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Guide to Ethiopia

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The Horn of Africa is bounded by the huge geological faults of the Red Sea in the north and the Gulf of Aden in the east. The third major fault is the Rift Valley that cuts through Ethiopia from south to north.

To its west is the great central Ethiopian plateau with over half the country rising to altitudes of around 2000m. Here are found the capital, Addis Ababa, the city of Gondar to the north, and the huge and beautiful Lake Tana, the latter laying at 1800m above sea level.

The highest mountain in Ethiopia is called Ras Dashen, situated in the Simien range, north of Gondar and rising to a height of 4620m. It is the fourth highest peak in Africa. The country has about 20 summits exceeding 3600m.

To the east and south of this central plateau lay desert areas where the land is desolate and barren and where life is a struggle to support. One of the lowest points on the earth's surface is the Danakil Depression in the north-east of the country with various areas laying more than 100m below sea level.

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