Geology of Afar Region
Da 'Ure fissure which opened up in about a day in September 2005. Photograph by Lorraine Field, University of Bristol.
Geology of the Afar Region
The geology of the Afar region is dominated by the igneous rocks and structures associated with stretching and rupture of the continental crust over approximately the last 30 million years. However, the geological history of the region extends back into the Proterozoic (about 900 million years ago).
The following pages on the different aspects of the geology of the Afar region are duplicated - one version for non-geologists and another for those with a geological background. The non-technical pages use a minimum of geological terms. However, if you are in any doubt about what something means please check the links page which gives the web addresses of sites that have geological glossaries.
Stratigraphy of Afar (non-technical)