A valley formed by the downward displacement of a block of land between two parallel faults, creating a depressed area flanked by higher ground. These structures result from tensional forces in the Earth's crust.
German word meaning 'ditch' or 'grave,' adopted directly into geological terminology in the 19th century. German geologists first systematically described these fault-bounded valleys in their detailed studies of crustal structure.
The East African Rift Valley is actually a massive graben system stretching 3,700 miles from Lebanon to Mozambique - it's literally where the African continent is slowly splitting apart! Death Valley in California sits in a graben, which is why it's below sea level despite being surrounded by mountains.
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