Addis Ababa University

College of Natural and Computational Science

Freshman Course

Course Title:
Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn

by:

Belete Ejigu (PhD)

Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Development

January 2021
1
 Chapter Three :
The Topography of Ethiopia and the Horn
 Content
• Introduction
• General Characteristics of the Ethiopian Physiography
• The Physiographic Divisions of Ethiopia
• The Impacts of Relief on Biophysical and Socioeconomic
Conditions
 Objectives

• At the end of this chapter, the learners will be able to:

- Describe the topography of Ethiopia and the Horn.
- Identify the physiographic divisions of Ethiopia.
- Explain the physiographic characteristics of the Rift Valley.
- Explain the impacts of relief on biophysical and
socioeconomic conditions.
 Introduction
• The topography of Ethiopia is largely determined by the
geologic activities of the Cenozoic Era.
• The uplifting of the Arabo-Ethiopian swell and the
subsequent outpouring, spreading and thick accumulation of
Trapean lava have given rise to an outward sloping highland
plateau and mountains.
• The major faulting resulted in the division of the plateau
into two broad units and the formation of a great
structural valley.
• Faulting leads to the formation of depressions on which
lakes were subsequently created.
 General Characteristics of the Ethiopian Physiography
• The Ethiopian landform is characterized by great diversity
since there are:
- flat-topped plateaus,
- high and rugged mountains,
- deep river gorges and
- vast plains.
• Altitude ranges from 125 meters below sea level (Kobar
Sink) to the highest mountain in Ethiopia, Mount Ras
Dashen (4,620 m a.s.l), which is the fourth highest
mountain in Africa.
• Ethiopia has the largest proportion of elevated landmass
in the African continent.
• Ethiopia is sometimes described as the Roof of East Africa
because of its height and large area.
 Cont’d…
• More than 50% of the Ethiopian landmass is above 1,000
meters of elevation.
• Most of the Ethiopian Highlands are part of central and
northern Ethiopia, and its northernmost portion extends
into Eritrea.
• The highland core is encircled by semi-arid and lowlands.
• The Ethiopian Highlands have been dissected by several
rivers and ravines (narrow valley) which have cut deep
gorges.
• Most of the country consists of high plateau and
mountain ranges that are sources of many rivers and
streams that made the country to be described as the
“Water Tower of East Africa”.
 Cont’d…
• The diversity in topography is accompanied by differences in
other natural features such as soil, climate, vegetation and wild
life.
• The socio-cultural and economic phenomena are also affected by
the topography.
• Taking the 1,000 meters contour line for the highland-lowland
demarcation, one can observes the following contrasting features
between the Ethiopian highlands and lowlands:
• Characteristics of Ethiopian highlands:
- Moderate and high amount of rainfall (>600 mm per year).
- Lower mean annual temperature (<200C).
- The climate is favorable for biotic life.
- Rain-fed agriculture is possible.
- Free from tropical diseases.
- Attractive for human habitation and densely settled.
 Cont’d…
• The highlands have been significant throughout Ethiopian
history in the economic, cultural and political life of the people.
• The highlands make up nearly 56% of the area of the Ethiopia,
this is further subdivided into lower highland (1,000 - 2,000
m.a.s.l), which make up 35% and higher highland (>2,000
m.a.s.l) constituting nearly 21%.
• The remaining 44% of the Ethiopian lowlands are
characterized by:
- Fewer amounts of rainfall and higher temperature.
- High prevalence of tropical diseases.
- Lower population densities.
- Nomadic and semi-nomadic economic life.
- Vast plain lands favorable for irrigation agriculture
along the lower river basins.
 The Physiographic Divisions of Ethiopia
• The three major physiographic units of Ethiopia are:
1. The Western highlands and lowlands
2. The South-eastern (Eastern) highlands and lowlands
3. The Rift Valley
1.The Western Highlands and Lowlands:
I. Western Highlands
II. Western Lowlands
 The Western Highlands and Lowlands
• It includes all the area west of the Rift Valley.
• It makes up about 44% of the area of the country.
• This region is further subdivided into:
- four groups of highlands (76.3%) and
- four groups of lowlands (23.7%)
 I. The Western Highlands

a. The Tigray Plateau

b. North Central Massifs
c. The Shewa Plateau/central highlands
d. The Southwestern Highlands
 a. The Tigray Plateau:

- It extends from the Tekeze gorge in the south to central Eritrean highlands.
- The Tigray plateau is separated from the Eritrean plateau by the Mereb
River.
- It lies to the southeast of the upper course of the Mereb/Gash River and to
the northeast of Tekeze River Gorge.
- It constitutes about 13% of the area of the region.
- It is an elongated highland with most of the land being in between 1,000
and 2,000 meters above sea level.
- The right bank tributaries of Tekeze drain this plateau.
- There are high mountains in this plateau with elevations of over 3000
meters, namely
.Mount Tsibet (3988 m a.s.l),
.Mount Ambalage (3291 m a.s.l), and
.Mount Assimba (3248 m a.s.l).
- The famous monastery at Debre-Damo, a tableland that can onlybe climbed
by a rope pulley, is located in this plateau region.
 b. North Central Massifs

- This division is the largest in the western highlands.

