2. Did You Know???? Africa is the world’s second-largest continent.
It is more than three times the size of the United States.
It is the only continent that is in all four hemispheres.

3. It is home to many amazing landforms.
Enormous mountains
Tropical rain forests
Grassy savannas
Three large deserts
The world’s longest river

4. Africa’s Regions & Landforms
Africa includes more than 50 countries.
It can be divided into 4 (sometimes 5) regions:
North
East
West
Central and Southern

6. NORTH AFRICA Rocky mountains World’s largest desert
The Atlas Mountains
Rocky mountains
World’s largest desert
The Sahara Desert

7. WEST AFRICA The most populated region Mainly grasslands
Good soil for farming

8. EAST AFRICA
Many mountains
A few plateaus
Also grasslands and hills

9. CENTRAL & SOUTHERN AFRICA
Flat or rolling grasslands
Thick rain forests – Central Africa
Mountains and swamps
Two deserts in Southern Africa – the Namib & the Kalahari

10. THE PLATEAU CONTINENT It is often called the plateau continent
Much of the continent is made up of raised, mostly level areas of land that drop off sharply near the sea.
Much of the land has a high elevation

11. All four regions have mountains. The highest are in East Africa.
Even though it’s called the plateau continent, not all of Africa is level.
All four regions have mountains.
The highest are in East Africa.

12. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is Africa’s tallest mountain.

13. Coastal Plains Edge the Continent
There is a strip of coastal plain that runs along much of Africa’s coast.
This land is dry and sandy in some places and marshy & moist in others.

14. Notice the narrow strip of land at sea level around most of the continent.

15. THE GREAT RIFT VALLEY

16. The Great Rift Valley is a huge crack in the earth’s surface.
The valley was formed millions of years ago when the continents pulled apart and left a rift, or deep trench.
The rift that cuts through East Africa is 4,000 miles long.
There are places along the rift where the walls of the valley are more than a mile high.

17. The Great Rift Valley

18. Many lakes have formed in the Great Rift Valley.
Lake Victoria, on the border of Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, is the world’s second largest freshwater lake. It is a source of the Nile River.
Lake Tanganyika formed in a rift and is almost a mile deep.

19. Lake Victoria

20. Lake Victoria

21. Lake Tanganyika

22. Which region of Africa is the most populated?
WEST AFRICA

23. Why do you think West Africa is the most populated?
The region’s fertile grasslands provide soil for growing food.

24. In which parts of Africa do you suppose the fewest people live? Why?
Few people live in the deserts of Africa because deserts lack sources of water and food.

25. In which region are the highest mountains in Africa located?
East Africa

26. AFRICA’S RIVERS

27. Africa has several rivers that carry water to the sea.
The four major ones are
The Nile
The Congo
The Zambezi
The Niger

28. Nile River Niger River Congo River Zambezi River
Blue Nile
White Nile
Congo River
Zambezi River

29. Sections of the four main rivers can be used for travel.
They are all broken in places by large waterfalls or steep rapids.
These obstacles make it impossible for ships to sail the entire way between Africa’s interior and the sea.

30. These make travel difficult!

31. The Nile River The Nile is the longest river in the world.
At 4,000 miles long, it is almost twice the length of the Mississippi River.
It has two major tributaries :
The White Nile that forms in Sudan
The Blue Nile from the highlands in Ethiopia

32. Like a giant snake, the Nile River slithers through some of the driest desert on earth to form a narrow, green valley

33. People have farmed the land around the Nile for thousands of years.
Ancient Egypt could not have existed without the great river.

34. Every year, the snow in the mountains of East Africa melts, sending a torrent of water that overflows the banks of the Nile.
The river picks up bits of soil and plant life called silt.

35. At one time, the Nile flooded its banks regularly, leaving silt behind as the waters receded.
This created very fertile soil.
Farmers planted their crops to match the flood cycle of the river.

36. Controlling the Flooding
In the 1960s, Egypt’s government built the Aswan High Dam to control the flooding of the Nile.
As the water backed up behind the dam, Lake Nasser was created.

