Asayita

Asaita is the current capital of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, located in the northeastern part of that country, and at the southern edge of the Danakil Desert. The town of Semera, which is as of 2005 under construction but squarely placed on the Awash - Assab highway, will eventually become the new regional capital. Asaita, on the other hand, is 50 kilometers south by unpaved road from this highway.

To the southeast of Asaita are a group of twenty salt lakes which cover the territory to the border with neighboring Djibouti. These lakes include Lake Gamarri, known for its flamingos, and Lake Abbe, the final destination of the Awash River.