IsiGodi Esiwumfantu

El umhosha Kungumthethosivivinywa omkhulu wokwakheka komhlaba owaqala ukwakheka eminyakeni engaba yizigidi ezingama-30 edlule futhi ohlala endaweni engamakhilomitha angama-4830 ohlangothini olusenyakatho naseningizimu.

Namuhla kubhekwa njengokuzalwa komuntu ngenxa yenani elikhulu lama-hominid fossil atholakele lapho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-Unesco yamemezela amachibi njengeGugu Lomhlaba ngo-2011. Yini enye ekhethekile ngale ndawo?

Uphuma kuphi?

Njengoba sishilo ekuqaleni, iRift Valley yaqala ukwakheka eminyakeni engaba yizigidi ezingama-30 eyedlule ngenxa yokwehlukaniswa kwamapuleti ama-tectonic (amaSomalia, amaNdiya, ama-Arabia kanye nama-Eurasian). Njengoba isikhathi sihamba futhi uqweqwe lomhlaba lincibilika yi-magma encibilikile ekhuphukela phezulu, umsele omude wakhiwa ngamathambeka anomthambeka omkhulu.

Indawo enamadwala emaphakathi ihlale iqhekeza izingcezu, kudaleke amaphutha lapho amabhlogo edwala enza isilayidi esiqondile. Ezindaweni eziningi la mabhulokhi ayacwila ukwakha i-graben, okuwukucindezeleka okude okulinganiselwe ezinhlangothini zombili ngamaphutha ajwayelekile ahambisanayo.

Injani i-geography yakho?

IRift Valley, esempumalanga yezwekazi lase-Afrika, inokwandiswa kwamakhilomitha angama-4830. Engxenyeni yalo esempumalanga sithola amathafa avamile aseAfrika, lapho kuhlala khona inyathi yase-Afrika, inyamazane, indlulamithi noma ibhubesi; futhi entshonalanga ibamba amahlathi, okuyindawo yokuhlala yezimfene nama-gorilla, phakathi kokunye.

Lapho ungabona futhi nentaba-mlilo i-Kilimanjaro, okuyintaba esenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeTanzania eyakhiwe izintaba-mlilo ezintathu ezingasebenzi (iShira esentshonalanga futhi enobude obungamamitha angama-3962, iMaswenzi esempumalanga futhi ilinganisa amamitha ayi-5149 wokuphakama kanye ne-Uhuru ephakathi nendawo yomibili enokuphakama kwamamitha ayi-5891,8), ngaphezu kwamachibi amakhulu wamanzi angenasawoti ezwenikazi, njengeTurkana, iTanganyika noma iMalawi.

Njengomphumela wokwehlukaniswa okwenziwa yiRift Valley, empumalanga yezwekazi isimo sezulu somile kunasentshonalanga. Esikhathini esithile kamuva kufanele ngabe sebephenduke umhlaba, bafunda ukuhamba ngemilenze yabo emibili yangemuva esiyazi namuhla njengemilenze.

Le yindawo enhle kakhulu yokufunda kabanzi ngokudlula kude kakhulu komuntu, kusukela lapho ukuqhekeka okukhulu kudalule amakhulu amamitha wamatshe abekiweNgakho-ke ukuthola izinsalela zomuntu akuyona nje into enzima, kufanele futhi kuthakazelise.

Ayini amachibi eGreat Rift Valley?

Amachibi akulesi sigodi angamanye acebe kakhulu ezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. Kuze kube manje Izinhlobo ezingama-800 zezinhlanzi ze-cichlid zitholakele (bony fish), futhi kusekhona ezinye eziningi ezisalinde ukutholakala.

Kepha futhi, yize amachibi engasizi kangako ekutholeni amagesi abamba ukushisa akhishwa ngophethiloli, ama-aerosol nabanye, kunesidingo sokwehlisa ukugawulwa kwamahlathi asendaweni ezungezile nokubuyisela lezo zindawo ezisusiwe. Amahlathi, e-Afrika noma kuphi emhlabeni, amunca amagesi anjenge-carbon dioxide, ngaleyo ndlela anciphise imiphumela yokuguquka kwesimo sezulu.

Amagama abo yilawa:

Ethiopia

• IChibi i-Abaya: ka-1162km2
• Ichibi LaseChamo: ka-551km2
• Ichibi Ziway: ka-485km2
• IShala Lake: ka-329km2
• Ichibi laseKoka: ka-250km2
• Ichibi leLanganao: ka-230km2
• Ichibi i-Abijatta: ka-205km2
• Ichibi lase-Awasa: ka-129km2

Kenya

• Ichibi laseTurkana: ka-6405km2
• Ichibi Logipi: ichibi elingajulile elisesigodini saseSuuta
• IBaringo Lake: ka-130km2
• Ichibi bogoria: ka-34km2
• Ichibi nakuru: ka-40km2
• I-Elmenteita Lake: ichibi elingashoni.
• Ichibi laseNaivasha: ka-160km2
• IChibi iMagadi: ichibi elingashoni eliseduze nomngcele neTanzania.

Tanzania

• Ichibi natron- Ichibi elingashonile elihlukaniswe yiWorld Wildlife Fund njenge-ecophonic ye-halophytic ecoregion.
• IChibi iManyara: ka-231km2
• Ichibi lase-Eyasi: ichibi elingajulile lonyaka
• Ichibi laseMakati

Amachibi aseNtshonalanga

• ILake Albert: ka-5300km2
• IChibi i-Eduardo: ka-2325km2
• Ichibi laseKivu: ka-2220km2
• IChibi iTanganyika: ka-32000km2

Amachibi aseningizimu

• Ichibi laseRukwa: cishe u-560km2
• echibini Malawi: ka-30000km2
• Ichibi leMalombe: ka-450km2
• Ichibi Lake: ka-1750km2

Amanye amachibi

• IChibi Moero: ka-4350km2
• IChibi Mweru Wantipa: ka-1500km2

IRift Valley iyindawo emangalisayo, igcwele impilo. Enye yalezo okufanele uhambe uyobona okungenani kanye. Siyethemba ukuthi uyijabulele le ndatshana ebekelwe ukuzalwa kwesintu.