24.03.2013 Views

Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

10 ALOES AND LILIES OF ETHIOPIA<br />

Fig.1. Semien<br />

Mountains,<br />

Gonder floristic<br />

region.<br />

a dramatic sight with l<strong>and</strong> falling away into a broad gorge<br />

up to 2000 m deep. Whereas the upper parts <strong>of</strong> the Rift<br />

Valley are covered in evergreen forest to grassl<strong>and</strong>, the<br />

bottom <strong>of</strong> the gorge is a l<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> hot, dry savannahs <strong>and</strong><br />

deserts, with groups <strong>of</strong> large lakes. The natural l<strong>and</strong>scape<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong> has been greatly affected by human activities,<br />

especially agricultural ones over many centuries (Sebsebe<br />

Demissew, et al. 2003).<br />

<strong>Eritrea</strong> (c. 124.320 km 2 ) is located in North East Africa<br />

between 12° <strong>and</strong> 18° north, <strong>and</strong> 36° <strong>and</strong> 44° east <strong>and</strong><br />

includes the Dahlak Archipelago <strong>and</strong> other isl<strong>and</strong>s along<br />

the Red Sea coast (http://www.eritrea.be/old/eritreageography.htm).<br />

It shows geographical variation varying<br />

between near Lake Kulul within the Afar Depression 75<br />

m below sea level to the highest point in Mt. Soira at<br />

3018 m. The central plateau varies from 1800 to 3000 m<br />

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_<strong>of</strong>_<strong>Eritrea</strong>).<br />

Climate<br />

<strong>Ethiopia</strong> exhibits a wide variation in its climate. In the<br />

Semien <strong>and</strong> Bale Mountains snowfalls are periodically<br />

experienced; in the Danikil Desert, daytime temperatures<br />

can reach 50°C or more. As a rule, the central highl<strong>and</strong>s<br />

have a temperate climate without extremes <strong>of</strong> temperature.<br />

In contrast, the eastern <strong>and</strong> southern lowl<strong>and</strong>s are hot <strong>and</strong><br />

the southern rift valley has a hot <strong>and</strong> seasonally moist<br />

climate.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!