Chapter Three

The Topography of Ethiopia and the Horn

• 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.
General Characteristics of the Ethiopian Physiography
 The Ethiopian landform is characterized by great diversity, like:
• flat-topped plateaus,
• high and rugged mountains,
• deep river gorges and vast plains.
 Altitude ranges from 125mbsl (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.
 Thus, it is sometimes described as the Roof of East Africa
because of its height and large area.
 More than 50% of the Ethiopian landmass is above 1,000
meters of elevation; and above 1,500 meters makes 44% of the
country
 The Ethiopian Highlands are
• rugged mass of mountains, situated in the Horn of Africa.
• encircled by semi-arid and lowlands
• are dissected by several rivers and ravines which cut deep gorges
• are sources of many rivers and streams that made the country to be
described as the “Water Tower of East Africa”
 This diversity in topography has resulted in differences in :
• natural features such as soil, climate, vegetation and wild life
• the socio-cultural and economic phenomena
 Ethiopian highlands which covers about 56% of the total area of the
country is Characterized by :
• Moderate and high amount of rainfall (>600 mm per year).
• Lower mean annual temperature (<200C).
• The climate is favourable for biotic life.
• Rain-fed agriculture is possible.
• Free from tropical diseases.
 In contrast to the highlands, 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 favourable for irrigation agriculture along the
lower river basins.
3.2. The Physiographic Divisions of Ethiopia
• the geologic processes of the Cenozoic Era, divides
the country in to three major physiographic units:
1. The Western highlands and lowlands
2. The South-eastern (Eastern) highlands and lowlands
3. The Rift Valley
3.2.1. The Western Highlands and Lowlands
This physiographic unit:
• includes all the area west of the Rift Valley.
• It extends from north to south covering nearly the
whole western half of Ethiopia.
• It makes up about 44% of the area of the country.
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 constitutes about 13% of the area of the region
• Long period of denudation has created residual features of granite
hill+s, rugged topography, and Ambas.
• 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 only be
b. North Central Massifs
• This Physiographic division is the largest in the western
highlands.
• Much of it lies between northern and southern limit follows
the Abay and Tekeze gorges.
• The Abay, Tekeze and their tributaries have cut into this region
a maze of gorges, steep sided river valleys, dividing the land
into many isolated plateau blocks, precipitous tablelands and
other rugged surface forms.
• But much of these plateau and tablelands are still capped by
the Trappean lava.
• 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.
• Fifty-eight percent of the region is at an altitude of more than
2,000 meters
•
• the most popular ones include
• Mount Ras Dashen (4,620 m.a.s.l),
• Mount Weynobar/Ancua (4462 m.a.s.l),
• Mount KidisYared (4453 m.a.s.l), and
• Mount Bwahit (4437 m.a.s.l) in the Simen Mountain
System.
• Other Mount Guna (4,231m.a.s.l) in the Debre Tabour
Mountain System,
• Abune Yoseph (4,260 m.a.s.l) in the Lasta highlands of
Wello and Mount Birhan (4,154 m.a.s.l) in the Choke
Mountain System in Gojjam are also part of Simen
Mountain System.
• These mountains have steep cliffs and rugged terrain that
provide scenic views to climber
c. The Shewa Plateau/central highlands
• The Shewan plateau is bounded:
• by the Rift Valley in the east and southeast,
• by the Abay gorge in its northern and western limit, and
• By the Omo gorge in the south and west.
• This plateau occupies a central geographical position in
Ethiopia.
• With only 11% of the area of the whole physiographic region,
the Shewa Plateau is the smallest of the Western highlands.
• Nearly three-fourth of its area is at an altitude of more than
2,000 meters above sea level. 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. It, therefore, forms a
water divide for these three river basins.
• The tributaries of Abay-Guder, Muger, Jema etc.
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. Otherwise,
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
• This Physiographic subdivision 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.
• The numerous streams have cut these highlands to produce the most
dissected and rugged terrain that accommodates the most numerous
and diverse ethnic linguistic groups in Ethiopia.
• With a height of 4,200 meters above sea level, Guge Mountain is the
• 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.
• In certain places, ridges or part of the highlands protrude into
the lowlands, interrupting their continuity.
