The Ngorongoro Crater is a large caldera (collapsed volcano) in Tanzania, Africa. It is the largest unbroken caldera in the world, measuring 10 to 12 miles (16 to 19 km) across and with an area of 102 square miles (264 square km). Its rim rises 2,000 feet (610 m) above the crater floor to an elevation of 7,500 feet (2,286 m).
The crater is home to a diverse array of animals, including lions, elephants, black rhinoceroses, leopards, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, gnu (wildebeests), Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, and the densest population of lions in the world. The local Maasai people also graze their livestock in the crater. Lake Magadi, a shallow soda lake ringed by extinct volcanoes, is renowned as a habitat for great flocks of pink flamingos.
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tanzania. Visitors can drive, hike, or take a hot air balloon ride over the crater to see the wildlife. The crater is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It is thought to have formed about 2.5 million years ago when a large active volcano collapsed inward after a major eruption.
• The crater is home to over 25,000 animals, making it one of the most densely populated wildlife areas in Africa.
• The crater is a popular destination for researchers studying animal behavior and ecology.
• The crater is also home to a number of Maasai settlements, who have lived in the area for centuries.
