The great East African valleys extending through the Red Sea to Syria are an example of which kind of valley system?

Introduction / Context:
The East African valleys and their extension through the Red Sea towards Syria are part of a dramatic geological feature visible on global maps. This system is important in geomorphology and plate tectonics, because it illustrates how the Earth crust can split and create long linear depressions. The question asks you to identify the correct type of valley represented by this feature.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The valleys extend from East Africa through the Red Sea to the region of Syria.

• The feature is long, narrow, and mostly linear when viewed on a map.

• Options include river valley, rift valley, glaciated valley, and canyon.

• The system corresponds to a major tectonic boundary.

Concept / Approach:
A rift valley forms when the Earth lithosphere is pulled apart by tensional forces along divergent plate boundaries. The central block subsides between parallel faults, creating a long, narrow depression. The East African Rift System and its continuation through the Red Sea towards the Dead Sea region in the Middle East is a textbook example of a rift valley system rather than a simple river valley or canyon.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Visualise the East African Rift running through countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Step 2: Notice that this valley system continues northward through the Red Sea and towards the Jordan Rift Valley near Syria. Step 3: Recall that these features are associated with divergent plate boundaries where the African plate is splitting. Step 4: Recognise that such long linear depressions formed by crustal tension are called rift valleys. Step 5: Match this understanding with option B, which explicitly states rift valley system.

Verification / Alternative check:
Geology and physical geography texts refer to the East African Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the continuation into the Jordan Rift Valley as part of a major rift system. The presence of volcanic activity, earthquakes, and fault lines supports the interpretation that this is a tectonic rift, not simply a valley carved by rivers or glaciers. Satellite imagery also shows straight, steep sided valley segments typical of rifting.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• River valley system is incorrect because, although rivers may occupy parts of the rift, the basic feature is tectonic rather than purely fluvial.

• Glaciated valley system would involve U shaped valleys carved by moving ice, which is not the dominant process in tropical East Africa or the Red Sea region.

• Canyon formed by river erosion describes steep river gorges like the Grand Canyon, not a continent scale rift produced by plate divergence.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose river valley because many rift valleys contain lakes and rivers. Others may confuse any deep valley with a canyon. To avoid mistakes, associate the East African to Red Sea to Syria alignment with plate tectonics and the term rift valley system, which specifically refers to crustal extension and faulting rather than simple erosion.

Final Answer:
The East African valleys stretching through the Red Sea to Syria form a classic Rift valley system.