• They make 11% of the area of the physiographic region.
• The general elevation ranges between 500 and 1000 meters
above sea level.
• This physiographic sub-region is further subdivided into four by
the protruding ridges.
• Tekeze lowland,
• Abay-Dinder lowland,
• Baro lowland, and
• Ghibe/Omo lowland from north to south.
• 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.
• As one moves northwards, the degree of aridity
increases, making rain-fed agriculture more difficult.
• Since one or two rivers cross all of these lowlands,
irrigation agriculture is highly feasible.
• For example, the Baro lowland has an extensive flat
area suitable for mechanized agriculture.
• the Western lowlands, there are small but important
towns. Their importance could be related to
agriculture, history, or are simply border towns and
frontier ports. These are Humera, Metema, Omedla,
Kurmuk, Gambella etc.
3.2.2. The Southeastern Highlands and
Lowlands
• This physiographic region is the second largest
accounting for 37% of the area of Ethiopia.
• The highlands make up 46% of the physiographic division
while the rest is lowland.
• These are further subdivided into two units of highlands
and two units of extensive lowlands.
• The subdivision of Southeastern Highlands is discussed
as follows.
A. The Arsi-Bale-Sidama Highlands
B. The Hararghe Plateau
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.
• These extensive plains are interrupted here and there,
by low hills, low ridges, inselbergs and by shallow and
broad river valleys and depressions.
This lowland is characterized :
• harsh climatic conditions,
• little used and support very small population.
• 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.
3.2.3. The 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.
• It is elongated and funnel shaped, with a NE-SW
orientation.
• It opens out in the Afar Triangle, where it is the widest,
and narrows down to the south.
• The Rift Valley is further subdivided into three
physiographic sub-regions.
i)the Afar Triangle,
ii)the Main Ethiopian Rift,
ii)the Chew Bahir Rift
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.
• It is bounded by the high western and eastern escarpments in
the west and east respectively, and by the Afar and Aisha Horst
in the northeast.
• The area is generally of low altitude (300-700 meters).
• Quite different is the morphology of the Afar depression,
triangular-shape lowland, where elevation drops uniformly
from approximately 1,000 meters in the southwest to below
sea level in the north (Danakil depression) and
• in the east, where the shores of Lake Asal, fluctuating at
around 125 meters below sea level, represent the lowest sub
aerial point of the African continent.
• hosts one of the most hostile environments on Earth (maximum
temperatures can exceed 50°C during the summer wet season;
Dallol, at the northern tip of Afar.
• 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 these basins. A
prominent feature in this region is the Denakil Depression (Kobar
Sink). Separated from the Red Sea by a 200 meters high land
barrier, much of it lies below sea level. A larger part of this 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. The only respite one gets
in the Southern part is from the waters of the 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.
• It is bounded by the western and eastern escarpments. With the
exception of the Arbaminch area, the bounding escarpments are
generally low.
• 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 above sea level.
• The floor in many places is dotted by cinder cones and volcanic
mountains. The big ones include Mount Fentale, Boseti-guda (near
Adama), Aletu (north of Lake Ziway) and Chebi (north of Lake
Hawasa). The northern section has more of these cinder cones and
lava fields.
• Because of altitude, the lakes region of the Main Ethiopian Rift is
generally milder and watery.
• rain-fed agriculture is practiced. Other resource bases include the
recreational value of the lakes, the agricultural importance of some
iii. The Chew Bahir Rift
• This is the smallest and the southern-most
part of the Rift Valley.
• Gneissic highlands of Konso and the
surrounding highlands separate it from the
Main Ethiopian Rift to the north.
• 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.
3.3. The Impacts of Relief on Biophysical and Socioeconomic
Conditions
1. Agricultural practices
2. Relief influences farm size and shape in that in an area of
rugged terrain the farmlands are small in size and
fragmented and tend to be irregular in shape.
• Choice of farming techniques and farm implements are highly
influenced by relief as in rugged terrain mechanized farming
techniques are difficult to practice.
• Relief influences 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 is also influenced by relief
as most equines and sheep are reared in the higher altitudes
and camels and goat are well adapted to lower altitudes
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
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).
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.
• Have a nice reading ………………