Lake Abbe
Encyclopedia
Lake Abbe or Lake Abhe Bad is a salt lake, lying on the Ethiopia
-Djibouti
border. It is one of a chain of six connected lakes, which also includes (from north to south) lakes Gargori, Laitali, Gummare
, Bario
and Afambo
.
. Lake Abbe lies at the Afar Triple Junction, the central meeting place for the three pieces of the Earth’s crust, a defining feature of the Afar Depression
; here three pieces of Earth’s crust are each pulling away from that central point, though not all at the same speed.
On the northwest shore rises Mount Dama Ali (1069 meters), a dormant volcano, while along the southwestern and southern shores extend vast salt flats, 10 kilometers in width. Besides the Awash, seasonal affluents of Lake Abbe include two wadi
s, the Oleldere and Abuna Merekes, which enter the lake from the west and south, crossing the salt flats. Although the present area of the lake's open water is 34000 hectare, recent droughts and extraction of water from the Awash for irrigation has caused the water level of the lake to fall five meters.
Lake Abbe is known for its limestone
chimneys, which reach heights of 50 meters and from which steam vents. The shore of Lake Abbe is occupied by the nomad
ic Afar people
, while the lake is also known for its flamingos.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
-Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
border. It is one of a chain of six connected lakes, which also includes (from north to south) lakes Gargori, Laitali, Gummare
Lake Gummare
Lake Gummare is one of a chain of lakes into which the Awash River empties its waters. It is located at the eastern end of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, at .-Overview:...
, Bario
Lake Bario
Lake Bario is one of a chain of lakes into which the Awash River empties its waters. It is located at the eastern end of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, at ....
and Afambo
Lake Afambo
Lake Afambo is one of a chain of lakes into which the Awash River empties its waters. It is located at the eastern end of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, at .-Overview:...
.
Overview
Lake Abbe is the ultimate destination of the waters of the Awash RiverAwash River
The Awash is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura...
. Lake Abbe lies at the Afar Triple Junction, the central meeting place for the three pieces of the Earth’s crust, a defining feature of the Afar Depression
Afar Depression
The Afar Triangle is a geological depression that is caused by the Afar Triple Junction which is part of the Great Rift Valley. It overlaps Eritrea, Djibouti and the entire Afar Region of Ethiopia. The Afar Triangle includes the Danakil Depression and the lowest point in Africa, Lake Asal...
; here three pieces of Earth’s crust are each pulling away from that central point, though not all at the same speed.
On the northwest shore rises Mount Dama Ali (1069 meters), a dormant volcano, while along the southwestern and southern shores extend vast salt flats, 10 kilometers in width. Besides the Awash, seasonal affluents of Lake Abbe include two wadi
Wadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
s, the Oleldere and Abuna Merekes, which enter the lake from the west and south, crossing the salt flats. Although the present area of the lake's open water is 34000 hectare, recent droughts and extraction of water from the Awash for irrigation has caused the water level of the lake to fall five meters.
Lake Abbe is known for its limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
chimneys, which reach heights of 50 meters and from which steam vents. The shore of Lake Abbe is occupied by the nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic Afar people
Afar people
The Afar , also known as the Danakil, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, although some also inhabit the southern point of Eritrea.-Early history:...
, while the lake is also known for its flamingos.