Is Africa Splitting in Two? Here’s What You Need to Know:
In East Africa, a seismic event is underway that could significantly change the continent’s geographical layout. The concept of Africa splitting has captured the attention of scientists and geologists worldwide as the Great Rift Valley expands and tears at the Earth’s crust.
This phenomenon isn’t just the stuff of science fiction but a genuine and ongoing process that could eventually lead to the emergence of a new ocean, reshaping Africa’s boundaries over millions of years.
The Great Rift Valley, spanning from the Afar region to Mozambique, showcases stunning landscapes and provides crucial insights into the forces sculpting our planet.
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At its core lies the East African Rift System (EARS), where the African continent is gradually pulling apart. Recent attention has been drawn to a significant crack that suddenly appeared in southwestern Kenya.
Understanding Plate Tectonics:
Plate tectonics, the theory explaining the movement of the Earth’s lithosphere, is key to comprehending Africa’s division.
The East African Rift System exemplifies divergent tectonic plates drifting apart, with the African plate seemingly splitting into two entities — the Somalian tectonic plate and the larger Nubian tectonic plate — moving in opposing directions.
This tectonic activity not only potentially leads to the creation of Earth’s sixth ocean but also reshapes East Africa’s geography, resembling the processes that once separated the vast protocontinent, Pangea, to form the Atlantic Ocean.
Should the Nubian and Somalian plates continue drifting, countries like Uganda and Zambia could eventually have their own coastlines
