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Gabillema

Stratovolcano in Ethiopia

Key Facts

Elevation

1,459 m (4,787 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano

Location

11.080°, 41.270°

Region

Main Ethiopian Rift Volcanic Province

Rock Type

Rhyolite

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

Gabillema is a rhyolitic stratovolcano along the axis of the Addado graben. The volcano was constructed at the intersection of the central Afar rift zone with the northern end of the Main Ethiopian Rift. Rhyolitic lava domes are located on the flanks, and a 5 x 17 km basaltic lava field that covers the Ado Bad plain north of the volcano originated from a broad area of fissure vents and spatter cones on the north side of Gabillema.

Young lava flows also occur south and east of the volcano, the latter along E-W fissures. This period of rejuvenation, perhaps not directly related to Gabillema, has included rhyolitic as well as basaltic volcanism.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate
Infrastructure RiskModerate
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Rhyolite
Silica Content
High (>68% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone
Continental rift or intraplate setting with varied eruptive styles.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Holocene
Evidence
Evidence Credible

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent ActivityUnknownHistoricalHistorically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Normal
No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity
The Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

  • Smithsonian ID: 221150
  • Evidence: Evidence Credible
  • Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Gabillema is located along the axis of the Addado graben. The summit of the volcano lies below and to the left of the center of this Landsat image. Rhyolitic lava domes are on the flanks of the volcano and a 5 x 17 km basaltic lava field covers the Ado Bad Plain (Ado Lake) N of the volcano, originating from a broad area of fissure vents and spatter cones on the N side.

NASA Landsat image, 1999 (courtesy of Hawaii Synergy Project, Univ. of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics & Planetology).

Basic Information

This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.