Geography of Africa

Size & Location Africa is 3 times the size of the continental United States Centrally located on the Earth’s surface

Surrounded by 4 major bodies of water – West - Atlantic Ocean – East - Indian Ocean – North - Mediterranean Sea – Northeast - Red Sea Most of the area is located on a high plateau

Regions North Africa – includes lands from Morocco to Egypt – Large area of cultural diffusion – Sahara Desert served as a major trade route West Africa – from the Atlantic to Nigeria – Center of the slave trade and gold

Central Africa – Congo Basin – Home of the tropical rainforest East Africa – Great Rift Valley to Indian Ocean – Trade with the middle east and India South Africa – area below the Congo region

Climate Zones

Tropical wet Rainforest region Occupies 8 % of Africa around the equator Many disease carrying insects Contains tsetse fly- makes ability to raise livestock impossible

Tropical wet and dry Known as the savannah region Occupied % of Africa Area where most people live Unpredictable rainfall Desertification occurring in Sahel region

Deserts Makes up 40 % of Africa Sahara Deserts: largest desert in the world Other deserts: Kalahari and Namib

Mediterranean Hot, dry summers, cool moist winters Found in northern and southern tip

Impact of geography although many of Africa’s people have lived on and migrated across the region, it discouraged Europeans from sailing and exploring it

Europeans referred to this land as the “Dark Continent”