The United Nations proclaimed May 22, 2017 as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. In celebration thereof, PROBA-V brings you this 100 m false-colour image of Ethiopia, captured in April 2017.
Located in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia has a fast-growing population and economy, renowned for its coffee production on the fertile Ethiopian Highlands. These highlands are bisected  by the Great Rift Valley that starts from the Afar Triangle, a depression with saline lakes, salt mining and important wildlife refuges, that is partly shown in this image.
While the highlands enjoy a more temperate climate than usual so close to the Equator, the recent drought in Eastern Africa reminds us of the importance of protecting the diversity of wildlife and local crop varieties to the effects of climate change and other threats.​