| Fafen River | |
|---|---|
 Map showing the Jubba and Shebelle rivers drainage basin | |
| Location | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Somali, Oromia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Ethiopian Highlands |
| • location | Near Chinaksen |
| • coordinates | 9°31′43″N42°34′28″E / 9.528706°N 42.574535°E |
| • elevation | 2,505 m (8,219 ft) |
| Mouth | Shebelle River (sometimes) |
• coordinates | 5°02′45″N44°59′00″E / 5.045836°N 44.983357°E |
• elevation | 199 m (653 ft) |
| Length | 713 km (443 mi) [1] |
| Basin size | 45,572 km2 (17,595 sq mi) [1] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Mouth [1] |
| • average | 37.5 m3/s (1,320 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 0 m3/s (0 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 115.2 m3/s (4,070 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Shebelle → Jubba → Somali Sea |
| River system | Jubba Basin |
| Population | 969,000 [2] |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Jerer River |
Fafen River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. Rising to the east of Harar, in Harari Region, it cuts through a series of wide, flat shelves of sedimentary rocks made of sandstone, limestone, and gypsum as it descends in a south-eastern direction towards the Shebelle River. [3] The Fafen only joins the Shebelle river during times of heavy rainfall.