37. Aswan High Dam

39. Lake Nasser (the dam is at the top of the photo)

40. Waters from the lake are used to water crops that grow in the desert.
Water rushing through the dam produces electricity.
As a result of building the Aswan High Dam, the Nile River no longer floods.

41. The Congo River Flows through the Central African rain forests.
Africa’s second -longest river, 2,900 miles.
Fed by hundreds of tributaries.
Agriculture and fishing are along this river.

42. The Niger River Third-largest river in Africa Located in West Africa
Provides water for farming in the river valley.
Many people fish for a living.

43. The Zambezi River Africa’s fourth-largest river
Located in Southern Africa
2,200 miles long, but boats can travel only about 460 miles due to its waterfalls and rapids.

44. Its strong current is used to produce electricity
About halfway to the Indian Ocean, the Zambezi plunges into a canyon, creating the world-famous Victoria Falls

45. Victoria Falls

46. What are the names of Africa’s four major rivers?
The Nile
The Congo
The Niger
The Zambezi

47. Why is it difficult to travel by water from the interior of Africa out to the coast?
The major rivers of Africa have many rapids and waterfalls, making travel dangerous and sometimes impossible.

48. What do you think Africa’s climate is like?
CLIMATE & VEGETATION
What do you think Africa’s climate is like?
Hot??? Dry???
Although many people sometimes think of Africa as a hot place, not all parts of it are.

49. Deserts would feel hot and dry.
If you were to travel throughout Africa, you would experience many different climates.
Deserts would feel hot and dry.
The highlands would feel cool and moist.
In some places close to the equator, hot weather and rainfall would occur throughout the year.

50. Mirrored Climate Patterns
The equator in the middle of Africa provides similar “mirrored” climate patterns on both the north and south sides.

51. What Influences Climate?
There are several geographic factors that influence climate:
Distance from the equator
Elevation
Nearness to large bodies of water and major landforms

52. Distance from the Equator
The equator runs through the middle of Africa.
Regions near the equator are usually hot.
Much of the area between the Tropics has a tropical climate.

53. Do all countries in Africa have winter at the same time?
NO!!!
How is that possible?
The location of a place in relation to the equator not only influences its climate - it also influences the place’s seasons.

54. So, what does that mean?
North of the equator, winter & summer occur at the same time they do in North America.
South of the equator, the seasons are reversed!

55. The Role of Elevation Elevation is the height of land above sea level.
The higher the elevation, the cooler a place tends to be.

56. How can there be snow at the equator?

57. It’s all about the elevation!
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, is located close to the equator.
It is covered by ice and snow year-round.

58. Let’s compare the climates of Ethiopia and Somalia.
Both are about the same distance from the equator.
Ethiopia is on a very high plateau. It has mild temperatures and abundant rainfall.
Somalia is at a much lower elevation, with a hot and dry climate. Farming is only possible near a river or oasis.

59. Unpredictable Rainfall
Rainfall varies from one region to another.
Along parts of the west coast, winds carry moisture from the warm ocean over the land.
Rainfall there averages more than 100 inches per year.
In parts of the Sahara Desert in the north and the Namib Desert in the south, rain may not fall for several years in a row.

60. What climate is common in Africa along the equator?
Think about it. . .
What climate is common in Africa along the equator?
Tropical wet

61. What similarities are there between the relative locations of the tropical wet and dry, semiarid, and arid regions of Africa?
These 3 climate regions are usually in the same relative positions as you go north and south from the equator.

62. Why is most of Africa warm?
A large portion of Africa falls between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, near the equator.

63. How does elevation affect climate?
The higher the elevation, or distance above sea level, the cooler a place tends to be!

