What is Afar Triangle?
{{Coord|11.5|N|41.0|E|display=title|source:frwiki}} [[File:Tectonical map of East Africa.png|thumb|440px|Location map of the Afar Triangle (the shaded area in the center of the map) and the [[East African Rift]] zones; red triangles show historically active volcanoes]] [[File:Topographic30deg N0E30.png|thumb|330px|right|Topographic map showing the Afar Triangle, which correlates to the shaded area in the location map shown above]] [[File:Awashrivermap.png|thumb|300px|right|This map of the [[Awash River]] [[drainage basin]] shows the geography well]] The '''Afar Triangle ''' (or '''Afar Depression''') is a low area bordering on the [[Red Sea]]. It is part of the [[Great Rift Valley]] in [[East Africa]]. The area overlaps the borders of [[Eritrea]], [[Djibouti]] and the entire [[Afar Region|Afar region]] of [[Ethiopia]]. == Human fossils == Important [[fossil]] specimens of the earliest [[hominin]]s have been found in this area. These are the earliest of the human [[clade]]. The area is thought by some paleontologists to be the cradle of the evolution of humans. Many important fossil localities exist in the Afar region. These sites have produced specimens of the earliest (fossil) [[hominin]]s and of human tool culture, as well as many fossils of [[flora]] and [[fauna]]. == Geography == The Triangle includes the lowest point in [[Africa]], [[Lake Asal (Djibouti)|Lake Asal]], Djibouti, at 155 m (or 509&nbsp;ft) below [[sea level]]. The [[Awash River]] is the main waterflow into the region. It runs dry during the annual dry season, and ends as a chain of [[salt lake|saline]] lakes. The northern part of the Afar Depression is also known as the '''Danakil Depression'''. The lowlands are affected by heat, [[drought]], and poor air circulation. Some of the lowlands are the hottest places (year-round average temperatures) of anywhere on [[Earth]]. The Afar Triangle is bordered by high areas, as shown on the topographic map.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/afar/new-afar/geology-afar/structure-tech-p