Vegetation
Ethiopian highlands have a pronounced altitudinal zonation. The lower part of the slopes here is occupied by tropical forests with such typical representatives as wild bananas, palm trees, rubbery vines, and others. In dry areas - gallery forests, and on the watersheds - calla (shrubs, xerophytic forests).
Above 1.7 km, the Ethiopian Highlands is covered by forest. Where is the area, we have already found out. The local population calls it "war-dega". The tall cedars previously grown here are mostly cut down.
Better preserved tree euphorbia, juniper, umbrella acacia. In some places, forests are replaced by savannas. This highland belt is home to a coffee tree. The largest part of the region’s population lives here.
Above 2.4 km, the vegetation of the highlands is represented mainly by herbs, pastures and crops of barley are located here.
The interior of the peninsula is covered with savannahs, and the Afar basin and coast are represented by deserts and semi-deserts.
Animal world
Ethiopian highlands have a very diverse fauna. Elephants (one of the few African habitats outside nature reserves and national parks), rhinos and hippos, warthogs live in the lower belt of the highlands. African bicorn rhinos are represented by two species - white and black. The white African rhinoceros reaches four meters in length, it is the largest species of rhinoceros, it exists only in protected areas.
Hippos and wild pigs are actively exterminated due to meat and skin. Destroyed due to ivory and the African elephant. Despite the fact that hunting for them is prohibited, this does not stop numerous poachers.
The Ethiopian highlands are also inhabited by large cats; here live lions and (in much larger numbers) leopards. There are many ungulates in the region: antelopes, buffalos, gazelles, oryxes. Among antelopes, of which there are more than forty species, one can distinguish wildebeest, kudu, and dwarf antelopes.
In temperate forests, many monkeys live - gelada, beast, hamadril, etc. The Ethiopian Highlands has a diverse species composition of birds. There are many parrots, turaco, storks, cranes, falcons, eagles. Ostriches, zebras, giraffes live in savannahs, semi-deserts and deserts.