- Much of its northern and southern limit follows the Abay and
Tekeze gorges.
- In its central part, the physiographic unit also accommodates the Lake
Tana basin surrounded by plains of Fogera and Dembia in the north
and an upland plain in its south.
- 58% percent of the region is at an altitude of more than 2,000 m,
which makes the second highest physiographic division, next to the
Shewan Plateau.
- The region consists of the Gonder, Wello and Gojjam Massifs.
- Out of the 26 mountain peaks with altitude of more than
4,000m.a.s.l in Ethiopia, 19 mountain peaks are found in this
physiographic region.
 Cont’d…
• The most popular ones include:
- In the Simen Mountain System:
.Mount Ras Dashen (4,620m a.s.l),
.Mount Weynobar/Ancua (4462m a.s.l),
.Mount KidisYared (4453m a.s.l) and
.Mount Bwahit (4437m a.s.l)
- In the Debre Tabour Mountain System:
.Mount Guna (4,231m a.s.l),
- In the Lasta highlands of Wello:
.Abune Yoseph (4,260m a.s.l)
- In the Choke Mountain System in Gojjam
.Mount Birhan (4,154m a.s.l)
• The Mountain systems in Gonder and Gojjam are separated from the eastern group of
mountains in Wello by impenetrable and deep gorges, but at one point they are
connected by Yeju- Wadla Delanta land bridge (ridge).
• This land bridge has been significant in history, b/c it served as a route of penetration
by the Turks, Portuguese and Italians etc.
• The Woreta-Debre Tabor-Woldya road constructed to link the northwestern region
with Asseb through Woldya and Dessie took advantage of this land bridge.
 c. The Shewa Plateau/Central Highlands

• It is bounded by:
- the Rift Valley in the east and southeast,
- the Abay gorge in its northern and western limit, and
- the Omo gorge in the south and west.
• This plateau occupies a central geographical position in
Ethiopia
• the Shewa Plateau is the smallest of the Western
highlands region (constitute only 11% of the area of the region)
• Nearly three-fourth of its area is at an altitude of more than 2,000
m a.s.l. It has, therefore, the largest proportion of elevated ground.
• The Shewa plateau is drained, outward in all directions by the
tributaries of Abay, Omo, and Awash. Therefore, it forms a water
divide for these three river basins.
 Cont’d…
• The tributaries of Abay (Guder, Muger, Jema) have cut
deep gorges and steep sided river valleys. They have
created several tablelands and isolated plateau units in
the north. Similarly, the tributaries of Omo and Awash
have dissected the other sides of the plateau.
• This plateau has relatively extensive flat-topped uplands,
giving it the appearance of a true plateau.
• The highest mountain in the Shewan plateau is Mount
Abuye-Meda (4,000 m.a.s.l) in Northern Shewa, Mount
Guraghe in the south is 3,721 meters high.
 d. The Southwestern Highlands

• It consists of the highlands of Wellega, Illuababora, Jimma,

Kaffa,Gamo and Gofa.
• This region is separated from the adjacent highlands by the
Abay and Omo river valleys.
• It extends from the Abay gorge in the north to the Kenya
border and Chew Bahir in the south.
• It accounts for 22.7% of the area of the region.
• The region is the second largest in the Western highlands.
About 70% of its area is lies within 1,000-2,000 meters
altitude.
• The southwestern plateau is the wettest in Ethiopia.
• It is drained by Dabus, Deddessa (tributaries of Abay), Baro,
Akobo and the Ghibe/Omo rivers.
• Guge Mountain is the highest peak with height of 4,200 m a.s.l
 II. The Western Lowlands

