Slowly shifting tectonic plates, upon which our continents sit, can change the face of the planet. Earlier this year, a crack opened up in the ground in the Kenyan part of the
East African Rift Valley. Though the crack was unrelated to tectonic plate movement, research has shown in 10 million years,
Africa could drastically change, giving rise to new continents and mountain ranges..
A WHOLE NEW CONTINENT?In 10 million years, a part of eastern Africa will split from the rest of the continent. Here's a look at how the world map will change.
LAND WILL PARTAlong the
East African Rift Valley, African continent is splitting into two — the
Somali plate and the Nubian plate.
NEW MOUNTAINS IN WEST ASIA The splitting of Africa as a result of the East African rift will push the Arabian plate into the Eurasian plate, uplifting seabed and land into mountains
MORE ISLANDS IN INDIAN OCEANAs the Somali and Indo-Australian plates collide, new volcanic islands will form in the Indian Ocean
HIMALAYAS ON THE MOVE The Indo- Australian tectonic plate has been pushing northward into the Eurasian plate, resulting in the Himalayan range rising about 1 cm every year and expanding southward
HIMALAYAS: 20 MILLION YEARS TO BRAKE TO A HALT The Himalayas were formed when the Indo-Australian plate collided with the Eurasian plate. But a 2012 study found that the northward movement of the Indian plate is slowing and will halt in 20 million years.
EAST AFRICAN RIFT HEADED FOR A SPLITThe East African Rift Valley is a geographic formation lying between two tectonic plates. It stretches for more than 3,000km from Zimbabwe to the Gulf of Aden.
Rifts are precursors to continental break-ups as the rift widens and the surface becomes thinner. Once the rift splits the continent, the ocean will flood the gap, creating a new continent in the Indian Ocean. In 10 million years, the Somali plate is expected to break off from the main
African plate.