Danakil is part of the Afar Triangle, a geological depression in the remote northeastern part of Ethiopia, where three tectonic plates are slowing diverging. The area is large — 124 miles by 31 miles — and was once part of the Red Sea.

Is Danakil Depression a desert?

In the Afar region of northern Ethiopia, lies a vast, tortured, desert plain called the Danakil Depression.

Why is the Danakil desert so hot?

This desolate, desert region is the home of the Danakil Depression, a place that seems more alien than Earth-like. It's the hottest place on Earth and during the summer months, temperatures can get up to a high of 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit) thanks to geothermal heat caused by volcanic activity.