1. Physical Geography of aFRICA
SSWG1 Explain why physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, climate, and natural resources act as contributing factors to world settlement patterns.
d. Identify and describe climates and locations of major physical features of Africa. Explain how these physical characteristics impact settlement patterns including, but not limited to, the Nile River Valley, the Sahara, the Kalahari Desert, the Sahel, and the Congo River Basin.

2. Physical Features to Know
1. Niger River 2. Lake Chad 3. Drakensberg Range 4. White Nile River 5. Victoria Falls 6. Lake Tanganyika 7. Congo River
8. Lake Victoria 9. Mount Kilimanjaro 10. Zambezi River 11. Kalahari Desert 12. Cape of Good Hope 13. Sahara Desert

3. “The World’s largest plateau”
Huge plateau covers most of Africa
Most of continent lies at least 1,000 ft above sea level
Made up of several basins – depressions which collect water

4. The Nile & other water features
Nile river = world’s longest river (4,000 miles)
Flows north
Used as irrigation system for thousands of years
In Egypt, most people live along nile
Waterfalls, rapids, gorges = rivers less useful for travel
2,900 mile long Congo River – largest network of waterways
32 cataracts (WATERFALLS) – MOSTLY IMPASSABLE

6. Landforms No distinct long mountain chains - valleys & lakes
Rift valleys – long, thin valleys created by moving apart of continental plates; east Africa primarily
Lakes form at base of these valleys
Lake Victoria & lake tanganyika
Rift valleys forming along fault lines – east Africa splits. From continent

8. Mountains Mostly volcanic mountains
Mount Kenya & Mount Kilimanjaro (highest) = volcanoes
Great escarpment in Southern Africa
Steep slope with nearly flat plateau on top
Marks edge of continents plateau in Southern Africa

9. Natural resources
Many resources, but countries lack industry & money to develop them
Gold, platinum, chromium, cobalt, copper, phosphates, diamonds, oil
Colonial rulers take resources & sent back to Europe = Africa did not benefit
Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Gabon = large producers of oil/petroleum

10. Diversity of resources
Oil & coffee two most profitable commodities
An agricultural or mining product that can be sold
Lumber is important commodity = leading to deforestation
Sugar, palm oil, cocoa
Agriculture is single most important economic activity

11. Climate – the Sahara Deserts
South - Kalahari & namib
North – Sahara
Sahara = largest desert in world (3,000 miles long & 1,200 miles wide)
Made up of mountains, rock formations & gravelly plains
Aquifers = huge stores of underground water
Oasis = place where water has come to surface

12. Climate - tropics Hot year round No distinct winter
Cooler at nighttime than in “winter”

14. Sunshine & rainfall Two extremes: too much rain, or none at all
Droughts = unpredictable period of no rainfall
Tropical savanna = STRETCHES THROUGH MIDDLE OF THE CONTINENT
RAINY, HOT
Moderate on northern & southern tips of continent

15. Vegetation Grassland, rainforests, wide variety of plant life
Tropical grassland covers most of continent
Serengeti plain – grassland with many grazing animals
Rainforest = Congo basin
BIODIVERSE
Canopy = uppermost layer of trees & branches