Dallol

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Dallol is the hottest inhabited locality in the world. It is located in Ethiopia , in the north of the country at the edge of the Afar Depression. It is the place where the African continent is slowly splitting apart and a new ocean is forming. A series of fissures opened along the Afar Depression in September 2005 and the rift pulled apart by eight metres. more »

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The lowest point is now located at the level of 116 meters below the sea level, not far from the Dallol volcano. .

Basic Facts

The annual temperature at the region of Dallol reaches 34.4°C. Dallol is a former village, now rather a ghost village. Dallol is one of the most remote places on Earth. It is absolutely isolated and there are no roads. The only transport service is provided by camel caravans. At the beginning of the 20th century, a railway was built from Mersa Fatma to Dallol. The railway was built mainly because of mining activities connected with production of potash (KCl) . The production was stopped after the First World War. There were several attempts to continue the mining activities. For example, between 1925 and 1929 an Italian mining company was exploiting sylvite, averaging 70% KCl. After the Second World War, the British government had the railway closed.

Dallol today

At present, Dallol is a ghost village. When you arrive, you will come across old ruined houses and loads of rusty machine equipment, cars, etc. The area is a popular destination for travelers - adventurers. The nearby volcano, numerous craters and volcanic lakes are very attractive and the region is a popular tourist destination. The Dallol volcano last erupted in 1926.