• These are the western foothills and border plains that extend from
Western Tigray in the north to southern Gamo-Gofa in the South.
• They make 11% of the area of the physiographic region; the general
elevation ranges between 500 and 1000 m a.s.l
• This physiographic sub-region is further subdivided into four:
a. Tekeze lowland,
b. Abay-Dinder lowland,
c. Baro lowland, and
d. Ghibe lowland.
• With the exception of the Baro lowland, the region is generally
characterized by arid or semi-arid conditions.
• Pastoral or semi-pastoral economic activities dominate the area.
• Irrigation agriculture is highly feasible in the area using the existing
few rivers (For example, the Baro lowland has an extensive flat area
suitable for mechanized agriculture), but rain fed agriculture is
difficult due to the arid or semi-arid conditions in the area.
 Cont’d…
• The Ghibe/Omo lowland, which includes the lower Ghibe/
Omo Valley and the northern section of the Turkana basin;
But structurally it also belongs to the Rift Valley.
• In the Western lowlands, there are important towns like
Humera, Metema, Omedla, Kurmuk and Gambella
2.The Southeastern Highlands and Lowlands:
I. Southeastern Highlands
II. Southeastern Lowlands
 The Southeastern Highlands and Lowlands
• This physiographic region is the second largest in terms of
area. It accounts for 37% of the area of Ethiopia.
• The highlands make up 46% of the physiographic
division while the rest is lowland.
• It is further subdivided into two units of highlands and
two units of extensive lowlands.
 I. Southeastern Highlands

a. The Arsi-Bale-Sidama Highlands:

- These highlands are found to the east of the Lakes Region
- They make up 28.5% of the area of the region and 62% of the south - Eastern Highlands.
- The well-known mountains in this area are Mount Kaka (4,180 m a.s.l), Mount Bada
(4,139 m a.s.l) and Mount Chilalo (4,036m a.s.l).
- The Bale highlands are separated from the Arsi highlands by the head and main stream of
Wabishebelle.
- The Afro-Alpine summit of Senetti plateau is found in Bale.
- The highest mountain peaks in this region are Tulu-Demtu (4,377 m a.s.l) and Mount
Batu (4,307 m a.s.l).
- The Arsi-Bale Highlands are important grains producing areas
- The Sidama Highlands are separated from the Bale Highlands by the Ghenale river
valley
- The prominent feature in the Sidama highlands is the Jemjem plateau, an important coffee
growing area.
- Rivers Wabishebelle and Ghenale along with their tributaries have dissected this
physiographic region (SEHLs)
- Weyb River, tributary of Ghenale, has cut an underground passage (Sof Omar cave);
the cave is found near Bale Mountains.
 Cont’d…
b. The Hararghe Plateau:
- It extends from the Chercher highlands in the south-west to Jigjiga in
the east.
- It makes up 38% of the South Eastern highlands and 17.4% of the
whole physiographic region.
- It has the smallest proportion of upper highland (>2,000 meters).
- The left-bank tributaries of Wabishebelle drain it
- The highest mountain here is Mount Gara-Muleta (3,381 m a.s.l).
 II. The Southeastern Lowlands

• The Southeastern lowlands are located in the southeastern part

of the country and they are the most extensive lowlands in
Ethiopia.
• They make up 54% of the area of the physiographic region and
around one-fifth of the country.
• This region is divided into Wabishebelle plain (60%) and the
Ghenale Plain (40%).
• They include the plains of Ogaden, Elkere, and Borena
• Because of the harsh climatic conditions, these lowlands are
little used and support very small population
• They are sparsely inhabited by pastoral and semi-pastoral
communities
• The economic potential for this region includes animal
husbandry, irrigation agriculture and perhaps exploitation of
petroleum and natural gas.
3. The Rift Valley
 Rift Valley
• The Rift Valley is a tectonically formed structural depression.
• It is bounded by two major and more or less parallel escarpments.
• The formation of the Rift Valley has separated the Ethiopian Highlands and
Lowlands in to two.
• It extends from the Afar triangle in the north to Chew Bahir for about 1,700
km2.
• It covers 18% of the area of Ethiopia
• The floor of the Rift Valley is made up of interconnected troughs, grabens
and depressions.
• Volcanic rocks, fluvial and lacustrine deposits cover the floor.
• Altitude in the floor ranges from 125 meters below sea level at Dallol
Depression, to as high as 2,000 meters above sea level in the lakes region.
• Because of its altitudinal variation and positional differences, the climate
also varies from warm, hot and dry to cool and moderately moist
conditions.
• There are sparsely inhabited pastoralists in there area and also some parts
of people practice some rain-fed agriculture
 i. The Afar Triangle
- The Afar Triangle is the largest and widest part of the Rift Valley. It makes up 54%
of the Rift Valley area.
- The area is low in altitude (300-700 meters).
- It is a triangular-shaped lowland
- The lowest ground is Danakil depression, particularly the shores of Lake Asale
with 125 meters b.s.l , represent the lowest sub aerial point of the African
continent.
- The area hosts one of the most hostile environment, that is, Dallol
- The area is characterized by faulted depressions (grabens), volcanic hills, active
volcanoes, volcanic ridges, lava fields and low lava platforms.
- Lakes (Abe, Asale, and Afrera) occupy some of the basins.
- A prominent feature in this region is the Denakil Depression (Kobar Sink). A
larger part of the depression is covered by thick and extensive salt plain.
- Lake Asale and Lake Afrera occupy the lowest parts of this sunken depression.
- The Afar Triangle is generally hot and dry.
- One can get water only from Awash River
- The economic importance of this region includes salt extraction, irrigation along
the Awash River and electric potential from geothermal energy.
 ii. The Main Ethiopian Rift/Central Rift

