Diverse Societies in Africa

Introduction Africa spreads across the equator It includes a large array of environments Some parts suffer constant drought while others receive over 200 inches of rainfall a year Interaction with the environment has created diverse cultures and societies Each group found different ways to adapt

The Land Second largest continent in the world Occupies 1/5 of the earth’s surface The coastline has few harbors, ports, or inlets Because of this, its coastline is actually shorter than Europe's

The Environment Deserts are unsuitable for life They also hamper peoples movements The large deserts are the Sahara and the Kalahari The Sahara is about the size of the US Only a small part consists of sand dunes, the rest is a wasted area of rocks and gravel Another difficult area to live in is the rainforest

The tsetse fly is found in the rainforest It prevents people from having cattle, donkeys, or horses It also prevented people from colonizing in Africa The northern coast and the southern tip of Africa have a good climate and fertile soil Most people in Africa live in savannas – grassy plains

Early Humans The earliest Africans were nomadic hunter-gatherers Other Africans learned to domesticate certain animals Experts believe that agriculture began in Africa around 6000BC Other Africans learned to farm in the rainforest where they planted yams

Early Societies They all shared common elements One was that their basic unit was the family They organized themselves into family groups They had religions that consisted of animism They believe that spirits are present in animals, plants, and other forces