Africa: Land and Water Chapter 1, Section 1

The Regions of Africa When historians and geographers talk about Africa, they usually divide it into four regions. These regions are North Africa West Africa East Africa Central/Southern Africa Each of these regions has different climates and landforms.

North Africa North Africa is known for its hot deserts and its steep mountains. Much of North Africa is covered by the Sahara, the largest desert in the world.

West Africa Western Africa is a fertile region made up primarily of grasslands. A grassland is a large, open area of land covered in grasses and edible plants. West Africa is the region of Africa that has the highest population. Why might that be?

East Africa East Africa is known for its elevation. Though it has some grassland, much of the land is high above sea level, as it is made up of many mountains and plateaus, or large raised areas of land. Many of Africa’s most famous mountains, such as Mount Kilimanjaro and the Virunga Mountains, can be found in East Africa. How might this affect life in East Africa?

East Africa The Great Rift Valley is almost 4,000 miles long! East Africa is also home to the Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley is a deep trench or cut in the land of Africa. It was formed millions of years ago as the continents shifted across the globe. The Great Rift Valley is almost 4,000 miles long!

Central and Southern Africa Central and Southern Africa are unique in that they have many different types of climates and landforms. There is a lot of fertile grassland, but you can also find rain forest, mountains, deserts, swamps and jungles.

Africa’s Four Rivers One important feature of the African continent are its many rivers: the Nile River the Congo River the Niger River the Zambezi River

The Nile River The Nile River flows northward from Central Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. It begins as two smaller rivers called the White Nile and the Blue Nile. At over 4,000 miles long, it is the longest river in the world! Why is the Nile River important to life in Africa?

The Congo River The Congo River flows through Central Africa. With a length of over 2,900 miles, it is the second-largest river in Africa. The Congo River is notable for its large tributary system. Tributaries are smaller rivers or streams that connect with and flow into a bigger river. What countries does the Congo River system spread across?

The Niger River The Niger River is located in West Africa. It is Africa’s third biggest river and it flows for 2,600 miles. What countries does the Niger flow through?

The Zambezi River The Zambezi River, Africa’s fourth-largest river, is in southern Africa. It is over 2,200 miles long. What countries does the Zambezi River flow through?