Danakil

Danakil, commonly associated with the Afar people, is an East African ethnolinguistic group living in the Horn of Africa. They inhabit parts of Ethiopia's Afar Region, and neighboring areas in Djibouti and Eritrea. The Afar speak Afar, a Cushitic language, and traditionally lead semi-nomadic lives centered on pastoralism, camel caravans, and salt production. The term Danakil appears in historical and geographic sources, while the people themselves often refer to themselves as Afar.

The Danakil Depression is a geological basin in northeastern Ethiopia within the Afar Region, part of the East African Rift. It is one of the hottest and most inhospitable environments on Earth, with salt flats, acidic springs, and active volcanic activity. The landscape includes the Dallol hydrothermal area and the Erta Ale volcano, which hosts a persistent lava lake. Much of the depression lies below sea level in places, and temperatures can reach extreme highs.

Salt mining and trade have historically underpinned Danakil society. Afar salt caravans extract and transport blocks from the desert to markets along the Red Sea. The population is predominantly Muslim, with minorities following Christianity or traditional beliefs. Social organization tends to be clan-based, with customary law and elder councils playing important roles in resolving disputes and coordinating community affairs.