Climate and Diversity Notes

Climate of Africa General Facts: Africa is the most tropical of all the continents Temperatures are mostly warm/hot Rainfall varies from place to place It is the rain that determines the climate in Africa Point to Ponder: Why does rain or lack of rain matter to a group of people or a region and/or place?

Latitude and Longitude What does the map show? The Equator runs through the middle of Africa 80% of Africa is the tropics Tropics- the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn Climates are generally warm throughout the year Using the Room: Looking at the posters on the opposite wall can you see a connection between climate and culture?

What can we assume about the areas of the world in-between the red lines?

Latitude and Longitude The coolest regions are found in the highlands of Africa The higher you go (elevation) the cooler it gets Ex: Accra, Ghana is on the West African Coast Hot, humid weather with temps in the 80’s Nairobi, Kenya is at the same latitude but 5,300 feet above sea level Temps are in the 60’s and 70’s Elevation causes this to occur

Ghana Kenya

Rainfall Major feature is the alternating wet and dry seasons in Africa It varies (changes) North and South of the Equator When it rains in the South the North is Dry When it rains in the North the South is Dry Rain fall is uneven and sporadic May be less than an inch in the desert areas May be more than 80 inches near the Equator 80 inches equals 6 ½ feet

What would you guess the features of these Climate Zones Climate- average weather of a place over a period of 20-30 years Africa has four major climate zones: Tropical Wet Tropical Wet and Dry Desert Moderate Mediterranean What would you guess the features of these zones might be?

Tropical Wet Climate Region Rain forest are located in the wet tropical climate regions Cover about 8% of Africa From Guinea on the West Coast to the Great Rift Valley (See page 61) High temps and lots of rain promote lots of plants and trees Thousands of birds and animals live here Leaching- washing away of nutrients in the soil Destroys the soil and makes it unsuitable for farming

Tropical Wet Climate Region Problems with this area: Disease carrying insects breed in pools of water Termites attack wooden buildings Dampness causes clothes to become moldy and rot Overcrowding cause people to want to clear and permanently destroy rainforests Slash and Burn Farming ?? What is this and how is it done ??

Tropical Wet & Dry Climate This is the largest climate zone in Africa Savanna- a grassland Covers almost ½ of the continent Varies rainfall depending on where you are Closer to the Equator hot and wet conditions Outer edges of the Savanna are hot and semiarid People living are dependent on the rainfall Drought- periods of little or no rainfall Desertification- turning semiarid land into desert by removing trees and grazing animals Major problem in Sahel- separates the Savanna from the Sahara Desert in the North

What do you see in this picture?

Deserts Deserts cover about 40% of Africa They are: The Sahara- located in the North Sahara means “Desert” in Arabic The Kalahari- located in the South Namib- located in the South as well What are the normal features of a Desert climate? List them in your notes

Sahara Desert

Kalahari

Namib

Sahara Desert The Sahara is larger than the continental United States Temperatures can reach 130 Degrees (F) Less than 10 inches of rain per year A major part of the African trade network Connected North Africa and the Savanna Kalahari Desert Slightly wetter desert than Sahara Namib One of the driest places on Earth Main source of water is ocean mist

Mediterranean Climate Zone Along the Southern Tip and Northern Coast Mild Mediterranean Climate (like Los Angeles) Mild Climate and Fertile Soil Attracted French, Italian and Spanish colonists to the North Coast Dutch and British settled in Southern Africa South African Coast

?? How can people stop/combat these diseases and their causes ?? Climate and Health Climate can lead to the cause of disease Mosquitoes – malaria Kills 1 million children each year Tsetse Fly- sleeping sickness Infects both people and livestock Other diseases: River Blindness- cause loss of sight Bilharzia- transmitted by snails (parasite) People get it from the water they wash or swim in ?? How can people stop/combat these diseases and their causes ??