Africa

Geography The worlds second largest continent 55 Nations; most of any continent Between two oceans; Atlantic & Indian –Part of major trade routes since ancient times

Regions North Africa – above the Sahara Desert –Linked to the Middle East culturally West Africa – extends into Atlantic –Part of major slave trade routes to new world Central Africa – home to Africa’s tropical rain forests South Africa – crucial to trade b/w oceans East Africa – Great Rift Valley, fertile land

Landforms Africa is a continent of Plateaus The land made exploration difficult for Europeans Great Rift Valley – a split in the African Continent –Rich in natural resources –Hard to mine and transport because of the rough terrain

Rivers Provide food, transportation, and irrigation and hydroelectric power Major Rivers –Nile, Zaire (Congo), Niger, Zambezi

Nile River – East Africa Longest flowing river in the world 4,160 miles Home to early civilizations –Predictable floods supported huge population Aswan High Dam –Pros – Hydroelectric Power, Irrigation –Cons – Farmers upstream now need to purchase fertilizers

Nile River Route and its tributaries

Zaire (Congo) River –Central Africa –Provides hydroelectric power –Cannot be navigated with boats –Poor for trade Niger River –West Africa –Provides water for irrigation –Floods predictably

Zaire (Congo) River

Niger River

Zambezi River Southern Africa Creates Victoria Falls, 1 mile wide and 420 ft. high, between Zambia and Zimbabwe The Kariba Dam provides hydroelectric power

Victoria Falls (Zambezi River)

Homework Page 61 – Great Rift Valley 1, 2 Page 64 – 3 a, b, c

Africa’s Natural Resources

Rich source of resources Gold and Diamonds can be found in Africa’s rivers Europeans mined much of their gold from west Africa beginning in the Age of Discovery Power-Wealth-Trade

Africa’s Resources Today Copper – Zaire and Zambia Platinum and Cobalt – S. Africa, Zaire, and Botswana Oil – Nigeria, Botswana, Libya, Algeria, and Gabon Profits from African nations often end up in foreign countries

Resource Distribution The countries without resources must purchase their goods and resources Countries without mineral resources grow cash crops if the soil and climate cooperate

Adapting to the Land Societies developed near sources of water –Farming, hunting and gathering, herding, fishing, urban Major urban areas developed on the Mediterranean Coast, western savannas, and East Coast

Language More than 1,000 languages Groups only a few miles apart often speak different languages –Small tribes migrated constantly and used their own language Scholars group African Languages into large families Trade and diffusion created new languages

Climate and Diversity

Climate Facts Most tropical of all the continents Temperature is warm to hot Therefore, rainfall determines the climate in Africa Colder temperatures seen in higher elevations Precipitation – Less than an inch to more than 80 inches

Climate Map of Africa

Tropical Wet – 8% of Africa Home of the rainforests Average Temp – 80 F Average Rain – inches per year Leaching destroys soil, unsuitable for farming Moisture feeds disease and destroys daily items Concrete and steel are expensive fixes

Tropical Wet and Dry – 50% of Africa Rainfall varies by season –Summer – Hot temps & Rainy Season –Winter – Warm temps & Dry Season Major Feature –Savanna – grasslands that cover half the continent. More rain near the equator support plant and wild life –Unpredictable rainfall makes daily life difficult –Desertification – land turning into deserts

Deserts and Desertification

Deserts – 40% of Africa Sahara – Means ‘desert’ in Arabic –Larger than the continental United States –Rain rarely falls, less than 10 inches a year –Temperatures reach as high as 130 F –Traders traveled across the Sahara Diffusion of European, Asian, and African cultures Kalahari – Southern Africa –More rain than the Sahara allows food to grow

The Sahara Desert

Kalahari Desert

Deserts – 40% of Africa Namib Desert – one of the driest places on Earth –One of the oldest deserts in the world: 80 million years –Averages less than.4 inches of rain a year –Dune 7: the highest sand dune in the world, 383 meters ~ 1200 feet

Namib Desert

Mediterranean - ~2% The Southern Tip and the Northern Coast Climate similar to LA –Hot, Dry Summer –Cool, Wet Winter Fertile soil good for farming Major travel destination

Mediterranean Zones are in Purple

Homework Why does uneven resource distribution affect a nations ability to modernize? How has modernization altered life for people who live on Africa’s rivers? How has unpredictable rainfall and desertification complicated life in Central Africa? Read page –What diseases come from the different climate zones?

Homework Page 71 #6 AND How can scientists use language to track the movement of groups of people?

Identifications Escarpment Cataract Leaching Diffusion Desertification Pharaoh Hieroglyphics Olduvai Gorge Sahel Swahili