GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
• SS7G1 The student will locate selected features
of Africa.
• a. Locate on a world and regional politicalphysical map: the Sahara, Sahel, savanna,
tropical rain forest, Congo River, Niger River,
Nile River, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Atlas
Mountains, and Kalahari Desert.
• b. Locate on a world and regional politicalphysical map the countries of Democratic
Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Egypt, Kenya,
Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan.
The Nile River
in Egypt
Facts about the Nile River
• It is the longest river in the world
• It flows through the following countries: Kenya, Eritrea,
Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Egypt,
Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
• The Nile Delta in Northern Egypt is where the Nile
River drains in to the Mediterranean Sea.
• The Aswan High Dam was built in 1970 to help regulate
flooding of the Nile River. Before the Aswan Dam was
built, years that featured high levels of water could
wipe out crops while years of low level water could
produce famines and drought. The dam helps control
these water levels.
Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains Facts
• The Atlas Mountains span across three countries:
Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
• Highest point - Jbel Toubkal (13,671 feet)
• People - The Berbers. They are natives who speak
Arab languages.
• Mostly grassland and no trees. However, the
middle of the range is heavily forested.
• The Atlas Mountains contain a wide variety of
mineral deposits, including gold, silver, lead, zinc,
iron, manganese, antimony, phosphates, and
petroleum.
A view of the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains
tropical rainforest
Tropical Rain Forest Facts
• Dense evergreen forest with an annual rainfall
of at least 60 inches.
• The rainforest has shrunk because of
deforestation and destructive farming
practices
• Part of the rainforest is in Ghana and 2/3rds is
in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Congo River
The Congo River Facts
• The Congo River is the main transportation
source in Central Africa.
• A tremendous amount of goods are transported
on the river every day.
• It is the second longest river in Africa.
• The Congo River is an extremely powerful river;
there are approximately forty hydropower plants
along the river that utilize this power to provide
energy for the African continent.
Lake Tanganyika Facts
• It is the second largest lake in Africa
• It is the deepest lake in Africa
• has important fisheries and there are large
populations of hippopotamuses and
crocodiles
Sahara Desert Facts
• The world’s largest desert
• Bordered on the north by the Atlas Mountains
• A trade route – goods transported between
European and African nations
• Most populous area is Cairo, Egypt
• It is defined by its climate – very hot and dry
Savannah Facts
• Tropical grasslands with scattered trees
• Home to an amazing variety of wildlife
• The most famous savannah is the Serengeti,
which includes parts of Kenya
• Grazing land for cattle, goats, and sheep
The Sahel experiencing desertification
Sahel Facts
• Strip of semi-arid land south of the Sahara
• Some areas rich in natural resources
• It depends on farming, so it can be devastated
by bad weather
• 1970 drought caused 200,000 people to die
from starvation; this caused many people to
move to cities; but the cities cannot handle
the population increase so many live without
electricity, running water, or proper sewers
Kalahari Desert Facts
• Covers 360,000 square miles
• Located in South Africa, Botswana, and
Namibia
• It is semi-arid, meaning it contains a few more
plants and wildlife than a traditional desert
• Some of the world’s largest diamond mines
are found here
THE NIGER RIVER
Niger River Facts
• Third longest river in Africa
• Located in western Africa
• Source is the Guinea Highlands
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria Facts
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Largest lake in Africa
Bordered by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania
Named after Queen Victoria of England
80% of its water comes from rain
Largest tropical lake in the world