1. Geographic Understandings (Physical)
Africa
Geographic Understandings
(Physical)

2. GPS and E.Q.
GPS: SS7G1.a. The student will locate on a world and regional political-physical map: the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, tropical rainforest, Congo River, Niger River, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Atlas Mountains, and Kalahari Desert.
E.Q.: How do I locate selected features on a map of Africa?

3. Africa is an enormous continent.
It has almost every type of climate and geography.

4. Atlas Mountain Range Northern Africa Group of mountains
Separates coastal regions from Sahara

5. Sahara Across entire width of northern Africa
Largest desert in the world
Has sand dunes, rolling rocky hills, and gravel plains
Few people live here
Travel by caravan, jeeps and trucks

6. Sahel South of Sahara Dry, semi-arid region
Desertification – people cut down trees and let animals overgraze – causes drier soil and erosion

7. savanna Middle of Africa, close to equator Grassland
Many animals (lions, giraffes, elephants, zebras…)
Farming good when it rains

8. Tropical Rainforests Along central coast
Hot, humid climate, dense, tall trees
Home to many species
Threat: rapid population growth – fuel needs = more trees cut down than can be replanted

9. Kalahari Desert Southern part of Africa
Surrounded by semi-arid areas – desertification here, too

10. Lake Victoria
Largest lake in Africa; largest tropical lake in the world

11. Lake Tanganyika
2nd largest & deepest freshwater lake in the world (4820 feet deep)

12. Nile River Longest river in the world
Begins in central mountains as White Nile & Blue Nile
Flows NORTH miles to Mediterranean Sea at Alexandria, Egypt
White Nile begins at Lake Victoria

13. Congo River Flows 3,000 miles through central and west Africa
Through largest rainforest in Africa (2nd largest in the world)
Begins near Lake Tanganyika
Empties into Atlantic Ocean

14. Niger River 3rd largest river in Africa
Flows from Guinea 2,600+ miles to Atlantic Ocean
Mouth of river is called “oil delta” because of petroleum industry there

15. Independent Work
Using a map of Africa, locate and label the following geographic features:
Sahara and Kalahari Deserts
Sahel
Savanna
Tropical rainforests
Congo, Niger, and Nile Rivers
Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria
Atlas Mountains

16. Summary
How is Africa similar to the U.S. geographically? How is it different?