For millions of years the African continent has been slowly tearing apart and the Afar region is ground zero for this incredible event The Afar region is located at the junction of three tectonic plates the Nubian Plate the Arabian Plate and the Somalian Plate These plates are in constant motion pushing and pulling against each other As a result the Earth's crust in the region is extremely thin and magma from the mantle is able to rise to the surface creating a landscape of volcanoes hot springs and geysers It is in this volatile environment that the splitting of Africa is occurring