AFRICA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
BPjQGYaBDtg
The Sahara
Savannas
Rift Valleys
Africa is a huge, diverse
continent home to many
different kinds of physical
features from deserts to
plains, and highlands to
rainforests.
- The Sahara is the world’s
largest desert, dominates
land and life in North
Africa
- Grassy plains called
Savannas stretch across
large parts of the
continent. Home to much
African wildlife
- In East Africa, Earth’s crust
is slowly being pulled
apart causing wide rift
valleys to form.
Political Map V. Resources Map
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Turn to pages 484-485.
Look at the Resources map.
What are the major resources of Africa?
Coal, natural gas, oil, hydroelectric power, gold, silver,
platinum, diamonds, uranium, other minerals, seafood
• Where is oil found? How does it affect economies in
the region?
• Most oil is located along the west-central coast and in
northern Africa. These countries may have strong
economies because they can export so much oil.
Political Map V. Resources
• Now compare the Resources map to the Political Map:
• What countries use water resources to produce
hydroelectric power?
• Egypt, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe,
Algeria, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of
the Congo
• 1) What mainland countries have no resources?
2)What economic activities do you think they depend
upon?
• Mali, Chad, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Uganda, Malawi.
• Economic activities in this country may include farming
and raising livestock.
Climate Types
Africa is divided into 5 Regions:
North Africa: Physical Features
The Nile
– The Nile River is the world’s
longest river flowing upward
about 4,000 miles; empties into
the Mediterranean Sea
– For centuries rain to the south
caused floods in the north
leaving rich silt in the
surrounding fields.
– Silt: finely ground fertile soil
that is good for growing crops
North Africa: Physical Geography
The Sinai and Suez Canal
• Desert and rocky
mountains cover the Sinai
Peninsula. Between the
Sinai and rest of Egypt is
the Suez Canal: a narrow
waterway that connects
the Mediterranean Sea
with the Red Sea.
North Africa: Physical Geography
The Sahara
• Largest desert in the world.
• Few people live there. Small settlements are located
near a water source such as an oasis; a wet fertile area
where a natural spring or well provides water.
• The Sahara desert is not flat. Some sand dunes and
ridges are as high as 1,000 feet and the Atlas Mountains
rise as high as 13,600 feet!
North Africa: Climate and Resources
• Three Main Climates:
1. Desert: Very dry covers most of the region. Very
hot during the day ( up to 136° F) and drop
quickly after sunset.
2. Mediterranean: northern coast consists of
moist, mild winters and hot, dry summers.
3. Steppe: Areas between coast and Sahara
• Oil and gas are important resources.
West Africa: Physical Features
• Plains and Highlands:
– Coastal plain is home to most of
the region’s cities. Interior plains
provide land where people grow
crops.
– Tibesti Mountains to the
northeast
• The Niger River
– Flows 2,600 miles, empties into
the Gulf of Guinea
– Many people farm along its banks
or fish
– Important transportation route
especially during rainy season
West Africa: Climate
• Four different climate regions: “zonal”, meaning
organized by zone
o Sahara- hardly any vegetation, dry climate, few or no
people
o Sahel- strip of land dividing desert from wetter areas,
steppe climate.
Desertification- spread of desert-like conditions
o Savanna- Tall grasses, scattered trees and shrubs
o Humid tropical- lies along coasts of Atlantic and Gulf
of Guinea
West Africa: Resources
• Variety of resources including
agricultural products, oil, and
minerals (diamonds, gold, iron ore,
bauxite- main source of aluminum)
• Ghana leading producer of cacao
(used to make chocolate)
• West Africa’s main exports include
coffee, coconuts, and peanuts
West Africa: History
• One of the earliest kingdoms was Ghana. Controlled
the Sahara trade in gold and salt became rich and
powerful in 800.
• Empire of Mali replaced Ghana in about 1300 gaining
control of the trade routes
– Mansa Musa was Mali’s most famous king
– Invasions caused the decline of Mali in the 1500s
• Replaced by kingdom of Songhai
– Timbuktu was the cultural center with a university, mosques,
and over 100 schools
– Declined around 1600 when Europeans began trading along
coast
West Africa: History
• The Slave Trade
– For a while European and Africans traded with
each other however demand for labor in
American colonies changed that.
– European traders met demand by selling
enslaved Africans to the colonists
– Devastated West Africa: families were split
apart, many died on the voyage. By the end
of the slave trade in 1800s millions had been
enslaved.
• After end of slave trade France, Britain,
Germany, and Portugal claimed colonies to
access resources. Most of these did not
become dependent until after WWII
East Africa: Physical Features
• Rift Valleys: Places on Earth’s surface
where the crust stretches until it breaks.
– Great Rift Valley is the largest rift on the
Earth
• Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest
mountain in Africa rising 19,340 feet!
• Home to one of the largest plains called
the Serengeti Plain. Wildlife includes
elephants, giraffes, lions, and zebras.
• Lake Victoria- Africa’s largest lake
East Africa: Climate and Vegetation
• Location on equator and differences in
elevation influence climate and vegetation.
• North of the equator has cool, highland
climate. Most of the population lives in
highland region.
• Areas near equator receive greatest amount
of rainfall
• Areas farther from equator are much drier and
droughts are common causing crops and
grasses for cattle die, people begin to starve
East Africa: Religion
Christianity and Islam influenced the lives of many
East Africans. Other influences included trade, the
arrival of Europeans, ethnic conflict, and
independence
• Christianity was first introduced as early as 300
AD
• By about 700 AD Islam spread from Egypt to
Northern Sudan and spread to the Indian Ocean
coast to what is now Somalia
– Many city-states became major Islamic centers
controlling trade on the coast
Central Africa: Physical Features
• Congo Basin- generally flat
region surrounded by
higher land such as
mountains and plateaus
• Congo River is fed by
hundreds of smaller rivers.
Provides important
transportation route to the
interior of the region
• Victoria Falls is located on
the Zambezi River
Central Africa: Climate, Vegetation,
and Animals
• Lies along the equator. Congo Basin
has a humid tropical climate.
– Large, dense tropical forest
– Gorillas, elephants, wild boars,
okapis live on the forest floor. People
hunt large animals for food. National
Parks have been set up to promote
protection
– Forests are in danger: rapidly being
cleared for farming and logging.
Central Africa: Resources
• Most people are subsistence farmers ( grow
coffee, bananas, and corn)
• People trade products in periodical markets,
open air trading markets set up once or twice
a week
• Copper is the most important resource in this
region.
• Poor transportation systems and political
problems have kept regions resources from
being fully developed.
Daily life in Cameroon
• Mosquito netting on bed to
protect from insects and
Malaria
• My friend with her “host
sister”
• Eating with her “host family”,
the family she lived with while
in the Peace Corps
Lokoti,
Cameroon
Cameroon
Girls at school in
Lokoti,
Cameroon
Southern Africa: Physical Geography
• Most of the land lies on a large plateau. The
steep face at the edge of the plateau is called
an escarpment.
• Many rivers flow in this regions providing
irrigation for farmland. Also home to animals
such as crocodiles, zebra, hippos.
Southern Africa: Climate and
Vegetation
• Climate varies from east to west. The east
coast is wet, whereas the west is very dry.