The stretching and thinning of continental crust as tectonic forces pull it apart, producing a linear depression, or rift valley, that can eventually widen into a new ocean basin if extension continues long enough. The East African Rift, actively splitting the African continent today, is the world's clearest example in progress.
Facts
Timescale
Timescale (category) Process Type Connections
Shaped
The Danakil Depression is a geological depression formed by rifting.
Source Danakil Depression (Wikipedia)
Source Gulf of Suez - Wikipedia
Source Lake Baikal (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Balaton (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Edward (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Kivu (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Malawi (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Nakuru (Wikipedia)
Source Lake Turkana (Wikipedia)
Source Narmada River (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia, Red Sea
Source Rift valley (Wikipedia)
Source African Great Lakes (Wikipedia)
Source Arabian Peninsula (Wikipedia)
Source Dead Sea (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Rift (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia infobox 'Lead section' = 'In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being ...' on 'Rift'View the Source 2. Rift, Wikipedia
Opening definitionQuote, Opening definition
A rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics.
Danakil Depression (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Danakil Depression, Lead sectionQuote, Shaped: Danakil Depression, Lead section
The Danakil Depression is a geological depression formed by rifting.
African Great Lakes (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: The African Great Lakes Region, Geology/formation-of-the-lakes sectionQuote, Shaped: The African Great Lakes Region, Geology/formation-of-the-lakes section
This rift began when East Africa, impelled by currents in the mantle, began separating from the rest of Africa, moving to the northeast.
Rift valley (Wikipedia)
Shaped: Rift Valley, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Rift Valley, Lead paragraph
A rift valley is a linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges produced by the action of a geologic rift.
Lake Baikal (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Baikal, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Baikal, Lead paragraph
Lake Baikal is a rift lake and the deepest lake in the world.
Dead Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: The Dead Sea, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: The Dead Sea, Lead paragraph
It lies in the endorheic basin of the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.
Lake Malawi (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Malawi, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Malawi, Lead paragraph
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, (Swahili: Ziwa Nyasa) is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Wikipedia, Red Sea
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Red Sea, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Red Sea, Lead paragraph
It is underlain by the Red Sea Rift, which is part of the Great Rift Valley.
Gulf of Suez - Wikipedia
Shaped: Gulf of Suez, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Gulf of Suez, Lead paragraph
The gulf was formed within a relatively young but now inactive Gulf of Suez Rift rift basin, dating back about 26 million years.
Lake Turkana (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Turkana, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Turkana, Lead paragraph
Lake Turkana () is a saline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, predominantly in northern Kenya; the far northern end crosses into Ethiopia.
Lake Kivu (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Kivu, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Kivu, Lead paragraph
It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift.
Narmada River (Wikipedia)
Shaped: Narmada River, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Narmada River, Lead paragraph
It is one of a few rivers in India that flows in a rift valley, bordered by the Satpura and Vindhya ranges.
Lake Edward (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Edward, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Edward, Lead paragraph
It is located in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with its northern shore a few kilometres south of the equator.
Lake Nakuru (Wikipedia)
Shaped: Lake Nakuru, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Nakuru, Lead paragraph
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley lakes, located at an elevation of 1,754 m (5,755 ft) above sea level.
Lake Balaton (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Lake Balaton, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: Lake Balaton, Lead paragraph
Lake Balaton (Hungarian: [ˈbɒlɒton] ) is a freshwater rift lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary.
Arabian Peninsula (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: The Arabian Peninsula, Lead paragraphQuote, Shaped: The Arabian Peninsula, Lead paragraph
Between 56 and 23 million years ago, the peninsula was formed as a result of the Red Sea Rift involving the African and Arabian plates.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.