Sub-Saharan Africa THE TRANSITION ZONE

 The Transition Zone is a mix of cultures:  Some areas are mostly Muslim  Others are a mix of Christian and traditional religions  Trade between East and West African kingdoms encouraged this cultural diffusion  Unfortunately this mix of cultures has caused many conflicts

Landforms  Transitions from desert to tropical savanna (known as a transition zone)  African Transition Zone also marks Transition between Islamic north and Christian and Animist south.  Sahel = “shore”, “coast” = a steppe that marks the border of the Sahara; receives little rain  Most people herd livestock

Water Systems  Lake Chad = 2 nd largest wetland in Africa  Slowly shrinking  Lake Volta = Ghana, one of largest man-made lakes in world  Niger River = “great river”, main water source of west Africa  Senegal River  Manantali Dam, Diama Dam  Two major tributaries of the Nile  White Nile, Blue Nile

Climates, Biomes, Resources  Rainy season = May-August  Harmattan = hot, dry wind that blows from the northeast or east  In many areas, rain is the only water source.  Farming and nomadic herding are main traditional economies.

History and Government  Major early empires: Kush, Axum, Mali  Mansa Musa = most famous Mali ruler; a Muslim and helped spread Islam; Timbuktu was Mali’s greatest city Mansa Musa  1800s European powers began colonizing Africa  Berlin Conference ( )  Major European powers divided up the African continent  Created new political boundaries which would later lead to war and conflict (Somalia and Ethiopia)

 Conflict in Sudan  Muslim North (Islamic government) vs. Christian South (secular government)  Conflict led to 300,000 deaths and 2.7 million people displaced between 1983 and 2005  Peace agreement was made in 2005; in 2011 South Sudan became an independent country  Peace agreement did not address violence in Darfur region of western SudanDarfur  Non-Arabs accused Arab government of favoring the Sudanese Arabs; this led to civil war  Genocide, but not much is donenot much is done  Refugees went to Chad border

Population Patterns  Area of transition between Muslim north and animist and Christian south  Ways of life = herders, farmers, nomads, and city dwellers  Low population density  Most people live in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger

Society and Culture Today  Many different ethnic groups  Over 200 in Chad alone  Influenced by Arabic, European, and indigenous cultures  Main issues revolve around education, health, and urbanization  Most families are patriarchal and are organized into clans  Cultures have a strong oral tradition

Economic Activities  Trade is important to the economy  Oil, gas, iron, phosphates, copper, tin, and uranium all attract outside investors  Nigeria is region’s only member of OPEC  Most people still make a living with seminomadic herding and subsistence farming

Managing Resources  Most valuable resources = water and arable land  Water shortage is leading to desertification  Causes poverty, food insecurity, and further water shortages

Human Impact  Overgrazing, poor agricultural practices, and deforestation also increase desertification  Main trigger of this is overpopulation

Addressing the Issues  International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) began a project in 13 countries to enhance knowledge of the 5 large aquifers of the region  United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) helps to reduce drought and desertification and to restore land productivity.  Drip irrigation is used on a local level to conserve water

 Great Green Wall Great Green Wall  Calls for a wall of trees to divide the Sahel from the Sahara  Trees should stop the southward spread of the Sahara  Will stretch from Senegal to Djibouti