Africa Splitting into two with new Ocean Forming

Geography (CDS) Current Geography and Enviroment

Context: Scientists predict a new ocean will be created as Africa splits into two separate parts connected to the East African Rift

This geological process will inevitably divide the continent resulting in new coastlines and sub-sea internet infrastructure but also will have significant repercussions.

In 2020, a study revealed that the gradual separation of the African continent is leading to the formation of a new ocean basin.
The division of the continent is connected to the East African Rift (also called the Great Rift Valley), a crack that stretches 56 kilometres and appeared in the desert of Ethiopia in 2005, triggering the formation of a new sea.

The splitting up of the continent is caused by East African Rift which is a 56 kilometres or 35-mile-long crack that emerged in Ethiopia’s desert in 2005.
Result: formation of a new sea.
The creation of the rift was triggered by similar tectonic processes that are taking place at the bottom of the ocean.
The crack was discovered at the border of 3 tectonic plates: African Nubian, African Somali, and Arabian.
The East African Rift Valley spans over 3,000km.
It lies north to the Gulf of Aden and south to the Zimbabwe.
East African Rift Valley divides the African plate into two parts: the Somali and Nubian plates.
As rifting occurs, material from deep inside Earth moves to the surface and forms oceanic crust at the ridges.
Oceanic crust is different from continental crust in its composition and density.

It is the tearing apart of a single tectonic plate into 2 or more tectonic plates separated by divergent plate boundaries.
Rift valley erupts where Earth’s tectonic plates move apart.
Rift valley is a lowland region occurring on land and at the bottom of the ocean.
At least 138 million years ago South America and Africa were divided into different continents.
For the last 30 million years, the Arabian plate has been drifting away from Africa at a rate of one inch per year.
Result: creation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Africa is the most impacted region due to large scale displacement which will be triggered by the split.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme report on displacement and environment, in 2015 more than 15 million people were internally displaced in Africa.
These changes will impact their habitats due to climate change, resulting in environmental degradation.
Result: some species will disappear and some will become endangered.
Uncontrolled waste disposal will also be a significant concern.
Rapid urbanisation and increased settlements will put pressure on natural resources which may lead to a scarcity of water, energy and food.
It will help the landlocked countries Uganda and Zambia to have their own coastlines.
The smaller continent created by the rift will include Somalia and parts of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea will flood in and the East African Rift Valley will become a new ocean.
Part of East Africa will become its own separate small continent.
As the plates continue to split in the future, this phenomenon will result in the displacement of communities, settlements, and various flora and fauna.

Over time, the rifting process has led to the formation of several large lakes in the region.
These lakes include Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi.
They are believed to have formed as a result of the sinking of the land between the rift valleys.

The movement of tectonic plates has significant implications for the continent’s future.
It is important to study and monitor these changes while remembering the power of the Earth’s natural forces and the impact they can have over time.

The Great Rift Valley is a massive geological formation that stretches around 6,400 kilometers from northern Syria to central Mozambique in East Africa.
The valley is home to the Jordan River, which flows through the Jordan Valley and eventually empties into the Dead Sea on the border between Israel and Jordan.
The Gulf of Aden is an eastward continuation of the Rift, and from there it extends southeastward as part of the mid-oceanic ridge of the Indian Ocean.
In eastern Africa, the valley divides into the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift. The Western Rift, also known as the Albertine Rift, contains some of the deepest lakes in the world.