1. Chapter 19 Physical Geography of Africa South of the Sahara

2. -Africa south of the Sahara is more than two and a half times larger than the US -it is divided into four sub- regions: West, East, Central, Southern Africa -there are many islands off the mainland, including Madagascar which is the fourth largest island in the world – it lies in the Indian Ocean near the southeastern coast -most other islands were formed by volcanoes

3. -almost all of this part of Africa is a series of plateaus – because of these this region of the world has the highest overall elevation of any world region -in eastern and southern Africa the edges of the plateaus are often marked by “escarpments”, or steep, jagged cliffs -the rivers that flow off of these become waterfalls -escarpments create barriers to trade

4. -there are lowlands regions in some areas, including narrow plains that border the region’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines -among plateaus there are also low, sunken areas called basins – these form when tectonic activity lifted up the land around them – The Congo Basin in central Africa is the largest lowland in Africa’s interior Mountains: -there are a few long mountain ranges – in the east are the Ethiopian Highlands, as well as volcanic mountain peaks such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya – Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest peak in the region - the mountain sits almost on the equator, but snow does cover the summit year-round -the Drakensberg Range is in southern Africa

5. The Great Rift Valley: -stretches about 4,000 miles from Southwest Asia to Southern Africa - this is a large break in the Earth’s surface formed by the shifting of tectonic plates -volcanic eruptions and earthquakes helped create the landscape -lies below sea level in many places, while the wall’s generally rise 2,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level – some areas as much as 9000 feet from the valley floor -there are also jagged mountains and deep lakes that add to the beauty

6. Waterways: Lakes: -most of the region’s large lakes lie in or near East Africa’s Great Rift Valley -Lake Tanganyika is 420 miles long, making it the longest freshwater lake in the world -some Great Rift Valley lakes also serve as the sources of rivers – Lake Victoria is the source of the White Nile, and Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile – these rivers meet farther north in Sudan to form the Nile River which is the world’s longest river -another important body of water is Lake Chad in West Africa – this lake’s size varies greatly between dry and rainy seasons

7. Rivers: -four large river systems in Africa south of the Sahara are the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi – all of these rivers begin the interior plateaus and make their way to the sea -waterfalls and rapids make transportation difficult on some rivers -the Zambezi River in southern Africa plunges over a cliff creating Victoria Falls -rivers that begin in the highland areas shape the land – the Congo flows through plateaus and makes deep “gorges”, or steep-sided valleys formed by rivers cutting through land

8. Natural Resources: -this region of Africa is rich in energy resources - plentiful amounts of petroleum - oil has replaced agriculture products as the principal export of these countries -natural gas is also important and found in central Africa and along the Atlantic coast -there are coal deposits in some countries -the fast flowing rivers also provide the important resource of hydroelectric power – one important source is the Akosombo Dam in Ghana -metals are among the region’s most important mineral resources

9. -there are deposits of precious materials – South Africa is believed to have half the world’s gold – South Africa is also rich in platinum, chromium, and manganese -many gemstones are mined in Africa south of the Sahara including diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires – South Africa is a major diamond producer – not all is used for jewelry – because diamonds are a hard substance, “industrial diamonds” are used to make drills, saws, and grinding tools

10. Factors Affecting Climate : -Africa south of the Sahara lies mainly in the tropics so receives the direct rays of the sun year-round producing generally high temperatures -some parts of Africa south of the Sahara have long “droughts”, or periods of time when there is no rain at all – droughts cause crop failures and widespread starvation Tropical and Dry Climates : Tropical Wet: -found along the Equator in Central and West Africa -hot temperatures and plentiful rainfall support the growth of “rain forests”

11. -to preserve rain forests and boost economies, some countries are encouraging “ecotourism” or touring a place without harming it – so Ecotourists help increase a region’s revenue while preserving the environment Tropical Dry: -farther from the Equator are stretches of “savannas”, or grasslands with scattered woods -temperatures remain hot all year, but rainfall is less – heavy in summer, light in winter

12. -savanna grasslands are home to some of Africa’s most recognizable animals including elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and giraffes - because hunting and human settlements threatened savanna plants and animals, several countries have set aside land as national parks -farther south of the equator there are steppe regions -steppe areas are being threatened by “desertification” which is the process that turns fertile land into land that is too dry to support life – caused by climate changes that bring long periods of extreme dryness and water shortages

13. Deserts: -many deserts dot the landscape -the Sahara is the largest in the north, and the Kalahari and the Namib in the south -the Sahara has high temperatures, little rain, and covered in rocky plains -the Kalahari is covered in sand, has high temperatures, and little rainfall – there are some trees -the Namib is located along the southwestern coast and is covered in rocks and dunes – temperatures tend to be cooler here because of breezes from the ocean – fog that forms along the coast reaches the desert and provides moisture to many varieties of “succulents”, or plants such as cacti with thick, fleshy leaves that can conserve moisture