Ethiopia – Topography It is a country of geographical contrasts, varying from as much as 116 m (381 ft) below sea level in the Danakil depression to more than 4,600 m (15,000 ft) above in the mountainous regions. Ras Dashen, with an altitude of 4,620 m (15,158 ft), is the fourth-highest peak in Africa.
What is the major topography of Ethiopia?
Although Ethiopia’s complex relief defies easy classification, five topographic features are discernible. These are the Western Highlands, the Western Lowlands, the Eastern Highlands, the Eastern Lowlands, and the Rift Valley. The Western Highlands are the most extensive and rugged topographic component of Ethiopia.
What are the characteristics of Ethiopia?
Fertile farmland, high mountains with crater lakes, deep canyons and abysses, low-lying savannas, and deserts are some of the many aspects of Ethiopia’s topography.
What are the characteristics of Ethiopian lowlands?
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.
What are the major characteristics of Ethiopian highland?
The Ethiopian Highlands is a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia in Northeast Africa. It forms the largest continuous area of its elevation in the continent, with little of its surface falling below 1,500 m (4,900 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4,550 m (14,930 ft).
What are the three main types of topography?
Some of them include landforms, textures, and elevations. When you look at the topography around you, you might notice landforms, textures or elevations. Landforms are patterns made by the shape of the earth’s surface and they can be anything from mountains to valleys and plains.
What are the main types of topography?
Topography Types
- Karst Topography. Karst topography describes the distinct landscape that is made when underlying rocks dissolve or change shape.
- Mountain Topography. Topographical maps show landforms such as hills and mountains.
- Vegetation, Elevation and Glaciers.
What is the major characteristics of Ethiopian rivers?
General Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers
Almost all major rivers originate from the highlands elevating more than 1500 meters above sea level, Majority of Ethiopian rivers are trans-boundary, Due to the marked seasonality of rainfall, Ethiopian rivers are characterized by extreme seasonal fluctuation.
What are the general characteristics of Ethiopian Rift Valley Geological?
Since the end of the Tertiary period the Ethiopian Rift Valley has been the scene of intense volcanic activity and further minor faulting. Consequently the geological formations are almost entirely volcanic in origin and include both alkaline (basalts) and acidic (rhyolites, ignimbrites, pumices and ash) rock types.
What are 5 facts about Ethiopia?
7 Interesting Facts About Ethiopia
- Ethiopia’s calendar will surprise you.
- It has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the continent.
- Over 80 languages are spoken in Ethiopia.
- Over half of Africa’s mountains are in Ethiopia.
- The first African to win an Olympic gold medal was Ethiopian.
- Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest country.
What are the factors that determine the characteristics of Ethiopia’s natural vegetation?
The formation of Ethiopian vegetation is highly connected to the climate and geological history of the country. Highland uplift and rift formation due to volcanic forces formed novel habitats with different topography and climatic conditions that have ultimately become drivers for vegetation diversification.
Why Ethiopia is called as the roof of East Africa?
Ethiopia is also known as ‘The Roof’ and ‘The Water Tower’ of East Africa, because of its high altitude and its great rivers that flow towards the neighboring countries, including the origins of the Blue Nile.
What are the 5 types of natural vegetation in Ethiopia?
8 Classified Groups of Vegetation in Ethiopia
- Desert and Semi-desert scrublands:
- Small-leaved, deciduous woodland of Acacia-Commiphora:
- Moist evergreen Montane Rainforest:
- Lowland semi-evergreen forest:
- Dry evergreen montane forest and grassland complex:
- Afro-alpine and sub-Afro-alpine vegetation:
What are the three characteristics of Eastern highlands?
The highlands consist of three main mountain groups – The Nyanga, Bvumba, and Chimanimani mountains – and several smaller ranges. The mountains are mostly sparsely populated, covered in rich grasslands, shrublands, woodlands and forests.
What are the characteristics of Eastern highlands?
The two main features of the Eastern Highlands is that they have equitable climate and sparsely populated. These are also known as the East African Highlands or the Eastern. These mountain ranges are situated on the eastern side of Zimbabwe.
What is the difference between highland and lowland of Ethiopia?
Highlanders’ sensitive relates with high population density, erosion and crop disease and pest damage occurrence. Whereas lowlanders will be more sensitive to high crop disease and pest damage, provenance of livestock disease, absence of alternative water sources, less diversified agricultural practices.
What are the characteristics of topography?
Topography describes the physical features of an area of land. These features typically include natural formations such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and valleys. Manmade features such as roads, dams, and cities may also be included. Topography often records the various elevations of an area using a topographical map.
What are 3 characteristics of topographic maps?
Topographic maps show contours, elevation, forest cover, marsh, pipelines, power transmission lines, buildings and various types of boundary lines such as international, provincial and administrative, and many others.
What are the factors of topography?
Topographic factors such as elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, general curvature, plan curvature, and profile curvature are considered as the main causes of landslides.
What is the best definition of topography?
to·pog·ra·phy tə-ˈpä-grə-fē : the art or practice of graphic delineation in detail usually on maps or charts of natural and man-made features of a place or region especially in a way to show their relative positions and elevations. : topographical surveying.
Which of these is one characteristic of topographic maps?
The distinctive characteristic of a topographic map is the use of elevation contour lines to show the shape of the Earth’s surface. Elevation contours are imaginary lines connecting points having the same elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, which is usually mean sea level.