The Great Rift Valley is part of an intra-continental ridge system that runs through Kenya from
north to south. It is part of the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African
Rift, which starts in Tanzania to the south and continues northward into Ethiopia. It
was formed on the "Kenyan Dome" a geographical upwelling created by the interactions of three
major tectonics: the Arabian, Nubian, and Somalian plates. In the past, it was seen
as part of a "Great Rift Valley" that ran from Madagascar to Syria. Most of the valley
falls within the former Rift Valley Province. The valley contains the Cherangani Hills and
a chain of volcanoes, some of which are still active. The climate is mild, with temperatures
usually below 28 °C. Most rain falls during the March–June and October–November periods.
The Tugen Hills to the west of Lake Baringo contain fossils preserved in laval flows from
the period 14 to 4 million years ago. The relics of many hominids, ancestors of humans,
were found here.
Features
The valley is bordered by escarpments to the east and west. The floor is broken by volcanoes,
some still active, and contains a series of lakes. Some of the soils are Andisols, fertile
soils from relatively recent volcanic activity. Lake Turkana occupies the northern end of
the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. There are also volcanoes in Lake Turkana. The Suguta
Valley, or Suguta Mud Flats, is an arid part of the Great Rift Valley directly south of
Lake Turkana. The shield volcano Emuruangogolak straddles the valley to the south of Suguta,
and further south Mount Silali and Paka rise from the valley floor. Paka is a shield volcano,
with widespread geothermal activity. South of Paka are Mount Korosi, Lake Baringo and
Lake Bogoria. Menengai is a massive shield volcano in the floor of the rift with a caldera
that formed about 8,000 years ago. It overlooks Lake Nakuru to the south. This region also
includes Lake Elementaita, Mount Kipipiri and Lake Naivasha.
The Hell's Gate National Park lies south of Lake Naivasha. In the early 1900s, Mount Longonot
erupted, and ash can still be felt around Hell's Gate. Mount Longonot is a dormant stratovolcano
located southeast of Lake Naivasha. Suswa is a shield volcano located between Narok
and Nairobi. Lava flows from the most recent eruptions are still not convered by vegetation,
and may be no more than one hundred years old. Lake Magadi is the most southern rift
valley lake in Kenya, although the northern end of Lake Natron in Tanzania reaches into
Kenya. The Elgeyo escarpment forms part of the western
wall. The Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo escarpment at an elevation
of 1,000 metres There are large deposits of Fluorite in the Kerio Valley area. Further
south the Mau Escarpment is a steep natural cliff approximately 3,000 m high, running
along the western edge of the Great Rift Valley about Lake Naivasha. Yet further south the
Nguruman Escarpment is around 50 kilometers long and elongated in N-W direction. Its northern
edge is about 120 kilometres southwest of Nairobi, while the southern edge is near the
Tanzanian border, at the northwestern corner of Lake Natron. The Aberdare Range forms a
section of the eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley to the north of Nairobi. Mount Satima
lies at the northern end of the Aberdares and is their highest point, and Mount Kinangop
at the southern end is the second highest. The mountains form a ridge between these two
peaks. Ngong Hills are peaks in a ridge along the east of the Great Rift Valley, located
southwest near Nairobi. Lakes
Kenya is home to 64 of the total lakes found within the continent of Africa. Eight of these
make up the main lakes in the Kenyan Rift Valley. From north to south, the names of
these lakes are Lake Turkana, Lake Logipi, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake
Elmenteita, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Magadi Of those eight, only Lakes Baringo and Naivasha
are fresh water.
Lake Turkana, at the northern end of the rift, is 250 kilometres long, between 15 kilometres
and 30 kilometres wide and is 125 metres at its greatest depth. Most of the other lakes
are shallow and poorly drained, and therefore have become alkaline. They have waters that
are rich in blue-green algae, which feed insect larvae, small crustaceans and Lesser Flamingos.
The larvae and crustaceans are food for fish and Greater Flamingos. Massive flocks of these
birds have been found to have an effect on the lakeside sediments also. Their numbers
cause trampling of the silts in certain areas, while the feeding grounds are oxygenated due
to probing beaks in the mud. Their nest mounds can also be preserved and cemented as the
lake's water levels change. These form irregularities in the lakeside topography.
Trona, an evaporative mineral, used for sodium carbonate production, has been mined at Lake
Magadi for nearly 100 years. It produces about 250,000 metric tonnes per year. Other precious
minerals like rubies and pink sapphires have been found and mined from areas around Lake
Boringo. In 2004, over 2 kilograms of corundum were collected.
Three shallow alkaline lakes and the surrounding lands make up the Kenya Lake system: Lake
Bogoria at 10,700 hectares, Lake Nakuru at 18,800 hectares and Lake Elementaita at 2,534
hectares. This system has one of the most diverse populations of birds in the world,
and is the home of thirteen globally threatened species of bird. It is an important nesting
and breeding site for Great White Pelicans, and is the most important feeding area for
lesser flamingos in the world. The system is home to globally important populations
of Black-necked Grebe, African Spoonbill, Pied Avocet, Little Grebe, Yellow-billed Stork,
Black-winged Stilt, Grey-headed Gull and Gull-billed Tern.
The Kenya Lake system is a key location on the West Asian-East African Flyway, a route
followed by huge numbers of birds in their annual migration from breeding grounds in
the north to wintering places in Africa. The lands around the lakes include large populations
of black rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs. The Kenya
Lake system is surrounded by the steep escarpment of the Rift Valley, which provides a spectacular
backdrop. Other lakes are Lake Chew Bahir, in the northeast
extension. This lake lies mainly in Ethiopia but extends into Kenya in the rainy season.
Lake Kamnarok is another small lake. Gallery
See also
Prehistory Paleolithic
Java Man Ethnic groups
Economy
People
In popular culture
References
Sources