NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
Ethiopia is a country where nature has proven its perfection. Land features include higher elevation plateaus, that is, the Semien mountain ranges, to lowest expressions, that is, Denakil. Dense forests in the Harenna forest belt, the massive rolling planes of Bale, gorges, cliffs, river basins, lakes all add up to create harmonious beauty. Likewise, there is a variety of vegetation, bird, marine and animal life.
1. Rift Valley:
2. Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes:
- Lake Ziway: is one of the freshwater of the Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes, which is located about 63km south of Addis Ababa, Lake Ziway is 25 kilometers long and 20 km wide, with a surface area of 434 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 4 meters and is at an elevation of 1,846 meters. It is known for Birds and Hippopotamuses. Lake Ziway is the shallowest lake from the Ethiopian Rift valley lakes; This Lake has similar future with:
- Lake Tana: It has five islands which include Debre Sina, Gelila, Bird Island, and Tulu Gudo. During the 9th C the Arc of the Covenant was kept.
- Langano: is one of the Rift valley lake which is about 200 km south of the capital, Addis Ababa, it an elevation of 1,585 m.a.s.l. Lake Langano is 18 kilometers long and 16 km wide, with a surface area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum depth of 46 meters. Since it is free of Bilharzias, Lake Langano is popular with tourists and city-dwellers.
- Lake Abijata: This Lake is found in lies in the Abjata-Shalla National park. The lake covers 17 kilometers long and 15 km wide, with a surface area of 205 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 14 meters and is at an elevation of 1,573 meters. this lake is useful for flamingos as a feeding ground, Along the northeastern corner of this lake are a number of hot springs, which are important both as a tourist attraction and to the local inhabitants.
- Lake Shalla: This Lake is found in lies in the Abjata-Shalla National park. This lake covers 28 kilometers long and 12 wide, with a surface area of 409 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 250 meters and is at an elevation of 1,567 m.a.s.l. the lake is in inhabited by Great white pelicans, that makes one of the Islands to be known as a pelicans Island. Lake Shalla is surrounded by hot springs filled with boiling water, and the earth surrounding the lake is filled with cracks due to erosion and earthquakes. Due to steam rising from the boiling water in the springs, the atmosphere around the lake is relatively foggy. At the southern end of the lake, there are various species of flamingos, also it is known as nesting ground for the flamingos.
- Lake Awasa: is a found in the capital city of the South National Nationality people region, this lake is also the part of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, and it is found 250KM south of Addis Ababa. The lake is 16 kilometers long and 9 wide, with a surface area of 129 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 10 meters and is at an elevation of 1,708 meters.
- Lake Abaya: is found in the South National Nationality people region of Ethiopia, The Lake is red due to a high load of suspended sediments. Lake Abaya is also the part of the Grate rift valley system, east of the Guge Mountain. It is fed on its northern shore by the Bilate River, which rises on the southern slopes of Mount Gurage. The town of Arbaminch lies on its southwestern shore, and the southern shores are part of the Nechsar National Park. Lake Abaya is 60 kilometers long and 20 wide, with a surface area of 1160 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 13 meters and is at an elevation of 1268 meters.
- Lake Chamo: is a lake in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region of southern Ethiopia. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at an elevation of 1,235 meters. It is just to the south of Lake Abaya and the city of Arbaminch. The lake's northern end lies in the Nechisar National Park. Lake Chamo is 26 kilometers long and 22 wide, with a surface area of 551 square kilometers and a maximum depth of 10 meters. The shower of Lake Chamo is known as Crocodile Market "AZO GEBYA" where hundreds of crocodiles gather to sun themselves around the shower of the Lake.
3. Omo Valley
5. Denakil Desperation
6. Sof Omor |
