🔹 Definition:

A rift valley is a long, narrow depression formed when a block of the Earth’s crust subsides (drops down) between two diverging tectonic plates due to tensional forces.

It typically forms at divergent plate boundaries, especially within continental crust.

🔹 Formation Process:

1. Tensional Forces:

   • Crust is stretched due to divergent tectonic movement.

2. Faulting:

   • The stretching causes the crust to fracture into normal faults.

   • A block of land between two faults drops down relative to the blocks on either side, forming a graben (the rift valley).

   • The uplifted sides are called horsts.

3. Volcanism & Earthquakes:

   • Magma may rise through fractures, creating volcanoes along the rift.

   • Earthquakes are common due to the ongoing crustal movement.

🔹 Key Features of Rift Valleys:

🔹 Famous Rift Valleys:

🔍 Importance of Rift Valleys:

• Sites of continental breakup (e.g. Africa splitting into two plates).

• Rich in geothermal energy and minerals.

• Often associated with lakes and fertile land due to sediment accumulation.