• It refers to the narrow belt of the Rift Valley that extends from Awash
River in the north to Lake Chamo in the south.
• This part of the Rift Valley is the narrowest and the highest. It has an
average width of 50-80 kilometers and general elevation of 1,000-
2,000 meters a.s.l.
• In the floor, the big volcanic mountains include:
- Mount Fentale,
- Mont Boseti-guda (near Adama),
- Mount Aletu (north of Lake Ziway) and
- Mount Chebi (north of Lake Hawasa).
• Because of altitude, the lakes region of the Main Ethiopian Rift is
generally milder and watery.
• In the area rain-fed agriculture is also practiced.
• Other resource bases in the area include the recreational value of the
lakes, the agricultural importance of some streams and lakes, and the
geothermal energy potential.
 iii. The Chew Bahir Rift

• This is the smallest and the southern-most part of the Rift Valley
• It is separated from the Main Ethiopian Rift to the north by the
Konso and surrounding highlands
• The characteristic feature of this region is the broad and shallow
depression, which is a marshy area covered by tall grass, into which
the Segen and Woito streams empty.
The Impacts of Relief on Biophysical and Socioeconomic Conditions
• The highly dissected character of land escape and the limited
extent of flat or plain surface in the country influenced the
various the socioeconomic aspects of people in Ethiopia:
1. Agricultural practices:
• Relief influences:
- farm size and shape, particularly in rugged terrains (here, farm
land is small in size and fragmented-irregular in shape)
- the choice of farming techniques and farm implements ( i.e.
mechanization is difficult in rugged terrains)
- crop production as some corps are well adapted to higher
altitudes (barley, wheat) and others to low altitude (sorghum, maize).
- the practice of animal husbandry
 Cont’d…
2. Settlement pattern:
- Highlands of Ethiopia that experience a temperate type of climatic condition
that are mainly free from most of the tropical diseases are densely settled.
- Rugged and difficult terrain hinders the development of settlement and its
expansion.
- The highlands of Ethiopia are characterized by sedentary life and permanent
settlements while lowlands that are inhabited by pastoralists have
temporary settlements.
3. Transportation and communication:
- The highly dissected nature of the landscape is a barrier to the development
of internal surface transportation that resulted in the long-term isolation of
many communities
- The difficult terrain makes infrastructure development and maintenance
costly.
- TV and radio communications are also highly influenced by relief.
- The rugged topography rendered rivers less navigable due to the waterfalls,
deep gorges and steep cliffs.
 Cont’d…
4. Hydroelectric power potential:
- The great difference in altitude coupled with high rainfall created
suitable conditions for a very high potential for the production of
hydroelectric power in Ethiopia.
5. Socio-cultural feeling :
- The rugged terrain as a result of excessive surface dissection resulted
in the long-term isolation of communities that led to the
occurrence of cultural diversity.
- People who live in the highlands have been identifying themselves as
degegnas (mountaineers) and those who live in the lowlands as
kollegnas (lowlanders).
 Cont’d…
6. Impacts on climate:
- The climate of Ethiopia is a result of the tropical position of the
country and the great altitudinal variation of the general
topography.
- Highlands with higher amount of rainfall and lower rate of evapo-
transpiration tend to be moisture surplus compared to the moisture
deficit lowlands.
7. Impacts on soil:
- Steep mountain slopes provide low angle of rest, unstable surface
materials and subject to degradation processes and relatively form
shallow and little developed soils.
8. Impacts on natural vegetation
- Relief through its effect on climate and hydrology affect the type of
natural vegetation grown in an area.
 Discussion Question
• Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What are the impacts of relief on the biophysical and
socioeconomic conditions of Ethiopia?
2. Discuss the physiographic characteristics of the
southeastern highlands and lowlands.
Thank You!!!