A Satellite View
Africa’s Size
4600
MILES
5
0
0
0
M
I
L
E
S
# Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi.
# 10% of the world’s population.
# 2 ½ times the size of the U. S.
Mediterranean Sea
Bodies
Nile River
Of
Water
Lake Victoria
Indian Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Okavango Swamp/River
Pacific Ocean
The Nile River
• Longest River in the
World
• White Nile and Blue Nile
meet in Sudan to form
the Nile River
• Flows northward,
emptying in the
Mediterranean Sea
• Without the annual
flooding in Egypt land
would not be arable
The Mighty Nile River:
“Longest River in the World”
SUEZ CANAL
• Located in Egypt
• Divides the
mainland Egypt from
the Sinai Peninsula
• Connects the
Mediterranean Sea
with Red Sea
• One third the
distance that it was
before
SUEZ CANAL
The Congo River Basin
# Covers 12% of the
continent.
# Extends over 9
countries.
# 2,720 miles long.
# 99% of the country
of Congo is in the
Congo River basin.
CONGO RIVER
BASIN
• Located near the
equator in central
and western
Africa
• This is where the
majority of
Africa’s tropical
rain forests are
located
The Niger River Basin
# Covers 7.5% of the continent.
# Extends over 10 countries.
# 2,600 miles long.
Mountains
&
Peaks
Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro
The African Plateau
Deserts
Sahara Desert
Sahel
The Sahara Desert
Desertification
The Sahel
SAHEL
• Semi-arid region just
south of the Sahara
• Dry grasslands with
scattered trees
• Desertification is a
growing problem
– Growing of the
desert caused by
climate changes
and over grazing
Valleys
&
Plains
Mount Kilimanjaro:
• Africa’s highest
mountain at 19,341 feet
• Located on the Equator
in Tanzania near Kenya
• Formed by volcanic
activity from the Great
Rift Valley
• Only year round snow
capped mountain in
Africa
– Known in Swahili as
“Shining Mountain”
Mt. Kilimanjaro:
Snow on the Equator?
SAVANNAS
• Tropical grasslands with
scattered trees and shrubs
• This is where many of the
African Safaris take place
• Large populations of wildlife
• Serengeti – means “endless
plains”
– Largest mammal migration
and game reserve
The African Savannah:
13 million sq. mi.
Great Rift Valley
3,000 miles long
Seismic Activity in Africa
African Rain Forest
# Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.
# Rapid decomposition (very humid).
# Covers 37 countries.
# 15% of the land surface of Africa.
Africa:
The
“Tropical”
Continent
Tropic of Cancer
20° N
Equator 0°
Tropic of Capricorn
20° S
Vegetation Zones
African Trade Winds
Lake Victoria
• Located in the middle of the Great
Rift Valley of Eastern Africa
• It is a shallow depression
• Largest lake in Africa
Victoria Falls
• Forms a border
between Zambia
and Zimbabwe
• Largest waterfall
in the world
Okavango
Swamp/River
• Worlds largest
inland river delta
• River is
absorbed by the
Kalahari Desert
• Large game
reserve in the
desert
Kalahari Desert
• Largest Desert in
southern Africa
• Has many oasis
which makes it
habitable
• Oasis – vegetated
areas in a desert
caused by fresh
water springs
CAPE OF
GOOD HOPE
• Southern most point
of Africa
• Converging currents
from the Indian and
Atlantic Oceans
make waters
dangerous for sailing
but great wildlife
South African Penguins
Only Place in the
world Great Whites
breach
Mediterranean Sea
Suez Canal
The
Tropic of Cancer
20° N
Sahara Desert
Complete
Topography
Sahel
Equator 0°
L.ake Victoria Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro
Of
AFRICA
Nile River
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Okavnago
Swap/River
---Victoria Falls
Tropic of Capricorn
20° S
Pacific Ocean
Africa Physical Geography
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mediterranean Sea
Suez Canal
Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
Indian Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Congo River
Nile River
Niger River
Lake Victoria
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Atlas Mountains
Drajensburg Mountains
Mount Kilimanjaro
Sahara Desert
Sahel
Great Rift Valley
Victoria Falls
Okavango River
Kalahari Desert
Cape of Good Hope
Countries
Of Africa
Mali
South Africa
Senegal
Congo
Rwanda
Burundi
Egypt
Sudan
Somalia
Ethiopia
Nigeria