The Afar Depression, locally known as the Danakil depression, is the three-way junction where the spreading ridges that form the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden emerge on land and meet the East African Rift. The Depression, the lowest point in Ethiopia and one of the lowest in Africa, is found in the north of the region.

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA) published in 2005, Afar has an estimated total population of 1,389,004, consisting of 772,002 men and 617,002 women. With an estimated area of 96,707 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 14.36 people per square kilometer.

According to the 1996 census, the region's population was estimated at 1,106,383 of which 626,839 are males and 479,544 are females. The rural population was about 1,020,504 (92.2%), while the urban population was 85,879. The major ethnic compositions are the Afar (91.8%), Amhara (4.5%), Argobba (0.92%), Tigreans (0.82%), Oromo (0.7%), Wolaita (0.45%), and Hadiya (0.013%). 96% of the population were Muslim, 3.86% Orthodox Christians, 0.43% Protestants, 0.09% Catholics, and other religions (0.02%).

Afarigna is predominantly (90.8%) spoken in the region and is the working language of the state. Other major languages spoken in the state include Amharic (6.68%), Tigrigna (0.74%), Oromo (0.68%), Argobba (0.4%) and Wolaitigna (0.26%).

Agriculture

The CSA estimated in 2005 that farmers in Afar had a total of 327,370 cattle, 196,390 sheep, 483,780 goats, 200 mules, 12,270 asses, 99,830 camels, 38,320 poultry of all species, and 810 beehives. For nomadic inhabitants, the CSA estimated 1,990,850 cattle, 2,303,250 sheep, 3,960,510 goats, 759,750 camels, 175,180 asses, 2960 mules, and 900 horses.

Fossil Finds

Hadar, a community in Afar, was the site of the discovery of "Lucy," the Australopithecus afarensis skeletal remains, by Donald Johanson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. On March 5, 2005, another skeleton, estimated to be 3.8 million years old and said to be the world's oldest bipedal hominid skeleton, was found in the region.

On March 24, 2006 it was reported that a "significantly complete" cranium had been found at Gawis in the Gona area. The cranium appears as an intermediate form between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens.