also Dankali or Adal (self-designation, Afar), a people living in the northeastern regions of Ethiopia and on the coast of the Gulf of Tadjoura (Afars and Issas). Their total number, including the Saho who are close to them in language and culture, is about 500.000 (1967, estimate). The Danakil speak Afar, which is related to the Cushitic languages. Their religion is Islam. Vestiges of old religious beliefs are retained. The Danakil are mainly nomadic herdsmen, raising cattle and camels.
a mountain range in Ethiopia, extending along the Red Sea coast. With elevations up to 2,130 m, it is composed of crystalline rock, covered with sedimentary layers and Cenozoic basaltic lavas. The dominant vegetation consists of semidesert grass and brush. Thickets of thorn bushes grow on the slopes facing the Red Sea.