Africa’s Physical
Environment.
The “Plateau” Continent
• Most of Africa’s land is raised and level
Africa’s 4 Regions
• North
• Most well known for the largest desert in the world- Sahara
• Rocky Mountains located in the Northwest
• Sahel- Region below the Sahara
• and above the grasslands of
• the west
Africa’s 4 Regions
• West
• The most populated region of Africa
• Has good farm land
• Made up of mostly savanna and rainforest
Africa’s 4 Regions
• East
• The most elevated region of Africa
• The Great Rift Valley- created by plate movement, stretches 4,000
miles
• Ethiopian Highlands, Serengeti Plain and Mt. Kilimanjaro (tallest
in Africa) located here
Africa’s 4 Regions
• South/Central
• Very diverse region
• Congo Region is home to an important river and rainforest
• Below the Congo is a stretch of savanna home to a variety of
wildlife
• The South is made up of grasslands, the Kalahari and Namib
deserts, and mountains
3 Main Vegetation Regions
• Desert
• Some scrub and small bushes, gravel, rocks, and sand dunes
• Tropical Savanna
• Most common vegetation in Africa
• Grasses, bushes, scattered trees
• Wet and Dry season
• Tropical Rainforest
• Diverse groups of plants, trees, and animals
Africa’s Major Rivers
• Nile
• The Nile is about 4,160 miles in length and is the longest river
in Africa and in the world. Although it is generally associated
with Egypt, only 22% of the Nile’s course runs through Egypt.
• In Egypt, the Nile creates a fertile green valley across the
desert. It was by the banks of the river that one of the oldest
civilizations in the world began. The ancient Egyptians lived
and farmed along the Nile, using the soil to produce food for
themselves and their animals.
• 2 x the Mississippi
• Flows North from Lake Victoria
Africa’s Major Rivers
• Congo
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Flows through the rain forests of central Africa
2nd longest in Africa- 2,900 miles
Fed by hundreds of tributaries
Good farming around the river and used for fishing
Great source of transportation
Africa’s Major Rivers
• Niger
• 3rd longest- 2,600 miles
• People farm the river valleys
• Fishing
• Zambezi
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4th longest- 2,200 miles
Located in south Africa
Boats can use only 460 miles because of rapids and waterfalls
Strong current used for electricity
Land Use
• Farming to Live
• Many of Africa’s farmers are known as subsistence farmers
• This means they raise just enough crops to support their family
• They might sell or trade some crops for other items they need
• Most grow grains
• Crops for Sale
• All regions of Africa have cash crop farmers (raised to sell)
• Can result in family having less land to meet their needs
• Crop failure and market prices can have negative impacts
• Diversifying Economies
• Most countries are trying to have variety and not depend on one
crop or manufactured good
• https://online.seterra.com/en/vgp/3450