64. VEGETATION REGIONS Rain forests near the equator
Savannas (regions of tall grasses and scattered trees) north and south of the rain forests.
Deserts in many parts of northern and southern Africa

65. Tropical Rain Forests Located in parts of West and Central Africa
Plentiful rainfall throughout the year
Occupations include agriculture, fishing, hunting, and harvesting timber

66. Tropical Savannas The most common vegetation in Africa
Has tall grasses, thorny bushes, and scattered trees
Home to large herds of animals

67. The savanna has two seasons:
DRY
Farming is impossible
Trees lose their leaves
Rivers run dry
Farmers use this time to trade, build houses, and visit friends.
WET
Land turns green
Farmers plant crops

68. There are three major deserts:
Deserts in Africa
There are three major deserts:
The Sahara
The Namib
The Kalahari

69. The Mighty Sahara

70. The Sahara The largest desert in Africa
Covers part or all of eleven African countries
Large enough to hold the United States

71. The fennec fox, the world’s smallest fox, lives in the Sahara.

72. The Namib Desert Located in southwest Africa
One of the hottest, driest places on earth
Has less precipitation than the Sahara
Known for its enormous sand dunes

73. The Kalahari Desert Located in southern Africa
Tends to be cold and rocky
Large parts are covered in scrub and small bushes

74. The Sahel Located between the Sahara and the savanna
Comes from the Arabic word for “edge” or “border”
Receives about 4-8 inches of rain per year
Has shrubs, grass, and some trees

75. Living in the Desert

76. Desert Nomads Few people live in Africa’s deserts, except nomads
Nomads – people who have no permanent homes

77. How do nomads survive in the deserts?
Nomads move around to various places, often following the same route each year, to make a living.
Most are herders who also take part in trade.
They travel to places where they know they can find water and food for their herds of goats, camels, or sheep.

78. Climate and Health Sleeping Sickness
Nearly 1/5 of Africa is home to the tsetse fly.
A tsetse bite can kill cattle and cause sleeping sickness in humans.
Traps and nets with poison are now being used to protect humans & animals from this pest.
Malaria
It is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Usually found in warm, moist climates, such as in areas south of the Sahara.
Protective clothing and insecticides can help prevent infection.

79. What are the three major vegetation regions in Africa?
Think about it. . .
What are the three major vegetation regions in Africa?
Tropical rain forests located near the equator
Savannas, which cover much of Africa north & south of the rain forests
Deserts located in northern and southern Africa

80. What is the Sahel?
It is the strip of land where the Sahara meets the savanna.
It is hot and dry.
It receives 4 to 8 inches of rain per year.
Small trees, shrubs, and grass grow there.

81. How does the environment of the rain forests pose a threat to people?
The moist environment is home to many disease-carrying insects, such as the tsetse fly and the mosquito.

82. Agricultural Resources
RESOURCES AND LAND USE
Agricultural Resources
Most Africans are farmers
Some have fertile soil and sufficient rain
Most, however, live on land that is difficult to farm due to poor soil or too little rain
Others lack enough land or tools to make a living.

83. Types of Agricultural Use
Much of Africa’s land is used for subsistence farming, or raising just enough crops to support one’s family.
Some farmers grow cash crops, crops that are raised for sale. Examples include coffee, cacao beans, and tea.

84. In recent years, more & more farmers have planted cash crops.
Why is that a problem?
Less land is planted with crops that can completely meet a family’s needs.
Food shortages have developed in some regions when cash crops failed.
Food shortages can also occur when the market prices of coffee or other cash crops fall.
Families then have less money to buy the things they need.

85. Harvesting Trees Hardwood trees grow in all four regions.
People earn money by cutting them down and selling them.
Thousands of acres of trees have been cut down.
This is called deforestation.

86. Natural Resources
Mining is an important part of many African economies.
Some African countries have large amounts of petroleum.
Mineral resources include gold, copper, silver, uranium, titanium, and diamonds.

87. Africa’s Natural Resources

88. Think about it. . . What difficulties do many African farmers face?
Much of the land has poor soil and little rainfall.
What is subsistence farming?
Farming to raise just enough crops to feed your own family.

89. What are cash crops? Crops that are raised for sale.
How do Africans make money from hardwood trees?
They cut them down and sell them.
What are some of Africa’s natural resources?
Petroleum, gold, diamonds, copper, silver, uranium, and titanium.