Physical Geography of Africa The Physical Geography greatly affected development of African societies. October 17, 2006.

Nile River Biggest or second biggest river in the world competes with the Amazon river in South America for the title of that. The Nile has two major tributaries in the Blue and White Nile. The Blue Nile is the source of water, but the White Nile is the longer of the two. The Blue and White Nile meet in Khartoum, Sudan. (The Capital of Sudan). Its mouth forms at the Mediterranean Sea. It is 4,160 miles long.

This is the Nile

Atlantic Ocean Second Largest Ocean, covering approximately one-fifth the earth’s surface. Divided into the North Atlantic and South Atlantic by Equatorial Counter Currents at about 8° North latitude. Bounded by the Americas on the west and Europe and Africa on the east.

Indian Ocean Third largest body of water in the world covering roughly 20% of the earth’s surface. It is bounded on the north by Southern Asia; on the west by the Arabian Peninsula and Africa; on the east by the Malay Peninsula, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern (Arctic) Ocean.

Mediterranean Sea Almost completely enclosed by land; Europe (North), Africa (South), Asia (East). It covers an approximate area square miles, but its connection to the Atlantic courtesy of the Strait of Gibraltar is only 9 miles wide. It allowed for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region — the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Semitic, Persian, Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman cultures.

Red Sea It is an inlet of the Indian Sea between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb (“Gate of Tears” in Arabic) sound and the Gulf of Aden. Has a surface area of roughly 174,000 square miles: being roughly 1,200 miles long and, at its widest point, over 190 miles wide.

Sahara Desert Covers one-fourth of Northern Africa. Thousands of years ago it was fertile and had lots of water. Now very dry. Southern edge of the Sahara is called the Sahel (A band of semi-arid Savanna). Second largest desert at over 3,500,000 square miles, almost as large as the United States. The Sahara is located in northern Africa and is 2.5 million years old.

Sahara Continued The Sahara divides the continent of Africa into North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The boundaries of the Sahara are the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea and Egypt on the east, and the Sudan and the valley of the Niger River on the south.

Sahel Region The Sanel is the boundary zone in Africa between the Sahara to the north and the more fertile region to the south, known as Sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahel is primarily savanna and runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Horn of Africa, changing from semi-arid grasslands to thorn savanna.

Grasslands/Savannas Rainfall is uncertain. Agriculture developed in these regions. Where this area meets the desert is where people herded cattle.

Sub-Saharan Africa Term used to describe those countries of the African continent that are not considered part of North Africa.

Ethiopian Highlands The Ethiopian Highlands are a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and northern Somalia in northeastern Africa. The Ethiopian Highlands form the largest continuous area of its altitude in the whole continent. The Highlands are divided into northwestern and southeastern portions by the Great Rift Valley, which contains a number of salt lakes. Sometimes called “Roof of Africa”.

African Rainforest Hot and Rainy. Over 100 inches of rain in some places. Farming flourished. Many diseases carried by insects wiped out large numbers of people. The African Rainforest is a large expanse of equatorial rainforest at the center of the African Continent.

Zambezi River The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean. The river has its source in Zambia and flows through Angola, along the border of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it empties into the Indian Ocean.

Limpopo River The Limpopo is the second largest river in the region (Not second largest in Africa). The Limpopo river flows in a great arc, first zig-zagging northeast and north, then turning east and finally southeast. It serves as a border for about 640 kilometres, separating South Africa on the southeast bank from Botswana in the northwest and Zimbabwe on the north.

Niger River The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending over 2500 miles. It runs in a crescent through Guinea, Mali, Niger, on the border with Benin and then through Nigeria, discharging through a massive delta, known as the Oil Rivers, into the Gulf of Guinea. Third largest river in Africa.

Congo River The Congo River (formerly known as Zaire River) is the largest river in Western Central Africa, and the second largest in all of Africa. The river and its tributaries flow through the fifth second rain forest area in the world, only the Amazon Rainforest being larger.

Lake Chad Is a large, shallow lake in Africa. It is economically very important, providing water to more than 20 million people living in the four countries which surround it — Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria.

Lake Victoria Africa’s largest lake, and the largest tropical lake in the world, and the second largest fresh water lake in the world. The lake lies within an elevated plateau in the western part of Africa's Great Rift Valley and is subject to territorial administration by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.