Analyze the tectonic genesis and structural evolution of the East African Rift System: Statement I: The East African Rift is an active continental rift zone where the African Plate is splitting into two new tectonic plates, namely the Nubian and Somalian plates. Statement II: This geological process is characterized by extensive volcanic activity, deep graben valleys, and a chain of freshwater rift lakes such as Tanganyika and Malawi. Which of the following is correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Both statements correctly outline the tectonic mechanisms and surface expressions of the East African Rift System. Upwelling mantle plumes cause crustal doming and extensional faulting, splitting the African lithospheric plate into the westward Nubian and eastward Somalian segments. This divergence produces dramatic topography including deep structural graben valleys, active volcanoes like Mount Kilimanjaro, and elongated deep-water lakes. Rift valleys provide exceptional laboratories for studying continental breakup.