Africa's Great RIFT Valley is a geological feature that stretches from the Red Sea in the east to Mozambique in the south. It is a 6, 000-kilometer-long system of valleys and mountains that was formed by the separation of the African and Arabian tectonic plates. The term 'RIFT' is used to describe the valley because it is a deep, steep-sided valley that has been created by the splitting of the Earth's crust. The Great RIFT Valley is home to some of the world's most diverse wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.