Assaïta Danakil Ethiopia

The Afar Triangle (also called the Afar Depression or the Danakil Depression) 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 (155 metres / 509 feet below sea level). Only the Awash River flows into the area, where it ends in a chain of lakes that increase in salinity. Dallol is also part of the depression, one of the hottest places year-round anywhere on Earth. The climate varies from around 25 °C (77 °F) during the rainy season (September–March) to 48 °C (118 °F) during the dry season (March–September).

Afar is well known as one of the cradles of hominids, containing the Middle Awash, site of many fossil hominid discoveries such as Ardi, (Ardipithecus ramidus); the Gona (Gawis cranium), site of the world's oldest stone tools; and Hadar, site of Lucy, the fossilized specimen of Australopithecus afarensis.

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With 1.0 billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 65 territories (including 54 recognized states), it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population.

The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagoes and has 54 sovereign states ("countries") and two states with limited recognition.

Africa, particularly central Eastern Africa, is widely regarded within the scientific community to be the origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago – including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster – with the earliest Homo sapiens (modern human) found in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago.

The Danakil Desert lies in the Afar Triangle. It extends into the north-east of Ethiopia, the south of Eritrea and into much of Djibouti. It is the homeland of the Afar people who are known for their ability to withstand the extremes and survive as they have done for hundreds of years. It is known for its extreme heat and inhospitability. The deepest point in the desert lies up to 100 m below sea level in the Danakil Depression. The Danakil Desert's main industry is salt mining that is still cut by hand and loaded onto camels for transport and it is not uncommon to see caravans of camels making the slow journey through the desert. It is also home to wildlife, including African Wild Asses.

Many volcanoes exist in the region, including Erta Ale and the Dabbahu Volcano. It was named by National Geographic as the "Cruelest Place on Earth". The area was subject to a BBC documentary by a BBC correspondent Kate Humble